My Day

Today my day started with a few minor hiccups.  Nothing big.  My daughter forgot her lunch on the counter and I burned a couple of tortillas for my breakfast sandwiches.

Nothing I can't handle so far.  I have a personal goal of reading the scriptures daily so I started while I was eating breakfast.

I read in the Book of Mormon in Mosiah chapter 2.   In this chapter King Benjamin, who is also a prophet of the people of Nephi, is giving his final sermon.  King Benjamin talks about service to his people and when you are serving your fellow man you are also serving God (Mosiah 2:17).

I find it fitting because the night before we had the Mormon missionaries over and we discussed our prophet President Thomas S. Monson who teaches regularly about serving your fellow man (and woman, and children, etc).

I clean the kitchen, shower and get ready for work.  Sometime after the kids got on the bus it started snowing outside.  Nothing bad, barely any accumulation.  As I head out to my car I'm in a good mood.  I have plenty of time to drop my daughter's lunch off at school and go to work.  I turn the key and nothing happens.  Turns out my battery is dead.

Panic starts to settle.  How am I going to get to work on time?  I call and tell them the situation and I'll keep them posted.  I could always call the ambulance and have them take me in but then I'd be stuck at the hospital with no vehicle to bring me home.  I'm prompted to call the local repair shop.  They can easily jump my car but it'll be at least 30 minutes before they can get to me.

Crap, so much for my time frame of doing everything before work.

Having some time to kill (and needing to calm myself down) I decide to read a magazine publication from my church.  The main message is given to us by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf to keep your focus where it needs to be.  He quoted the New Testament, Matthew 22 verses 36-40.

I feel like there is a message that is trying to be pounded into my head at this point.  I'll just sum it up as service.  I personally think I'm being told I need to do better in serving others both at church and in my personal life.

Continuing with my day I manage to get my car jump started, drop my daughter's lunch off and get to work only 15 minutes late.  A minor miracle considering when everything (and going 90mph on the interstate helped, definitely glad there were no cops).

I try to keep this in mind as I help the different people who come to the ER, love and serve others.  Fortunately the people I interacted with were not complete jerks, they were all pleasant.

All throughout my shift I'm in a good mood, I personally don't feel like I was brought down by the negativity that surrounds some of my coworkers.

Still in a good mood I get to my car at the end of the shift.  The technician who gave me a jump in the morning claimed my car would be fine and I shouldn't have any problems starting my car later.  My car is dead when I get there.  Freezing rain coming down (crazy weather, snow in the morning and freezing rain at night, 18 degrees Fahrenheit when I leave home and 34 when I clock out) I find my coworker who I walked to her car and ask for a jump.

Even though my shift started and ended in a manner that was not planned I feel blessed.  Things could've been a lot worse but the situation played out well.  I'm glad I was able to get home and safely.  I still feel good about the way today turned out, praying tomorrow will be good too.

And in case you're wondering about what freezing rain is, follow this link. The first time I heard of freezing rain I was beyond confused.  It's beautiful to see all your plants and trees covered in this devilish creation.

This is what coats everything including the roads and sidewalks.

Sermon Snooze

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."  - Albert Einstein

I have a problem.  I fall asleep in church often.  And by often I mean every week.

The time varies, sometimes it's for 20 minutes, more often than not it's for 45 minutes of the hour long meeting block.  The worst part is it's inevitable, regardless of how much sleep I get.

We joke about me going to hell for sleeping through church.  Friends ask what's the point in going if I'm sleeping through it.  Why not just sleep in?

I would love to sleep in and get much needed rest but there is a reason I continue to do this.

Christ taught us by example.  Even though my life is in no way comparable to His, I want to set a good example to my children.

James 2:17, a scripture in the New Testament, reads "Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone".

I want them to see that even though I'm tired I still made the effort to go to church and partake of the Sacrament.  I may not remember all the messages that are taught but I can rest better knowing I am trying to set a good example.  I hope that I will be able to overcome my Sunday morning naps, until then I will continue to try.