Service Spotlight

I forgot to do a service spotlight last week....oops. So here we are, excited to get exploring the opportunities available! Also, no one has contacted me about joining my humanitarian aid group yet, so let me know! You can still be a part of it long distance! Basically I take out the stressful confusing stuff by picking things we can do, since I love research and I majored in this!

Sometimes I find it stressful to get started on things if I don't know where to look, or I feel like there is so much info I can't decipher what is good, what is dangerous, and what is just plain silly. But I love public health and finding ways to have self improvement.  I find serving others teaches me a lot, and I grow spiritually from the experience.

Just Listen

I had a lovely friend who called me after my last surgery. She is older, and we've never gotten together to do anything, but she is the most lovely lady. She wanted to see if I needed a visitor. For some reason I had to cancel, but I saw her the next week at church. She was so sweet and explained how her daughter had commented that the most helpful thing for her when she went through a rough time was when a little old lady from church came over and just listened. She said, "so here I am, you're little old lady friend ready to come listen!"

I thought she was just the sweetest thing, and her personality is really funny, we enjoy watching the interactions between her and her husband in sunday school! But I thought about the point she was trying to make. She was willing to come over and sacrifice her sanity to listen to me talk about anything! How wonderful is that!

And best of all, this service is Free.


Bring the Service to them

 I often offer my friends to let me know if they need anything, but it's almost something we just say.
How often have you actually called your friend who offers and take them up on it? Maybe once in a super emergency, am I right? But what I loved about this interaction was that she called me, and offered to come over. Then I didn't need to feel like I was bothering her, or wonder if she really had the time to come, or was just being nice.

Since we are often too polite, we offer help when we don't have money or energy to give, or we don't ask for the help when we need it. By bringing the service to the person in need, you don't need money (except gas in your car to get there) and you don't need tons of energy or special skills. You just sit and listen.

If you aren't able to go and listen, then make a phone call and chat that way. Making contact and letting someone know you are there and ready to comfort them will be a huge blessing. If you feel like this person may need more service that just one call, write a note. Or get ahold of some friends and let them know to call.


Our Limitations

When we keep our service simple, and in the scope of what we ACTUALLY can physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally do then we will be able to do more. I often want to give all that I have, and then when I'm done I have no energy left for my family time, or things that I need to do in my life.

We are not meant to run faster than we have strength. I don't run, but this still pertains to me. It means that we need to look at our limitations, be ok with them, and keep our efforts within the lines of our limitations.

I think of this like coloring. If we go out of the lines, the colors are beautiful, but it becomes crazy, disorganized, and messy. We can't erase crayon like we can pencil. Same with our limitations. If we exceed them, we can't replace what we have given away until we turn the page and start something new.

Simple Service leads to Frequent Service

When we keep our service simple where it is enjoyable and not too demanding, then we have energy to do more. Wouldn't it be great to be able to serve more people, and do more? It's kind of like dieting. If you eat small bites, you can sample a lot of different desserts at the Vegas buffet. (But in Life, the wasted food is not wasted energy, it will go to something else and not the Vegas garbage cans)

Some situations you do really big service projects, and you can't really take smaller bites and spread yourself around. That is ok, but don't schedule so many huge projects that you can only serve once or twice a year. Many people don't want a lot of time or products of whatever they need. They want to be noticed, remembered, given kindness.

Don't you like those things? Yep, we all do. So keep it simple and you can do more.

Other Options

You can also let them know you are thinking of them. When I get sick and can't go to church, I really like it when people text or call and say "Hey missed you today, just wanted to let you know I was thinking of you." They don't need to offer help, or ask what happened to serve me and make me feel loved. They are just making you aware they are thinking of you and that you matter.

You can also write notes and leave it on their door, or write a card and send it to them. You don't need to mail long letters, again keep it simple. Just let the people you are serving know you care about them.

Do you have any other ideas on simple, inexpensive ways to serve those around you? Leave a comment and let me know!

Service Spotlight and Announcement!!!

Sorry I didn't post last week. We have had the huge Cedar Fire burning in our background. We went to the valley to visit family and take a break from our home that was full of smoke! Talk about a great test run for my emergency preparedness!

Did anyone make cards or go visit the nursing homes in your area? Have you had any great experiences with service? Drop me a note, I would love to hear what you've been up to!



Announcement

 I am going to start a humanitarian group here in our home!! It will be so great to have women get together and make care kits, sew blankets and skirts, collect donations, and pull together to help those in need. I'm super excited. If you don't live near me in Northern AZ, but still would like to be a part of the group, check back on the blog for the weekly service spotlight to see how you can help!! If you would like to do service as a family and be involved in my group, awesome! There is always something to do!

Service Spotlight

Service doesn't have to be huge, take a lot of time, cost a lot of money, or be stressful or difficult. If it is feeling that way then take a step back, downsize, and just do what you can. We are not expected to save the world or fix everything. Write a card this week to someone who seems sad, or make friends with a new family in your neighborhood. Search online to find organizations that you would be able to help with. Setting aside time for research is huge. I sometimes expect that service opportunities will fall in my lap, sometimes they do, but more often than not I have to search them out. Opportunities of diverse service are out there, they just need to be found!



