Saturday was a busy day. I went to pick up Kelly and Joe at the their dad's house (Fowler & 168), then drove out to the vineyard for pruning. There were breakfast burritos and fruit to enjoy (yum) as well as a lot of work to be done. We all learned to wrap and tie and cleaned up the vines for the growing season. We spent a few hours doing that, then I drove the kids back out to Clovis to their dad's. (A LOT of miles put on my car yesterday.)
The vineyard is a special responsibility. Each ward in our area is responsible for several rows. We harvest the grapes, roll them, and pick them up during the summer. In the winter, we prune and tie the grapes. There are other responsibilities as necessary, but these are the main jobs. It's a lot of fun to participate...people laugh and talk, sometimes singing as they do the work. There's a lot of teasing along with the sweating and working. The reason we can do such hard work so joyfully is that the fruit of the vineyard becomes raisins that are sent around the world for humanitarian aid provided by our church. The assistance is for both members and non-members. It is such a blessing to be able to help serve in this capacity, though it is also hard work.
After the vineyard, I went to purchase my books for the Spring semester which starts on Tuesday. It cost nearly $700. Ouch! I also repaired the faucet in the boy's shower. I'm dreading calling the pest control companies next week about our termite situation, but it must be done.
Showing posts with label service. Show all posts
Showing posts with label service. Show all posts
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Terrific Tuesday!
Well, we had a terrific morning at the Bishop's Storehouse today. We helped package up fruits and vegetables, and after those were done, spent the bulk of the morning bagging nuts. There were a ton of people helping, and it was amazing to see everyone working so hard. All of our favorites were there, and some new people, too! I so much appreciate Brother Scoffield for his example of service, love and hard work for my boys, who are slowly coming around to the idea that life is hard and it's time to get over it and get to work.
At home, the kids spent some time enjoying some computer time while I worked on homework. More good news: Fortunately a friend of mine arranged for a heating "specialist" to come and look at our heater tomorrow, so hopefully our home will be able to get over 53 degrees during the day if they are able to fix it. If not, the kids are preparing firewood to keep us warm during the rainy weather ahead.
I also finally went shopping for food items today, and there are happy tummies in the Cavanaugh home.
We finished off the day with a wonderful trip to the temple for baptisms. It was the first time I was able to go with Laine. Kelly was unable to go because she was ill. It was so special to me to have Laine and Joe both there. (Someday soon, I hope to have all five of the children there at once with me!) We enjoyed our quiet evening at the temple. The spirit was strong, the smiles were big, and the joy was tangible!!
At home, the kids spent some time enjoying some computer time while I worked on homework. More good news: Fortunately a friend of mine arranged for a heating "specialist" to come and look at our heater tomorrow, so hopefully our home will be able to get over 53 degrees during the day if they are able to fix it. If not, the kids are preparing firewood to keep us warm during the rainy weather ahead.
I also finally went shopping for food items today, and there are happy tummies in the Cavanaugh home.
We finished off the day with a wonderful trip to the temple for baptisms. It was the first time I was able to go with Laine. Kelly was unable to go because she was ill. It was so special to me to have Laine and Joe both there. (Someday soon, I hope to have all five of the children there at once with me!) We enjoyed our quiet evening at the temple. The spirit was strong, the smiles were big, and the joy was tangible!!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Tuesdays at the Storehouse
This month, we celebrate thanksgiving. Of all the holidays, this one is my second favorite (for inquiring minds, Easter is my favorite!). Although I still need work on expressing gratitude, I love that we have a holiday that is about being grateful. I feel I have been so richly blessed by the Lord in all areas of my life. I really have no right to complain at all about my life, even though I do from time to time. Maybe more than I should.
Yesterday in the mail I received a newsletter from the Poverello House. In the newsletter, they discussed the programs and opportunities for families and individuals that find themselves in tough circumstances or homeless. They also discussed street corner beggars. As I read through this material, I thought about all I take for granted. I complain about all the repairs and hard work I have to do in my home, or the yard work that needs to be done on my property. Yet, I have a home to live in with space to spare, unlike so many others. I complain about having to plan, cook and clean up after meals, yet my children and I have plenty to eat and some to share. I could go on and on about all that I grumble about. I need to improve!
