You're Just Holding the Bag!

I've been meaning to post about this experience for a while now and just now have found the time (having been awake since 2 am--for some reason, I can't sleep).

Anyway, about a month and a half ago we were all outside as a family, doing yard work. Mike was trimming the bushes, I was raking up the mess, and the girls were holding the bag open so I could dump the leaves, limbs into it.

Well, Ariel began complaining about how she hated holding the bag, how it was so hot, that the bugs were getting on her. Basically just complaining. She would rather have been doing anything but be outside helping to clean up our yard.

In her defense, she did want to rake, but I just wanted to get the work done so we could move onto something more fun with our Saturday.

Okay, so we are back to Ariel complaining. Finally, I looked at her and said matter of factly, "Ariel, you are just holding the bag! That's it! Nothing more. What's so hard about holding the bag? It's not like I'm asking you to mow, weed the yard, trim the bushes, edge the sidewalk etc.. Just hold the bag."

Finally, she stopped complaining. Why would I want to blog about this? Well, it all has relevance at least for me.

About a week later, I was feeling a little overwhelmed with my calling and I was praying to Heavenly Father. Well, in all honesty complaining to Him. I was whining-- wishing I could have a break from everything (which now I feel ashamed to admit because soo many more people in our ward do sooo much more).

As I was in prayer with Heavenly Father this thought clearly came to my mind, "You're just holding the bag!" My head rushed back to my conversation with Ariel, and then another thought came to my mind, "I'm not asking you to take upon the sins of the world, all the sorrows, pains. It's been done. I'm just asking you to serve--just hold the bag."

A small job in comparison, but still one of importance. Something that needs to be done. So, whenever, I start to pity myself, I think about the fact that I'm "just being asked to hold the bag" in a sense. When I do my part, I am working to build up His kingdom. We all need to do our part.

When I look from that perspective, like Ariel I stop complaining and do the work. After all, I'm really just holding a bag! :)