Tragedy makes us reflect

Why is it that it takes something TERRIBLE to make me step back and realize how truly blessed I am? Has it really been 7 years since i woke just after Christmas to see the devastation that took place in Indonesia? Bad things are not supposed to happen around Christmas. While we were celebrating and spending time with family for the holidays, others across the world were looking for their loved ones amongst the ruble and debris of an earthquake and subsequent Tsunami. I remember being paralyzed for days after, sitting in awe as i watched the images play out on TV. How could something so horrible have happened? Then slowly we resumed our "normal" lives and went about our business as usual. My life went on and only on occasion did i give this tragedy a second thought. It was only today when i started thinking about it again that i can hardly believe that it was that long ago.

Once again while i was sleeping safe and sound in my home, across the world those in Japan were living out their worst nightmares. It is not something that they will just be able to wake up from either. It will be on going for months/years. It was something that no one had any control over...I think that is when you feel so small in this world, to realize we have very little control of what happens in our lives. I have been thinking about those families that sent missionaries over to Japan. What faith to send your child half way around the world. All you can do is pray that they will be safe...and they have been. What a blessing. I only hope that while they are there that they will be able to console the weak and broken.That they can give the aid to those who need it since we can't. It will be many many years of healing for the Japanese. Long after it is no longer in the news, long after it has been placed in the history books as the horrific event that it is, they will still be dealing with it. I need to remember to be thankful for my blessings, for my safety. And i need to remember after it is no longer the headline news story that those in Japan,they will still need my prayers.

just me ranting...

The anticipation is killing me
(not really)
I am sick of my life
(sorta)
I am tired of being patient
(definitely)
and this thing called FAITH
can be wearing at times....
And yet somehow,
someway,
I find a reason to get up in the morning--
which just for the sake of argument
is MUCH earlier than i would normally be getting up or want to get up at,
and yet i do--without an alarm!

Waiting can be tiring--
so I guess i should be glad that i have something to keep me busy
even if it does require that i am working out in the heat--
doing a nasty job--
one that i would not be doing except for the fact
that you do,
what you have to do,
to make ends meet...
and i am thankful that our ends have been meeting,
that i have a job
(even if i am not loving/liking it right now)
I am thankful for the food we have to eat
I am thankful for the roof over my head
that we are all basically healthy
cars to drive
AIR CONDITIONING
I am thankful for a loving husband
and his desire to find a job
Now if someone else could see that and offer him one i would be really
THANKFUL...
and yes i am thankful for this trial
I am learning about strength
and more lessons on PATIENCE
than i really care for...
but...
I also know that this is not
FOREVER...
because FOREVER is a mighty long time
and i mean to tell you...
LET'S GO CRAZY
(Oops sorry about the prince reference)
but seriously,
sometimes i feel like this is how it has always been
how quickly we can forget
I guess that is why we are given trials
to remind us that we are NOT alone
to remind us to have FAITH
and with that faith comes PEACE
and i do have PEACE...
I don't know why I am at peace?
why i am not all stressed out?
but i just know that things will (eventually) be OK!
and I am OK with that
although i would like a magic 8 ball to confirm it--
but in lieu of the magic 8 ball i will accept a call from my hubby
(who is at a job interview in Cali)
just telling me that he did well--
telling me he had a job offer would be even better
but i will continue to work on that thing called
PATIENCE....
for a know that one day soon that call will come....
and prayers will be answered.

ability to be of service

How often do we casually throw out the statement
"If you need anything,

give me a call"
We know that more than likely we won't get called
and we hope if we do--

it will come at a convenient time.
Let's face it--
If we are going to give service

we want it to be convenient.
Service is so much easier given that way...
but that is not how it usually works.

I have been on the receiving end of service
and i did everything in my power
NOT to ask for help.

When i was on bed rest--(not supposed to be doing anything) i had little ones and a home to keep up. I would take the entire day to clean the bathroom. I would sit in the tub and clean it and then lay back down. Then i would do the sink and lay back down....everything was broken down into parts and i would do a part and then rest. I knew i wasn't supposed to be doing any of it--but i couldn't bring myself to ask for help--to impose on someones life.
When my doctor found out what i had done he was UPSET. He knew that there were woman in the church that would be willing to help me--and how dare i deny them that opportunity for blessings...