When I went to the Bishop's storehouse today, as I try to do every Tuesday, I had a another learning experience. As I saw the familiar faces of my friends at the storehouse, my heart was lifted in joy. Although completely out of it at moments from staying up nearly all night to study, I felt so happy for the opportunity to serve those who have less, people I may never meet, but to whom my little bit of service can bring some relief and peace. I treasure my time there because it helps me to repay the tiniest portion of all that I have been blessed with. It reminds me that man "does not live by bread alone" but having a full tummy helps people to focus on the words of Christ and living a good life. Serving at the storehouse blesses me on another level, too...it keeps depression and darkness at bay as I lose myself in the work. I only wish I could do more to help others, but this small offering still provides me with perspective and peace.
Yesterday in the mail I received a newsletter from the Poverello House. In the newsletter, they discussed the programs and opportunities for families and individuals that find themselves in tough circumstances or homeless. They also discussed street corner beggars. As I read through this material, I thought about all I take for granted. I complain about all the repairs and hard work I have to do in my home, or the yard work that needs to be done on my property. Yet, I have a home to live in with space to spare, unlike so many others. I complain about having to plan, cook and clean up after meals, yet my children and I have plenty to eat and some to share. I could go on and on about all that I grumble about. I need to improve!
When I went to the Bishop's storehouse today, as I try to do every Tuesday, I had a another learning experience. As I saw the familiar faces of my friends at the storehouse, my heart was lifted in joy. Although completely out of it at moments from staying up nearly all night to study, I felt so happy for the opportunity to serve those who have less, people I may never meet, but to whom my little bit of service can bring some relief and peace. I treasure my time there because it helps me to repay the tiniest portion of all that I have been blessed with. It reminds me that man "does not live by bread alone" but having a full tummy helps people to focus on the words of Christ and living a good life. Serving at the storehouse blesses me on another level, too...it keeps depression and darkness at bay as I lose myself in the work. I only wish I could do more to help others, but this small offering still provides me with perspective and peace.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Grouchy Mom
Today, I herded the kids outside to work on the branches (from the really big branch) that fell a few weeks ago. We are cutting the smaller branches into kindling and the bigger branches into firewood for the winter. This requires stripping off the leaves first. This, as you will recall, was a monster sized branch. I had planned on paying someone to do it, but the mini-remodel in the breezeway followed by the discovery that my roof needs major repair, followed immediately by the realization that my cooler is leaking...well, let's just say it was no longer in the budget. The kids didn't want to work on it. They were finding every excuse to avoid it. And I was becoming grouchier by the minute as I watched them mess around and do very little actual work.
Finally, I went outside and proceeded to behave in a crazed, run-for-the-hills manic manner as I tore into the branches, grumbling about children who didn't want to contribute to the household welfare but wanted all the benefits of it. Part of me worries that my kids will grow up to be lazy people who can't take care of their homes and families, and part of me recognizes that MOST kids don't want to do such hard work and I'm expecting a lot of them. I also know that as a single mom, if the kids don't help me, we are unlikely to be able to keep up with all that needs to be done around the house.
The children did ultimately help out a little more, and as it turns out, tearing up branches and sweating to death in the August heat did in fact calm me down. The kids and I have done a lot of good this summer, not just around our home, but also at the Bishop's storehouse and at Poverello House. We can do this...together!
Finally, I went outside and proceeded to behave in a crazed, run-for-the-hills manic manner as I tore into the branches, grumbling about children who didn't want to contribute to the household welfare but wanted all the benefits of it. Part of me worries that my kids will grow up to be lazy people who can't take care of their homes and families, and part of me recognizes that MOST kids don't want to do such hard work and I'm expecting a lot of them. I also know that as a single mom, if the kids don't help me, we are unlikely to be able to keep up with all that needs to be done around the house.
The children did ultimately help out a little more, and as it turns out, tearing up branches and sweating to death in the August heat did in fact calm me down. The kids and I have done a lot of good this summer, not just around our home, but also at the Bishop's storehouse and at Poverello House. We can do this...together!
Monday, August 1, 2011
Summer of Service
Last week was a busy week! On Monday, the two youngest kids went to a humanitarian project to make hats and toys for people around the world who have been hard hit by natural disasters. Then Monday evening, we helped a friend load up her moving truck. On Tuesday morning, we went to the Bishop's Storehouse to help package food for needy families in the central valley. That same afternoon, Kelly and I went and helped a friend to clean up after their move. Wednesday was faith in God for girls, as well as mutual for the older three kids. Thursday, we went BACK to the Bishop's storehouse (just can't get enough!) and Friday, we served at the Poverello House.
