My Back Hurts In The Morning

It's funny (not so much funny 'haha'), whenever I have something to blog about, I can't seem to muster up the energy or motivation to write it all out. However, now that I am just itching to tell you all a story, I can't seem to think of anything to say. Bummer, huh?

Let's try this:

Did you ever have a teacher who had journal-writing time? She (or he) would have everyone sit down & for 10 minutes (or 20...whatever) you were instructed to just write. Write anything and everything. Anything that came to your mind. When I was in 11th grade I had a teacher who did this. She would play a song or two, and our only instructions were to keep those pens moving until the music stopped. Kind of like a writing musical chairs. Except there aren't chairs, except for the ones we're sitting in. ...& no one loses. & it's really quiet except for the music. Okay, it's nothing like musical chairs. Anyway, I can't remember anything that I wrote about, but I feel like that today. I feel like I have something to say. What is it? So, this is what we'll do: I'll give myself, oh, ten minutes or so, and we'll see what comes out. Yes! I feel really good about this. You, however, might not feel as great about it. While ten minutes to write gives me a great opportunity to write, all it gives you is a potentially extremely long post in which you will find nothing of great importance. You might not even find anything of importance, greatness left aside.

Okay, ready? Go.

So last Thursday night my YSA ward at church went to the visitors center in Santa Monica. While we were there great things happened inside of me. I felt so incredibly happy to be in the visitors center right next to what we believe to be the House of the Lord. They have an entire section in the center that's dedicated to service. They have six short videos that you can watch while you walk through the exhibit. Each one is of different service activities that have been done by members throughout the world. It made my heart so happy. It also inspired me. What things can I be doing right here? At home? I think I'm mostly a selfish person. Okay, maybe selfish is a little too harsh, even if it's true. I think I'm a highly ignorant person, in the fact that...I just don't notice opportunities to serve. You know who is really good at that? My Mama. She is always the first one to notice when there's a need. (Nurse...duh.) So, amongst many other things, one thing I left the temple with is a new desire to serve & to be aware of those around me. In the videos the projects being done were mostly by large groups of youth, or adult members from a ward. Those big projects are fantastic! They obviously need to be done. However, those people, I'm sure, aren't able to be involved with projects like that every day. (& neither am I) So what about the days in between? That's when the little things can be done. Dishes (gross). Sweeping floors. Phone calls. Smiles. Getting together with old friends. I don't know exactly what it may be each day, but I can do something. We can make a difference here. Right where we are. We need people who do the big things, obviously. But we also need the small things. A lot. Last semester organizing the benefit concert for Japan was one of the most gratifying experiences for me. I LOVED that I was able to use gifts that I've been given in combination with so many others who wanted to help, & with those gifts we were able to help raise money for people in need. It was awesome. I can't do that every day, but I can recreate that feeling in doses for me & for those around me with little things. I'm excited.

I L.O.V.E. this building. Someday soon I'll get to go inside!

Well, ten minutes are up. *sigh* That was nice. Congratulations to you if you made it to this point.

Until next time!