A story from the New Era I liked...

It was a Friday night and football season at my high school. As drum major of the marching band, I was having a great time cheering with the band and directing stand tunes. Then things changed drastically when I heard a desperate cry: "Get help! Jeff has stopped breathing!" I found Jeff, a tuba player, lying across a bleacher, slipping in and out of consciousness and gasping for breath.
Suddenly the all-important football game faded from significance. My number-one priority was to get help for Jeff. Paramedics arrived, and it wasn't until after Jeff was safely on his way to the hospital that I even thought about checking the scoreboard.
After the game I realized that too many times in my own life I have allowed myself to get so involved in a fun yet unimportant event of life that I failed to recognize someone's spiritual cry for help. During the football game it bothered me to watch Jeff struggle for breath and hear the cheers and laughter of fans that had no idea that anything was wrong.
I wonder how Heavenly Father must feel seeing some of His children suffer while others carry on, oblivious of the need for assistance. Heavenly Father loves his children and wants them to look out for each other, but we cannot do that unless we tune in to others' needs. I pray that I will not let myself be so absorbed in the routines and events of life that I fail to hear a child of God's cry for help.

By: Carol Ashby Scharnhorst "A cry for help" (New Era is a teenage spiritual uplifting magazine from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) www.mormon.org

I liked this story. I really try hard to notice when people need help because I know from experience how hard it is sometimes to ask for help. I am trying to be more aware. I am trying to teach this to my boys in the process. We were at Stake conference and I was watching a girl in our ward with three young kids and they were running her ragged. Her husband is also deployed. I asked Derek to go over and ask her if we could hold the baby so she could have more hands for the other two. He was embarrassed because he doesn't know her and he waited too long ...a few seconds later she turned to the people behind her and asked for them to hold the baby. I looked at Derek with that "I told you so" look that only a mother can give. He said you were right mom, I am sorry. I sent Colten over to take the little girl on a walk around the church for 10-15 minutes , and the mom just beamed a huge smile at me and said thanks. On the way home from church I had a talk with Derek. I asked him if it ever embarrassed him to ask for help. He said yes. I told him to think about how hard it is sometimes to ask for help. I told him that is why he needs to be aware of people around him, and notice when they need help...before they have to get up the courage to ask for help. I told him it would be a great asset once he was a dad and a husband. Anyways. I am rambling on and it is once again time for me to fix a snack before the kids get home. The boys call it an after school snack. I call it meal number 3! Seriously these boys eat like there is no tomorrow! I love em!