Serving Others...

This week my thoughts have been on serving others. I tried to watch for all the ways service is given and received. I tried to notice what I perceived as service. Here are some things I noticed about service during the past week.

Monday, June 12th, Jon Zimmerman, our former grass cutting person, came to our home to take care of the boxwood bushes under the study window of our home. We had some very cold weather this winter. Many of the boxwoods in Georgetown suffered or did not make it through that cold. The three in this part of our front yard suffered the most. The one in the corner was almost dead. Jon sent out a message that these boxwoods that were severely damaged would probably not come back, even with time. He offered a special price to take each bush out. I called and we set up for him to come Friday the 9th. That didn't end up working. He came early Monday morning instead. The first two pictures are of the bushes we would have removed. 

The next two pictures are after the removal of the boxwood bushes. 

How can this be a service if we paid Jon to do this? First, we were thinking the bushes would revive over time if left to just regenerate on their on. Jon's message helped us to understand this is not the case. Second, Jon trimmed and removed the ivy in our back yard trees after we moved in. He cut our grass for two summers. We know he is honest and would treat us fairly. After Jon cut the trees and removed the stumps, I asked him if he could help me understand about trimming the tree in our front yard. He explained we could do it anytime and showed me where to trim up to on the tree. He gave freely of his knowledge. He charged us less for taking out the three bushes than his original quote. I understand we paid him, but he served us in an honest, friendly way. 

Tuesday, June 13, 2023, Claude and I went to the Louisville Temple in the evening. This is serving those in our family who have passed from this life by performing earthly ordinances that they cannot do for themselves. We are grateful to Steve Gulbrandsen, my brother-in-law, who has done all the research to get these family names for us. He has served us greatly doing this most important work. It was a most moving session for me. I learned much. Interesting, since I have been going to the temple for 53 years. I love serving my family by attending the temple in their behalf.

Wednesday, June 14th, Claude went to Georgetown Community Hospital to have pre-op bloodwork and tests completed. We really wanted to get out and about. We found a great way to do that and serve our family at the same time. Our daughter, Andie, and her family are headed on a big family vacation to Italy and Greece. They usually borrow our suitcases. I sent her a message asking if we could deliver them to her in the afternoon. She was very happy with getting them. She also asked about our adapters. We got four suitcases and the container with the adapters and drove them to LaGrange. We enjoyed a nice visit with the Marx family. This helps them be a bit more ready for their big journey and also gave us a productive excuse to be out and about. We treated ourselves to our big meal-of-the-day at Mark's Feed. 

Thursday, June 15th, we experienced two acts of loving service. Our Church has a Bishop's Storehouse in Indianapolis. This is a place filled with foods to be given to those in need for whatever reason. A family of six in our congregation needed food but had no way of getting to the monthly drop off of food in Louisville at the Louisville Stake Center. Claude and I volunteered to get this food for them. It requires an early rise for us and all of the morning to drive to Louisville, get the food, returned to Lexington and deliver the food and then get home. This sweet lady was so appreciative of the help. It was nice to be and do this with my hubby. Grateful for the men who drive the big refrigerated truck from Indianapolis to help those in need all the way in Lexington, Kentucky. 

In the evening, we were the recipients of service. Claude has surgery scheduled for Monday, June 19th. Thursday evening, our Bishop, Bart Barber, and our Elder's Quorum President, James Hollen, came to our home in the evening and visited for a bit. Then they gave Claude a priesthood blessing. It was a very tender moment. This act of faith will help sustain us as we begin the journey Claude will be on with surgery and recovery. So grateful for that understanding and belief in our lives. Grateful these very busy men took time to visit and then give a blessing to my hubby.

Friday, June 16th, we were up very early for us, 6:30am. We were on the road by 7am. Our destination was Morehead, Kentucky. This was the sky as we left in the morning. Beautiful. It was like a blessing for a good day of service.

We arrived at the County warehouse, which was generously loaned to us for this service project. A truck full of non-perishable goods was delivered the night before to the warehouse and set up for distribution.  I noted the quilt pattern on the outside of this big warehouse. I thought how a quilt is made of many pieces. This morning of service was also made of many pieces working together.

