About a week ago I experienced a full circle of service.  You see service works in 2 ways- you give, or you receive.  Both depend on each other.  There is always someone in need of service and someone able to serve.  The key is to know which one you are at the moment.  Serving is something that has always been easy for me, I enjoy helping others, but receiving service is a different story.  Because of my own personal issues of not wanting to be seen as weak, or as though I needed help, or most importantly to be a burden, I rarely ask for help.  But years ago I was told something that has helped me since.
By allowing someone to serve you, you are letting them receive the blessings of service.  It’s actually pretty selfish to be someone that only ever serves others and never lets anyone serve you- it’s not honoroable, it’s selfish.  By doing so you are stopping the circle of service and preventing anyone else from receiving the blessings you’ve received by serving.  Also, being served is a humbling experience that helps us gain empathy and better serve others in the future.

This is what happened to me most recently-

I had a friend who’s husband had surgery and needed a lot of care, with little children at home I know how crazy that can get so I offered to make them dinner.

Since I was already making extra dinner I decided to take a surprise dinner to one of the ladies I visit teach as well.

Oh and if you follow me on instagram you saw the “Pass Along Bowls” I gave them both with their dinner.

So I went to drop off the dinners.  It was a rainy day so I left the baby home with my daughter since I would only be gone 15 minutes or so and just took my 9 year old with me.  I didn’t even take a coat since it was just a quick trip and I was only going to be outside from the car to the doors and back.

We drove to the first house, dropped off the dinner, visited for a few minutes, then drove to the second house and had another good visit.

Feeling full of love and the warm fuzzy feelings you get when you serve I got in my car to go home.  I had only driven to the end of the street when I realized something was wrong with my car.  One of my tires had gone completely flat!

This is a fairly new car that we got once we had the baby and needed more seats so I haven’t had to deal with any issues with it and wasn’t even sure where everything was to change the tire. (growing up on a ranch I know how to change a tire, but the rain and intimidation of the new car had me hesitating)

I called my husband who was at work and unsure if he’d be able to come help.  So I got off the phone and realized I needed to pull up my big girl panties and change the tire.  I reassured myself that I knew how to do it, and the rain, wind and cold would make it a little miserable, but it wouldn’t last forever and I could warm up at home once it was changed.

I got out of the car and started to change the tire.  I lowered the spare tire, pulled it out and then raised the cord back up.  Then I pulled out the jack and was loosening the lug nuts when a sweet man pulled up.
He rolled his window down and asked “do you need some help?”  Again my issue of not wanting to be a burden or weak came up as my response was something like “ummm well, I think I’ve got it”  But thankfully he didn’t even wait for my complete response before he answered his own question by smiling and saying “yes…. you do” then he promptly got out of his car.

After looking at my jack he said he had a better one at his house down the road and told me to warm up in the car and wait for about 5 minutes and he’d be right back with it.  So I did and a few minutes later he came back with a big jack and continued to change my tire.

As he was changing it another man stopped by and offered to help- the two men knew each other and started to visit and catch up a little while changing the tire.  In just a few minutes they had my tire changed and the flat one lifted up into the trunk of my Expedition.

I felt like I couldn’t say “Thank You” enough!  Even though I had the ability and knowledge to change my own tire they were able to change it much faster.  And it probably let them feel good helping someone else- gentlemanly and chivalrous. And I was grateful for their willingness to help.

I realized on the drive home that I had just lived a full circle of service!  I had received the warm fuzzy feelings by both serving and being served.  Both gave me a feeling of being loved and the appreciation that I felt from others was easily returned by my appreciation for those that changed my tire.

The circle of service isn’t always as quick or noticeable, but it happens!