Asking is one of the hardest things to do--

so i decided that i would (try) to never make someone who was asking feel like an imposition. Today i had that chance...

I have a crazy week. So much to do...not enough time--(unless i give up sleeping.) I am feeling stress (something i don't normally deal with) about everything i need to accomplish. Today was the bulk of time I had to get things done--I had just gotten started on a project that i had a deadline for. I needed to get an upholstery project done before i left town. I was thinking about my girlfriend who needs rides on a weekly basis, but i had not seen the sign up the day before at church. I figured it was a good thing because I DID NOT need one more thing to do this week. I was just getting into a groove when i got a call. My friend (who is not able to drive because of medical reasons)was stranded. Her ride had not shown up to take her to a doctors appointment. I live just around the corner from her and i have told her if that ever happened to call me...and she did. While i was glad that she felt comfortable enough to call I knew what i needed to get done. It wasn't even a moment of thought before i said i would be there in a minute to pick her up. I kept affirming to myself that it would all work out--that i would be blessed. I didn't know how, but i knew I would. It ended up taking more time than i thought it would--my friend needed to talk--and I did not want to rush off. I still wondered how i was going to get everything done that i needed to do this week but i knew it would all work out...

I received a phone call later tonight taking me off the hook. All my stress to get my project done and I was given a reprieve. The woman that i was doing the work for was leaving town earlier than i had projected and there was no way it was going to be done by then. I would have to finish it when i got home from vacation--but it would work out. Even if i had said NO to my friend and had stayed and worked I don't think i would have had it done by the earlier date--so see...everything does work out...we are blessed and i love the fact that i was able to serve.

This scripture keeps coming to my mind

“Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me”

---

Matthew 25:40

This was taken from a talk by J. Richard Clark --entitled Love Extends beyond Convenience
A noted columnist, Erma Bombeck, described an experience which reminds us that little things can mean a lot. She recounted a frustrating morning of numerous phone calls and interrupting conversations before leaving for the airport.
And then she said, “[At last] there were thirty whole beautiful minutes before my plane took off—time for me to be alone with my own thoughts, to open a book and let my mind wander. A voice next to me belonging to an elderly woman said, ‘I’ll bet it’s cold in Chicago.’
“Stone-faced, I answered, ‘It’s likely.’
“ ‘I haven’t been to Chicago in nearly three years,’ she persisted. ‘My son lives there.’
“ ‘That’s nice,’ I said, my eyes intent on the printed page of the book.
“ ‘My husband’s body is on this plane. We’ve been married for fifty-three years. I don’t drive, you know, and when he died a nun drove me from the hospital. We aren’t even Catholic. The funeral director let me come to the airport with him.’ ”
Erma said, “I don’t think I have ever detested myself more than I did at that moment. Another human being was screaming to be heard and in desperation had turned to a cold stranger who was more interested in a novel than in the real-life drama at her elbow.
“All she needed was a listener—no advice, wisdom, experience, money, assistance, expertise or even compassion—but just a minute or two to listen. …
“She talked numbly and steadily until we boarded the plane, [and] then found her seat in another section. As I hung up my coat, I heard her plaintive voice say to her seat companion, ‘I’ll bet it’s cold in Chicago.’
“I prayed, ‘Please, God, let her listen.’ ”

(Erma Bombeck, “Are You Listening?” If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries—What Am I Doing in the Pits?, New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1978, pp. 197–98.)
How many times have we observed a benevolent act performed by someone and asked ourselves, “Why didn’t I think of that?” Those who do the deeds we would have liked to do seem to have mastered the art of awareness. They have formed the habit of being sensitive to the needs of others before they think of themselves. How swiftly opportunity slips away, and we are left with another unfulfilled good intention. If only our acts of kindness could equal the righteous desires of our hearts.

Brothers and sisters, what I have tried to illustrate this morning is that if we are to walk in the steps of the Savior, we cannot do it without personal sacrifice and sincere involvement. It is rarely convenient; but love extends beyond convenience for those who have conditioned themselves to look for opportunities to serve. I believe that the Savior was equipped to accomplish His mission not only through His parentage, but because of His thirty years of preparation in developing an awareness of and a sensitivity to the needs of His fellowmen.

“When you want to get the job done,

get the busy man to do it,”