Avodah

Yesterday was a busy day, a kiddo day, a cooking day.  Marci was running between her two homes (old and new) packing and cleaning (Ryan is in Guatemala again leading a humanitarian trip) so I picked up the kids in the morning and we had a play day.  First of all we headed to the movies to see Christmas Oranges.  I know it is early for Christmas movies but this one has a limited big screen viewing and then it will be for purchase on DVD (and I assume it will be picked up for Christmas movie t.v. viewing.)  If you are familiar with the classic children's story, this is it.  If you happen to see it, Rose's "perfect" tree (the one shown here with the oranges on it)  is one of our trees.   (And for the neighborhood, when the kids run through the tree forest, it is through Jerry Howe's Heber property.)  If you wait through all the credits, you'll see a thanks to us.  How fun is that?

 

 

 

 

After the movies, David took the kids riding while I got Monday meals done and delivered.  I was a little weepy because as the kids and I were driving home from the movies, we passed "our" cemetery.  I saw the daughters of one of our next door neighbors sitting by their graves.  Both Don and Norma (two of the people I would take Monday meals to) died a year ago at this time.  I know their family misses them terribly.  They would have loved seeing our tree in the movie.  (Every Monday for 3 years, when I would take Don their meals, Don would say "Now you know you don't have to do this."  Then he would hug me with tears in his eyes. Always gracious and grateful.  I miss that dear man...)

 

 

 

 

It seems I go on a roller coaster ride with service and energy.  I love serving and helping but sometimes I get burned out.  A few weeks ago I was attending a class and learned that the Hebrew word Avodah means both to serve and to worship.  In Mosiah, in the Book of Mormon, one verse reads that "when you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are in the service of your God."  That verse is imprinted on my brain.  But somehow, re-wording it to read "when you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are worshipping God" kick starts something wonderful in me.  I may get tired of service but I never get tired of worshipping the Lord.  These last few weeks, when I have been dragging for one thing or another, I tell myself, feel myself, in worship rather than just service.  It helps.