The Joy of Serving with Others!

Today I am grateful for the feeling of joy I experienced as I served with others from our community to raise money for the Dove Center here in St. George.  The Dove Center is an outreach and support center as well as a residential center for women and children who are victims of abuse.  Last year my family and I fixed a complete Christmas Dinner for the 25 women and children who were staying at the shelter for Christmas.  It was such a wonderful blessing to be involved with this.  This year I didn't have time to be that ambitious, but today and tomorrow I am volunteering to wrap gifts at the factory outlet stores to raise money for the Dove Center.  I have always enjoyed wrapping gifts.  It is very therapeutic for me.  It allows you time to reflect upon who you are giving the gift to and why.  It was so much fun today.  I especially love it when husbands come in and bring gifts for their wives to have us wrap them.  They are always so grateful for this service!  Today I was able to reconnect with two of my favorite women that I worked with last year while I volunteered at the outreach center and also did the gift wrapping - Inger from Hurricane and Lana form St. George.  I could not believe that it had been an entire year since I last saw them.  It literally seemed just like a month or two ago, and it was so amazing to just pick up where we left of.  I love to meet women like Lana and Inger who are so service oriented and Christlike.  You can see it in there eyes and their countenance.  We had so much fun wrapping gifts and catching up on each others lives.  The three hours that I was there just flew by.  It was a much needed and a much appreciated break from the stressors of my own life. Thank you Heavenly Father for blessing me with the opportunity to serve today!

If you are looking for a good cause to donate to or to offer service...  This is definitely a good one!

Today's Verse to Ponderize:

2 Nephi 7:11

Behold all ye that kindle fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks which ye have kindled.  This shall ye have of mine hand - ye shall lie down in sorrow.