Being Perfect!

Did you know that 40 is the perfect number?  40 is the only number whose letters are in alphabetical order.  Perfect.

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about being perfect.  I was really struggling and wondering if I was making a difference in this world.  I realized I was getting pretty selfish and I needed to find a way to get over that.  I have a wonderful friend, an old roommate, who posted on Facebook about a 30 day challenge she did before her birthday in December.  She did all kinds of amazing things as random acts of kindness to help other people and I felt like that was something I needed to work on.  I needed to do more than serve my family by doing 20 loads of laundry a week.

My resources and time are pretty tight (husband in medical school with 6 children) so I challenged myself to pray to receive the inspiration of what He wanted me to do to help someone each day.  I knew he realized my limitations and weaknesses and what I needed to work on more than I do.  I wanted to do this 40 challenge perfectly.  Somedays at the beginning were hard and I wondered if I was doing it "perfect" (I think the last day was the hardest for me).  When I started, I had so many ideas of what I thought I would do but soon realized that planning it all out wasn't the point.  I wanted to experience the process, not just the end product of having a list to check off.

We all know the scripture, Matthew 5:48--"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."  I've always loved that verse but struggled with what it means to be perfect.  Does it mean that you always do things perfectly?

So I learned a few lessons during these 40 days (I'll probably come back to write more later):
*Heavenly Father is MY Heavenly Father (and yours too) and HE NEEDS ME (and you too).
*There is always at least one person in my life who can benefit from me everyday.
*Giving service doesn't require lots of money or time.  (Sure I'd love to go pass out $100 bills on the street but that's not realistic in my life)
*If I pray each morning for the inspiration to know what He needs me to do that day, I will receive it.
*If I pray for help, he will send the help to me.  It may not be who or what I think I need, but He knows me perfectly and knows what I need.
*The more we serve, the more blessed we realize we are and the more blessings we receive.  I have been blessed so much these past weeks in ways I could not have imagined.  From a fellow student families surprising us with gifts and visits to reconnecting with friends from years ago.  I am so perfectly blessed.

So being perfect to me is to be at the perfect place at the perfect time to help in the perfect way or say the perfect thing.  That's perfect.  It doesn't mean I'm a perfect Christian, friend, parent, wife, etc. but I can have perfect moments where my will becomes His will and I can be the perfect servant he needs me to be.  That's perfect.  I hope each day to continue to strive to become more perfect in all that He needs me to do.

As I posted on Facebook, I am so grateful for the opportunity to have lived in so many places and met so many different people from all walks of life.  I continue to be inspired by friends through technology and I love it!  I am grateful for people who inspire me to become more perfect.  He has put the perfect people in my life at the perfect time to teach me the perfect lessons for me to learn.  I know the most amazing people and that is so perfect for me!

I think this is the first birthday I've enjoyed in a long time.  Because it wasn't about me.  I didn't expect anything from anyone.  I enjoyed a quiet dinner with my husband (date night) and then a quiet (as quiet as can be with 6 children) evening with my family.  I enjoyed being me and feeling like I am here for a reason.

And to top it all off, it's been snowing on and off all day.  Perfect day!