Someone asked me what we were doing all this for. Like most things in my life, I decided to do it for my children. My goal is to raise healthy, independent, self-reliant, grateful, happy adults who contribute and give back to their community. I don't want them going out into the world asking, what's in it for me? I don't want them thinking the world owes them anything. I want them to develop their talents and their gifts, to work hard for their dreams, and to always remember that someone is worse off than they are.
I felt that we needed to spend some time helping others who have less or who need more help than we do currently. I want my kids to grow up grateful, with a sense of self-worth that is unrelated to their score or level on some video game they mastered this summer. I want them to know that every person is a child of God, and deserves dignity and respect. I also want them to develop faith and a testimony of God's love for all of his children, to have a testimony of paying tithing and of service. I want them to love each other.
Another reason is to help the children realize that despite all the things we do without, that we are very blessed. I'm working very little right now and going to school. I'm trying to make a better life for myself and the kids...to set an example for them to finish their education. That means our budget right now is very tight, and getting tighter daily. Taking this step has required a lot of faith for me. I'm not comfortable living so close to the wire. Yet because of prayer, I know it is what I am supposed to do: go back to college, really serve others with all my heart, grow my testimony and be the best mom I know how to be(not necessarily in that order!). I'm not certain of much beyond those goals. However, I know that the children and I are feeling closer and more thankful for all that we have. I wanted the children to know that when we complain about what we don't have, we are forgetting all that we DO have.
We enjoy our time together in these service projects. We have witnessed God's hand in our lives and in the lives of others. I hope to establish an eternal pattern for myself and all of my kids...serve, serve, serve, with all of our hearts.
Someone asked me what we were doing all this for. Like most things in my life, I decided to do it for my children. My goal is to raise healthy, independent, self-reliant, grateful, happy adults who contribute and give back to their community. I don't want them going out into the world asking, what's in it for me? I don't want them thinking the world owes them anything. I want them to develop their talents and their gifts, to work hard for their dreams, and to always remember that someone is worse off than they are.
I felt that we needed to spend some time helping others who have less or who need more help than we do currently. I want my kids to grow up grateful, with a sense of self-worth that is unrelated to their score or level on some video game they mastered this summer. I want them to know that every person is a child of God, and deserves dignity and respect. I also want them to develop faith and a testimony of God's love for all of his children, to have a testimony of paying tithing and of service. I want them to love each other.
Another reason is to help the children realize that despite all the things we do without, that we are very blessed. I'm working very little right now and going to school. I'm trying to make a better life for myself and the kids...to set an example for them to finish their education. That means our budget right now is very tight, and getting tighter daily. Taking this step has required a lot of faith for me. I'm not comfortable living so close to the wire. Yet because of prayer, I know it is what I am supposed to do: go back to college, really serve others with all my heart, grow my testimony and be the best mom I know how to be(not necessarily in that order!). I'm not certain of much beyond those goals. However, I know that the children and I are feeling closer and more thankful for all that we have. I wanted the children to know that when we complain about what we don't have, we are forgetting all that we DO have.
We enjoy our time together in these service projects. We have witnessed God's hand in our lives and in the lives of others. I hope to establish an eternal pattern for myself and all of my kids...serve, serve, serve, with all of our hearts.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
“We Serve That Which We Love”
I'm sorry I haven't done any posts lately...I've been buried! You know I love you all and think about you every day.
I had to give a talk in church this morning. For those who are interested, here's the text of my talk.
----------------------------------
Good Morning! I’m grateful for this opportunity to speak this morning! I have asked over and over again for the spirit to be here as I speak. I have received several witnesses that what I’m about to say is what the Lord wants me to say. I hope that even a small part of it will touch your heart.
One of the joys of belonging to the church is that we have multiple opportunities to serve one another. Sometimes, our callings are perfect for us, but most of the time, we head into callings and service with no clue what we’re doing. I don’t think I’m talking about only myself here….Have you ever wondered why our Father in Heaven wants a bunch of rank amateurs serving in this or that capacity in his church?
I would like to answer this question by reading a scripture from Matthew 22: 36-40. “’Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?’ Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
We’ve all heard this scripture many times I’m sure, and yet as my progression in the gospel keeps moving forward, I am more and more convinced that these two commandments are the core of the gospel. Our relationship with God and with others, our love for them, is God’s greatest concern, and is the reason that our church is structured the way that it is.
In Elder Marvin Ashton’s talk, “We Serve That Which We Love” from the April 1981 General Conference, he says: “Day-to-day acts of service, whether for good or evil, may not seem important, but they are building cords of love that become so strong they can seldom be broken. Ours is to place our areas of love in proper perspective. Meaningful love always works for our eternal progress and not against it.”
