Do Good Anyway

Little story. So yesterday Ethan had band practice in American Fork. I took Natalie with me as usual. It was 105 degrees outside (aka hot). I didn't want to go in and out of the car running different errands, so we just chilled in Target the whole time.

She started loosing patience with me near the end, but on a scale of 1-10 for how good she was, it was an 8, which was an improvement. Usually she's a 4 (below average). She doesn't like to sit in the seat. So I have to keep her caged in the cart. So, yeah, hot day. Natalie was a good sport, and after killing an hour and a half we head back to get Ethan. He comes out and says it's hot. I agree. Natalie hadn't eaten anything during the whole 2 hours (drive down & time at Target) so I'm thinking let's go get a Frosty. As we turn right to go to Wendys, I see a young lady on the corner across the street with a cardboard sign. We'd have to come back this way to get on the freeway, and I thought it might be nice to give her something. I tend to try to avoid giving cash (didn't have any anyway), so I thought we could get a frosty for her. Afterall, it was 105 degrees outside. She had to be hot out there. So, we get small vanilla frosty's for Natalie and Ethan, and I have Ethan sit in the front with a large chocolate frosty to give to this lady as we pass her on our way home. But she had just switched corners and was across the street, so we turn right and pull a u turn to come back to deliver this frosty. She says thank you and God bless. Then we turn right again and pull a u turn again so we can come back to the same intersection again and turn left this time to go home. We are at the light to turn left, she is on the left corner from us still with her sign, and when the light turns red and no cars are passing her, she goes to her backpack and picks up the frosty and starts walking. She holds it up as if she's showing it to someone in the distance. Then, apparently receiving her non-verbal answer from this person, turns to go back to her corner, and tosses the frosty in the storm drain on the grass as she walks by. And then I kinda felt sad. Sad for several reasons. Sad that my offering wasn't appreciated. Sad that I'd given her a frosty when maybe what she really needed was money to pay rent? A little sad that I'd even bothered trying. But then thought of this quote that I had just read earlier that morning:

The things I do, the things others do, really aren't just between us mortals here on this planet, it's between us and God. So I guess I'll probably give out a frosty again someday anyway. I got out of my sad mood after we had a FHE lesson on that quote and this scripture from D&C 88:32-33:

"...They shall return again to their own place, to enjoy that which they are willing to receive, because they were not willing to enjoy that which they might have received. For what doth it profit a man if a gift is bestowed upon him, and he receive not the gift? Behold, he rejoices not in that which is given unto him, neither rejoices in him who is the giver of the gift."

And then we talked about how we need to see and recognize God's gifts to us ~ the beautiful trees outside every window of our house, the mountains, the sunshine, the amazing full moon that we saw rise on our drive home from Scofield Saturday night (amazing moon) ~ We need to see them, appreciate and receive them, and thank and rejoice in the Lord who gives them. They are all gifts from him. 

And then we had our usual Monday night FHE activity of watching American Ninja Warrior. Go Mighty Kacy Catanzaro - she did SOOOO GOOD! 

And do you know what I just love about Ninja Warrior - is that everyone is cheering each other on. It's not a competition against each other, it's a competition against the obstacle, and everyone cheers and supports and celebrates with each person with each obstacle they beat. That is how I want my life to be. Like Mother Teresa said~ be kind, be good, succeed, and be happy anyway!