Daily Question, January 10 How can I be of service today? 49 Reflections Share Click here to cancel reply.Please log in or Create a Profile to post a comment. Notify me when someone replies to my comment via e-mail. Patjos6 years agoPatjosI was in a meeting today, where I had very little to say, almost nothing to bring to the table. I sat quietly for a while and then noticed that there were a lot of frowns around the table, so I practiced smiling. I hope it served well. 🙂 10 Reply Deb6 years agoDebI love and appreciate your answer, Patjos! It served well and my reading about it reminds me of the impact of what others might consider insignificant. Cheers! 4 Reply Barbara Morris6 years agoBarbara MorrisWhatever I do during the day, I can do it with the added intention of being of service to others I meet along the way. 4 Reply Kevin6 years agoKevinThis is a question I ask myself often. Some days, I am at peace with whatever portion of service I was able to make happen the day before, and other times far less so. For me, ideally, it’s an emotional and spiritual process, and waiting upon what the Spirit may be calling me to do, so that whatever I undertake it is “right action” and one that meets the needs of the “other” over and above satisfying my own desire and need to be of service that merely checks off the question as complet... This is a question I ask myself often. Some days, I am at peace with whatever portion of service I was able to make happen the day before, and other times far less so. For me, ideally, it’s an emotional and spiritual process, and waiting upon what the Spirit may be calling me to do, so that whatever I undertake it is “right action” and one that meets the needs of the “other” over and above satisfying my own desire and need to be of service that merely checks off the question as completed. Don’t get me wrong, I love the question itself and know people who have this very question framed on their wall as a daily reminder to be of service. But there is a deeper journey here too that deserves attention, at least for me. Read More7 Reply Erich6176 years agoErich617I listened to an interview with Brian McLaren recently, and he talked about asking, "What is mine to do now?" I regularly dedicate about 10 hours a month to direct service, in addition to working at a nonprofit and doing a variety of other things that I think are of service in different ways. Yet I sometimes get dragged down by the idea that I am not doing *enough*. That idea of doing what is mine to do now helps me then. I recently read something by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone that pu... I listened to an interview with Brian McLaren recently, and he talked about asking, “What is mine to do now?” I regularly dedicate about 10 hours a month to direct service, in addition to working at a nonprofit and doing a variety of other things that I think are of service in different ways. Yet I sometimes get dragged down by the idea that I am not doing *enough*. That idea of doing what is mine to do now helps me then. I recently read something by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone that puts the question into a nice perspective. Think of a photo printed in the newspaper. Up close, it’s a lot of little dots. It only becomes a picture when you look at it from a macro level. You are doing your part, and others are doing theirs. Up close, it might seem like a single dot, but–taking a step back–you can see the effort on a grand scale. Read More1 Reply Kevin6 years agoKevinThank you for sharing here my friend. As a photographer myself, I find Johnstone’s example valuable when it comes to thinking about being of service to others. A quote that has sustained and guided me for many years is as follows: “Have thy tools ready, God will find thee work.”. – The Reverend Charles Kingsley (1819-1875, England) 1 Reply tdearen20076 years agotdearen2007This analogy is a great way to keep your small part in perspective and not feel overwhelmed by the feeling your action isn’t making a difference. Thanks for sharing!! 0 Reply Kevin6 years agoKevinAh, and this quote comes to mind here… We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily difference we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee. – Marion Wright Edelman 1 Reply Aine6 years agoAineYes, and sometimes the ways that are presented seem to make little sense or even be impossible, such as, “We have here seven loaves and five fish…” Somehow, though, when we bring what we have to what is asked, miracles happen. 1 Reply Carol6 years agoCarolYour response reminds me of the song “Here I Am Lord.” It also reminds of the St. Francis Prayer and song “Make me a channel of your Peace.” Blessings, Carol 1 Reply Kevin6 years agoKevinThanks Carol, Both songs I know well and have sung many times over the years. “Here I am Lord,” is also beautiful to sing and hear sung in Spanish, too, even though I don’t speak it myself. 1 Reply Christina6 years agoChristinaDo my usual Wednesday thing of going to Mom’s and taking down her garbage and recyclables. Also will bring her laundry. Actually it’s really a trade: she gives me Greek yogurt, sweet potatoes and sundries. 5 Reply Wendy Landau6 years agoWendy LandauBy focusing on the tasks of my job which contribute to service to humans across the world. 5 Reply Kathy6 years agoKathyPutting aside the thought of inconvenience to me and imagine myself in their shoes. 4 Reply Antoinette6 years agoAntoinetteI can be of service today by being awake with gratitude in the present moment. By coming back to the present moment and not being lost in thought I can be of service with present awareness joyful and compassionate. When we do this our service is Healing to ourselves and the whole world. 5 Reply « Previous 1 2 My Private Gratitude Journal Write an entry in your private gratefulness journal Get Started This site is brought to you by A Network for Grateful Living, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All donations are fully tax deductible in the U.S.A. CONTRIBUTE https://demo.gratefulness.org/content/uploads/2015/03/GX-Gold-Participant-L.png Community Engagement Guidelines Privacy Policy [email protected] Connect with us on Social Media: © 2000 - 2024, A Network for Grateful Living Website by Briteweb
