Thank you hot chocolate man!

Tonight I had a very heartwarming experience.

I was at 711 filling up my car with gas and noticed a lonely looking man sitting outside of the front doors. He had a scruffy beard,was smoking a cigarette, coughing and was in a wheel chair. The weather outside was a chilly 25 degrees or so. I observed him as he sat and smoked. Finally he finished his smoking and went inside.

I decided that I wanted to help him in someway, so once I finished filling up my car I drove over to the doors and entered 711. I have never been a huge fan of hot chocolate that I don't make myself, just because hot chocolate can be very sugary and very caloric (I know, kind of a lame excuse), but I had decided I was going to buy some for myself and nonchalantly ask him if he wanted some as well. This worked.

At first he didn't talk to me, it appeared as he was trying to play mute (maybe he was just eating something), but he eventually warmed up to the idea. I convinced him of which type of hot chocolate to get and then I got in line with our cups. I talked to him a little asking him about his day - he said that he had lost his wallet. I like to think that people are honest until proven wrong, so poor guy.

The man in front of me in line finished paying and walked out the doors. When I got to the cash register to pay for the hot chocolates, the cashier told me that the man in front of me took care of it. This is what touched my heart about the evening the most, and why I have named this blog "Thank you hot chocolate man!"

This man's act of service was so quiet. I wanted to thank him, but he was already driving away by the time I got outside. Only three people, maybe four, knew of his kindness in that instance - himself, the cashier, me, and maybe the man who lost his wallet noticed. Maybe it seems silly to think that such a little thing means so much to me, but it does. It reminds me that the world is filled with good people.

Now that you have read this, go out and be a "hot chocolate man," or a "hot chocolate woman." :)

Again, thank you hot chocolate man. Service is contagious.

"Come what may, and love it."

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin is a smart man for taking his mother's inspired advice. He quotes in his talk that, "The way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be in life."* I truly believe this. When adversity faces us we can choose to learn from it or we can choose to complain about us. One will bring us closer to perfection and the other will make our life miserable.

The thought that I would like to share today is this, life is good if we make it good. Or in the words of Elder Wirthlin's mother, "come way may, and love it."

About a month ago I got in a car accident. Luckily this accident was only a fender-bender. I got rear-ended by a car who was going somewhere between 15-35 mph. My car did get banged up a little bit. Poor Gladys, as I have named my car, had some paint chipped off and sustained some scratches - who knows about the internal damage that was done I also got banged up a little. I have been having some heck pain and shoulder pain on my left side - classic whiplash symptoms. For quite a while after the accident I grumbled due to the time it took me to get the accident reported and all the claim information ironed out.

Why do I feel blessed from this situation?

After working with multiple claim officers I was finally able to take my car to get inspected mid-last week. The external damages would cost about $480 to fix. I had no complaints at the time because I was planning on that money hopefully going straight into my bank account instead of into my car. 

On Saturday morning last week I took my car in to get the oil changed a headlight replaced. The worker assigned to my car opened the hood and immediately saw a huge crack in my alternator (I guess I should open the hood of my car more often :). The cost to replace the alternator will be about $300. Again, I grumbled about this a little bit to myself and my parents. Thankfully I have wonderful parents who immediately humbled me.

The money I will get from the car accident will cover my time expenses as well as my new alternator :) I feel so blessed that I got in a car accident so that I have extra money available for this situation.

Also, I am very grateful that:

The other driver's car had insurance on it, and that my car had insurance on it. I switched my car insurance policy the day before I got rear-ended.

The car accident was not as bad as it could have been.

My car is still very drivable.

The worker on my car was able to find the crack before my car leaked fluid and killed the engine. I am especially very grateful for this.

All of these things are blessings, and I feel so blessed for the experience as a whole. (Even though I don't know if I would have complained much if I didn't get in the accident and if my alternator didn't get a crack ;)

*Read Elder Wirthlin's full General Conference talk.

Theme behind “Blessed in all things…”

A couple of people asked me tonight if my blog will have a theme or if it will just be a compilation of random thoughts. Well, I guess my blog may become a little bit of both.

