About a month ago, while talking to someone about how busy I was feeling, I mentioned how my calling was feeling particularly burdensome and she responded, "Oh, yeah, so and so reads your blog and told me how funny she thought it was that you hated your calling."
I think I responded, "I don't hate my calling." At least I hope that's how I responded.
She then proceeded to explain how she would never read my blog, as she is not a blog reader (I guess those of us who do are a type) but so and so fills her in every now and then about what I write.
I stopped listening at this point because my brain was too busy registering the fact that someone was talking to someone else about my blog and GETTING IT WRONG!
I am a pretty open person. I try to be as real as I can be, sharing the good and the bad, the flattering and the embarrassing. You know? There is usually little need to infer. I'll tell you how I feel.
Take today for instance. It's been a pretty crappy day...literally. I got a call from Seth's school telling me that he had been sick at school and could I come and bring him home and bring a change of clothes? Because he was a mess. He had diarrhea and didn't make it to the bathroom in time and that's never pleasant. But it's especially unpleasant when you are in fourth grade. Of course I went to the school as fast as I could, to find him in the nurses bathroom, undressed and shivering and humiliated. And I felt humiliated for him. I wondered, "Can we move before Monday so he doesn't have to come back to this school?" I know that's what I wanted to do when my own mother had to bring me a change of clothes my freshman year of high school after an unexpected period made every girl's nightmare my reality. Yes, it's possible that I may have some PTSD.
See? I share. Probably...o.k....definitely, more than I should. So, believe me when I tell you that I don't hate my calling. I enjoy the women I serve with, I enjoy studying about the Prophet Joseph Smith and I enjoy the unity that can sometimes be felt after a particularly spiritual Relief Society.
In spite of all of the time, headaches and stress this week's enrichment caused, I can still honestly say I enjoyed the evening. I enjoyed the pictionary game we played depicting different things visiting teachers do. I enjoyed playing the game, "Do you love your visiting teacher?" and seeing women sprint across the room finding a different chair. I enjoyed hearing others' memories of service a visiting teacher has provided and I enjoyed spotlighting a few women I didn't know very well.
I enjoyed the carnival-themed decorations and treats (laffy taffy, licorice, nachos, popcorn and lemonade). I enjoyed the perfectly expressed message given by a member of the stake relief society presidency at the end. I enjoyed the respectable turnout of 23. I enjoyed the many people who stayed to help clean it all up afterwards. I am surrounded by really good people.
{Rolling a ball of yarn around to connect us as we shared service done on our behalf by visiting teachers.}
{The absolute darling popcorn machine my friend, Michelle, let me borrow for the evening.}
To be fair, I don't enjoy planning enrichment events. It's impossible to please everyone, or even most. I don't enjoy feeling like a hypocrite touting the great blessing of visiting teaching when I have only had 100% visits one month this entire year. I specifically didn't enjoy making 70 caramel apple kits, because I don't find tying bows very satisfying, but know that some women do enjoy those things and that was reason enough to do it.
I hope that clears things up. For the record, I do not hate my calling.
I just think it's the worst calling I have ever had.
Please be accurate.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Rumors
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19 comments:
Classic Lucy, classic.
Okay, I totally love those last three lines. Fantastic!
Don't change. Ever. Really.
I don't judge...did I tell you I got released from the RS presidency? I literally felt a weight lifted.
I feel so bad for Seth, that happened a few times to my 5th graders. The rest of the class always seemed to get over it a lot faster than I thought. Still, I just feel bad for him.
It really the worst calling. Still, how annoying to have the rumors circulating!
You're doing such a great job at the calling, though, you'll probably have to stay there for awhile.
Poor, poor Seth. I'm so sorry.
Wait. You're going to tell me this is worse than the activities committee calling you had in your last ward? Remember that one party that no one came to?
Oh Lucy. This is funny. Very funny. I will make sure I keep the record straight.
Poor poor Seth. My heart just breaks for him. {hugs}.
Way to set them straight. I often have the thought lately when I post that others in my ward will read. It's kept me from writing some, but not a lot. I figure if they don't know me by now, it doesn't matter anyhow.
I agree with Andrea...classic. I loved it.
Except the part about Seth. Poor guy!! :( I hope he is feeling better.
Jane - it is worse.
think of activity chairs as a 3 meals/day kind of calling. Big but less frequent.
Enrichment follows the much more annoying, but supposedly better for you, theory of frequent smaller meals (events). It's a never, never ending planning process.
Add to that twice a month meetings, teaching, conducting, and general attitude of concern and it is a really demanding calling. Which, I wouldn't mind at all if I didn't have to plan enrichment events.:)
For the record, I love you Lucy. I'm in a RS pres right now & totally understand where you're coming from. The work pays off, but half of it comes with quite a bit of dread on my part...
You will never be judged here my friend. I love your honesty. I am one of those women who liked to tie bows, but boy, I know a million who don't as well. Focus on your good Lucy, you have so much of it.
PS- I too dread the constant inaccuracies I encounter daily at my job about what I supposedly said, or did not say. That is a tough one for sure!
Oh, Lucy! I was feeling so bad for you being misunderstood, and so bad for poor Seth, and I've had your calling before and can totally sympathize with the amount of work it is (Presidency duties PLUS planning Enrichment), and then you just made me totally laugh out loud (loudly!) at the end.
I loved this post.
Please never stop sharing and being the lucy i love.
I hate being misunderstood, especially when it's coming from a difference source. This same thing happened to me except it was one of my parents friends telling them I was getting surgery. Nice!
ps poor seth.
Poor Seth. The same thing happen to me, when i was 3rd grade! I had to wait in the nurses office for a few hours, till the were able to get hold of my MOM! Oh i wish there were cell phones back then.
Yep, I lol'd myself at the end of this post. I get the distinction.
I looks like the activity was a lot of fun! And that popcorn machine just made it seem soooo cool. heehee I am grateful for members like you that keep on keepin on even if it's not their favorite.
Sorry about the crappy part... :(
Lucy, I am a good friend of Karen's and Monica Sill and Kathy Callister and Kerrie Brown, and Maxine Brown and you may even remember me. I know Jay remembers my son Scott. The activity looks like fun and I recognize so many faces. Ok, down to business. I would like to get in touch with you Monica told me about a poem you used I think it is "My Hands". I have to put on the Visiting Teaching Conference in my ward and have no idea what to do. Can I use your poem and how do I find it?
Kershaw
Catherine, I'm not sure what poem you mean. I didn't use anything for this activity. Did Monica say when this poem was used? Email me: lucyhj4302@msn.com.
I do remember you. Hello!!
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