Be A Blessing

So, I was thinking the other day....

Cody and I have been back in Church about 7 months now and we have been blessed beyond imagination! But if I'm being totally honest with you, it's not been in the ways I wanted. I know that God promises us blessings for following His plan. For tithing. For reading scriptures. For putting Him first. For lots of other things. I have been looking for blessings. I have been looking for a house. I have been looking for a job for Cody. I have been looking for temporal things. Things to make life easier. Things to make me *happy* in this life. I have been so caught up in "What am I getting out of this?" that I have completely missed the point! I have completely missed all of the blessings that we have been given. I have a great job. I have a business on the side that I love. I have a husband that would do anything within his power for me. I have family, both by blood and by marriage, that love and accept me for who I am. I have a smartsmartsmart, sweet, beautiful little girl who just lights up my world. She is happy. She is healthy. I am in a Church that I love!!! With a Church family that is second to none. I have friends that sacrifice of their time to share their knowledge, wisdom, and talents with me seeking nothing in return.

But this isn't about "Oh, look how wonderful my life is." I mean parts of it are....I still really would like to have a job for my husband and our own roof over our heads...

Here is, what I think, the point to living a righteous life is: It's not about getting blessings, it's about being a blessing. Have you ever thought that maybe God was wanting to bless you with something but that He couldn't because the person He wanted to use to manifest that blessing in your life isn't living their own life in a way that He can use them? (Does that make sense?) So let's go a little further with that thought: What if YOU are the one that is meant to be the manifestor (Yes, I know that's not a word but I like it. K?) of someone else's blessing but Heavenly Father can't use you because you aren't in a position that He can? Wow....when I had that thought....it hit me like a ton of bricks. I am always so focused on myself and what I can get out of everything that I completely forget the other people around me. I forget to look for what I can do for my husband, my child, family, and friends. Maybe I am meant to be a blessing in someone's life and they are getting their blessing because of me.

So my new goal is twofold: #1 Stop focusing on what I don't have and don't get to do and start focusing on what I do have. #2 Start looking for ways to bless other people.

I want to help. I want to be there for someone that needs me. So many people have helped me with so many things. I want to pay it forward. I want to be in a position spiritually that Heavenly Father can use me to manifest someone else's blessing.

I want to do right and live a righteous life not so I can receive blessings....but so I can BE a blessing.

Sharing

I have been having some really random thoughts lately. Instead of keeping them to myself or posting a quick Facebook status, I have decided to share them. I have a blog, so why not? Right?

The first thought I had was the vast difference in in telling a person something and sharing it with them. I can tell you about my God, my work, my family. Telling you requires no emotion. You get the facts. You know the story. Right? I think not. I want to strive to share things with people. By sharing my God with you, I can express to you how much I love Him and all the wonderful things that He's done for me. I can help you feel that same love and maybe see some things He's done for you as well. If I share my photography with you, I can explain to you how much work I've put into it and how much work will always be required. You can be excited with me when I get *that* shot I was going for. If I tell you a story about McKenna's newest achievement and mimic her sweet, precious little voice as best I can, you can laugh with me. You can be proud of my baby like I am.

I don't want to just tell you about my life, I want to share my life with you. I want you to read my posts and know how I'm feeling when I write them. If I have the pleasure of talking to you in person, I want you to hear the joy in voice and see the love in my eyes. Life is a wonderful gift. Family is so precious.

These are things that should be shared!