Introducing ... Jamie the V ... (google it!)

Friends, I need to introduce you to someone. She's hilarious and I think you'll all love her. Her blog name is Jamie the Very Worst Missionary. Maybe you've already heard/read of her. If you haven't, read this post first and you'll be hooked. I promise. I love her openness and honesty (and we all know how much I'm all about being open and honest and saying how you feel) about what she's going through as a missionary and just about life in general.

I've started reading her blog from the beginning, and a post from 2008 really touched me. It was called We live like Kings. She talked about going to a ghetto area and meeting some amazing kids that have nothing compared to what she's got. Here's a bit of it:

Here I am, worried about getting too fat because I eat TOO MUGH. I complain that I am sick of my clothes when much of my closet sits untouched. And God help you if you shut off my electricity - I'll curse the day you were born! Because "I shouldn't have to live like this!". But.....apparently....it's okay if thousands of my neighbors live like that.

This hit me on many different levels. First, I'm just about finished my Jenny Craig program and I'll be honest ... it's cost me quite a bit of money. At first I didn't care because I needed something to get me jump started and consequently, I have learned new tools to help me keep the weight off, however, it's exactly what she said above ... worried about eating TOO MUCH and gaining weight when there are people out there starving ... well, it just makes me sad. I really do think I'll think about that every time I sit down to eat. It will make me more thankful for the food I have as well as realizing that I do not need to eat that much! I can survive on less.

Secondly, all my clothes have gotten quite baggy on me. I know this is a good problem to have, but at this time I don't have a lot of extra money to go out and buy myself a whole new wardrobe that fits. I've found myself getting irritated when I go to my closet and feeling like a slob when I wear pants that hang in the crotch or butt, but I should be happy that I have clothes to wear at all! And there are definitely clothes in my closet that I haven't worn in AGES! I will try to be less of a complainer.

Thirdly, my electricity didn't go out, but my laptop died! Heaven forbid! How will I be in touch with the outside world? How will people know what I'm up to that day if I don't update my status? How will I be able to read my favorite blogs? Those were all thoughts that went through my head ... and while I was trying to figure out what to do next (because remember, I don't have money right now to go buy a new laptop), I went and sat on my beautiful, leather couch and turned on my large, HD TV and watched one of my favorite shows to escape from it all. Hmmm... I'm not saying it's horrible to have nice things, but it sure has put it in perspective for me. I drive down Gladys Street past the Lego Building in my town and right across from it ... along the LOUD railway tracks, I see tents set up. Tents. People are living in tents, just blocks from my condo. And it's COLD outside! Again, putting things into perspective for me.

So, I guess I'm writing this post to ask you to keep me accountable to be less of a complainer and to really comprehend that I do "live like a king" compared to a lot of people.

See, this is why I love blogging. I love "meeting" new people that I may never meet in person that can brighten your day and expand your world just a little bit more. Thanks, Jamie.