So today I made a major blunder–not the first. Actually, not the second or third, either. And I’m sure my editor at Clash of the Titles is about ready to tear her hair out. (Yep, I’ve called her twice this week.) Now part of it’s a Mac problem–not today’s error, but the other errors I’ve made this week.

(My name is Jennifer Slattery and I’m a PC).

Although technology is getting better, there are still many programs and downloads that aren’t Mac compatible. And I’ve got a pc (three Macs, one PC), but somehow it lost my wireless internet key, and the internet guys don’t have it. (Seriously?) So, to use the internet on my Toshiba, I have to manually plug my Toshiba into the modem. Not a big deal, right? Except the modem is in the loft in the entertainment center about four feet off the ground and the cord is maybe four and a half feet, so there’s a bit of juggling involved. (Maybe it would have been better to keep our desktop…)

Enough complaining–you’re wanting to know what I did, right? Wow, tad bit morbid this morning, aren’t we? What’s that saying? Misery likes company? Just kidding.

So this week was my week to host COTT, and we’ve got a definite order of how things are supposed to go. Only I got so caught up in the stories and the comments from our readers, and the neck-and-neck polls (52%-48%. Now that’s close!) that I posted the winners. Not just on our site, but all through out cyberspace. Meaning, I can’t fix it. (Winners aren’t supposed to be announced until Friday. Surprise!)

I had to eat it. Tuck tail, send out emails to both competing authors, copy in my editor, asking for mercy. I offered a consolation prize–an interview on Reflections. But I blew it, and these authors deserved better.

I tend to do stuff like this often. For someone who gnaws things to death (my husband’s words, not mine) I sure live by the seat of my pants a lot. It can get downright discouraging, and rather embarrassing. I’m frequently sucking on my toes. (Open mouth, insert foot.) Which is why I like Peter so much–one of the sons of thunder. My husband says I’m like a bull in a china cabinet.

If he says it with a smile, does that mean it’s a good thing?

I guess that depends on which side of the table you’re on.

I’ve got a friend who can see the good in every situation. I love talking to her.

“You’re a pit-bull.”

“Okay…???” (I’ve got stinky breath? I suck the life right out of you? I need to be chained?)

“In a good way. When…” (And she relates a positive example.)

I lift my chin and square my shoulders. “Yeah, I see where you’re going.” Chest puffed out a bit more. “Right, pit bull. I like that.”

We’ve all got hints of Peter, or Thomas, or Martha’s in us.

Even as I say that, I’m imaging numerous images come to mind. Peter was impetuous, a trait that caused him to eat his words on at least one occasion, but he was also passionate. Impetuous/passionate…See where I’m going?

Martha was like a type A to the extreme. I bet she drove her people-oriented sister, Mary, crazy! And yet, she got things done. She took care of details. She never would have bombed the COTT deal today.

Thomas, doubting Thomas, full of questions. And yet, he got his questions answered, resulting in total, unwavering faith.

Every personality has its strength along with a dose of weakness. And according to my dear friend Katie Johnson, our greatest strength often doubles as our greatest weakness.

Not sure what to do about that. It’s not like I can suddenly decide to change my personality, replacing all those negative qualities with positives, although I console myself with the knowledge that God’s not through with me yet. And although I’m tempted to retreat into a nice, safe, non-impetuous-provoking world of laundry and vacuuming, I’m not going to let my weakness get in the way of obedience. Sure, I’ll have to tuck tail once in awhile, owning up to my mistakes and asking for an extra dose of grace–but I’ve already got all the grace I need in Jesus.

In the meantime, I’ll learn from my mistakes and do the best I can to compensate for them.

What about you? What tends to be your greatest weakness and how might it also be a strength? What steps can you take to overcome your weaknesses?

(And as a side-note. Thanks to Lena, Tiffany, and April, for their immeasurable patience!)