Service, Service everywhere.

What a whirlwind of a week!  Life has been super crazy at our house.  I thought it was busy with the wedding/reception, and it was, but it was also structured and orderly.  This week, we have been cleaning up the stuff around our house, organizing our time and family business things.  Drew's boss's last day was Friday, so there has been a bit of emotional drama there.  His interim boss arrives on the job today.

Dani broke her ankle on Monday.  We have not had much to do to help up to this point, but Richard returns to work today and Dani is in a cast up to her mid-thigh.  She sees her doctors today with family, but tomorrow and the rest of the week, she will probably hang out here while Richard is working.  I feel so bad for her!!  Married four days when she broke her ankle!  Ugh!  Oh the great learning experiences start so soon sometimes.

copyright: Karen Larsen photography

Yesterday I got to teach Sunbeams for the third week in a row.  I wasn't suppose to teach yesterday but their teacher was sick, so after Sacrament meeting the Primary President said, "Could you?" and of course, I could, just maybe didn't want to.  But it turned out alright and it was fun, not stressful.  This week I am teaching Relief Society and on Saturday, last week, we had a four hour training meeting for Seminary which will be starting in three weeks.  So ya, life is a little crazy right now.  Not to mention that school is also beginning within the next two to four weeks for all of my kiddos.  I used to look forward to August as a kind of quiet month to get things prepared for the school year.  This year, I think it is more stressful, probably because of the work necessary for seminary.  Plus Spike got sick this week and then gave it to me.  Three days of feeling nasty with a head cold.  Lovely.

That is part of the reason there was no post on Friday.  Crazy, crazy!

So, how do I keep my sanity during these times?  Prayer and Scripture Study.  It is the only way!  I get up early, say my prayers, read my scriptures and spend some quiet time pondering about life.  I am convinced that if I did not have that as a regular part of my daily routine, there is no way I could be as effective as I am or as sane in what is accomplished.  That morning ritual gives me clarity.  It helps me to know what is important for me to focus on that day and I usually include in my morning prayers, that I will see and do what the Lord needs me to and be able to set aside my own agenda.

Because we will be studying the Old Testament this year, I have been trying to get a handle on the timeline in the OT and understanding some of the history, geography and words of the prophets then.   Yesterday I read the words of Isaiah, specifically chapters 42-49, I think.  In these chapters, the Lord pleads with Israel and Judah to acknowledge him as God.  He tells them the gifts and blessings he will give them.  He offers them comfort and compares His ability and willingness to shelter and love them to the inability their wood idols have to do those things.  In one verse, he specifically states that these idols increase their burdens, they do not lessen them, like He can.

As I was reading these chapters and feeling the sorrow these words evoked, I realized that it is that way today as well.  We may not have idols of wood or stone, (or maybe some of us do) but we do have idols of wealth, popularity, position, prestige, health, etc...There are many things that we feel are important and we put our time and money into hoping that whatever we are pursuing will make our lives easier, more enjoyable, and bring us happiness.  We allow these things to consume our time and our resources, but they do not always relieve our burdens, sometimes they increase our burdens. 

copyright: Karen Larsen photography

Then, this morning, I read this article:  Sustained by God's Love.  Only her relationship with our Savior sustained her through this trial.  Yes, the love of others helped her, but why did they assist and serve and love her?  Because of their relationship with Him.  Our modern idols would have done nothing to comfort her heart and heal her grief.  But the Savior not only has felt her grief, he also knows how to succor her grief.  Turning to Him is what allowed for her healing and understanding.

This is kind of a rambling post.  But I know the Savior lives.  I know He loves me and is aware of me, my efforts to live consistently with my beliefs, and knows the burdens I face.  He perfectly knows how to nurture me, comfort me, guide me and direct me.  He can do more with my life than I can.  And when I reach out to Him daily, through prayer and scripture study, He sustains me and helps me to manage the responsibilities I have before me, and can tell me where to put in my time and energy--where it will matter the most.

Have a great day!!  This week is also crazy, but I will try to keep blogging.  No promises :-)