A challenge.

In the past 5 days or so, the topic of service has been brought up in my life multiple times.

There was the seminary lesson where we learned about angels, the church lesson where we learned about charity (though I'm not saying this is a synonym for service, because it's not), and last night at a fireside we learned about angels once again.

I think that maybe all of this emphasis on love and service was for me, and something I really needed to hear...

You see, with this last month of high school, I've been lazy. I'm taking no hard classes, did my one ap test, and now I just feel done. Many of you probably know the feeling. If not, I guarantee you will at some point. I've got a bad case of Senioritis. I get home from school and I take a nap (confession: Monday, I took 2), then wake up, eat dinner, waste time online, and go to bed again.

But I realized something - I can use all this extra time I have to do something. I've been given this last month of high school to help others, not to be selfish and do nothing.

Maybe, if I let the Lord guide me, I'll end up finding someone who needs a good talk. I shouldn't waste all my lunch period in the same place as always - I should wander around and let the steps take me where they will.

So today my goal is to find one person in need of service. Just one. It may be someone I know, and it may be a complete stranger. Either way, I'm not going to hesitate to help them. I'm not going to ask questions, second guess myself, or be crippled by fear and intimidation.

Then tomorrow, I'm going to find two people.

The next day, three.

And so on until I lose count and this impulsive and in-tune service becomes habit.

If I may, I'd like to challenge all of you to do the same. Next time you're bored, or have some spare time, go serve.

And let me know how it goes. Personally, I'm fully expecting an increase of happiness in my life.

Salsa Teaching Lessons

Oh, no no no.... not salsa as in dancing.

(Though how fun! I think I'll learn sometime.)

Salsa as in the food.

The stuff you put on eggs, nachos, etc. That stuff.

Well, today it taught me a lesson (Count on me to find lessons from my food. *eye roll* Remember how I love food? Yes, I remember that).

There I am, preparing to go to church, eating my eggs I had made in a rush, and I look down. "Wow. These eggs are a little bland." I say (in my head). But I even had cheese on top! However, I was sick of the same old thing. Of late it seems I've been eating lots of eggs flavored with cheese. Regular, plain-old cheddar cheese.

So then (in my head) I say, "Hey. Maybe some salsa would be good with this?"

Here's the thing though - I don't really like salsa (Or do I? Read on). I usually find that when I add salsa to a dish, it takes away more than it actually adds - it overpowers. So when I have nachos or something that typically has salsa on it, I... don't. I just don't.

But here I am thinking about putting salsa - a food I "don't" like - on my eggs.


So I did it.


And you know what? I really liked it. Those eggs were good.

And that salsa taught me a lesson:

People always tell you to try new things. Try this new food. This new sport. This new style. Just do it. It's healthy, right? You'll never know unless you try.

"You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore."

I agree with all of that above.

But,

What about trying old things?

What about tasting that food you thought you hated? Salsa? I had convinced myself I didn't like it, but today I discovered I actually did. It was all just in my head (literally). Because that salsa made those eggs really really good.

We get into this comfort zone about life. I'll be honest - I really like my comfort zone. I like going to Cafe Rio and always getting the pork burrito or pork salad. I like going to Maggie Moos and getting Pistachio and Black Cherry mixed. I like wearing a boring white v-neck with jeans. I like hanging out with my best friends.

But sometimes, you have to try things you think you don't like.

Sometimes, you have to be willing to do things that might seem repulsing to you. That you really don't like. What if I hadn't taken the risk and poured that salsa on my eggs? Then I'd be writing a post about how I don't like salsa.

And doesn't that sound boring?

I once read somewhere that you have to try something ten times to develop a taste for it.

That possibly means nine times where (in your head) you're saying, "This tastes disgusting."

So go out there and try that thing you don't really like. Develop a taste for the old hatreds. Maybe you're right there at number nine.

All it's going to take is one more try and there you go - you've found a new love.


...Welcome to the comfort zone, Salsa.




Sincerely,
Anna Elizabeth