A few weeks ago, Ross was telling me that our stake had filled less than 50% of it's church service responsibilities for the 2007 year. How pathetic is that? The two of us discussed a lot of the reasons why people don't volunteer to do service, wherever it is and whatever it is, but in the end, we kept coming back to the same idea - we as a society put a much greater value on our personal time than we probably should. We would rather get home from work and watch "family guy" than donate an hour or two to help out those in need.
In church a couple of weeks ago, a sign-up sheet was passed around. A sign up sheet to do some service in 2 hour shifts. On the paper, there were 5 or 6 shifts with 4 people needed per shift. I was one of the last three people to see the list and in a room of at least 100, the sign up sheet was nearly empty. So, out of guilt from our previous discussion, I signed up to be on the clean up crew.
I showed up yesterday 10 minutes before my shift was to start and at 3, out of 15 or so people who were supposed to be there with me, there were 3 others. Our crew of 4 was put to work sweeping and mopping floors and as others slowly trickled in, they were given squirt bottles and rags.
As I was cleaning in my smock, hairnet and plastic gloves, I guess I sort of had an epiphany about service. It's so funny that finding the time, and the people "with the time" is so hard all the time. Our crew of 4 managed to sweep and mop an entire warehouse in an hour. An hour! That was all. What would I have been doing instead? Sitting in the rocking chair watching TV while Elliott played. Yes, being with my monkey is important but so is being able to sneak away from him for a few hours here and there, especially when it is to do something nice and necessary for someone else.
The thing about service, that I think most of us never remember is that it is easy and enjoyable. Sometimes the task may suck, or the conditions might not be ideal, but stepping out of your life to do something for someone is so much better than dwelling on your self all the time. Service is about sacrifice and we all could use a little bit more of that in our lives these days, don't you think?
Anyway, the next time the sheet gets passed around to volunteer, I'll sign up. It's a pain to find a babysitter and pull the motivation I need to do it out of my big toe, but I need to remember how worthwhile it is in the end.
In church a couple of weeks ago, a sign-up sheet was passed around. A sign up sheet to do some service in 2 hour shifts. On the paper, there were 5 or 6 shifts with 4 people needed per shift. I was one of the last three people to see the list and in a room of at least 100, the sign up sheet was nearly empty. So, out of guilt from our previous discussion, I signed up to be on the clean up crew.
I showed up yesterday 10 minutes before my shift was to start and at 3, out of 15 or so people who were supposed to be there with me, there were 3 others. Our crew of 4 was put to work sweeping and mopping floors and as others slowly trickled in, they were given squirt bottles and rags.
As I was cleaning in my smock, hairnet and plastic gloves, I guess I sort of had an epiphany about service. It's so funny that finding the time, and the people "with the time" is so hard all the time. Our crew of 4 managed to sweep and mop an entire warehouse in an hour. An hour! That was all. What would I have been doing instead? Sitting in the rocking chair watching TV while Elliott played. Yes, being with my monkey is important but so is being able to sneak away from him for a few hours here and there, especially when it is to do something nice and necessary for someone else.
The thing about service, that I think most of us never remember is that it is easy and enjoyable. Sometimes the task may suck, or the conditions might not be ideal, but stepping out of your life to do something for someone is so much better than dwelling on your self all the time. Service is about sacrifice and we all could use a little bit more of that in our lives these days, don't you think?
Anyway, the next time the sheet gets passed around to volunteer, I'll sign up. It's a pain to find a babysitter and pull the motivation I need to do it out of my big toe, but I need to remember how worthwhile it is in the end.
2 comments:
I agree! I think the best service I did was the Taggart Family project (quads). For 6 months, I took care of the tow older boys, and provided dinner for the whole family every Thursday evening. I look back now and wonder where I found the time.
Mom
Good job, Annie. I am doing a pasta factory assignment next week. Service is good.
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