The most important “good works” we can abound in are usually in our own home.
I have realized recently that I like to give myself a lot more credit for service I do outside of my home, rather than inside.
When I pray for more opportunities to serve, I’m usually thinking about friends and neighbors who might need my help.
I feel like it’s almost “cheating” to count serving my own family members – isn’t that just something expected?
Of course I’m gonna feed my kids, and change diapers, and clean up spills, and play even when I need a nap… it’s just what I do!
But I’ve found a beautiful paradigm shift when I allow myself to think of it all as service.
I feel so much more LOVE.
I feel so much love for my kids and my husband who I’m serving.
And I feel so much love and gratitude to my Heavenly Father.
It gives meaning behind the action.
It makes cleaning up another spill and getting up to play another game of tag purposeful and loving rather than routine and mundane.
I allow myself to view every little thing I do for someone else as “service”, and I realize I’m not “cheating the system” at all.
This IS the system.
Whether you live with one other person, roommates, or a big family – we are created to love the people we are most closely surrounded by.
And so I continue to love and serve.
I’m abounding in good works in my home, and so my home is abounding with love.
Happy Studying!
-Cali Black
6 Responses
Thank you for this thought! I really do love your feeling expressed here! So many moms hate for summer to begin and can’t wait for school to start in the fall. Many get so tired of cleaning up one more spill. You are right! This IS the Plan of Happiness!
Thank you! I love this insight. So empowering! When I can see and value what I do for my family at home as service then I can magnify that as reflection of my loving for them. It will empower them and me. That is Christlike . Thank you!
Thank you! I have struggled with the idea of serving my family and others. I, like you, have felt that serving my family was my job, my lot in life. But now that my children are grown and they come to me for advice and help I have realized that I’m serving every day and every hour. I love them so much. They are my joy!
I’m enjoying your perspective on living the gospel and applying its principles to even the simplest of things. We raised six children and I was a stay-at-home Mom – this was my ‘job’ and I took it seriously. Being kind is a thoughtful emotion we need to cultivate each day, sometimes easily remembered; other times, it may take counting to ten, or not saying anything until or unless we can say something positive, good or right. Simple small acts of kindness are the Gospel in action. Keep up the good work. Thank you.
Yes,thank you Call for reminding to see what I do at home as service and not something I have to do because I’m a Mum and a wife,that what I do to serve in the home is just as important and as joyful as serving outside my home.
Love Joanna.xox
Sometimes we think we are not doing enough,ministering,teaching with missionaries,meetings i’m so glad you shared this,what’s important is our families and how we treat and care for them,don’t get me wrong i still love doing the above,i just don’t push myself like before!