It’s so easy to serve people that we have feelings of love for. It’s easy to serve God when we love him. Putting our time and energy into these relationships always works to our eternal benefit. To the Lord, relationships with him and with others are EVERYTHING.
However, one of the things the spirit communicated to me that I needed to address is this: Many of us have relationships in our lives that are broken, or hurting, or just not at the level that we would like to see. If we want to improve these relationships and heal them, we need to invest our service into the relationship. Even where we may feel with our earthly hearts and understanding that we already do all the work in such a relationship, service can change the hearts not just of those that we serve, but our own heart as well. This is true even where we feel we have no love left to give in a relationship. Most of the time, we are talking about the “feeling” of love. However, if we look at loving others as behaving in ways that benefit them and serve them, then perhaps we can find ways to continue to love even where the feelings of love are dormant. We can renew these feelings as we serve. Again, to quote Elder Ashton, “We serve that which we love, and we love that which we serve.” And if we feel we cannot serve one whom we ought to love but do not, then we should remember King Benjamin’s words from Mosiah 2:17: “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom, that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God.”
How can we find the courage to serve in damaged relationships? Through the atonement of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who took upon us our individual weaknesses and sins, and all of our trials…because of him, we can face the difficult journey of healing knowing he is at our side. And if the relationships cannot be repaired, we can move forward in peace knowing that the Lord knows all we have done to make things right.
It is important that we realize that serving others and loving them needs to happen in emotionally healthy ways. Elder Ashton says, “Giving our time, the listening ear, the understanding heart, and the unconditional love, even opening doors of opportunity at times are some ways to serve those we love. But if we deprive family members of opportunities to learn to work, if we teach them to avoid or escape the responsibilities for their own actions, if we use them to further our own ambitions, then we do not serve them well or love them prudently.”
I love what he said. Our entire relationship with others is an opportunity to serve. What we say, how we say it, and how we behave are serving. We can serve others by withholding unkind words, by replacing them with positive words. We do not need to do everything for our children or others in order to be serving them. Like most things in life, we need to find a balance, a balance that helps us serve without becoming an enabler or a disabler. Elder Ashton also points out that if we have a member of our family who needs to have increased love, that we can give them opportunities to serve the family, to work and contribute. This is where a child can learn of their worth and their ability to serve, and how their love can be increased for the family.
By the way, if our relationship with our Father in Heaven is not where we would like it to be, then service of him is also a big part of the solution. If we serve in his church, not only will our love of others increase, but our love of God will also increase. As we strive to do his will and serve him by obeying him, then will our love for him continue to grow. We will be keeping the two greatest commandments!
The principle of service increasing our love works even when we are serving those we do not know. As we strive to serve those around us that we haven’t gotten to know yet, our love for them will increase.
It is not just people that we love, though, is it? We also invest our time and energy into work, into hobbies, into diversions. We come to love those things that we invest our time in. Therefore, we must be careful that our time, service and energy are directed to worthwhile pursuits. Here again, Elder Ashton cautions us: “Equally apparent in the world today is the love of that which is evil. We may jeopardize our future by loving and sacrificing for that which is not conducive to our health or our progress.” A bit further along he says…“One of the greatest accomplishments of Satan in these last days is his success in turning men’s affection towards the destructive, the fleeting, or the worldly.”
This turning of affection doesn’t happen in a moment. It happens gradually, over time, as we invest our sacrifice and our service into areas that might even seem good or desirable at first. We might seek a better job in order to provide better for our family, and become so consumed with the desire to provide better and better for them that we begin to invest our time to an extent that we sacrifice that which we intended to provide for. Elder Ashton says, “As adults, if our top priorities are constantly directed toward the acquisition of more and better worldly goods, it will not take long to increase our love in those directions. The purchase of a larger house or a nicer car or a more expensive boat may cause us to sacrifice our resources and develop an unwise love for these symbols of success and pleasure. We learn to love that which we serve, and we serve that which we love.”
Sometimes we find ourselves seemingly trapped by these unwise pursuits, or by sinful diversions. How do we stop loving those things that we should not love? According to Elder Ashton, we must, “stop the expenditure of time and effort in these directions. If this can be managed, then that love will wither and die. Our love should be channeled into sources that are eternally oriented.”
This might mean turning off the computer. It might mean redirecting our thoughts. We might need to stop having certain people in our lives. More importantly, it means replacing those diversions or sins with activities that allow us to serve others and God instead of following after the same destructive patterns that have consumed our lives.
