Days 361-365

This is it, my friends. The 365th day of my service blog. It's been quite the eventful, wonderful, and thanks to this blog serviceful year!

Thursday I bought some Christmas and just because gifts for some friends and family.
Friday I mailed a letter to a friend.
Saturday I served in the temple.
Sunday I helped a friend with their calling in the ward.
Today I bought and gave a thank you gift to a dear friend.

I went to temple square tonight and looked at the beautiful lights, listened to the nativity story, and watched the missionaries walk around talking with people. We can all service in hundreds of ways - each day even. Let's all be on the lookout daily.

This blog has taught me that service comes in big and small packages. All acts of service are important for those you do them for - even the smallest things that seem so insignificant. Follow that thought in your head that says, "Hey, go pick that up" or "Hey, go help that person." You'll never regret those times you do.

To you, readers, I close this blog, and thank you for hanging in there with me through my slacking and HUGE makeup days! Thank you for your comments. Thank you for supporting me. :)

HAPPY SERVING!!

Day #360

Today I prepared to serve in one way & ended up serving in a completely different way. I had an evening class tonight where people (myself included) usually end up needing to borrow a pencil either from the teacher or from another student. So today I told myself that I was going to bring TWO pencils! One for myself and one for another student who would, most assuredly, need it. So on I went to the class... but no one needed a pencil. :) Oh well! I felt good for thinking of someone else and bringing something to help someone just in case.

Then my cute brother sent me a message this evening asking for my help to help him organize his school calendar for the next week and a half until finals are done. This man is an animal - he's a husband, father, full-time employee and full-time student. He does it all and I am very impressed. So I completely understood why he'd be stressing out right now with a million and a half things to do for school in only 9 days. I tried to give what help I could and though I didn't feel it was much he said he felt better after we chatted. That made me happy. I love helping people feel better!! That's what we're here for, right? To help each other along the journey of life so we can get to something better! Aka eternal life! Boo ya! ;)

That was my service for the day. Get out there and serve!

Days #358-359

Let's just say this week has started out full already! But hallelujah for the temps rising a bit from the teens...

Yesterday to serve I helped my roommate dig out her car from the 2 feet of snow that covered and surrounded it. It was an adventure. But thanks to her awesome rain boots, my extendo scraper/brush, a shovel, and the rad snow plow man she got safely out and on her way to class.
Today to serve I shared some needed food with a coworker.

Life is just good, ya know?! Really, it's good. It's super hard sometimes, but so good. :) Happy serving! Service makes life awesome.

Days 316-357

Wow... the 365th day is quickly approaching... and I'll make it my goal to update this blog each day until that day. I'm so sorry that I've just been such a slacker in continually updating this blog. I've tried so many times to do better and I continue to get farther behind.

I can't believe it's been one year!! This blog has definitely helped me to keep service at the forefront of my mind and a constant plea in my prayers so I can recognize the opportunity to serve and take it.

So for the past few weeks (yikes this last half of the year has been TERRIBLE with me updating) I have:

Donated blood, given a friend a ride, gone to the temple multiple times, picked up some litter in a museum exhibit, donated to various charitable funds, listened while a friend vented, done the dishes for my roommates, helped to clean the house for my roommates, given a friend a thank you card, written a note for a friend I was thinking of, prayed for some people I know who are in need, shared with a friend, did the dishes for my parents, helped prepare Thanksgiving dinner, deep-cleaned the kitchen for my mom before she had company over, helped my roommates with their Halloween costumes, shoveled the part of the driveway where the trash cans go for my neighbor, helped a coworker at work, helped a good friend with homework, shared my testimony with my brothers, helped my mom clean up after a family party.

Days 262-315

Well... due to my negligence  of updating my blog I'VE OFFICIALLY PASSED 300 DAYS AND THEN SOME! Boo ya!!

I hope October finds all of you well and enjoying the Halloween festivities!! This is one of my favorite holidays and I LOVE all of the fun that goes with it. October is also breast cancer awareness month and to support that cause I RAN MY VERY FIRST HALF MARATHON!! :-D IT was an INCREDIBLE experience. Unforgettable and absolutely AWESOME! It was Utah's first all-women half marathon in support of breast cancer in Park City. I definitely see how people get hooked on running them! Now to start training for a full marathon... :)

But on to service... in the past month and a half I:
Threw a "surprise" birthday party for my mom (she's never had a Halloween birthday party! WHA?!) and it was a blast, I helped a friend move, wrote thank you notes for friends, went to the temple several times, cleaned the kitchen for my roommates, vacummed for my roomies, donated to a charity in the grocery store, supported the Boy Scouts by buying $9 popcorn (YEAH... it had BETTER taste good for that price, right?), bought ice cream for a friend when she was having a bad day, did dishes for my parents a couple of different times when I was over there, helped my dad clear the table after dinner one day, prayed for a friend and family member who were struggling, have made sure to greet people by name, shared my testimony about keeping the Sabbath day holy with my two little brothers, bought a plane ticket to go see my brother, sister-in-law, and niece!!, shared treats with my coworkers a few times, I lent my iPod to my cute roomie so she could go run off some steam, I bought a thank you gift for some friends, brought home some muffins and rice krispy treats for my roommates, gave tomatoes to a coworker, gave my garden vegetables to my cute niece who loves coming to my garden at work.

If you know of any Halloween service ideas please pass them on! Happy serving!

Days 260-261

Well here I am at 10:34 p.m. able to go to bed early if I wanted to... but I am always unable to get myself into bed before 11 p.m. So here I am updating my blog as a dutiful blogger should with a 365 day challenge!

So onto the service highlights of yesterday and today:

Yesterday I made quite a feast for my family for dinner. It consisted of Western Family Mac and Cheese with steamed broccoli. Yep I'm a chef! But I guess it had been awhile since either of my parents had eaten Mac and Cheese because they sure loved it and went back for seconds!
Today my mom and I had a fun opportunity to serve. We had a girl's night and went to Chili's for dinner. Chili's was doing a fundraiser for St. Jude's hospital and they had cops from the city (Centerville and surrounding areas) there serving the drinks and taking "tips," aka donations, for the hospital. So we both gave to that. I love donating to good causes. I hope they truly help those who are in need.

I just want to give a shout out to my mom. She is the most giving, loving, generous, and fun person, madre, and friend ever. She is so supportive in all I choose to do, even if it's not what she, personally, would choose for me. I love her and am grateful for her. Rock on Madre and Daughter dates!

Days #257-259

This is good, eh? I'm already updating after only THREE days??

Still sad that after such a short time I STILL struggle to remember what I did to serve... on Monday I invited someone who is newer to the ward to come and play volleyball with a big group of friends. I also sent good luck texts to my family who was going back to school. Tuesday, aka yesterday, I had a funny type of service. I was at the eye doctor getting a regular check up and I noticed a man in a wheel chair come in. I watched him for a moment or two while he was filling out some information and I wondered how his life was going, what he does for work, etc. Then as I walked by him to go to the waiting room I saw a pen fall to the floor right by his wheel chair so I bent down to pick it up for him thinking that it was such a small act of service it hardly counts at all. He gave me a quick puzzled look but took the pen anyway. THEN to my embarrassment I realized that it was MY pen I had dropped and picked up to give to him. Sheesh. Anyway, I also did the dishes for my family last night.
Today to serve I helped a friend with a project they're working on.

Boy it feels good to have updated before even a week has passed! Woohoo!!

Done any fun service lately? Pass it on!