Compassionate Service: The Original Chicken Soup for the Soul

My Mom called me last night to see if I had cash in the house, so I could tip the food delivery person who was going to be coming to my door to bring me dinner.  Mom lives too far away to actually bring her sick daughter dinner...but she would if she could.  Did she let that stop her?  No, certainly not!  She went online and ordered a full-course meal a la Dominoes Pizza!  Didn't know you could do that, did you?  Well, we live in such a time that technology can really help us to serve others.  It can also hinder us, if we let it eat away our time that we could be looking for ways to help the people who are right around us.

According to this article about Relief Society, the second mile is paved with innovation.  In other words, to go out of your way to meet the needs of others through service, you've sometimes got to think outside the box, get creative, think of a way to tailor your schedule for the day to include helping someone else.  

My friend Camilla did that today.  Some people are so good about hearing the needs of others.  Camilla and her family are that kind of people.  She realized I was sick when she called to talk to me today, and instead of moving on in the conversation, she immediately said, "I'm going to make you dinner tonight."  After a weak protest from me, she promised homemade chicken soup.  It arrived, special delivery--by her husband--at my doorstep by 1pm.  When I came out to find it at 3:45pm, it was still hot.  It also included homemade biscuits and cupcakes.

What did she have to drop out of her own schedule to make that happen?  I don't know, but I'm betting that she got creative and moved something around to make that possible.  I also know that she was prepared to serve.  This summer, she and her family canned carrots and chicken and probably the broth, making serving me in the middle of February a much easier task for her take on.

As I ponder what it took her...and my Mother...to take time out of their busy schedules to help someone like me, my heart is really touched.  I am such an unworthy and selfish person.  I am weak in so many ways.  But to know that someone else thinks I'm worth loving, gives me hope that I can improve and contribute to others lives in a similar way.  This is a type of the hope that we all have because of Christ's sacrifice for each of us.  (After this, I'm going to drown my tears in another bowl of this delicious soup, and think about their amazing example a little while longer.)

Innovation defined:  the introduction of new things or new methods.  What new methods are we creating to serve others?  (Perhaps the old ways are new again?)

And finally...I'll be writing another book.  (Whatever combination of medicine I am on right now, it's really bringing me some good ideas!)  This book is going to be a cookbook of the best recipes to take to someone as compassionate service.  My grandma used to use that term all of the time.  I really don't hear it very frequently these days in the church, but according to the Handbook, compassionate service is at the very heart of Relief Society, and therefore, as women, it should be at the very heart of our lives.

If you want to be included in my cookbook entitled "Compassionate Service:  The Original Chicken Soup for the Soul", please send your very best recipes to jocelyn.christensen@gmail.com.  Please put "cookbook" in your subject line.  And if you have a cool story of service that goes with your recipe, please include it!  I'm going for that second bowl now.


Tune in tomorrow to find out who won to JBR Illustrations note cards....It might be YOU!