Service

As I was driving down the freeway today, I glanced at the billboard for the Las Vegas Premium Outlets. I thought of all the people shopping there today...having a good time. I thought, "Wouldn't it be fun to go there today? Ooooh, and what if I got to shop there almost every day?"

My second thought was, "You know what? That actually wouldn't be all that fun. Sure, I love to shop and would love to go there, but if I had the choice, money, and time to shop there several times a week, I would never in a million years do it." 

I thought about how I would feel at the end of the day, every day, if I filled my hours with shopping. Pretty empty inside. It really gets me thinking about what I can do each day to really feel fulfilled when I go to bed at night. A friend texted me a few days ago and asked if she could bring my kids slushies. No particular reason. It made their day, and mine. It made me think about how I can incorporate small acts of kindness into my life more often.

 I'm so thankful that out church is so service oriented and provides me with many opportunities. Last Saturday morning our ward cleaned, swept, weeded, painted, and gutted a nearby park. We brought the whole family. 

 Nate gave Jansen these shears to bring...despite my concerns. ;)

 Nate also let Jansen do some painting...despite my concerns. He's so lucky to have a dad that lets him learn and experience when I'm reluctant to.

 Natalie, Emmy, and I did a lot of weeding and garbage collecting. Emmy mostly dumped dirt and rocks into the garbage bags. She's my little helper. :) 

It was an awesome way to start our day.