You Snooze... You Lose

I've always heard it said "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are" but I've come to really put it in action and believe it in the past few months.

I admit that in the past I was a perfectionist. Something inside of me wanted my life to play out like a dream.  I wanted everything done the right correct way.  Okay, so I might still have some of it in me.  But I've come to realize that things work even when conditions aren't perfect.  

In the past, I would've passed up the opportunity to serve someone because I didn't have the means that I felt were necessary.  My theory was more like "If you can't do it all the way, don't do anything at all."  I was afraid my gift wouldn't mean anything if it wasn't everything.

After starting my "kindness-a-day" project back at Easter, I've come to realize that even the small things can mean the world to people.  A bottle of water or a meal to a homeless person.  A smile to the lady in the grocery store who is exasperated with trying to control her kids and shop for groceries. A note to a struggling friend or family member.

Our opportunity to serve this week arrived late one evening in the shape of a hungry football player. I was in my pajamas and my hair wasn't fixed.  Eek. As the student came in, I realized he was deaf.  Double eek.  God must have forgotten that it's been four years since my last ASL class.  JUUUUUUST kidding.  I know God forgets nothing and I knew it was no coincidence that this kid showed up on my door step.  I said a quick prayer and struggled through some sign language with him.  His eyes just lit up just to see someone who knew how to communicate with him (even ever so slightly). 

I quickly heated up some leftovers... which we "coincidentally" happened to  have.  Normally we don't have leftovers.  I cook two pieces of meat, enough veggies and whatever else for me and Coach.  But on this night, we happened to have a TON of leftovers.

In the past, I would've worried about the way I looked, the quality of food I had and I probably would have not even tried to communicate with this young man in sign language because my ASL is far from perfect.  I would've been too worried about me and the things that truly don't matter and I would've missed the opportunity to serve. 


Our gifts don't have to be perfect for God to use them, we just have to be willing to serve. We can't only serve when it is convenient to us.  To be a true servant, we have to be available to God any hour of the day or night.  My mom used to tell me "You snooze, you lose".  I used to hate that saying because it usually meant I missed the last piece of cake or something else I really wanted.  But the statement sure rings true.  What are we missing out on if we wait for action until things are how WE want them to be?  Here's the answer...  Ecclesiastes 11:4 - If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done. (NLT).   Ouch.
I am SO thankful that God has allowed me to move past those expectations of being perfect and that He was able to use me...with what He has given me, where He has put me.