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Bloom Where You Are Planted
By Rebecca | April 30, 2008
My little sister is getting married next weekend. She is the first of my sisters to marry. I want to be there but I am a thousand miles away and without means to travel to her.
Several weeks ago I spied several Bridal Shower items at a garage sale. There were invitations, balloons, party favor boxes, etc. They were printed with pink flowers and lettered in gold cursive. Some of the packages weren’t even opened. I paid less than a dollar for all of it.
I knew that to send it would cost more to send it home than it was worth. So instead, I gave it to my husband’s aunt whose youngest daughter is getting married later in the summer. I didn’t think about it again for several weeks.
But just yesterday my mom told me that my sister had gone to buy decorations for her Bridal Shower. She told me how excited my sister was to have a shower and to do the shopping for it. I told Mom about the decorations and favors I’d bought and given away. I told her that I had really gotten them for my own sister. Mom smiled and then she said that we must each do what we can to brighten our circle wherever we are.
To me this made perfect sense. My mother always fed the missionaries so that her children would have enough to eat on their missions. She took care of sick, pregnant newlyweds in her ward so that someone would take care of her sick, pregnant newlywed daughter across the country. She takes meals to elderly ward members and drives them to the hospital because someday her parents, who also live far away, will need someone to do the same for them.
Each of us has a circle of influence and opportunities to serve and beautify the lives of those around us. These are not always family members or even close friends. But they are children of Heavenly Father and as we serve them, it is as though we are serving Him. And in turn, he prompts others, to offer similar service to those we care about as they are in need.
Even though my sister will never use the supplies I bought, they were for her, and they did both of us good. I got to buy them and think of her, she got to go shopping and get her own stuff (which was what she really wanted to do anyway), and my husband’s cousin got some nice decorations.
Topics: Family, Relief Society, Sisters, Young Women |
