Little Blessings

(I'm not talking about children here ;). No matter how tiny tiney the child is. ;))

Okay, that was cheesy. I like it. ;)

But really. Just wanted to note that today, as I was reading my scriptures, I came upon an idea that was healing some, and encouraging and helpful to me. I just got to thinking about a comment that the Stake Camp Director made in our meeting this morning. (For those of you who don't know, I got an assignment to be the Assistant Stake Camp Director for our stake, on top of my current calling. I'm super excited about it.) She shared with us that the one thing she remembers from her setting apart is that she was told that all of her callings up until this point in her life have been preparing her for this calling and what she would do in it. I thought that was so interesting. This is a woman who was just released as the Primary President of her ward, and who had served as Young Women's President in her ward before that. She still seems fairly young, and so I don't feel like it was a "this is so you know how to handle crazy girls at camp" sort of comment. Rather, what really struck me from that was just how important what we are doing--what all of us are doing (you, me, everyone of us)--is to the Lord and to God the Father in helping save his children. That every calling we have, every thing we do that in any even itsy bitsy way helps and serves His children, is enough and is building God's Kingdom, and is part of His plan to save His children. To bless them and to SAVE them. All those little things. All of them, really. That being Stake Camp Director is something the Lord had been preparing this woman to be through all of her other callings so that she could be a blessing to His daughters these next few years; that her calling as YW and Primary President were just a preparation! What does that say to you?! To me, it says God really is aware of just how important each and every moment of our lives are. That they are all building or tearing down, but that they can be all building moments. That all the acts of service and of learning to work and to serve others are all small pieces of His plan, or pieces of the "bricks" of His kingdom, so to speak. For isn't He love, and his kingdom built upon love and the perfecting of his children?

It got me thinking about the parable of the talents, and how some improve upon more, but in the end, the Lord is pleased with all those who improve his wares, no matter how much more one gained with their greater amount than the other with their lesser amount. I always thought of these as actual talents...and I am sure that that is a key way to interpret that parable. But today I saw something more in it; something that made more sense to me, almost. I saw, and felt, just how pleased the Lord really is with all of our small little imperfect efforts. Not that He wants mediocre work...but that he really is grateful for ALL we do, even if we only increase upon 2 little talents, instead of 10. Even if we just try to a little good works, or are following Christ by being kind and saying hello to a clerk in the store, or telling someone we love them, or to teaching someone how to tie a knot at camp, or sing a silly song that makes girls laugh and builds camaraderie and confidence in themselves and a brighter hope for the future in themselves. Each little thing we do, no matter how small, is precious to the Lord and he feels gratitude for the efforts we make, because (so often) unbeknownst to us, those small efforts we make add up with a thousand other small things that happen to someone throughout a day or a week or a life, that makes that one more little difference in helping them keep hope, or grow faith, or serve and love another, and to become closer to Christ. And we are all part of the plan in helping bring each other closer to Christ and hopefully, ultimately, back to our Heavenly Father. All those small things day by day that seem so insignificant can really have SO much significance to our Father in Heaven, as he sees the pieces fall and the picture that they build. It is a big picture I can't often comprehend, but I know my Father can. And I know that He is pleased with my efforts to help his children, to be kind to his children, to love his children. And today I felt the Lord telling me, through His Spirit, that I didn't have to do as much as others I might compare myself to whose efforts seem so much greater and more effective than my own. But that all alike who use what they have been given (their 'talents', or, in this case, just their will and everyday abilities) be they improving upon 10 and bringing back 20, or serving with the 5 they've been given, and bringing back 10, our Heavenly Father is pleased. We can't do it all, but we can do something, and just realizing that the Lord didn't expect me to give or be exactly what others around me were, but to work now to give my small part so that he could improve upon it--and that he would then be just as pleased with me as he was with them, made me feel so much more powerful and able to go back out and do good. Help one person. Smile more sincerely. Be happy and serve who I can; I just felt a renewed confidence in the little things, and my strange inner voice that says I have to be perfect and big and grand and overwhelmingly helpful in all I do or it is a weak offering.... was just wrong. And I'm glad that voice got taught or reminded of a more true principle today. It was replaced with a bit more of who I used to be--someone who loved to serve the Lord, knowing any good I did or do is in the service of my God (how wonderful!) (Moisah 2:17), and also was replaced with feelings of hope, and a love of God and His goodness and mercy and love for his children. We really are that important to him. It's all for us. I love getting a glimpse of God's plan.

I hope any of that made sense. It felt so right and happy to me today. Blessings that come from reading the scriptures and doing our callings may seem smal sometime....but they really aren't. The little moments and choices add up and help create our overall picture and path back to our Father in Heaven. Our Ultimate goal to get there and to help bring others there. Any step closer is a joyful thing in the sight of our Father in Heaven. Every step. How WONDERful! And I am full of wonder, and awe, and love for my Father.