"Being Busy is not the same as being worthy and being worthy does not require perfection"

Some of you reading this may not be affected at all by the fact that school is about to start again. For those who are in this period of life though -there may be mixed emotions. My husband can be found dancing singing "It is the most wonderful time of year" around this time every year. I dream of how I might in fact be able to keep our house clean for at least a couple of hours- while my kids are at school. The downside though- is we get back on the hamster wheel of life between running kids to their various school, music, church and scout activities. Related to this kind of hectic life (you all have your own kind of hectic lives) is our continued desire to be perfect in all the things we are involved in. To the point that we reach exhaustion. I loved Elder Gong's talk on Perfection and wanted to share a few quotes from it.

"Understanding the Savior’s freely given atoning love can free us from self-imposed, incorrect, and unrealistic expectations of what perfection is. Such understanding allows us to let go of fears that we are imperfect—fears that we make mistakes, fears that we are not good enough, fears that we are a failure compared to others, fears that we are not doing enough to merit His love....
The word perfection, however, is sometimes misunderstood to mean never making a mistake. Perhaps you or someone you know is trying hard to be perfect in this way. Because such perfection always seems out of reach, even our best efforts can leave us anxious, discouraged, or exhausted. We unsuccessfully try to control our circumstances and the people around us. We fret over weaknesses and mistakes. In fact, the harder we try, the further we may feel from the perfection we seek."

For those who feel physically or emotionally exhausted, start getting regular sleep and rest, and make time to eat and relax. Recognize that being busy is not the same as being worthy, and being worthy does not require perfection......For those prone to see their own weaknesses or shortcomings, celebrate with gratitude the things you do well, however large or small.... For those who fear failure and who procrastinate, sometimes by over-preparing, be assured and encouraged that there is no need to withdraw from challenging activities that may bring great growth! Where needed and appropriate, seek spiritual counsel or competent medical attention to help you relax, develop positive ways to think and structure your life, reduce self-defeating behaviors, and experience and express more gratitude." -Becoming Perfect in Christ, Elder Gong, Ensign July 2014

How can you take those moments to heal -to rest -to rejuvenate? Are you making those moments? We all go about it differently. But those moments are essential to your healing and to your emotional health.  Elder Uchtdorf in his talk What Matters Most gives the example of how even God's creations devote seasons to slow down and focus on the basics.

"One of the things we learn from studying the growth of trees is that during seasons when conditions are ideal, trees grow at a normal rate. However, during seasons when growing conditions are not ideal, trees slow down their growth and devote their energy to the basic elements necessary for survival."