38 Birthday Acts of Service (Matthew 16:25-26)

The past few years I have had a tradition to run my birthday years in miles but this year I knew that would not be possible. A hamstring/glute tear and retear has left me unable to run the miles or the speed that my little heart desires.

Instead this year I decided to do something different but equally strengthening. I wanted to do 38 acts of service in one day (38 is how young I am...notice my choice of words :)

I thought this was my original idea but I soon discovered that it has been done by others. Maybe it was one of those things that I heard somewhere else and then thought it was my idea. Either way I was able to read blogs of others and hear experiences of friends who had done this.

While I will not share all of the things that I did, since some are special in away that makes them inappropriate to share, I wanted to share a few of them. I know in sharing these things I may void my blessings, honestly I'm not sure how that works, but I know there is a possibility that in sharing my good deeds I will already "have my reward" (remember the scripture about the hypocrites) but I had such an amazing experience that I can't "not" share some of the absolute miracles that happened.

Once again my testimony of the personal nature of the gospel and plan of salvation was solidified! It is funny how we set out to serve others but we end up being the one who benefits the most. In my quest to serve others and give my life on my birthday instead of receive, I feel like I found the purpose of life. I was able to get a taste of why, I feel, we were put down here on this earth, "to learn to pure love of Christ- Charity."

I had my tidy list of the acts of service that I wanted to do but the night before I threw much of it to the wind. Instead of setting out to accomplish all of these items I knelt down in prayer and asked the Lord to put people in my path that needed to be helped and to give me the ability to see their needs and act accordingly. I knew that this would work. I had seen it before in a very miraculous way that I will one day share in a separate post. (It was an incredible experience you can read that post here.) If a persons wants to serve, the Lord will make it possible. Service does something to the soul that no book, class or lesson can teach. It reshapes, sharpens and molds us.

I started my 38 acts of service challenge on Saturday (the day before my birthday).

In the morning I felt a little hesitant to start my day. I remembered that I was slightly shy and I felt scared and embarrassed to approach strangers. I found myself starting to rationalize my way out of the challenge. After all I could do 38 acts of kindness easily in a day by just being a mom. In desperation I again knelt in prayer asking that I could find the people that the Lord wanted me to help or be an instrument in his hands. After the prayer I felt confident but still unsure where to start. For the next few hours the opportunities began to flow. I found myself having promptings and acting upon them immediately. What I saw was a series of miracles. I will share just a few.

Miracle 1- While waiting for a child to get ready, I quickly checked facebook and noticed a post in a private group from a friend that mentioned that she found out that morning that her invetro fertilization had failed. She had kept the procedure a secret even from her family. She later told me that she took down her post immediately after posting it so it had been a miracle that I had seen it. I had been in her shoes. Invetro is not an easy process. It takes months of preparation including shots, invasive dr visits, medications and extreme financial strain. When it fails it can be similar to a miscarriage but no outsider understands that. Not only does your body still think it is pregnant but you mourn the loss of the embryos (that you get to see through a microscope before they are implanted) and the non guaranteed $10,000 that is spent on the process. If you are at the point of invetro you have already, most likely had years of disappointments (month after month). It can be tough. Knowing what she was going through I gathered a care package and dropped it by her home. It was complete with tissues, popcorn and chocolate. She later sent a text of thanks. I felt pretty amazed that I had seen her message in such a short amount of time and was able to serve someone in a unique way that I understood. I know the Lord placed me there in that opportunity.

Miracle 2- After praying, a woman in my ward (church) popped into my head. She is elderly and I don't know her well. It was a bit awkward for me to stop by but after the second time that she came into my mind I drove to her house. I knocked on her door and she answered. I asked if she needed anything or if there was anything that I could do. We just sat and chatted. She talked about her husband who has Alzheimer's and the difficulties that this challenge bears. In talking to her I felt so much beauty of her soul. She got teary as she talked about future decisions with his care. I am not sure who got the miracle here, her or me since I felt like I was in the presence of an angel but it was a miracle. I was supposed to go there, I was supposed to listen to her, the spirit confirmed it. She also told me that her husband had fallen just a few days before and she could not lift him. A UPS truck came by and the driver helped pick her husband up but it had been traumatic for her. I made sure my number was on her "speed dial." my strong husband is often home, since he works from home some of the days of the week. I loved talking with her. I loved that moment to listen. What an amazing woman!

Miracle 3- I sent a text to another sister in my church. I am her visiting teacher. She came into my mind as I was thinking of who to serve as well. We already had a great visit this month but I felt like I should text her to see if she needed anything. She immediately texted me back "Did the bishop talk to you?" That made me very concerned so I replied "No, was he supposed to? Did something happen?" She called me immediately after and told me her husband was in a car accident the night before and was in the hospital. This little family has had a lot of things happen to them this year and I could hardly believe it. We talked and she had family coming to help the next day but a dinner that night was needed. Again, I felt like it was an amazing coincidence. It was definitely inspired.

Miracle 4- I felt like I should stop into another neighbors home. She happened to be outside working in the yard. I told her I had 15 minutes and asked her to put me to work. We sat outside and did yard work and chatted. She had some things weighing heavy on her mind with decisions that she was making and we had the opportunity to talk them through. I was nothing more than a sound board but that was all she needed. I didn't do much but pull a few weeds but she thanked me over and over again for helping her, which again I didn't, I just listened to her help herself.

For the rest of the day I paid for groceries and fled the scene, drove a neighbor kid up a hill that he didn't want to ride up on his bike, sent letters, talked with people, accepted a teaching opportunity and attended the temple. I even drove to the hospital with my five little boys in tow and we left money on the candy machines in the emergency room hoping that it would fall into the hands of people who had an unexpected visit and might benefit. Again there were several things that I did not post on here but in total I feel like my day was full of service and although I set out to accomplish 38 acts, I know I accomplished, for the most part, the things the Lord wanted me to.

At the end of the day my heart was full. I was amazed at how the Lord had crafted special opportunities that only I could have done. It makes me wonder how many of these opportunities are waiting for me daily and I would be able to do if I was only listening.

There were two things that I felt inspired to do that I didn't and then had experiences after that confirmed that I should have. I am sad for missing those opportunities but it made me more determined to listen to the spirit and reach out even when my shyness stands in the way.

It was an amazing day and set the stage for the next day which was really my birthday.

It is funny how we spend so much time seeking happiness but the real secret to happiness is giving to others. The feeling I get from serving others is so tenacious to my soul. It is so real, so beautiful and surpasses anything I could give to myself or that could be given to me by others.

As always with my posts please don't think I am a perfect person or that I think that I am. This life is a journey.

I love the scripture found in Matthew 16- I feel like it summed up my day nicely!

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? (Matthew 16: 25-26)