Thought for Thursday - Why go it alone?

Last night I went to our Relief Society Enrichment night (or whatever they call it these days!) I know I stand on a soapbox about this all the time, but I just don't ever quite get over it. One of my biggest pet peeves is women in the church (especially) who don't take time to replenish their own tanks and take advantage of the programs that God himself put in place to help them accomplish and feel joy in their purpose on this earth! Whew! Now that that's off my chest...last night was amazing. They always are though. I usually look forward to going until about 3 or 4 hours beforehand, when everything at my house typically goes amuck! Last night was no different, but I have a very strong testimony of relief society (and a huge amount of guilt when someone goes to the effort of providing an activity and then no one shows up.) Anyway, the beginning portion was a visiting teaching conference. I was sitting next to my visiting teaching companion, a woman that is one of the most amazing women I will ever have the privilege of serving with. She's in her 70's and has raised 6 sons. She inspires me and teaches and loves me like a daughter. Then a sister that I visit teach came and sat right by me. We aren't that close. I see her faithfully each month and we all laugh and talk and have a great time, but then time goes by with just waves as we pass driving our cars, etc. But when she walked in the room, she spotted me and walked right to me. It was such a neat feeling to experience the type of friendship that visiting teaching creates. Anyway, it was great to be surrounded by women that I love as I heard the beautiful message. The conference was based on common traffic signs, including YIELD (of course, to the Spirit), HAZARDOUS WASTE (referring to the psychotic obsession we all have with rushing to get our houses clean before the visiting teachers come so that we can carry on the pretense that we are perfect) Anyway - that's what I got out of that sign! Haha! But the sign that struck me the most was the following one:

We really do get there faster when we travel together! Life is so much more fun when we make the journey with someone else. I started thinking of all the things I enjoy doing and inevitably I could think of someone who I enjoy either doing the activity with or discussing the activity with! I am so grateful to have an amazing sister accompany me to visit the women I have been assigned to strengthen, love and help. I am so grateful to have counselors to help me in Primary. I am so grateful to have friends to talk to about my life's joys and trials. And mostly, I am so grateful to have my best friend beside me everyday to laugh with me (and at me) and to hold my hand during this roller coaster ride! This journey truly is more fun when we're "riding" together!

I have always loved this picture. It undeniably proves that no two objects can make ripple independent of each other. At some point they intersect, connect, disperse, change. We can't walk away from any interactions we make with others without it having some time of effect. I don't think we fully understand the influence, impact or impressions we make on those around us. It isn't happenstance that we are where we are right now. God has a plan for each of us. The most important thing we can do is listen to His promptings and respond - love those around us, help bear their burdens and lighten their loads, love non-judgementally, and serve with hands that represent those of our Savior. Oh, how we need each other.

Beside being strengthened and uplifted by the visiting teaching message, I learned tons of awesome, quick meal ideas and ideas for storing my meals. Plus, something else amazing happened. I am a firm believer in the tender mercies of the Lord. Now, you may laugh at this one, but for the past 3 months we have been without bedside lamps in our room. The hand-me-down ones that my mom gave us when we got married finally gave up the ghost. I have been searching high and low for new lamps. I have gone to DI 2-3 times a week looking specifically for lamps. Nothing. Plus, they want 12 bucks for them at DI. That's just nuts! Especially when they are very USED! Anyway, finally I got so tired of not having them (I am usually up a bit later than Cole finishing various projects and thus, desperately missed my lamp) that I decided that I was going to Wal-Mart and buying some lamps. I walk in, totally pumped, and look at the selection of lamp bases. First of all, not only are the UGLY, but they still was 30 bucks for them. The cheapies were CHEAPIES and I didn't want to ruin the look of my room either....so, I walked out of Wal-Mart without the lamps yet again. Anyway, our ward has started a SWAP AND TRADE TABLE (you can already see where this is going) and I walked into the room for the quilting and food demonstration and there on the table (in the packaging and everything) are 2 brand-new lamps. NICE lamps! Much nicer than I would have ever bought and just perfect for my room. I looked at them in shock! I looked around and no one else seemed to be eyeing them, so I grabbed them...and have had a smile on my face ever since! I literally raced home from enrichment night and set them up! I blind folded Cole and brought him to our room. Disappointingly, he is much more oblivious than I realized and was completely unaware of what could have been different about our room! Nonetheless, it was a huge blessing to me. It's something simple, but to me, it meant the world. I pulled 2 price tags off that said 29.97, the clearance price. I look at these lamps and as silly as it may seem, they mean something awfully big to me. They remind me that God does know our needs, small and seemingly insignificant. He knew I was doing all I could to pinch pennies. He blessed me for doing all that I could do to put Him first. I know this is true and I am so grateful for whoever brought these brand-new lamps to enrichment night just for me! I smile every time I walk in my room!