Serve

On one of my last visits to my grandparents home before my grandmother passed away I found myself in the kitchen with my grandmother, cleaning up after dinner.  I was putting the left overs away,  I opened up a cupboard and found it full of recycled cottage cheese containers, cool whip, sour cream, etc.  As I was packing away leftover mashed potatoes and her famous meatballs my grandmother lovingly touched my arm.  I turned to her and she told me, "Suzie, when I die and people come look in my kitchen cupboards and see all these containers I want you to tell them that I kept these containers so that when I made a meal for a family in need they could just throw them away."  She went on to explain that she didn't want the family to have to worry about washing any extra dishes and then have to worry about having to return them to her.  My grandmother made a lot of meals for families in need over the years.  It didn't matter if they just had a baby, just moved, were sick, or just down, she was always willing and able to make dinner or cookies for her fellow man.  My grandmother was always willing to serve.
 
A few short months later I found myself standing at a podium sharing this sweet experience I had with my grandmother with her family and friends at her funeral.  I was not the only one who shared stories of her service to others.  Almost every person who spoke shared a story of how she served in one way or another.

My grandmother passed her love of service onto her children.  My father, her second son, too was always willing to serve during his life.  He served many years in the Boy Scouts of America and received the Silver Beaver award, which is the equivalent of a life time achievement award, for his many years of service.  One year my parents took us kids to Disneyland on Christmas day.  At that time we didn't have a car that could hold our whole family so we had to drive 2 cars any time we all went somewhere together.  I was in the car with my mom and little brother on the 57 freeway when all of a sudden we saw my dad and older brothers pull over on the side of the freeway behind a car stranded on the side of the busy road.  We found out later when he and my brothers finally met us at the gates of the amusement park that my dad felt he needed to pull over to help.  No one should be stuck on the side of the road on Christmas day was what he told us.  It turned out that my father was likely an answer to the driver's prayers who was a mother traveling alone with her children  My handy father and brothers were able to help her car get going again and I believe they followed her to the gas station to make sure she made it okay.  That was my dad, always willing to serve.

Our Savior is our perfect example of service.  He served his fellow men because he loved them.  Jesus loved everyone, even those who didn't love him.  Wow!  How amazing is that!  I pray that I can be even half as loving and willing to serve as our Lord, Jesus Christ. 

Since the passing of my father and grandmother I have recommitted myself to the act of service.  I no longer wait for people to ask for help but I seek out opportunities to serve as they did.  What I've found from doing this is that I am happier.  I feel good when I serve.  I would argue that most people feel happier when they serve others.  How awesome is that!  When I help someone, I not only make them happier but I feel happier too.  I pray that like my grandmother I pass the legacy of service onto my sons and they in turn pass it on to their children.  Heck, I've started saving my cool whip containers.