Make It Happen

Remember how my blog title is French Toast Crunch? Totally random---however, the whole point of this blog for me was to become a new person, try different things, serve, and then post it in a place where I could remember it forever. French Toast Crunch was my favorite cereal growing up, it got discontinued, then made a comeback!! Well, so far in 2015 I've made a comeback with my life that was on a plateau. Here's a pic of me getting some FTC when it came back to stores! Macey's for the win! Yes, I bought 4 boxes. And yes, I will buy more.

Alright, so earlier this year I prayed for service opportunities. Of course I couldn't just sit on my butt and expect things to happen, so I went out into the community to find ways to help out. I only work Mon-Thurs and have a lot of free time since I'm out of school, don't have kids, etc. After that lady at work told me I would be a good coach, I contacted the Orem Rec Center to find out about coaching positions. I had just missed bball, but volleyball is going to happen in the fall so I'm going to do that! (Sorry, have to post a pic of my HS glory days! ha)

I also came across a program called People Helping People about a month and a half ago. I've been doing it for about 4 weeks and it is AMAZING! One of my goals in life is to have a non-profit that helps out women in some way whether it's helping them with their teeth, or helping them get over an abusive marriage. I'm going to figure it out. But for now, I volunteer weekly at PHP. PHP helps mainly single moms try to find jobs to support themselves and their kids. About 95% end up getting a stable job and 80% of those women get health insurance. I'm a coach with these women and help them type up all of their hard and soft skills and talk with them about what might be holding them back. These women don't even know how many skills they have and their potential. It's really rewarding.

Now, of course service doesn't have to be a big thing like helping at a nonprofit. I've also found small ways to help the people around me. It really is the small acts of kindness towards others. I really like this, because this is how it should be:

In my church, there's a lot of ways to serve. Alex and I moved into a townhouse, where there are a lot of young families and a LOT of women having kids :) We'll be there someday... but I figure that when I'm in that position, I'll want a little help. Thinking about having kids stresses me out, because there's never going to be enough time. I volunteered to make freezer meals for women having babies. Something small, but hopefully what goes around, comes around. We also had an auction with the women in our church. I auctioned two free dental cleanings. I love having a skill that I can use for the good. I also loved doing the Give Kids a Smile event last month and am going to do it every year.

When you move to a new place, you also get a new calling at church. I am SO FREAKIN' EXCITED for what I got called to. I get to be the stake 3rd year girls camp leader! I'm one of those weird people that went to like all 6 years of girls camp. And now I get to go again, but on the opposite end. I can't wait to help serve all the youth girls in our area and hopefully help them become better women :) I always brought friends to girls camp because ours was sweet. Horseback riding, canoeing, rock wall, floating the river, shooting guns, water slides...so much fun. Got to reminisce on some GC pics back in the day. This is when I was a youth leader with Natasha and Lauren (upper left)

Since I've asked to help serve others and my community, God has not waited or kept me from any opportunities. I love serving because A) it keeps me from thinking about myself and B) i really do feel happier. Something about helping people just makes the sun come out! There's so many opportunities for us, we just gotta make it happen! My boy Dieter puts it into great words:

xoxo, kay