I know God loves us. He does not want to be discouraged. Whenever we decide to serve him and others, he will bless our efforts and help us. I love this time of year…it’s almost Easter! I look forward to it every year because it has such deep meaning for me in my life. As Easter approaches, I find myself reflecting more and more on the ultimate act of service and grace provided by his son, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for the love that he has for us, a love that we can only begin to comprehend. When he was in the Garden of Gethsemane, he knelt and took upon him my sins. His thoughts were of me and of you individually.
As I reviewed this talk this morning, I prayed and asked my Father in Heaven if all that I had included in my talk was pleasing to him. I felt peace that it was. I then turned to BYUTV online, and caught the tail end of an address by President Uchtdorf. Much to my surprise, he quoted the same scripture in Matthew that I included in my talk, and discussed how keeping these two commandments allows us to follow ALL of the commandments and blesses us. He then finished with this statement: “Love is the way of the disciple.”
I know that service is the key to love, it is the key to obedience, and ultimately it is the key of happiness in this life. I’m so grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost, who testifies of truth, for his presence in my life and for the inspiration that he grants to me. I’m grateful for my Savior, who is the ultimate example of “Serving that which we love.”
I had to give a talk in church this morning. For those who are interested, here's the text of my talk.
----------------------------------
Good Morning! I’m grateful for this opportunity to speak this morning! I have asked over and over again for the spirit to be here as I speak. I have received several witnesses that what I’m about to say is what the Lord wants me to say. I hope that even a small part of it will touch your heart.
One of the joys of belonging to the church is that we have multiple opportunities to serve one another. Sometimes, our callings are perfect for us, but most of the time, we head into callings and service with no clue what we’re doing. I don’t think I’m talking about only myself here….Have you ever wondered why our Father in Heaven wants a bunch of rank amateurs serving in this or that capacity in his church?
I would like to answer this question by reading a scripture from Matthew 22: 36-40. “’Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?’ Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
We’ve all heard this scripture many times I’m sure, and yet as my progression in the gospel keeps moving forward, I am more and more convinced that these two commandments are the core of the gospel. Our relationship with God and with others, our love for them, is God’s greatest concern, and is the reason that our church is structured the way that it is.
In Elder Marvin Ashton’s talk, “We Serve That Which We Love” from the April 1981 General Conference, he says: “Day-to-day acts of service, whether for good or evil, may not seem important, but they are building cords of love that become so strong they can seldom be broken. Ours is to place our areas of love in proper perspective. Meaningful love always works for our eternal progress and not against it.”
It’s so easy to serve people that we have feelings of love for. It’s easy to serve God when we love him. Putting our time and energy into these relationships always works to our eternal benefit. To the Lord, relationships with him and with others are EVERYTHING.
However, one of the things the spirit communicated to me that I needed to address is this: Many of us have relationships in our lives that are broken, or hurting, or just not at the level that we would like to see. If we want to improve these relationships and heal them, we need to invest our service into the relationship. Even where we may feel with our earthly hearts and understanding that we already do all the work in such a relationship, service can change the hearts not just of those that we serve, but our own heart as well. This is true even where we feel we have no love left to give in a relationship. Most of the time, we are talking about the “feeling” of love. However, if we look at loving others as behaving in ways that benefit them and serve them, then perhaps we can find ways to continue to love even where the feelings of love are dormant. We can renew these feelings as we serve. Again, to quote Elder Ashton, “We serve that which we love, and we love that which we serve.” And if we feel we cannot serve one whom we ought to love but do not, then we should remember King Benjamin’s words from Mosiah 2:17: “And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom, that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God.”
How can we find the courage to serve in damaged relationships? Through the atonement of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who took upon us our individual weaknesses and sins, and all of our trials…because of him, we can face the difficult journey of healing knowing he is at our side. And if the relationships cannot be repaired, we can move forward in peace knowing that the Lord knows all we have done to make things right.
It is important that we realize that serving others and loving them needs to happen in emotionally healthy ways. Elder Ashton says, “Giving our time, the listening ear, the understanding heart, and the unconditional love, even opening doors of opportunity at times are some ways to serve those we love. But if we deprive family members of opportunities to learn to work, if we teach them to avoid or escape the responsibilities for their own actions, if we use them to further our own ambitions, then we do not serve them well or love them prudently.”
I love what he said. Our entire relationship with others is an opportunity to serve. What we say, how we say it, and how we behave are serving. We can serve others by withholding unkind words, by replacing them with positive words. We do not need to do everything for our children or others in order to be serving them. Like most things in life, we need to find a balance, a balance that helps us serve without becoming an enabler or a disabler. Elder Ashton also points out that if we have a member of our family who needs to have increased love, that we can give them opportunities to serve the family, to work and contribute. This is where a child can learn of their worth and their ability to serve, and how their love can be increased for the family.
