Being tired and having a tub of soda in my kitchen

I asked Anthony what I should blog about tonight and this was his answer...haahahahaaa!  Both of these are true, we are both very tired and yes, I have a green tub full of Sunkist and 7UP in my kitchen.  Our great Japan Relief Effort is the reason behind both.  I won't go into all of the juicy details about it now - being tired and all - I don't feel like uploading pics. 
Let's just say that it has been a crazy week (okay crazy month but who's counting?).  I am so incredibly grateful that I was given the opportunity to really look beyond my small realm and try to do something for others.  I am teaching Relief Society tomorrow and ironically the lesson is on charity.  When asked to teach this lesson Alla said "I thought it would fit in with what you are doing with the Relief Effort" and fit in it did. 
I read the lesson last Sunday and started working on my handout on Monday.  I knew the end of the week would be crazy and was trying so hard to not procrastinate.  I am very happy I made that decision.  I have been able to contemplate the definition and meaning of charity for nearly a week now and I feel that I now have a small (microscopic) idea of what charity truly is.
Charity is not an act.  I have had at least a dozen "aha!" moments when studying about charity but the bible dictionary's definition has been one of my favorites.  Charity is simply the most pure and limitless love in existence.  Charity most often inspires people to act and that is why we so often define it through the actions we see. 
Charity drives people.  I was driven by charity this week and it was amazing.  Learning to love people is incredibly difficult.  But the moment we begin with a desire to learn to love, our hearts begin to open and lives begin to change.
I am happy to be tired, to have a dirty, sticky kitchen floor, to have 3 bags of baked goods on my counter, to have a sore back and tired feet, to have great love in my heart for the people I worked with, the people who came and the people the money will help.  I am grateful that my 4 year old prays for the people in "sha-pan" and asks Heavenly Father to give them food and houses.  I know that by acting upon my charitable feelings I am teaching my daughters the way of the Savior.  That alone makes everything worth doing.