“If you don’t like your lot in life, then build a service station on it”.

I read this quote this week on someone else’s blog and it jumped out at me.

I think it’s a good lesson. When we feel things are going wrong in our lives, when we feel we have too many burdens to bear, or we feel we are not satisfied with something or someone, then we need to serve.

Easier said than done. But, there is nothing that fills our hearts more with gratitude than service.

I also think that even if we love our lot in life, or feel blessed to have the lot that we have, we still need to build a service station on it. It may be even more important to do so.

This is something that we need to improve on in our own home.

I grew up with a family that was very dedicated to service. Both my grandparents and parents were heavily involved in the community, in their respective churches, with their friends and neighbors. In addition to their own families. It’s something that I think I have fallen short on, and both Rob and I have identified the need for us, and our children, to serve more.

I can never remember one week going by when I was living with my parents that either my mother, or my father, or both, were not providing at least a weekly act of service. Whether it was making someone a meal, bringing them cookies, visiting someone sick in the hospital, driving someone to an appointment, shoveling a driveway, teaching a class, or picking up someone’s mail, my parents did it. Every week. Extra things for others outside of our own family.

I’m pretty good at doing things for my kids, or my husband, or for our family. But, I have to admit, I fall short when it comes to stepping outside my comfort zone and doing something for someone that I don’t have as vested an interested in. And it’s something that I want to really improve on, so I was glad to read this quote to remind myself of the importance of service in our lives.