Day #156-183

I'm back! Perhaps some of you were thinking I'd disappeared never to blog again. Good news! That's not true. :) And I certainly haven't stopped and/or slacked on serving. So where have I been? Selling my life to finishing a deadline at work and rehearsing for Footloose at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse. :) It's been great! Crazy... and great.
What have I been doing to serve then? Let me count the ways. I have:
Stayed after rehearsal to help a friend learn a few of the steps to the finale dance, made an ice cream sundae for my niece, gone to the temple, moved my car for my mom before she goes to work so she doesn't have to, brought "bubbly" to work as a New Mexico completion celebration, unloaded the dishwasher, donated to the March of Dimes as I went through the grocery store, took the trash out, donated to a raffle to help someone who was diagnosed with Cancer, I shared my testimony with my family, gave my cute friend a ride home from rehearsal, vacuumed, helped prepare for a family party, rolled up my coworkers windows when it started raining at work, sat by someone who was sitting alone in church, bought thank you gifts for my cute family helping me in many ways, gave rides to folks in my NEW XTERRA! :) (which was more like a service to me, really, any chance I can get to drive is a blessing), I shared some scriptures and thoughts with my little brothers, donated to another organization as I left Wal-Mart, helped teach/refresh parts in some of the Footloose songs, I taught Sunday School for a friend who couldn't, I listened when I friend needed to vent, I bought a cookie for one of the mom's daughters who is in the cast and was really hungry, I shared food with cast members during dance rehearsals when we're all hungry!

I'm really going to try and blog more frequently. I hope someone is still reading! If not, it's just a good reminder for me. :)

Days #141-155

These little snapshots ought to be enough to show ya what my past couple weeks have been about. ;) If I were to number the miracles and blessings that accompanied me before, during, and after this accident I would be writing for the next half an hour. So I will take this opportunity to testify of the great and perfect knowledge of our Father in Heaven and of the great and perfect inspiration we receive from Him if we will only listen. Because of years of putting on my seat belt it was second nature to put my seat belt on last week. Had I not done that I surely would have gone through the windshield. Because of the blessing of air bags, seat belt, and safety features on my Saturn I was protected from any harm or danger. The Lord Himself intervened, I believe and He is the reason I, and the lady at fault, were able to emerge from our vehicles unharmed. I was blessed that the lady involved was VERY honest and willing to admit she was at fault and take the blame and all that it involves. I have been blessed with an immediate rental and know that the Lord will guide me towards a great replacement car. Aka - XTerra. :)
So I have been serving everyday, but just unable to get on and update everyday due to work, test driving, working more, footloose rehearsals, teaching Spanish each week. So for the past couple of weeks I have:
Tipped the workers at Red Mango (delish!), tipped my amazing friend and hair dresser extra since she's preparing for a mission, cooked dinner for my mom on Mother's Day, checked up on a friend who is having a hard time, put dishes away from the dishwasher, helped clean up after meals, helped my niece get a bowl of ice cream, put away chairs at rehearsal, talked to people I've never met before and invited them to a get together, shared my testimony with my little brothers, bought chips and salsa for my coworkers for Cinco de Mayo, planned to bring eclairs home to my parents (until my car got hit and the eclairs went from the back to the front seat), went to the temple!!
I'm trying to keep up with this blog. I'll be better - I'll really try! The important thing is that this blog has helped me become mindful of service DAILY. I'm very grateful for that. I look forward for what tomorrow will bring! Tomorrow is ward temple night - I get to serve in one of my most favorite ways!

Days #133-#140 Hooray for life!!

