Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Have I done any good?

And I'm back to this blog writing thing.  I do admit at times I feel like there is nothing worth writing on this thing, but hopefully that is not the case.  This past while things have been a bit stressful on my end.  Life tends to do that to us every now and again.  I decided to change my major and that means grad plans and trying to figure out what my next move is going to be.  I've decided to be an International Studies major and I'm extremely excited.  Before you all start asking, "What are you going to do with that?" I'll just tell you I'm not sure yet.  The possibilities are enormous and I've got time to figure it all out. 

Amidst all the stress, fretting, and worrying about the future it's incredible how I really don't need to be worrying about it.  All I need to do is get busy doing the right thing instead of worrying about things I can't control.  Lately it seems like all I hear about is service and I love it.  Service to me is love in action.  How much service do you do?  How much are you worrying about how others treat you instead of how you are treating them?  Do you think more about yourself or more about others?  And my all time favorite question...Have I done any good in the world today?  I ask myself these questions all the time and I wish I could always have the right answer for all of them.  I don't want anyone to feel horrible about themselves if they feel like they've given the wrong answer to any of these because I know we all can do some improving, myself included.  If the answer to the question "Have I done any good in the world today?" is a no, I would invite all of us to respond in a positive way.  The answer comes in the chorus of that beautiful hymn.  It says, "Then WAKE UP!  And DO something more!"  Yes, we all can do just one thing more.  Wake up!  Look around you!  Get out of your slum, rut, or hole!  Life is a wonderful thing if we all help each other along.  President Thomas S. Monson said, "True joy comes by making others happy."  I know this is true because I have seen it in my own life. 

So, my challenge for all of us is this: do something today to edify, uplift, and strengthen those in our lives that need a helping hand.  I know that as we strive to lift, to serve, and edify each other in our lives that the storms of life will be that much more enjoyable.