The reason I named my blog “Blessed in all things…” is because I do feel blessed in all things. Complaining, debating, and even arguing, have become so prevalent in daily life that I feel these actions are not only acceptable in society but somehow expected. I decided that I don't want to be held back by the negativism pulsating from society. I instead want to be the exception.

There is so much to be grateful for in life. In my opinion life itself is a miracle. If you have ever taken an anatomy class, I am sure that you have been baffled by the intricateness of the human body. Every day I see something new that amazes me and reminds me of how blessed I am, whether it is a my sister-in-law holding her new baby in her arms or the individually unique snowflakes hitting my windshield as I drive. I feel almost selfish keeping these thoughts of gratitude to myself, so therefore I would like to share them with others so that they can be reminded that they should feel blessed as well.

You will notice that many of my posts may be religion-related. This is because I feel so blessed because of the knowledge I have of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that I am a daughter of a loving Heavenly Father who watches over each of his children on this earth. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that he atoned for the sins of the world so that I might have the opportunity to repent. I also know that my Father in Heaven has sent me a comforter and guide in this life, the Holy Ghost, and if I remain virtuous I can always feel his presence. I am so grateful for this knowledge. I am so grateful that so many people around the world practice religion and worship God. I am sure God is grateful as well that there are still people on this earth willing to turn their hearts and minds to him.

Of course I am sure that I will have random thoughts mixed in with the expressions of my blessings. I am a Deaf Education major and am always pondering on ASL and other foreign languages and cultures. I love learning about people that are different from me. Every culture is unique, but each culture seems to function correctly according to its needs. I find this truly amazing.

Just a side note, I did steal my title from a scripture that I truly love:

Mosiah 2:41 “And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.”*

*http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/mosiah/2?lang=eng

Eternal Families

10.12.2010 Excerpt from my journal.

Madison Mecum's funeral was really sweet today. It is very sad to picture a near-perfect little, 13-year old lying in a casket. The question most of the world would be asking in this situation is, "Why?". Why would God let a beautiful daughter of His get taken from this world at such a young age? Why would God allow this to happen to the same family that has already seen so many trials in their life? One who lost their father only five years ago.

Yes, tragedies like Madison's are hard to bear and even harder to understand, but thanks to the truths of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ in my life, I know that families can last for eternity. How sweet is the comfort and peace that comes when I think of Madison in Spirit Paradise united once again with her earthly father. How sweet is the comfort and peace that comes when I think of the beautiful and joyous reunion that will occur with the remainder of her family finishes their mortal ministry on this earth and passes to the next life to join Madison and her father in Heaven for eternity - never to again be parted.

Madison's death is sad, I am by no means denying that fact, but I am saying that there is more to this life to just live and die to be no more. There is a joyous eternity waiting for us. A family can be sealed together in the temple of the Lord for time and all eternity through Priesthood ordinances.

I am happy to know this restored truth. 

Why do I believe in this doctrine? I believe because I have studied this doctrine myself, prayed, and received a firm answer to my prayers. I feel peace and happiness whenever I think of this doctrine. What would life be if we just lived and died and that was it? What would the whole purpose of life be then? It makes sense to me for there to be something more - a greater happiness available to those who follow our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

If you would like to learn for yourself that families can be together for all eternity, you can by praying to our Father in Heaven. He hears all prayers and answers them in his own time and way. If you pray about this doctrine in faith, you will receive an answer to your prayer.

If you would like to read more about marriage and the family please read The Family: A Proclamation to the World.

Donations to Madison Mecum's family are humbly appreciated. To donate please visit http://madisonmecum.org/.

Why did I start blogging?

People choose to blog for many different, and sometimes obscure, reasons. Some people blog to share the story of their engagement, wedding, and married life. Many people blog to share funny experiences or to voice opinions not acceptable in other environments. Even though each person's reason for blogging is unique, they all share one simple quality - they feel like they have something to say that will be of worth to others.

My reason for blogging is for that same purpose. I believe I have something to say will be of worth unto others. I feel that I have been very blessed in my life, hence where the title of my blog came from. I hope my experiences and opinions shared here can bring a smile to someone's day, comfort a saddened soul, or even mend a broken heart.

Please know that my posts are not meant to cause offense in anyway.