FOOD FOR THE SPIRIT--Finding JOY

Today I started the day GRUMPY! Schedules had required me to work on my only day off, which required me to scramble up some last-minute babysitting arrangements, which caused me guilt and frustration. It nearly broke my heart to hand over my sweet baby Macey at preschool drop off and watch my sister-in-law buckle her in and drive away. I went to work and had a hard day, feeling unappreciated, stressed and tired. When I got home I had to throw together our Young Women's activity, and I at one point, really wished I didn't have to go. It would've been so easy to call another leader and let them figure it all out. . .

We made Easter baskets for the inactive girls in our ward, then had such a great, giggly time driving around the ward delivering them. Serving others was just what I needed on a day like this. As I watched the girls experiencing the joys of serving others first-hand, I saw things in a new light. And you know what? I didn't think about myself or any of my troubles the whole night.

I think that this day's lesson could, if I let it, be a break-through for this difficult stage of life that I am traversing. Maybe finding joy amidst adversity really could be as simple as living my life for others. After all, as our wise YW First Counselor taught us, JOY stands for Jesus Others Yourself. It may not come naturally at first, but I think that service to others could well-be my Balm in Gilead.

Anne Frank stated so eloquently: "How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."

I will start now, to look for ways to better the world around me. And perhaps in the process, I will also better my own.