Cyber-Minutes and Light-Years

I wrote this post six days into Service Boot Camp...but I've been busy posting about other stuff, so you are finally getting it today.


Here you go:





My husband is so funny.

I told him I needed "10 minutes" to "jot" down some thoughts for a blog post, before meeting him upstairs for a little "couples time."  He handed me his watch set for 15 minutes and said, "This is to make sure that cyber-minutes don't turn into light-years."  (Which, as you can imagine, happens a lot when I am blogging...)

So here goes...in 10 cyber-minutes.

If only you guys could see inside my brain as the blog posts tick past.  It's like mid-experience I can already see the finished post published on my blog.  If only I could type as fast as I think...

But that's not what I really wanted to say.

What I want to say is that it's six days into Service Boot Camp, and my entire idea of Service has been redefined.  And it's a beautiful thing.

Since I decided to spend Service Boot Camp focusing on serving my family, I've learned a lot about what service is and learned to see the love that is involved in the work I do for my family.

So what is service?

So far, I have learned that service is:

Knowing that paper cups are not just for drinking.

Service is:

Answering angry cries with loving words, even when your first reaction is to yell right back.

Service is:

Running back upstairs to tuck your children in AGAIN, and instead of scolding and shutting the door on their requests...re-entering their room and spending 30 more minutes singing songs with them...songs that they want to sing...tickling them until they giggle.

Service is:

Realizing that although you told yourself that you didn't have an ounce of energy left to tell another bedtime story, you found out in the end, that you really did...and you actually felt energized for doing it.

And by doing these acts of service for my family...I keep the cyber-minutes from turning into light-years in the blink of an eye.

And there's the buzzer...


So that was the post...and I'm adding this for you today:

I received a question from a good friend of mine who I knew in a singles ward that I'd happily call my "home singles ward."  

She said this:  "I adore you.  Your blog, the message delivery.  Many of your lessons have entertained and taught my children.   But I just need to know something.  Something personal.  Do your kids ever drive you crazy?  Just a little bit?  I know you aren't perfect...I know you personally and I have read your post about your kitchen floors (very funny)...you work so hard with your children, all the crafts, lessons, activities...but I just need to know you are human.  I don't know why, but it would really make me feel better. :)"

And this is what I wrote back to my dear friend:  "Uh, yes, they do.  They annoy me [an embarrassingly high percent] of every day, because I am NOT a perfect person.  ...in fact I am a vain, selfish, impatient person.  When I work really hard at loving them and taking care of their needs and wants first, I am happier and I tame the inner beast.  My depression also makes me want to sleep and not do dishes and not wake up for scripture study and not be kind.  So I have to fight that every day.  So if I seem perfect on my blog...it's just me doing my very best to not be a tyrant.  And it works...a lot...but I still yell.  I still smack little bottoms...I still say DON'T TOUCH ME!!!  And I still end up apologizing to my kids when I do so, because I'm usually the wrong one.  They are...well, they're just kids.  And I...I am also still a child with a lot of growing up to do."

I am grateful for the role that the Savior and his Atonement plays in helping me to grow up.  His example of serving and loving others is the perfect tutorial for imperfect people who want to do better.