By the way, if our relationship with our Father in Heaven is not where we would like it to be, then service of him is also a big part of the solution. If we serve in his church, not only will our love of others increase, but our love of God will also increase. As we strive to do his will and serve him by obeying him, then will our love for him continue to grow. We will be keeping the two greatest commandments!
The principle of service increasing our love works even when we are serving those we do not know. As we strive to serve those around us that we haven’t gotten to know yet, our love for them will increase.
It is not just people that we love, though, is it? We also invest our time and energy into work, into hobbies, into diversions. We come to love those things that we invest our time in. Therefore, we must be careful that our time, service and energy are directed to worthwhile pursuits. Here again, Elder Ashton cautions us: “Equally apparent in the world today is the love of that which is evil. We may jeopardize our future by loving and sacrificing for that which is not conducive to our health or our progress.” A bit further along he says…“One of the greatest accomplishments of Satan in these last days is his success in turning men’s affection towards the destructive, the fleeting, or the worldly.”
This turning of affection doesn’t happen in a moment. It happens gradually, over time, as we invest our sacrifice and our service into areas that might even seem good or desirable at first. We might seek a better job in order to provide better for our family, and become so consumed with the desire to provide better and better for them that we begin to invest our time to an extent that we sacrifice that which we intended to provide for. Elder Ashton says, “As adults, if our top priorities are constantly directed toward the acquisition of more and better worldly goods, it will not take long to increase our love in those directions. The purchase of a larger house or a nicer car or a more expensive boat may cause us to sacrifice our resources and develop an unwise love for these symbols of success and pleasure. We learn to love that which we serve, and we serve that which we love.”
Sometimes we find ourselves seemingly trapped by these unwise pursuits, or by sinful diversions. How do we stop loving those things that we should not love? According to Elder Ashton, we must, “stop the expenditure of time and effort in these directions. If this can be managed, then that love will wither and die. Our love should be channeled into sources that are eternally oriented.”
This might mean turning off the computer. It might mean redirecting our thoughts. We might need to stop having certain people in our lives. More importantly, it means replacing those diversions or sins with activities that allow us to serve others and God instead of following after the same destructive patterns that have consumed our lives.
I know God loves us. He does not want to be discouraged. Whenever we decide to serve him and others, he will bless our efforts and help us. I love this time of year…it’s almost Easter! I look forward to it every year because it has such deep meaning for me in my life. As Easter approaches, I find myself reflecting more and more on the ultimate act of service and grace provided by his son, Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for the love that he has for us, a love that we can only begin to comprehend. When he was in the Garden of Gethsemane, he knelt and took upon him my sins. His thoughts were of me and of you individually.
As I reviewed this talk this morning, I prayed and asked my Father in Heaven if all that I had included in my talk was pleasing to him. I felt peace that it was. I then turned to BYUTV online, and caught the tail end of an address by President Uchtdorf. Much to my surprise, he quoted the same scripture in Matthew that I included in my talk, and discussed how keeping these two commandments allows us to follow ALL of the commandments and blesses us. He then finished with this statement: “Love is the way of the disciple.”
I know that service is the key to love, it is the key to obedience, and ultimately it is the key of happiness in this life. I’m so grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost, who testifies of truth, for his presence in my life and for the inspiration that he grants to me. I’m grateful for my Savior, who is the ultimate example of “Serving that which we love.”
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Leadership Class
A little over a year ago, I decided to take the Leadership Class offered by the Clovis Chamber of Commerce. I thought my skills needed some refining and I have felt a desire to become more active in the community. The class, though small, was excellent. We read and discussed two books: Principle Centered Leadership and the 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, both authored by Stephen Covey. At most classes, we either had a field trip or a guest speaker. The speakers were excellent...they discussed their role in the community and what moved them to become leaders. The field trips were also eye-opening...we saw many local businesses, city officials, and places of interest in our community. We had the chance to see leadership in action, and ask questions of people who were very successful in their areas of expertise.
After this classroom experience, each class takes on a project that they agree on and then the challenge is to carry it out, applying the leadership principles that were learned during the previous year. Seeing what some of the classes have tackled has been inspiring. Our class was motivated to look at ways that we could help the Clovis community have more leadership, and decided to work for the year on increasing enrollment in the Leadership Clovis program and setting in place a leadership group that would support the program and the community by fostering leadership.
