Day 2

I thought of something else last night as I was contemplating selfless service.  Even though my children weren't as grateful as I would have liked, I realized that I was happier while cleaning and doing their laundry than I usually am when I am engaged in those jobs.  Because I was "serving" them, I wasn't getting annoyed by all of the little things that usually annoy me while I clean (eg: finding food in their rooms, folding clothes I've already folded once but were just thrown on the floor instead of put in a drawer, etc.)  This realization made me wonder if it might be possible to have a perspective change, if I might be able to view differently the mundane tasks that are mine as a wife and mother.  If I am able to view all that I do in my family and my home as service to my husband and children, maybe all of the work I do wouldn't seem so monotonous and thankless.  Something to ponder.

I went to the temple this morning.  I am still trying to decide how I want to set my temple goal.  Should it be every day the temple is open during my 40 days of service, or should I make it 40 days of temple attendance in the year of my 40th birthday?  While I know there is no other service more meaningful in all of the service I could do, I am trying to not feel like it's kind of a cop-out way to do my forty days.  I know that doesn't really make sense.  Maybe it is because it is a quiet, no-show act of service.  It goes back to the concept of "selfless service" or service without thinking of self.  There isn't any fun story for me to tell about planning, preparing or going to the temple.  It is what it is.  But I know that it is eternally meaningful for the recipient of the work.  So, that is enough.

I am grateful for the opportunity to think and to learn from this goal of mine.  I expect that I will be the greatest beneficiary of my efforts.