― Gordon B. Hinckley
Some people are good at making and keeping resolutions. I've found that if I sit down and make a list of everything I need to get better at, my list ends up REALLY long AND I can't just pick one thing on that list to work on. I want to fix it all at once. Then I get overwhelmed and fall to pieces. So, I have made myself a few simple yet very important new years resolutions.
One of those is SERVICE. One of my favorite hymns reads:
Have I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?
If not, I have failed indeed.
Has anyone's burden been lighter today
Because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?
Therefore, I have set new goals to be able to answer those questions in the affirmative every evening. I want to look back at my time at the end of the day and be able to point out SOMETHING that I have done that has helped out another one of God's children. I know that I will be happier and God will be happier, and hopefully whomever I was able to serve will also be happier.
I have been doing this for a week and so far I have LOVED it. Every night before I fall asleep I get to think about people that I know and who could use a hand or a pick me up. The next day, I get to act on it! Awesome!
My favorite so far has been the old lady at Walgreens. I took the time to talk to her in line and wish her a Happy New Year. As I walked out of the store, she was unloading her cart and putting all her bags in her car. I helped her with the heavy stuff and then brought her cart back into the store. Simple, but she was pleasantly surprised for the assistance and I was beaming. Fun, huh? And I get to do that every day for a whole YEAR! How amazing is that?
: )
Yay for old ladies! And you were able to lift the "heavy" stuff? Well done! Was that like, a carton of milk? hahaha I'm kidding. I've been working on service lately too, but mostly it's been in a different way. Before I used to get agitated if I had done the dishes 4 nights in a row even AFTER making a lovely dinner or if I had taken out the trash the past 3 times because it kept getting to the nasty, over-flowing, smelly state and still hadn't been taken out... But then I realized that it's not worth it to get upset. I can give loving reminders to do the little things, but if I just choose to serve out of love instead of wanting to be acknowledged for all the "kindness" and "service" I'm showing, life will be a lot happier. Some nights I used to feel sorry for myself, because I felt like the little basset hound magnet on mom's fridge that read, "Some days it's all fetching and no pats on the head." But I had to come to the reality that sometimes I won't get all the pats that I want or deserve, but the fetching is all still worth it. Eventually the pats will come, and maybe even a belly scratch! haha
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