I have sat here a minute not knowing what to say or how to start this week's blog. There are many thoughts that I'm having that I'd like to share before I recount the acts of service I've been blessed to do this past week. But there have been mighty miracles in other parts of my life, and I'm not sure if I should share them here, right now, or not. Suffice it to say, I feel to "sing the song of redeeming" love as it stated in the scriptures about the great love of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. He is kind. So kind that He will let us make decisions for ourselves that He wouldn't necessarily have us make, for they will bring us greater heartache than if we didn't make those choices to begin with. Yet, He allows us to make them (even after prompting us not too) and we when come to Him, beat down and betrayed because of those choices, He doesn't hesitate to wrap us "eternally in the arms of His love" and heal us, heal our hearts, minds, and souls. He helps us become better than we were before and lets us go so we can, again, learn to make the choices HE WILL GUIDE US TO MAKE. His love is perfect and I have felt that fill me and restore me in many ways. When trust was shattered, He restored it. When completely deceived, He pointed me to Him who I can always trust. When blindsided, He picked me up and showed me there's so much more than I allowed myself to see.

I just felt to share what has so bountifully been poured out on me - as it can be so on each of us! Okay, service. I have such a short memory, I should at least write down on a sheet of paper what I do each day so I can remember when it comes time to post. Because let's face it, with working full-time, as well as teaching part-time, and being in a play, and training for races, I really don't sit down at this as often as I should.

I'll try and work backwards and see if that helps jog my memory. Yesterday I helped take out the trash before going to work in the morning. Tuesday I served by staying late after my Spanish class to help one of the students who isn't going to be at the last class. She will miss pretty vital stuff so I took some time to sit down and help jump start her in the right direction of understanding how to conjugate verbs in the present tense. :) Fun stuff, eh?! Well, nerdy enough, but I love it! Anyway, it made me later for my rehearsal, but I just felt so good to completely put my schedule and own needs aside to serve someone else who really needed it. Okay I'm not sure what happened when on these days so I'll clump them together. But believe that I did them! I just don't remember when. :) *clearing throat*  I  gave a friend a ride, I helped my little brother dig a trading card out from behind the fridge by me pulling the huge fridge out and him climbing into the dust bunnies to find it. Pretty awesome memories, right there. I unloaded the dishwasher for my fam, I helped clean up after the joint-ward party (which was awesome! Go U32! And U13... :)), I went to the temple!!! Oh I love love love that place! And I helped some of the other cast members in Footloose during rehearsal.

Happy serving!

Days #108-#132 The Recap of All Recaps is Here!!

Okay my most loved readers (meaning any who actually take time to read this... I heart you)!

How about I do a little recap goodness of the past few weeks, eh? First off, let's talk about how a running magazine suggested eating more almonds as part of eating healthy fats which will reduce the risk of injuries as you train (which I am in the process of training)... and how as a result of that little suggestion I've eaten half the bowl of almonds that was sitting out on the counter?! At least I'm getting my "healthy" fats! ... uh... right??

Okay let's start with the wonderful trip to Spain!! I sure made sure to do my service... the service I did before I left was spent on someone who didn't appreciate it as I had hoped and have since seen. But I don't regret the acts of service done!

While in Spain I was sure to do service each day - these consisted of the following things (we were there for 12 days - AND IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE TRIP!!!! OH MY GOODNESS!) *clearing throat and getting back on track* When we arrived to Barcelona (pronounced "Bar-th-elona" by native Barthelonians) our luggage did not arrive with us. Long story on that one! Somehow our carry on luggage became checked luggage and we went for three to four days without luggage. We spent the days serving each other as we borrowed and gave things to each other that some of us had/didn't have. My luggage arrived a day earlier than my two beloved traveling companions so I was excited to be able to help them out with items they didn't have but needed. (but no worries, no sharing of underclothing or toothbrushes was done... we didn't serve THAT much!) So those were some great days of service. Other than that - I bought fondu! (said with an exclamation point because I've never had cheese fondue before! How do you spell that, anyway?!) as an appetizer for my three Spain companions (which were Emily Bott, one of my best friends, Steph Long, my cute cousin!, and my great-aunt Margaret who lives in Spain), I picked up a piece of trash in a store we shopped in, I tried to give back some change to the worker in one of the street shops when he gave me one euro too many (he looked shocked that anyone would actually return it and told me to keep it - service blessing!), I paid for a couple taxi rides so my aunt didn't have to, I cleaned up the kitchen in one of our apartments we stayed in... only to find out the dishwasher actually worked and I didn't have to wash the dishes by hand (I'm convinced I'm a better person for the soapy hands anyway!), I bought a muffin for the Bottster on the plane ride home, and helped my cute aunt translate whenever she needed it (which was more like a service to me since I absolutely love any chance I can have to speak in Spanish)! What an amazing trip it was!
Since being home - I picked up a bunch of papers that fell in the credit union, I helped my mom prepare and clean up after a family gathering, I bought and gave a souvenir to a recipient that many questioned why I'd do it, I got cookies for my awesome coworkers, I was sure to wish my dad and brother happy birthday and buy them a gift (sometimes I forget the gift part... I just procrastinate and all of a sudden it's the person's birthday and I remembered that I STILL hadn't gone to get them anything... working on that one though!), I helped my brother and sister-in-law finish packing up their house in Vegas (but again, being in Las Vegas that day ended up being the BIGGEST blessing I could have asked for, so I was served more than they were... and it was bonus time with my niece... it was a win-win situation for all!), and I've helped clean up here at the casa.

