Check -out Reality Check

Ever have a mini reality check, you know something that makes stop and reflect on your own circumstances....

Holly and I had run to get a few groceries last night. We walked the aisles and quickly grabbed what we needed and headed to the till. As we finished  unloading our items onto the belt, I noticed another mom unloading her groceries behind me.

This mom looked vaguely familiar, I'm sure our kids have attended activities in the community together....I noticed that she was trying to add up her groceries as she placed them on the belt, placing the most essential items first and telling her kids that some things were maybes...

As I gave her a friendly smile, she said "My power's been out since Thursday...they gave me $50 bucks to get just the essentials" "Oh, That's tough " I say.... It was then that I noticed she had a emergency  government voucher in her hand.... "I hope things get better for you quickly" was all I could think to say.....{I wish I had done more}

As I got in the car, I had an instant reality check....
We are blessed and blessings have nothing to do with our bank balance....

{Money has been increasingly tight for us...Now I don't mean digging in the couch cushions or selling one of the rug rats, broke, I just mean we have  had to realign our priorities, cut out my daily spa treatments and fire my personal yoga instructor :).(Now you now why I've let myself go)}

I realized many things in the minutes that followed driving home.....

I am blessed to live in a country that can provide emergency help if I was in dire need

I am blessed to belong to a church that can provide for temporal needs if necessary

But more, I realized....
We are able to provide for the needs for our family....Sometimes re-evaluating our the definition of NEED is necessary.

I am grateful for the principle of tithing....math wise it doesn't always make since, but when we pay our tithing our needs are always met. It honestly never ceases to amaze me. When people ask "how we survive?" I always say, " tithing"

In a relief society lesson a while ago I heard the phrase "Enough is as good as a feast" which continues to stick with me.

When you think you have it rough...somebody is suffering more. The best thing to do when we feel down-trodden is serve others.

The worth of a soul is never quantified by a bank balance or processions, I hope the struggling mom behind me, somehow knows that.

I am grateful for that mini reality check in the grocery store.....especially as we head into Christmas.