"...but all things are numbered unto me, for they are mine and I know them."
We are commanded frequently in the scriptures to express gratitude to our Heavenly Father. The more I recognize and express gratitude for His blessings, the more I realize that this commandment is for US more than for Him. Whether we express gratitude or not, He loves us unconditionally. Recognizing the Lord's blessings, however, helps us see the great love that He has for us.
The last week has been filled with small miracles. Unlike the past few weeks, there has been a theme that I have noticed associated with these tender mercies: all of these miracles have made it possible for me to serve someone else. The Lord truly takes care of us when we follow His will and serve His children.
A friend in our ward just had twins a few weeks ago, and I wanted to take her dinner to help her out. I remember being so tired after having just one baby - I cannot begin to imagine how tired she must be with two new little ones! I always appreciated it when someone offered to bring a meal, and I told myself that I needed to offer others the same service that people so willingly offered to me when I had a new baby. The day arrived that I was going to take dinner to this sweet family, and of course it was the one day when the baby decided to take a nap way later than she usually does. This left me with a short amount of time to prepare not only dinner for her family, but for my family as well.
On any given day, it is usually hard enough to find the time to make just a meal for my family, let alone for someone else. Somehow, within an hour I was able to make a homemade pizza, two loaves of chocolate zucchini bread, and a quiche. Not only this, but I was able to wash some of the dishes while I waited for the pizza to finish baking. Some would hear this and foolishly give me the credit, saying that I am a "supermom." I know better. This was a direct blessing from the Lord; He wanted this woman to be taken care of, and He provided the means for me to be able to serve her. Not only was I able to serve her, but I was also able to take care of my own family. As I reflected on this experience at the end of that day, I had the distinct impression that the Lord had magnified my time. He had given me a tender mercy so that I would be able to serve this family. What a beautiful testimony that the Lord will help us take care of each other!
We really enjoy having the missionaries come over for dinner. They bring such a sweet spirit with them, and it helps remind our family that we need to be reaching out to others and sharing the glorious message of the gospel of Jesus Christ! We had them over for dinner last night, and I felt prompted to invite our neighbor to join us. She has become friends with the missionaries, and it seemed like a wonderful opportunity for all of us to get together. When I first received this impression, I was a little bit nervous about having enough food. Daniel has a hearty appetite, and the missionaries are usually pretty hungry themselves when they come over. I had planned a meal with four people in mind, and I was concerned about having enough for everyone.
In spite of my concerns, I invited our neighbor and she graciously accepted the invitation to join us. We had a lovely evening together, and I was so grateful that I had listened to that quiet prompting and invited our neighbor to join us. As Daniel and I cleaned up later that night, I was astonished by the amount of food that was left over. Everyone had eaten until they were full, but there was enough of the meal left that we will be able to have it for dinner tonight as well. I don't know the logistics behind a miracle such as this, but I do know that our family was blessed. We were blessed for being willing to serve and we were blessed with the means to serve.
The Lord is so aware of His children. He blesses us with opportunities to serve each other, and He blesses us with the ability to do so. I have been thinking a lot about the parable of the good Samaritan lately. Just as the good Samaritan promises the innkeeper that he will repay him for any extra he spends in nursing the Jew back to health, the Savior will give us the strength and the means that we need to serve others. Opportunities to serve don't usually come at a time when it is convenient, but if we will seize those opportunities to do as the Savior would do, He will make up the difference. I know He will; He's made up the difference for me.
I love reading your blog sweetheart! It makes my day.
ReplyDeleteI love you - MOm