Mary Poppins and Son of God

 AND 

Our family enjoyed the Hale Center Theater production of Mary Poppins. It was full of color, song, dance and more. However, that night I felt like I was there to learn a very important lesson. I was quite somber and paid close attention to whatever it was I needed to learn. Throughout the play, Mary Poppins talked about being “practically perfect in every way.” She even sang a song about it. Throughout the play I continued to circle back to her words.

Upon our return home we watched the movie “Son of God.” As I watched our Savior’s life portrayed in two short hours, I began gaining understanding of what I needed to learn that night. Tears flowed down my cheeks as I silently thanked my Heavenly Father and Savior for their love despite being “practically imperfect in every way.” As I watched Christ’s persecution and sacrifice, I had an ongoing prayer of gratitude. The atonement is real and necessary in every one of our lives.

There were a few moments in the video that I must share that coincide with scripture. At the last supper, Christ informed the apostles that one would betray him. Instead of being in denial, Simon Peter asked, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered and then gave them a new commandment to “love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” Simon Peter then asked to go with Christ and said he would lay down his life for him. Christ replies, “Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, the cock shall not crow, till thou has denied me thrice.” I’m sure at that moment Simon Peter thought it was impossible! How could he deny Jesus Christ?

Simon Peter did deny Christ three times and Judas Iscariot did betray him. The disbelief in their own actions was beautifully portrayed. I felt their regret and Godly sorrow and I saw their remorse and actions taken to right their wrongs.

So, what did I learn? All of this was part of the plan. We fall so we can learn to get up again. We make mistakes so that we can learn from them. Each one of us is designed just as intended. We are perfectly imperfect. We are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father and Mother. They know us. They know our strengths, weaknesses, desires… our hearts. We were built to overcome. We have what’s needed within each of us to face the storms of life and the fiery darts of the adversary. We have the opportunity to forgive, be forgiven, progress and above all be loved unconditionally by them that created us and by our brother, our Savior, that gave his life for us.

To my daughters… never forget your worth. You are perfectly imperfect. As beautifully written by Steve Maraboli, you are designed perfectly for your journey here on this earth. You are you and I am me. Do not compare yourself to others. No one is like you. You have the perfect form for your journey. Be yourself, learn from your mistakes, stand up for yourself, laugh, love, apologize, be a lifelong learner and always trust in Him that created you. I love you and am blessed to be your mother.

Perfectly Imperfect by Steve Maraboli

“We have all heard that no two snowflakes are alike. Each snowflake takes the perfect form for the maximum efficiency and effectiveness for its journey. And while the universal force of gravity gives them a shared destination, the expansive space in the air gives each snowflake the opportunity to take their own path. They are on the same journey, but each takes a different path. Along this gravity-driven journey, some snowflakes collide and damage each other, some collide and join together, some are influenced by wind... there are so many transitions and changes that take place along the journey of the snowflake. But, no matter what the transition, the snowflake always finds itself perfectly shaped for its journey. I find parallels in nature to be a beautiful reflection of grand orchestration. One of these parallels is of snowflakes and us. We, too, are all headed in the same direction. We are being driven by a universal force to the same destination. We are all individuals taking different journeys and along our journey, we sometimes bump into each other, we cross paths, we become altered... we take different physical forms. But at all times we too are 100% perfectly imperfect. At every given moment we are absolutely perfect for what is required for our journey. I’m not perfect for your journey and you’re not perfect for my journey, but I’m perfect for my journey and you’re perfect for your journey. We’re heading to the same place, we’re taking different routes, but we’re both exactly perfect the way we are. Think of what understanding this great orchestration could mean for relationships. Imagine interacting with others knowing that they too each share this parallel with the snowflake. Like you, they are headed to the same place and no matter what they may appear like to you, they have taken the perfect form for their journey. How strong our relationships would be if we could see and respect that we are all perfectly imperfect for our journey.”