Having sat through a couple of inspiring General Conference sessions yesterday afternoon, I looked forward to hearing the messages on the final two segments in front of my Mom’s wide-screen TV.
As I meandered downstairs into the kitchen, I rubbed my eyes and tried to push the cobwebs out of my mind. My son, Matthew, was already awake and sitting in front of the TV. He usually wakes up pretty hungry, so I reached into the freezer for the frozen pancakes he eats almost every morning for breakfast. As I plopped them in the toaster, I thought of the many things that had to be done before we headed over to Mom's.
To begin with, Katherine and I had agreed to bring a southwest salad to contribute to dinner, so that would have to be put together.
We needed to straighten up the living room and make the beds.
Showers needed to be taken.
I looked at the clock.
Distractedly, I put the pancakes on the plate.
Then I opened the fridge to find in the butter, and, glancing again at the clock, decided to skip that part and go straight for the syrup to save time.
As I did so, a quiet but distinct impression came into my mind.
"These are the moments when it really counts."
I stopped in my tracks and looked back at the butter nestled comfortably in its place on the second shelf. Even though Matthew would probably never be able to tell the difference between pancakes with butter or without, I realized that this small moment of attention to details might matter anyway.
I would know the difference.
I reached for the butter.
It only took up an extra second or two.
Next, I headed for the garlic salt.
A member of my family was cooking the soup for us to eat during the intermission between conference sessions and had asked if I would bring some garlic salt with me when I came.
In our house, we always have a large supply of garlic.
On one shelf, there was the cheap garlic that I got at the dollar store - I used it for emergencies just like this.
On top of the stove was the good stuff....a perfect mixture of salt, garlic, and parsley that I loved using in my spaghetti sauce and garlic bread.
I reached for the cheap stuff.
Another soft impression.
"You should always give the best of yourself to others."
I almost laughed out loud as my hand stopped in mid air.
Was I going crazy?
It’s been known to happen.
Yet, I could feel a taste of that warm comforting presence I have come to know and love over the years.
I reached for the good stuff, set it next to the pile of things we would be taking with us, and went about my business.
The butter and the garlic somehow brought to mind a conversation I had been involved in a few years back.While explaining some of the principles of my faith to another person one, I was asked what it meant to be "worthy".
I had thought about the question for a moment and said,
"It means to be right with God."
At the time, I thought that I had given a complete answer. After thinking about it again this morning, though, I wondered if there was more to it than that.
To be sure, being right with God is the most important thing we can focus on.
We can never be right with God on our own, but with the help of the Savior, it’s possible.
Even likely.
But I think the other half of the equation is that we also have to make sure we are "right" with ourselves.
Looking back at the pancakes and garlic salt (maybe not such a great combination), I realized that there was a lesson to be learned in my kitchen this morning despite my busyness.
It had to do with our search for inner peace and happiness.
I think we are most peaceful and happy when we know we have done our best.
Yet, despite all of our striving and efforts to do right by others, it’s a definite fact that the outcome of our "best" is different every day.
Some days, everything goes right and our best efforts seems to shine like the sun.
On other days, our efforts seem like they have been stampeded in the mud of opposition - stained and pathetically inadequate.
Yet I am reminded that while "man looketh on the outward appearance, God looketh on the heart."
The currency in heaven seems to be a lot more centered on the desires of our hearts and our earnest efforts to make our world a brighter place than on the actual results of those intentions and efforts.
There are two people who always know if we are serving the best of ourselves to those we are called to minister to.
God.
And us.
Those are the two people who will always know the complete, unabridged truth of our lives.
As I went about the rest of my morning preparations, I wondered if I was being a little ridiculous in trying to imagine that God would care whether or not my son had butter on his pancakes this morning for breakfast.
After all, he has billions of other spirit children to tend to....many of which have worse problems than unbuttered breakfast foods.
Yet, I believe God knows that life is a "game of inches", and that every inch we move forward toward light and love matters greatly in the grand scheme of things.
"For by small and simple means are great things brought to pass."
I think that our commitment to doing our best might be the only thing that really does matter.
Then, when we have done everything we can do, we lay it all at Jesus’ feet and walk away with a smile.
Sort of reminds me of a certain Drummer Boy we sing about come Christmas-time.
He didn’t have a wealth of gold or a caravan of fancy spices to offer to the babe lying in the manger.
He just had his drum to beat on.
So he played his best for him.
And it was enough.
How about you?
If you are just waking up and preparing to face another day, try giving yourself a shot of spiritual vitamin C this morning by taking the extra second or two to give the best of yourself to those who need your help.
You may be a shoulder to cry on or a lifeline to someone in trouble.
You may be a helping hand to a crying child or a word of comfort for someone who is suffering.
You might be a friend to the neighbor across the street.
You may even do something as insignificant as buttering a pancake for a two-year old who probably won’t notice the difference.
Whatever it is that you do, give it your best shot.
You won’t be sorry....in fact, you might just feel a ray or two of "hope shining brightly before you" as you go about your business.
You might even feel the same smile of acceptance that a poor drummer boy felt a couple thousand years ago.
"Pa Rumpa Pum Pum," he said as he walked out into the night under the light of an unusually bright star.
That was always one of my favorite songs when I was little, but I don't think we'll hear it during conference today
If not, I’ll let it slide and be grateful for another day of inspired spiritual guidance.
When it comes time for intermission and we sit down for lunch, I’m sure I’ll end up peeking into the fridge to get some salad dressing or mayonnaise to set on the table.
When I do, I’ll probably look down to the second shelf and smile as I remember a simple but profound lesson I learned on conference Sunday:
"Don’t forget the butter."
No comments:
Post a Comment