skip to main |
skip to sidebar
I'm not even sure how to title this blog post. As we were sitting in the Huntsman Center waiting for Erik's graduation to start, my mom and dad came in and sat down one on either side of me with a story to tell.
They had decided to stop and eat at Chuck-a-rama in American Fork. They walked in to see my two cousins Craig and Tim (brothers) there, both living in Vernal. Craig was my age and we were quite close growing up. Tim was number 5 of 6, the 4th boy and not someone I really knew at all. He was the forgotten child who didn't seem to amount to much growing up. He had older brothers who kind of stole the spotlight and a younger brother who was the baby.
As my parents chatted, Tim brought up the fact that my oldest, Kiersten was getting married. He then said what a great mom I was and took a $100 bill out of his wallet and slid it across the table. "Give this to Miss to help with wedding expenses."
My parents were flabbergasted and tried to give him some change, but there was nothing more to do other than hand it over to me when they saw me.
Now, what do you do? What do I do? How do you thank such generosity? Who carries around a $100 bill in their wallet? And who has the sudden thought to give it to a cousin they barely know? And how would he have known he would run into my parents on that particular day?
I sat there stunned as the emotions took over. The world is full of such good, giving people. I want to be one of them who doesn't blink an eye about giving of my substance, my time, my self.
Tim and I now have a special relationship in my heart unbeknownst to even him. I will always remember him for his Christlike thoughtfulness who followed through on a thought he had.
Today's combined youth lesson was on ministering taught by our bishop. He asked for stories of how we have been ministered to and several adults and youth shared experiences. I raised my hand to say I didn't have an experience right then but that ministering to others in rarely convenient. It's never on our timetable or rarely fits into our schedule.
The bishop thanked me for my comment and said, "Well, I have an experience to share about that in your own family" and turned the time over to his wife Kathie to talk about how this past Thursday Kiersten had gone up to their home to get Hannah for a night run. Hannah was telling her how her mom was stressed about getting 23 costumes sewn for a dance recital in a few days.
Well, I went to pick up the girls around 9:30pm from their run and Kiersten had me take her home where she quickly changed, grabbed our sewing machine, and I dropped her off at Kathie's house. Kathie explained how that day she had prayed that Heavenly Father would please send someone, an angel to help with the load she was carrying.
Kiersten was that angel who stayed until 1am sewing costumes. Was it convenient for her? No. She'd been running all day and I think was exhausted and ready for bed. Was it when she wanted to be of service? No. For heaven's sake, it was almost 10pm when she arrived on their doorstep, sewing machine in hand.
That girl knows that true happiness lies in helping and ministering to those around us. She is truly an example to me of who I need to work at becoming, and I want to be more like her every day. How did I get so lucky to be her mom. When I grow up I want to be like Kiersten :)
