New Things

New thing #1: I have a blog! I have been to 2 blogs EVER in my life. (Prior to this one of course).

New thing #2: I'm handing out treats at my OWN place of residence on Halloween. (I have bad teeth, so I shy away from handing out sweet treats with lots of sugar and high fructose corn syrup--thus--Play-Doh). I bought the Play-Doh from Costco over a month ago. 160 mini packages to be clear. Besides, you can be a lot more creative with Play-Doh than you can with a kit-kat.

New thing #3: I got a new crown in my mouth yesterday (see "New thing #2").

New thing #4: I met someone on the internet. No, not that kind of someone. I met Bryce and Tammy (and the adorable Miss Dani) Brown on the internet. Yes, they live in the houses just behind my apartment complex, but I had never really met them before. For those of you who are reading this because you linked me from Bryce, you will know he lost his fight against Mela-sucka-noma after 100 intense days of battle. Bryce's funeral was yesterday.

Not-so-new thing #1: I went to a funeral. I cried at the funeral.

New thing #5: I understood death very clearly. The funerals I have been to, were when I was a small child (6 if we are getting specific here), and they were also for those who lost the fight against cancer. My Grandmothers.

To continue on a serious note. After this last week, I feel like a new person. I feel I understand some very important things more clearly. The things I have learned? Faith, Hope, Charity, the value of service, Why I am here.

Faith: More than just prayer, closely linked with hope. Not a guarantee that you'll get what you ask for when you hit your knees.

Hope: Comes after faith. I feel hope is believing that the Lord will do what is best, and since He knows all things, trusting that He will. It is also positive thoughts. Imagining what you are praying for is going to happen as you would like, but being mature enough to submit our will(s) to the Father's.

Charity: Having a strong enough love for someone (often comes after service, sacrifice, and lots of prayers--depends on the person), that you not only want to know someone and be their friend, but that you mourn with them, you rejoice with them, you support them when they can't support themselves, and you respect them.
Value of Service: Helps you forget your own problems, as well as helps others' problems fade. Helps you love the person you are serving. There are some people in this world that I don't immediatlely love. Serving them, helps me realize they are sometimes in need of a little love, an arm around their shoulder, a cheerleader on the sidelines, whatever. When we can serve someone and end up seeing them as the Lord sees them. Valuing them as an heir to greatness.

These are some new things for me. I've always been told what these words mean, but now I've felt what they mean. I understand what they mean. This is why we are here. This is what life is about. Well, life as we know it anyway.