Callings and other random thoughts...

Right now, much of my life revolves around my job, my wife, and our callings in the church. Lisa and I were floating along quite peacefully, or so I thought, a few years ago in our church service, both of us serving with the youth in our ward. Life was good. I got to play with the young men every so often and feel as if I were magnifying my calling, and it was fun. Then (and I do blame this on Lisa) Lisa decided that we weren't doing enough, that we should be doing more, that we were just floating along and could be "stretched". I don't necessarily disagree with that thought, but I was enjoying the small little bit that I was doing. This is one of those stories with the moral saying you get what you ask for, because not long after that, I was called to serve as a counselor in a young single adult branch, last thing that I expected, and changing the fabric of my Sundays and many other days quite a bit (see the previous post). This made Lisa quite happy and she looked forward to being able to serve with the sisters in the branch and getting to know them. She thought that we needed to do more, and here was our opportunity for us to do more (with the we and us part of the relationship really being me). I forgot to mention that this story is also a good example of irony, because less than a week after receiving this calling and Lisa feeling content that we were on our way to more service and not floating along, we were called back to the stake president's office where Lisa was called as the stake young women's president. Oh how I wish that I had a camera to have been able to capture the look of pure shock/horror on her face! Little did she realize that while this calling was being extended to her, it was also in a way a punishment/opportunity for repentance for me. I can count on one finger the number of stake youth activities that I went to as a youth, and if memory serves me correctly, I went with my younger brother, we showed up for five minutes and then went to the movie theatre to watch a movie. I would have rather cut off my ankle with celery than go to a stake youth activity when I was a youth. I have now gone to more than I am able to count on my two hands, thanks to being my wife's lifetime counselor to anything that she is doing. It's just kind of funny how life happens. Five years ago, I never would have guessed that I am where I am now, doing what I'm doing. For example, a few weeks ago, I got to go on the young women's high adventure that we did in Letchworth state park. We went hiking, rafting, and did a ropes course. I would have to say however that the most interesting time of the trip was spent around the campfire. Never having had the chance to go on a campout with a group of girls before, I was not quite prepared as to what to expect. Well, all I can say is that it was once again reaffirmed to me that girls are different than boys. Boys don't sit around the campfire singing songs and giggling while talking about the opposite sex, and boys don't sit and braid each other's hair as something fun to do to pass the time. Girls do. Man it scares me to think about having girls. Alright, enough of this rambling post for right now.