Alma 34:38 - "...in whatsoever place ye may be ... live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you."
Man.
Oh.
MAN.
The past couple of days were just ridiculous.
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| This picture provides evidence for such a claim. |
Yesterday, I had a scheduled test, a paper, and a whole heap of readings all due before my 1:00 PM class. On Saturday, I spent the little free time I had studying up for the test, for which I still felt wholly unprepared. On Sunday, I generally try not to do homework, which I really didn't have time for, anyway, considering I had my five-hour work shift that day. As it was, once midnight struck the beginning of Monday, I tried a desperate gambit.
I decided to stay up all night.
The test was the first priority. Not only is it the largest portion of my grade, I'd scheduled it at 8:00 the following morning. So, for several long, grueling hours, I slaved over the flashcards I'd made, trying to cram in as much information as possible. By the time 4:00 AM rolled around, I still barely felt like I'd retained anything, and I was exhausted. I could not stay awake for another moment.
This is all right, I thought to myself as I set my alarm, pulled my blankets off my bed, and collapsed on the floor. REM cycles are three hours each, so I'll get one in before I wake up around 7:00 AM tomorrow. My mind shut down mere seconds later.
I woke with a start. Something was wrong. I scrambled for my phone and checked the time.
8:34 AM.
I'd missed my test.
Crying out with shock and frustration, I collapsed back onto the floor. What do I do? All that studying, all that time, for nothing! I have a zero now! A zero on a large portion of my grade?
Thankfully, clarity struck me. Maybe not all the time slots are filled up. If you go and check the online registration system, perhaps you'll be able to find an open test time, or maybe you'll be able to appeal to the employee running check-ins.
Grunting, I threw on some clothes and a beanie and headed out the door.
To my great relief, I discovered there was still a time slot conveniently open mere minutes away from when I arrived at the testing center. Quickly claiming the time slot, I went in and took the test. Time will tell if I did well, but I felt confident at the conclusion.
After I finished my paper and readings in favor of cleaning up my messes or even showering, I hit the road to go to my 1 o'clock. I struggled to maintain coherency throughout, and had to be woken at least once by a fellow classmate, but I managed to contribute to the discussion a couple of times. I even decided I was awake enough to go to my ASL class. Finally, I went home, hit the sack, and dozed for six or so hours.
When I woke up, it was to a mess. I had unceremoniously dropped laundry to the floor in fits of pure sleep deprivation. Vending machine wrappers, which had once contained my breakfasts and dinners, littered even my desk. My textbooks were heavily underfoot, and everything else was just in extreme disarray.
As I spent the hours before and after midnight cleaning up the mess I'd made, I realized I'd never properly thanked Father for throwing me the many bones he had, especially in regards to when I was still able to take my scheduled test. I woke bolt upright right when I needed to, and I can't help but feel that wasn't through any foresight or skill on my part. And that's not even counting the fact that I was able to finish my paper and stay awake in class and even find and have the time to sleep in the afternoon.
I know that the Lord is willing to help us, especially when we look to him in a spirit of gratitude. I saw that in every step I took yesterday, right up to when I finally went to sleep around 3:00 AM this very morning. Ah, bliss.
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