Missed Opportunities

Today I went to the library to pick up some books I had on hold.  As I approached the check out counter  my attention was drawn to one of the machines there.  What probably got my attention first was the LOUD wailing of a small baby.  I couldn't see the upset infant who was curled up in a stroller but what I did see made my heart happy.  The mother was standing there with 2 other children, a little boy about 3 was balancing on the step stool very seriously placing each book, from a tall stack, on the white square and waiting to hear the ding.  He couldn't work very quickly because his younger sister was also vying for space on the stool and was determined to move him out of the way.  The mom was being so patient, while trying to encourage the entire process along at a little faster pace.  Any attempt she made to assist was met with immediate complaints of "I'm doing it" and she would
step back and let her son do it.  I was proud of her control.

I quickly checked out, glanced again at the entertaining family while thinking "I'm glad I'm past that stage of my life" and walked out the door.

As I unlocked my car I had a strong desire to cry and I wasn't sure why.

I gave it some thought as I drove down the road to my next destination and I began to realize that I should have offered to help that young mother.  She was handling herself just fine and she might have declined my offer, but I stil should have made the attempt.

But even more than that I should have told that mom that I was glad she had chosen to be a mother.

That  I was happy she had made the effort to bring her children to the library.

That I appreciated her patience with her little ones when it would have been so much easier to move them aside and just check the books out herself.

I should have given her a pat on the back,

because mothers don't seem to get those very often.

I should have told her GOOD JOB!

and I didn't

and then I regretted it.

One of my favorite talks in the October General Conference was by Elder M. Russell Ballard and was entitled "Be Anxiously Engaged".

In this talk he encourages every man, woman and child to begin a simple practice.

"In your morning prayer each new day, ask Heavenly Father to guide you to recognize an opportunity to serve one of His precious children.  Then go throughout the day with your heart full of faith and love, looking for someone to help ... If you do this, your spiritual sensitivities will be enlarged and you will discover opportunities to serve that you never before realized were possible." 

I have been trying to remember to do this every day and have had some sweet experiences, but today I lost focus and missed an opportunity.

And I want to say I'm sorry.

I can't go back and change what happened today, but I can look forward with a desire to improve.

Hopefully next time my spiritual sensitivities will kick into gear just a little bit faster and I can feel that I have done my best to serve God's children that I cross paths with.

Today I am thankful for

parents who treat their children with patience and love.

a women who looked for an opportunity to serve and was prompted to organize a monthly family home evening group for the "empty nesters" in our ward.  Tonight was our first activity and it was so fun and uplifting to get together and eat, visit, laugh, talk of Christ and enjoy the Christmas spirit.

homemade orange rolls.  YUMMY!