Canning

So, this whole thought process I am about to write about started as this: they are gathering canning orders in our ward. As part of this, they need a few people to go help put the order together if they can. Unfortunately it is on a weekday and because I have my little boys, I can't go (I can still order though...)
I've thought a lot about how there are a lot of those good things in life that we should try to do. Meals to make, rides to give, canning to do, and the like. I would love to work in the temple, even just in the laundry or cafeteria or something. When each request for compassionate service is announced, there is another.
I used to feel like I should be able to do all these things, two toddlers and all. In fact, I thought there was something wrong with me because I felt like I couldn't. But I can't. That's all there is to it. My boys are demanding and busy. I have no family in town to lean on for help and Mike is gone day and night a lot of the time. I can try to do some, but I can't do it all, or even a lot of it. That's just how it is. At least for now.
I know that I have already blogged about similar feelings before, but I really feel strongly about this now. There is a season for all things. As I thought about canning, I knew that some day I will go, when my kids are all at school for the day. I will sign up for all meals I can afford to bring to people and any other opportunity I get that I can do. But not now.
When we lived in Oregon, soon after Jordan was born, I was beginning to have these feelings of failure for not jumping at everything any more. Then we had a stake conference meeting broadcast from Salt Lake City. One of the Relief Society Presidency members (it might have even been Sister Parkin, president at the time) spoke to us about doing the will of Heavenly Father. She said that we should always be living our life in doing His will and what He would have us do. She mentioned service and good works and all those other good things we have to do. But she then mentioned that raising our children is also how we spend our time doing His will. We should, of course, try to help others any chance we get, magnify our callings and such, but that our focus as mothers, particularly of young children, was to teach, guide, and raise them. I felt such a burden lifted from my shoulders.
So, I keep trying to remind myself that the fact that my children take all my time, energy, resources, sanity, and patience, is okay. That is what I should be doing. And when they are a little older, I will go help at the cannery.