Ed Flores, our facilitator for the program, was a great teacher. He was very dedicated and ambitious about what could be accomplished by a few determined people. The program is two years long, and my class and I have about 8 more months to work on our project.
Having been involved in this class has made me realize what a gift it is to make connections with people. It has helped me appreciate civic leaders and look at my community beyond my own family and my own business. It has inspired me to be more involved and vocal about what happens here. It has helped me realize that my talents or gifts can be useful in a variety of areas. I've also been re-evaluating how I spend my time and weighing the options for civic involvement more carefully.
Two areas I discovered I have a great interest in is City Planning and Business Development. For some reason, I never really thought much about it before, but since we met with the city of Clovis leadership, and later with the city of Hanford's leaders, I have found that these are almost irresistible subjects for me. If I had all the time in the world, I would love to study the processes in more depth. It's such a fascinating area!
I'm grateful for the opportunities I have been given to develop relationships with people, as well as my own skills. I'm also thankful for the growing understanding I have of how we are all connected. It seems like every day, the Lord helps me comprehend better that our purpose for being here on this earth is not to live solitary lives, but to connect, understand and appreciate others.
After this classroom experience, each class takes on a project that they agree on and then the challenge is to carry it out, applying the leadership principles that were learned during the previous year. Seeing what some of the classes have tackled has been inspiring. Our class was motivated to look at ways that we could help the Clovis community have more leadership, and decided to work for the year on increasing enrollment in the Leadership Clovis program and setting in place a leadership group that would support the program and the community by fostering leadership.
Ed Flores, our facilitator for the program, was a great teacher. He was very dedicated and ambitious about what could be accomplished by a few determined people. The program is two years long, and my class and I have about 8 more months to work on our project.
Having been involved in this class has made me realize what a gift it is to make connections with people. It has helped me appreciate civic leaders and look at my community beyond my own family and my own business. It has inspired me to be more involved and vocal about what happens here. It has helped me realize that my talents or gifts can be useful in a variety of areas. I've also been re-evaluating how I spend my time and weighing the options for civic involvement more carefully.
Two areas I discovered I have a great interest in is City Planning and Business Development. For some reason, I never really thought much about it before, but since we met with the city of Clovis leadership, and later with the city of Hanford's leaders, I have found that these are almost irresistible subjects for me. If I had all the time in the world, I would love to study the processes in more depth. It's such a fascinating area!
I'm grateful for the opportunities I have been given to develop relationships with people, as well as my own skills. I'm also thankful for the growing understanding I have of how we are all connected. It seems like every day, the Lord helps me comprehend better that our purpose for being here on this earth is not to live solitary lives, but to connect, understand and appreciate others.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
One thing I love to do!
One of the organizations I spend time helping for free is the Home Instead Senior Care Foundation. From the website: "This private foundation funds non-profit organizations that specialize in programs and services for seniors. Areas of interest for funding grants include the following: age-related research and development; scholarships; advocacy for the health and well-being of older adults; and programs that promote community inclusion for seniors, especially those facing the problem of isolation."
I've been on the board continuously since the inception of the Home Instead Senior Care Foundation back in 2003. Together, we have awarded over $890,000 in the seven years that we have been making grants, benefitting more than 80 different organizations across the country and into Canada. Not too much longer before we'll hit our $1 million mark! Being a part of this organization has meant so much to me. I became personal friends of the founders when I launched a Home Instead franchise with my partner and my husband back in 1996. I had always been struck by Paul and Lori's integrity and their sincere desire to build an organization that gave back. I was so honored that they invited me to sit on the board, and each time I am asked to renew my seat on the board, I feel immensely blessed.
Soon I'll be deep in reading. Nov 1st was the deadline for the Spring Grant Cycle for the Home Instead Senior Care Foundation. For each cycle, we have two stages...Letters of Inquiry, and Proposals. Letters of inquiry are shorter, but there are more of them. When we invite an organization to submit a proposal, the documents are much lengthier and more in-depth, though there are fewer of them. I don't always enjoy the reading. It can be tedious, especially when there are more than 100 different letters of inquiry submitted in a cycle. But more often than not, I really love seeing how organizations in different communities solve the problems of and offer support to seniors in their community. I almost always wish that we had more money to give away.
