On serving others...

[Momzilla]

I'd be interested in getting everyone's thoughts on this... Obviously, service to others is an important part of our lives as Orthodox Christians. How do we know, however, how much service is enough?

Basically, I'm wondering if I should be doing more to serve others, but I also wonder how. At this point, my only form of community service is donating blood when I can. I feel that I should be seeking more opportunities to help others, but I don't know when. I work full time (8-6 Monday-Thursday, 8-4 Friday, including commute), and I have a husband and two young boys (3 1/2 and 18 months).

Obviously, my time is limited to lunch hours and evenings/weekends; however, doing community service on an evening or weekend means abandoning my family during that time. I try to help friends/neighbors/random strangers whenever the opportunity presents itself, but it doesn't feel like enough sometimes.

Thoughts? (And yes, I will be talking with my priest about this when we meet on Thursday! I so love having a priest to talk to!).

[Eusebios]

Mom Z,
It seems to me, that you are in fact making the most of the oppurtunities that you have to serve. Prayer is obviously an important way we as Orthodox Christians serve our neighbor as well. The simple act of the sign of the cross in remembrance of friend or stranger is in itself a powerful act of kindness.
As we seek to live our lives and be faithful to the Gospel of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, opurtunities will continue to present themselves. At times they may involve self sacrifice, and hopefully we can step up to the plate (gotta squeeze in the baseball analogy since it's that time of year :) ) and do our part.Many times however, I'm convinced that these things present themselves to us in the "ordinary " circumstances of our "day to day" existence.
I'm sure others will have some ideas as well. Your priest's advice will undoubtedly be invaluable to you as well.
His unworthy servant,
Eusebios.
:bow:

[countrymousenc]

Momzilla, your family does need you. Perhaps you could keep an eye out for opportunities that would involve them, too. I think it's important that they not feel left out or overlooked. Having a full-time job already takes you away from them enough.

[Photini]

You do a great service to others by bringing up your boys in a Christian home.

[Suzannah]

You also do a great service by being here and sharing the journey, your thoughts, your prayers....

Truly I think the greatest gift of service is that of prayer for others...

[Daedalus]

Helping others shouldn't be like somehing you do every day, for certain noubers of hours.
Giving food, used clothes, perhaps little money to poor people is what you seek.
Not something that takes a lot of time.

[Matrona]

Volunteer work can be difficult to find time for when you have a job and two small kids. You could collect some canned goods or some clothes that your youngest has grown out of, and give them to charity. Perhaps you could encourage your office to participate in a mentoring program.

[Matthias]

I have no advice.

[Reader Nilus]

You could organize dry good drives at your parish to donate to food banks, or clothes to them as well. Or get some of the folks in the parish to volunteer to put on a meal at one of the community meals, such as missions and so forth which would be only once a month.
Jeff the Finn