Slice of Life #53: Helping Hands

One of my sons
being helped by his big sister
2010

I've always looked for ways for my kids to give service. We've packed school kits as a family, worked in a food kitchen, served Thanksgiving meals to the community, sewed heart pillows for breast cancer patients, collected blankets for earthquake victims in Afghanistan, helped neighbors clean their homes and yards up after both floods and tornadoes, and tied quits for mothers who go home from the hospital without their babies.

Service is good for the soul.

If you or anyone in your family hasn't done anything like that, no worries. Maybe you've contributed to a fund for someone who lost their house in a fire. There are simple acts, like taking food to a sick friend, holding the hand of the bereaved that are lifting to the spirit. Even allowing your teenager to invite a sad friend over to crash on your couch is no small thing. In fact, one of my all time favorite movie scenes is in the movie While You Were Sleeping. Sandra Bullock's character is trying to cheer up Peter, the dude that's been in a coma. He says he's never really done anything truly heroic in his life. She mentions he gives up his seat almost every day on the elevated train. He says, "That's not really heroic." She says, "It is to the person who sits in it." Makes ya think.

What service have your helping hands rendered in your life?