Nervous to Serve?

I've been thinking a lot about service lately and how blessed we are to live in the United States of America with all of our freedoms, opportunities, and blessings. I think it is very important to share the great blessings that we receive with others, even though we may not have a lot to give.

You see, something is more than nothing. People love to be thought of, to have others go out of their way to share kindness, and to be a part of something. When was the last time someone did something really nice for you and you thought, " man I hate that they thought of me. Why do they keep giving me blessings?" Exactly. That would never happen!

Sometimes we feel that people will be offended or not like us if we give them service because they don't like to receive "Charity". Usually they don't like it because people have made a big deal out of it, or the service they received was presented in a rude and hurtful way. When we give service, it is best to be kind, humble, and not to draw attention to what the person or family is deficient in. When we treat one another with dignity, respect, and love then they will feel those things. There will still be some people who look for things to be offended over. If that happens, just move on.



Let's get started!

Talk with your family, pray for opportunities and inspiration, and start researching!! Comment, email, message, or text me your info and I will make sure you get updates on what is happening in the group!
Know any organizations or opportunities that you would like to pursue? Let me know and we can check it out!!

Women who have impacted my life: part 1

I have been thinking a lot lately about the women who have influenced, impacted and changed my life. So I am going to do a series on these women. Because of the positive influences in my life, I made great choices, the best of which was getting sealed in the Temple for Time and all Eternity to the love of my life. And there are women who help teach, guide and influence me to try and be me best self today. Not all stories are from the past, and I can't wait to discover the future ones!

 The stories I will tell about each of them is special and dear to me, and hopefully you will see how much the things you do and say affect others! I know some lessons I learned I was probably taught multiple times or by several different people, but I understood those lessons when these women taught me. Please enjoy reading about the women who have helped shape me, and who I love and am grateful to!
           
My Grandma Bessie Hatch: She is in Heaven now, and I know she watches over me. She is my hero, and saved me. When I was born she already had dementia, and my parents told me it makes it hard for people to remember what day or year it is, and that is was very difficult for her. I can only imagine. But she never forgot me. She noticed I was often left out from the cousins ( I'm the youngest) and in all I have over 60 first cousins, so she would send me fancy dresses with frills and lace, and once a sock puppet doll with a green checkered dress that I still have! And remember that dementia? Well when the family got together and when it came to me, she didn't forget me. She saved me. One day when I was around 5, a much older boy cousin brought me into a room to play doctor. Do you see where this is going?

                     Well my grandma may have had dementia but she watched out for me and was so in tune with the Spirit. Before he could hurt me she burst into the room, pulled me away from his reach, gave me my shirt and shielded me as she yelled and handled him. I don't know what happened to that cousin and that situation, but I was never left near him ever again. She saved me, I had no idea what was coming, and though I have experienced abuse other times earlier and later in life, I was saved that day. No one else came looking for me or to check on me, but she did. She always did. I love her very much and cannot wait to throw my arms around her when she greets me in Heaven one day and thank her. She is my hero.

Another hero in a different sense: Sister Bibber. She taught me compassion, selflessness, and the importance of visiting teaching. In our church each month the women go visit other women they are assigned to. They teach a message about the Savior, become better friends with each woman and are there should that woman, or Sister as we call each other, need any help. It was my senior year, I woke up at 4:45 every morning, went to early morning church class, school, college class, then to my nanny job, then home. I helped around the house when I could with cooking and things, but was much too busy. My mom worked as an X ray tech and loved it. Then she got sick. Like in the hospital, surgery, no real answers scary kind of sick. She was sick for 6 months. And here comes my hero, Sister Bibber.

          She brought us food at least once a week and came to visit my mom once a week. I don't think she ever missed a week the entire 6 months. And in Maine, people live far from one another so she sacrificed so much for our family by giving us her time, her love, her support, and meals. She also organized the other women in our branch (congregation) and we had at least 3 meals a week brought in. For 6 months. I learned from Sister Bibber the importance of service, of doing whatever it takes to meet the needs of the women you are blessed to serve. I believe in visiting teaching, I try to be just like her and know how to best love and serve the women I now visit teach since I'm all grown up! When I tell others this story I always cry. The qualities of a choice and amazing woman were shown and taught to me. I watched and learned that I wanted to be like her. That she was a hero. I love her and am so grateful to have been able to be on the receiving end of such kind, generous service and compassion. It changed my life.

Thank you to these women for teaching me, saving me, and loving me. I am so so grateful to you.

These are just some of the women who have changed my life. Keep checking back because there are many more stories of gratitude to be told.

Merry Christmas Love the Suttons!!!

Hello Everyone!!
Merry Christmas! We can't show you pictures of our foster kiddos but we can tell you about the whopper of a year we've had!

We had the twins we fostered go to a distant relative, and are now getting adopted by that amazing relative!!! We were so heartbroken to lose them, but are so happy they have a forever family!!!


