"Stories on the Sabbath"

                                                            Empty or Full?

The professor stood at the front of the classroom.  In his right hand was a glass of water.  Placing the glass on the desk, he bent over as he peered above his bifocals at the class.  As if in deep thought, he gently stood back up and began rubbing his chin and then posed a stirring question.

“Is the glass half empty or half full?” he asked almost with a sneer.

Hands immediately shot up.  The professor paused for a few seconds and then chose several eager students.

“It’s half full,” an attentive girl said who was always on time and usually sat on the front row.

Pointing to another student, the professor listened.

“It’s half empty,” a rather negative looking young man replied as his hand slammed down on the desk top.

Knowing that these would be the given responses, the professor countered.  “Are there not any other observations?”

A cocky looking student, stood up and said, “It all depends on whose pouring!”  The class began to chuckle.  Pleased with himself and the response he received, he turned and bowed to the class and then arrogantly sat down.

At the back of the class, a timid arm of an older woman kept trying to force its way up.  The professor was about to go on with his lecture, but his eye finally caught the attempted gesture.  “And what might you have to add to this spirited discussion?” he asked.

              Cautiously she stood and then proceeded to speak. “I think every comment has been partially correct,” she said with aged maturity.  “But they are missing the intended lesson.  The issue is not the water. It’s the perspective.”  Pointing to the man she said, “He saw the glass half empty, while she saw it half full.  The level of the water never changed.  It’s all in the way you look at things.”  As she bent to sit down she quietly uttered, “So it is in life!”

The professor smiled.  There was more than half the class time left, but the lecture was over.  This aged woman had taught the class more in one comment than he could have taught in a whole life time.  “Class dismissed.”             

                                                 *****

              It had been a long week and I always looked forward to the weekends.  But lately, weekends had not brought the desired break with my husband, Cliff, who was going to Optometry school.  During the school year, his hours seemed never ending.  I was so excited when summer finally came, thinking that he would be able to spend more time with our daughter, Alex and me.  However, because of our financial demands, he immediately began working full‑time, every day except Sunday.  Now I saw him even less! 

When most families were vacationing together, I found myself at home alone with our two- year-old daughter, and on the average, with no car.  Not to mention that I was hundreds of miles from any family and living in the hot, humid climate that Texas provided during its summers. 

             Cliff was serving as a counselor in the Stake Young Mens' presidency which required him to attend other wards many Sundays.  This often left me alone to struggle with our daughter during sacrament meeting, and then go to Nursery where I served as Nursery Leader. 

My husband and I both had been raised in the church and had watched our parents give service freely as they served in their respective callings.  However, we wondered if the time we spent serving was worth the time we spent apart. As students, we found ourselves more often as the recipient of service rather than the bearer.  Lately though, we had been given many opportunities to serve.

After church several weeks ago, we were taking home one of the families that Cliff home teaches because they do not have a car.  We usually take them to and from church each Sunday, with exception of the weeks that Cliff must attend another ward.  In which case, he arranges a ride for them.  We were accustomed to this, and felt we had enough gas to make the drive. However, on this particular Sunday as we got ready to leave the church, we found an elderly sister who also needed a ride home. 

We, as well as another sister, offered to take her home.  The other sister was without her spouse and had four children to handle.  Knowing that the elderly sister would need assistance getting in and out of the car and then into her home, we told her we would be more than happy to take her.  Because our car was too small to fit everyone, someone stayed with the elderly sister while we took home the other family.  When we arrived back at the church, I realized we were on empty.  I knew where the sister lived and realized that we could get there, but I was well aware that we would not be able to make it home.  After Cliff helped her into the car, and sat next to her in the back, I quietly mentioned that we were on empty, somehow thinking that his knowing would make it better.

"See if my wallet is in the glove compartment," he said under his breath, so as not to alarm our passenger.  I checked and it was not there.

"Is there any change in the ash tray?"

"No," I said as I looked for some silver between the few copper pennies that lay in the tray.

We started the drive in faith.  We knew that we were serving the Lord by helping this sister.  We had always done what we felt was required of us and knew that the Lord had looked out for us in the past.  Cliff whispered from behind me, "Pray Charity!"  So I did.

In my heart I asked the Lord to please bless us as we were trying to serve His other children.  I  continued my prayer most of the way to her home.  After ending the internal prayer, I looked at the gas gage.  I watched it as it miraculously rose to 1/8 of a tank!  I continued to keep my eye on it for fear that my eyes had tricked me and that any minute it would be on empty again.  It stayed there until we had dropped her off and was about two blocks from our house.  At that point, I watched it plunge back to below empty.  We felt that because we had been doing service, the Lord had blessed us so that we would not have to break the Sabbath.

The next morning, Cliff was able to make it across the street to the gas station and fill up the car for work.  Because of our obedience, we were blessed to witness a small miracle in our lives.  If I had not seen it myself, I may not have believed it.  From this day forth, I will never forget the picture in my head of that gas gage rising right before my eyes!

            Since that day, we have found that every time we serve the Lord we are blessed.  It might not be in such a miraculous way as this, but we are blessed nevertheless.  I have also realized that I need to have a better attitude about the service we render.  For at the time I witnessed the Lord’s hand in our service, I had a negative attitude about serving that day and was viewing the glass in my life as half empty instead of half full.  I resented having to spend the only day that I had with my husband, in doing so much for other people.  I am usually very willing to do things for others, but with all the pressures we were both facing, that day it seemed a burden. 

Cliff had been having a hard time as it was with all that was being required of him.  I was a little frustrated in my calling as Nursery leader because there had been no one else who had been called to help me.  We usually tried to do what we could cheerfully, but because it was a stressful time for both of us, I guess my attitude was showing that day.

As time goes by and I am faced with like challenges, I often remember that vivid picture of the empty gas tank and recall how the Lord filled it to the needed level that Sabbath day.  As I strive to conquer each trial that comes along, I realize that with the Lord at my side, my life can always be full.

                     ‑Charity Stratton served as the Nursery Leader (Out of Small Things)