I tell ya - life is so much better when there's service involved!! I'm grateful that the reminder of this blog keeps me on track!

Thanks so much if you're still reading!!

Days #108-127 STILL TO COME!

My dear friends!

I sure WILL get back in blogging mode - not to worry!! (if you were...) I've been on an incredible journey to Spain, but you best believe I made sure to do service while I was traveling, so the updates will come!!

Thank you so much if you're still reading!!

Day #107 Perfect Start to the Day!

I was so grateful and excited for the service today!!

Let me give you the background:
I got up earlier than I usually do for work and yet I STILL left so much later than I wanted to. I wasn't super stoked about that but I soon figured out one reason why that happened and I'm so grateful for it.
While I was driving to work I passed a girl standing at a bus stop... now not only was this the morning hours so it's a little cool anyway, but it was drizzly this morning AND she didn't have a coat! THEN I realized it was a cute girl from my neighborhood and home ward AND I taught her when I long-term subbed in history at Davis High. I couldn't remember her name and almost continued driving because I didn't know if she'd take the ride and I wouldn't be able to call her by her first name anyway... are those any kinds of excuses for NOT at least TRYING to help someone out?
I feel that so often we make up people's minds for them. WE decide what they will and won't do. WE decide FOR them if they do or don't want something. That's not how it works! We need to at least give other people the chance to accept or neglect the offer. At least we put forth the effort and looked outside ourselves and our schedules to help someone.
So thankfully the Spirit pressed on me until I got too much further and I turned around and asked if she wanted a ride. She at first declined saying she was going to Layton (the next city over which is really only about 5 minutes away) for work. I told her I didn't mind and that would be just fine and she gratefully accepted. I WAS SO SO SO EXCITED! We chatted and caught up while we drove and she didn't have to stand in the rain, pay for a bus ticket, or take a bus ride.
Always at least ask. That's what I learned today. Don't ever assume you know what the person will say. Isn't that what the gospel of Jesus Christ is all about anyway?

Days #101-106

I know I said I'd update more frequently... and then life happens and schedule things... come... *clearing throat* anyway, on with the updates:
So last Saturday to serve I took my cute little brother to a play with Bryce and I. It was way fun and he seemed to enjoy himself. It was just nice to make time to be with one of my little brothers.

Sunday (Day #102) I helped my mom assemble some invitations for a 6th grade primary activity night. I could have easily slipped off to take a killer Sunday nap but there's no way I would feel okay leaving her there with 80 or so invitations to punch holes in, glue stuff on, and stick little decorations to by herself. I'm grateful for the nudgings of the Spirit.

Monday through Thursday is all kind of a blur with service activities as follows - picking up trash from the parking lot, getting in touch with a friend, buying a "I'm thinking of you" gift for a friend, taking the trash out, and holding the door for someone.

Yae for service! I keep feeling like, "if any of you are still reading and aren't sick of reading the same types of service over and over again BLESS YOU!" But then I got thinking that service IS so often small things that get you out of your own world into a world slightly less comfortable, involving more sacrifice, no matter the amount. It doesn't always have to cost money, take oodles of time, or be different every time. It all counts.