Then we got 3 new foster kids, all siblings! They are very cute and very fun!! We aren't allowed to show their faces but maybe you can see their cuteness from the blurred photos!!!

 

 

 

 

This is for the baby's first birthday!

 

 

Here the baby is with cousins and auntie Carrie! Thank goodness I'm sometimes blurry with taking pictures because I can post this!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Then we had 2 pregnancies which ended in miscarriages. Our baby would be due any day now, and I'm surprised that the grief has returned. I guess once you experience grief it can become a constant silent companion. But with the help of the Lord we can get through it.

 



Here I am excited at Easter knowing our baby would be coming around Christmas. Only a few days later our dreams were crushed.

 

But life of course goes on, and we have tried to press forward, figure out how to fix my endometriosis, and are trying to get the paper work ready to adopt!

 

We started a charity called Sutton Station! People donate gently used toys and clothes and then foster families come and get what they need! Check out our facebook page!!! If you have toys or clothes you'd like to donate, just let me know!!!!

                              Ken and I have grown closer together through this very trying year.

I had surgery to remove my endometriosis and try and find the cause to our infertility.

We can't have children, so like I said, we are trying to adopt!

 

This year Temples have been especially huge blessings in our lives. We go there for guidance, comfort, and to serve.

Our new phoenix temple!!!

The Gilbert temple where our friends got sealed!

A trip to serve in the Phoenix temple!!

 

Ken and Me with the oldest at the Phoenix open house. Sorry you can't see her cute face!!!

 

Ken and I serving at the Phoenix open house!

 

Our 2 year wedding anniversary! Here we are getting married in our Superman Shirts!!!

 

Our 1st year Sealing anniversary!!!!

 

 

Up next for us! Trying to adopt- taking forever. Fostering- tiring, frustrating, and the best job in the world. Our dog Rylee is doing amazing. Our Christmas tree is decorated with paper ornaments colored by the foster kids!!

 

 Rachel is seeing an amazing physical therapist and making huge strides overcoming the issues her body has been dealing with. She's lost 42 pounds and is still going strong!! Getting off fertility medicine was the best thing! We think we have figured out why her body decides to be difficult, which is exciting, and we love herbal medicine!!

 

 

Ken is a stay at home dad and full time student! He is doing amazing in the pathway program and is now a BYU Idaho online student! He built an amazing swing set for the kids, built shelves for the charity so Rachel could organize, built a mudroom station as a nod to Rachel's love of the East coast, built shelves for food storage, learned more about happiness, morals and economics and ancient American history from his favorite books and speakers, and is the best dad and husband in the world. He mastered the art of homemade onion rings, and spiced ketchup.

 

 

We hope your year has been filled with Love and Peace and that you have an Amazing Christmas! Sorry we can't do a family photo!! Hopefully your trials and sorrows will be more light and the amazing gift of our Savior will light up your holiday season and throughout the year! Love to you all!

 





 

 

Christmas In JULY!

Sutton Station- Christmas in JULY!!!

 

We are collecting toys starting now, in JULY  going through December

 

In DECEMBER, we will throw a big party and each foster child

WILL GET A PRESENT!

 

So, we need presents! We need toys, books, games, you name it!

 

New or gently used!

If used: must be machine washable or able to be sterilized, and in excellent condition!

 

Please email me or call me for address to drop off toys! (Or if you have questions)

 

Feel free to spread this flyer and get the word out there! Let's give some deserving kids a lovely Christmas!!!!

 

R. Annie Sutton- 623-419-3719



 

Our new Charity!

Hello everyone! We have started our own Charity! It's called the Sutton Station- a free depot to provide clothes to AZ foster kids!

 Please check out the Sutton Station Depot page listed at the top of the blog. We are just getting started, so we need a lot of donations to be able to begin helping people! Please spread the word on facebook, with friends, family, anyone who might need us or who might want to help!
https://www.facebook.com/suttonstation

If you would like to make a donation please contact me for the address to bring the items! We are very excited to be starting this opportunity and hope to be able to help children who need to feel loved, need to belong, and deserve to have nice things of their own! From our experiences and those of people we know, foster children come to new homes with nothing. They have lost their family, if they are lucky they have an extra outfit packed, usually the wrong size, no toys, books blankets, nothing to call their own. They are afraid, living with total strangers, and have no control over what is happening in their life. By giving these special children items of their own, it helps them feel safe, builds their self confidence, and provides a sense of control of what they wear, what they play with, and small comforts like a special toy or blanket that they may never have had before.

There are so many people who want to help save children around the world. We want to do that too, but we looked into our own community and found a need that we could fill. But we can't do it alone! We need your help! We need to spread the word to have donations available to the children in need, and also that we are here, ready to help! Please spread the word any way you can!

Thank you for your support and generosity, and for sharing our passion with others. From experience both my husband and I know that helping a child feel more safe and secure is the most amazing gift you could ever give. And you will always feel like it is the best you could ever receive!

For questions or to find out more, please email me at suttonstationdepot@gmail.com