There are times in life when there are more downs than ups leaving my spiritual bucket feeling drained....depleted by life. Then there are times in life where your bucket is full, even overflowing so you can share yourself with others, whose buckets are less full.
Today, I'm feeling like my bucket is being replenished, filled. I feel like myself again. Able to give more and be happy about it. Instead of giving more than I had to give then feeling empty.
I've learned that when certain holiday's roll around to honor people such as Mother's Day or Valentine's Day, some are left out. Either by choice of not having children or a soul mate to share them with...but more often than not something has gone amiss. Medical reasons making bearing children impossible or improbable brings a lot of pain to women on mother's day. As well as widowed or failed marriages brings pain on Valentine's Day.
When I served as Relief Society President I'll never forget a Sister explaining how she felt unwanted and unloved on Valentine's Day because she had a failed marriage and no one wanted her. I remembered to buy extra Valentine's this year and send off to those I thought might be in that perdicament this year. Valentine's isn't only about that guy I love deeply, but also my love for the sisterhood of our dear branch.
Learned the best lesson today. I went with a woman I visit teach to get her temple recommend interview. Her first one from the stake president. We had to travel 45 minutes to meet him. We had to leave right away after the block meetings. I got my GPS ready this morning, googled the address to the building where we were meeting. I packed us a lunch and headed out to church. Happy. To be serving and filling the love of the Lord.
We made our journey to the building...or to the address that I googled. Instead of being the building it was the bishop's house. A 1/2 hour later and several frantic phone calls we made it to the building. However, we missed the Stake President by 5 minutes. I was devastated, I messed up this woman's chance to get her 1st recommend. She on the other hand just looked at me and said. I knew I would not get to have the interview today. She wasn't mad or disappointed. She said I'm glad that I just got to spend time with you.
I would not have handled that situations the same way if roles were reversed. I felt the calming affects of the Spirit telling me all was well, but I couldn't help trying to hash out what I did wrong to make her miss her appointment. Really it was nothing, it was a fluke.
This sister filled my bucket by being patient and understanding. She will get her recommend. Our friendship is still intacked, and I learned about kindness on a level I've never seen given to me before.
For some reason it wasn't the right time. I remember getting ready for our Temple sealing and feeling that it just wasn't the right time but we went ahead and planned for it anyway. A blizzard hit and we weren't able to go until a few months later. I was ready then and all went well. So take heart, it will be OK. You have done a lot of wonderful service acts in the Branch and I'm a recipient of many..whether you know it or not! So thanks for all you do!
ReplyDeleteHi Stacy,
ReplyDeleteI want to thank you for your comments on my post. I think you are right, that the energy is love, because love never ends. That makes so much sense. I'm glad I took a few moments to check for comments before getting back to the pile of papers to grade!
I appreciate your post about your bucket being filled. Despite things not going as you expected, you still have a full to overflowing bucket! That says a lot about you as a person!
I value our connections!
bigs hugs to you!
You did what you could, so all is well.
ReplyDeleteGlad your bucket is filled. Your post helped fill mine!
=)
Yes so often (almost always) my spiritual bucket is filled because of others. It reminds me of that "Angels Among Us" song.
ReplyDelete