Some parts of the evaluation process are checks on a list....yes, they answered all the required questions. Yes, they are a 501(c)(3). Yes, they have letters of reference. Much of the evaluation takes place on a gut level, however...how does this grant request strike me? Does the organization seem sincere in its mission? What do the letters of reference really say...are they all the same, or does each one have real meaning? Does the request tug at my emotions? How many people are they helping? What does it cost per person helped? What is the impact on the lives of the individuals they serve?
Frequently, weighing one organization against another is excruciating. Do we feed seniors, or help fix their houses? Do we provide respite care, or provide counseling services for seniors who are victims of abuse? These are not easy decisions.
I am always touched when I see how many different ways people give back to their communities. I am impressed with the resourcefulness and resilience of the different non-profits. They continue to raise funds, help everyone they can, fight for every opportunity to bless the lives of their clients. It really renews my faith in the human spirit and in the generosity of people toward one another.
Every time I decide which ones I will support through the process, I pray about it. I take the charge to bless these organizations and to be wise with the funds very seriously. It is a true blessing to me to know that I have indirectly been able to impact the lives of so many seniors. The needs we have assisted with have been everything from respite care for exhausted family members, to meals for seniors delivered with a smile, to research on fall prevention, to assistive devices for seniors who have recently lost their vision. I'm so privileged and grateful that I have the opportunity to help them, and be a part of an organization with so many fine people on the board.
If you're someone involved with caring for a senior, or a professional working with seniors, you might consider purchasing one of the books, Stages of Senior Care. The money benefits the Home Instead Senior Care foundation, and it's filled with excellent material.
Here's the link for their website: http://homeinsteadseniorcarefoundation.org
(I'm afraid you'll have to cut and paste since I can't seem to get the link working. Sorry!)
I've been on the board continuously since the inception of the Home Instead Senior Care Foundation back in 2003. Together, we have awarded over $890,000 in the seven years that we have been making grants, benefitting more than 80 different organizations across the country and into Canada. Not too much longer before we'll hit our $1 million mark! Being a part of this organization has meant so much to me. I became personal friends of the founders when I launched a Home Instead franchise with my partner and my husband back in 1996. I had always been struck by Paul and Lori's integrity and their sincere desire to build an organization that gave back. I was so honored that they invited me to sit on the board, and each time I am asked to renew my seat on the board, I feel immensely blessed.
Soon I'll be deep in reading. Nov 1st was the deadline for the Spring Grant Cycle for the Home Instead Senior Care Foundation. For each cycle, we have two stages...Letters of Inquiry, and Proposals. Letters of inquiry are shorter, but there are more of them. When we invite an organization to submit a proposal, the documents are much lengthier and more in-depth, though there are fewer of them. I don't always enjoy the reading. It can be tedious, especially when there are more than 100 different letters of inquiry submitted in a cycle. But more often than not, I really love seeing how organizations in different communities solve the problems of and offer support to seniors in their community. I almost always wish that we had more money to give away.
Some parts of the evaluation process are checks on a list....yes, they answered all the required questions. Yes, they are a 501(c)(3). Yes, they have letters of reference. Much of the evaluation takes place on a gut level, however...how does this grant request strike me? Does the organization seem sincere in its mission? What do the letters of reference really say...are they all the same, or does each one have real meaning? Does the request tug at my emotions? How many people are they helping? What does it cost per person helped? What is the impact on the lives of the individuals they serve?
Frequently, weighing one organization against another is excruciating. Do we feed seniors, or help fix their houses? Do we provide respite care, or provide counseling services for seniors who are victims of abuse? These are not easy decisions.
I am always touched when I see how many different ways people give back to their communities. I am impressed with the resourcefulness and resilience of the different non-profits. They continue to raise funds, help everyone they can, fight for every opportunity to bless the lives of their clients. It really renews my faith in the human spirit and in the generosity of people toward one another.
Every time I decide which ones I will support through the process, I pray about it. I take the charge to bless these organizations and to be wise with the funds very seriously. It is a true blessing to me to know that I have indirectly been able to impact the lives of so many seniors. The needs we have assisted with have been everything from respite care for exhausted family members, to meals for seniors delivered with a smile, to research on fall prevention, to assistive devices for seniors who have recently lost their vision. I'm so privileged and grateful that I have the opportunity to help them, and be a part of an organization with so many fine people on the board.
If you're someone involved with caring for a senior, or a professional working with seniors, you might consider purchasing one of the books, Stages of Senior Care. The money benefits the Home Instead Senior Care foundation, and it's filled with excellent material.
Here's the link for their website: http://homeinsteadseniorcarefoundation.org
(I'm afraid you'll have to cut and paste since I can't seem to get the link working. Sorry!)
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