Food fairies and other wonders

If I'm being honest (and I'm trying that out a little more earnestly these days), it's been a while since I felt a part of anything bigger than myself.  Do you know what I mean?  Sisterhoods/close friendships, ward families, important causes, all those things that make us feel connected to humanity beyond the walls of our own home.  It's not that anyone has been mean to us (our families, especially, have been incredibly generous), or that we haven't made a bit of an effort to be involved with others.  But we've missed old friends and jobs and have had difficulty adjusting to the idea of being here at this place in our lives...the waiting place.  It's not my favorite.  And winter just doesn't help anything.  :)

These last few days I've begun to feel something a little different.  With car problems leaving us carless until at least the first of the month, and the culmination and frustration of health problems that aren't too serious but that still keep me from wanting to accomplish much on my daily to-do list, we've been learning (again) the hard lesson of how to ask for help and accept assistance from others.  I know that when I serve others, I feel blessed, and that can't happen if others don't allow me to serve.  Yet it's difficult to be on the receiving end sometimes. 

We had some friends, a young couple from church, over for dinner on Sunday, and it was really nice to get to know them better (and to re-learn how to play Settlers of Catan, which we've owned our whole married life and never once played).  Many friends have had us over for dinner, but as much as we want to, we seldom reciprocate because, frankly, we can barely make ends meet these days.  We decided to just "screw it" and have people over, anyway, and we'd make do with what we have.  The Lord has truly blessed us by making our meals last longer than usual, and our dollar stretch farther when we go shopping (never before have we averaged $20/week on groceries and ENJOYED it!).  In addition, my mom (through unpleasant means herself, sorry, Mom!) wound up giving us a bunch of salad, which was especially nice since we had bought mostly canned and boxed goods to get us through 'til the next paycheck.  Fresh greens are good for what ails you, and not just physically.  THEN, to top it off, some anonymous "food fairies" dropped off two bags full of groceries during our Bourne trilogy marathon last night.  And these weren't just canned spinach and stuff like that that no one (except us) wants--no, in addition to canned soups and beans and veggies, there were pudding mixes, baking goods and spices, cookies for the hubby, and dark chocolate minis for me!  To the food fairies, thank you.  We really did need it this week!

As if that weren't enough, my mom is covering the charges of the car (she's really too good to us), so that allows us to have a little more wiggle room for gas and groceries after we pay rent with our next paycheck. 

ALSO, our good friend Laura West has been giving us rides to church and grocery stores and anywhere else we need to go. 

I've been thinking a lot lately about how to make ends meet and what my part in that ought to be, and a lot of the challenges that have led us to this point in our lives and where we ought to go from here.  It's not been a very pleasant thought-journey, and I've been feeling a sort of disconnect from the world.  And we've been climbing uphill and chugging along and doing all we can to keep our heads afloat (how's THAT for a jumble of mismatched metaphors?), but it hasn't seemed to get us anywhere farther along on our journey.

To everything there is a season.  Sometimes, despite all your best efforts and intentions, you just need someone else to reach out a hand to you.  Sometimes you just need to receive instead of to give.  I don't like to admit that, but, there it is.  Of course, I still want to work towards being the giver, but at least today we're not there.  A few weeks ago, we were, and we will be again, but not today.

So to all of you who have given to us in our times of need, in the past as well as in the last few days, and really to all who have ever served others so much less fortunate than us so selflessly, we say: THANK YOU.  Thank you for following the inspiration of the Lord in being an instrument in His hands to bless others.  Thank you for the sacrifice (however trivial it may have seemed at the time) you make in serving in His name.  Thank you for setting an example that we can aspire to follow.  Thank you, most of all, for the reminder that we're not alone, and don't have to be, in this journey.  I, at least, needed it.