When Opportunity Knocks...

Yesterday they boys and I were running errands in Modesto (to the Fabric store and Trader Joes) when we stopped on the off ramp and there was a homless man on the side of the road holding a sign that read "Homless..Hungry...please help..WWJD." Zachary saw the man and started to ask some questions:

Zach: Mom what's the man doing?
Me: Well, he's homeless and is asking people for food because he is hungry.

I explained that the man did not have a home or a job and had to sleep outside.

Zach: Is he lost Mom?
Me: I guess you could call it lost, he doesn't have anywhere to go.
Zach: I got'n idea! The man can yell Help! Help! and could come home with me, Zachary.
Me: Well, he can't come home with us, but how about we get the man some food? Would that be nice?
Zach: Yeah Mom!

Now I must mention that the whole time Zach and I were having this conversation, I was feeling the very strong prompting from the Spirit that I needed to get the man some food, hence the comment to Zach about getting the man food. I felt it all the way to the fabric store...I kept having the thought go through my mind about the scripture in Matthew (25:35..I had to look it up...alas I am not a scripture master any longer) "For I was an hungered and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink..."over and over. So we finished with the fabric store and made the loop back to a McDonalds, passing the mall and all the mega traffic there, and then went back on the freeway to take the off ramp where the man was standing. So we were waiting at the light and I was a couple cars back, I waved the man down and he came over. I purchased a Big Mac, Fries and large coffee.

Man: Oh! is that coffee?! Oh thank you God Bless!
Me: Here you go...keep warm
Man: I saw you at the light the first time..thank you

I felt at that moment when he said that to me that Heavenly Father was very much aware of me and was pleased with me listening to the prompting of the Spirit...the extreme "burning of my bosom" confirmed this for me.

Zach: the man is Happy!
Me: yes he is happy...now he can have a good dinner. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are happy that we helped the man.
Zach: yeah....helped the man....

So we proceeded to Trader Joes and I felt great inside. Are you ever so excited when you have successfully recognized the prompting of the spirit? It makes me feel like my spiritual antena is a little closer to being in tune...

I am grateful for the opportunity I had to give service to someone and be an example to my son....

I can't wait for the new year. Why you ask? Well, we will switch to th 9-12 slot for church. I am very excited as this will help me get there since I work every other Saturday night/Sunday Morning at get home at 7:20 a.m. And since it is at 9 and I am awake, I can get everyone ready to go. Right now we have the 11:30 to 2:30 slot for church and it is difficult to get there as by 11:30 a.m., I am usually asleep. I take a nap everyday between 12 noon and 3pm, so it has been VERY hard for me to get to church this year. It made me feel good when I saw my bishop one Sunday and he said they're glad to have me as much as I can come. I still feel bad when I don't go. My heart is there and my love of the Gospel and Savior have not faltered, but I miss going. It's hard when spouse has a difficult time going as well, not that he doesn't believe (he has such a great testimony) he's told our previous bishop "I'm just lazy" at least he's honest with himself and the Lord in that perspective. I miss Relief Society and the other sisters. Sometimes I just feel out of place. It saddens me when I find a sister to whom I can connect and then sadly, she and her family move away.

Sam and I were talking at dinner about our Ward and remember when it was the small close knit ward prior to the Stake boundary makeover in 2002. After they changed it from 6 wards to 4 wards, Ripon ward became HUGE (it was combined with part of Manteca), and we felt lost in the shuffle. It was then that my attendance (as well as my husband's) started to dwindle. I know that it doesn't justify me having difficulty going. Manteca has really grown in 5 years so we are hoping that maybe they will redo the wards again...I hope that Ripon gets to be by itself again as Ripon is growing as well.

So my goal in 2008 is to go to church every week....