Samone Ratcliff is our Just Serve coordinator. She set all this up. This is her description of what happened. (Samone is the lady on the right side of the table at the entry.)

"This is what collaboration, cooperation, and community looks like.

• 38,444 pounds of shelf stable food donated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• 14 plus counties receiving assistance in Central and Eastern Kentucky
• 13 separate agencies, each working to meet emergency food needs plus-
• 9 different religious denominations who provide the same to the communities they serve
• 2 county governments stepping in to lend a hand and
• 1 absolutely awesome group of volunteers! 

On Friday, June 16th, these fine folks, and others not shown, gathered in Morehead, Kentucky, some traveling from as far as Lexington and Louisville, to unpack and distribute a semi-truck load of non-perishable food items, by hand, to bless and feed a great swath of Kentucky. The food will be a blessing to many but perhaps the greater blessing is the folks you see in the picture, who, though they wear different hats and walk on different paths, still strive for the same goal: “to lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees”."

What a pleasure to help across all kinds of boundaries in this way. The food need is great in this part of Kentucky. Every little bit helps.

Saturday, June 17th, we got up and went to work getting the yard completely mowed, trimmed and blown free of grass and clippings. I planted 10 petunias to hopefully get some hummingbirds to come to our back yard. I always love when we work together in the yard. Claude taught me how to use the edger. It was a good morning.

We came inside and got cleaned up. While sitting for a bit, the Amazon delivery person came to our door. I brought the package in. It was a Father's Day gift from our first-born, Nissa, for her father. Claude opened it and I got these pictures and sent them to Nissa. This show of love and care is the best service any child can give to their father. I loved this so much.

In the afternoon, our sweet friends, Laura, Jessie and Howard Carter, had invited us to their home to have lunch with them. These friends have served us well time and time again as we have prepared for Claude's surgery. This warm, loving meal with them was just what any doctor would have ordered. The truly amazing part was that Laura chose to make lasagna. Father's day would be Sunday. We went to Montana Grill for an early Father's Day meal of steak for Claude. As we drove home, I mentioned to Claude that, when I think of the perfect Father's Day meal for him, I think of steak or lasagna. Laura had unwittingly made the other favorite meal of Claude's. We enjoyed their homemade ice cream. It is so good to have friends who care and give so freely of their time and love to us. 

Sunday, June 17th, is Father's Day. One of the sweetest moments for me was when the congregation sang "O My Father". My father loved this hymn. When dating my mother for the three days before they were married, he sang this hymn to her. She looked at him and said, "That is what I believe!" She would join the church and remain strong and active all her life. This hymn was sung at my mother's funeral. I felt especially close to both of my parents as I remembered their story of finding each other and the role this hymn played in their relationship. Sure made my Father's Day a bit more special. 

I come to the end of this week and realize that, to me, service is caring, helping, and  remembering others. Sometimes you are the giver. Sometimes you are the receiver. It happens when given freely. It can happen in a kindness when being paid for work. It has been good to think of and recognize all the many times in a week that service is a part of my day. This is a good thing to be aware of and be grateful for.

Now for a few "Memory Odds & Ends":

Katelyn and Joel. He had his arm around her neck and would not let go. If she tried to move away at all, he held her tighter. This boy loves his Momma!

Rachel and Paul had a friend take pictures of them. Paul is our grandson. He and Rachel have been married a whole year. 

Friday, Claude and I drove to Lexington after the morning unloading the truck. We determined we would have an early Father's Day dinner for Claude. On the way, Claude pulled up beside this car. I did a double-take. Please note their antenna is a 'fishing pole'!!

We enjoy a yummy meal at Montana Grill. They serve bison. We really enjoy this place. I noticed my soda was sitting on a coaster with a quote on it. Really thought it was worth remembering and sharing.

While working in our yard on Saturday, Claude asked me what was growing on our clematis vine. He said it looked like it was giving birth to baby Donald Trump's! It is really where a blossom has been and then falls off. Our clematis vine is covered in these little golden balls of flower as well as the newer purple blossoms. Really interesting

Bailey was invited to go to Florida with her boy friends family. She had a wonderful time with Jake and his family. Our girl is growing up!

It has been a good week. We have tried to fill it with good things before Claude is out of commission for a bit.