Service can involve dum dums

My visiting teacher is the Primary Secretary in our ward. She told me that she asked Sage to give the prayer but Sage said no. (Believe me, Sage got a talking to about that one.) I told the secretary to assign away, and sure enough, Sage came home with a talk assignment the following week. Her topic was “Because others serve me, I too want to serve.”

I thought of an easy outline, then asked Sage for specific details on how Mark, her sunbeam teacher and I serve her, and specific ideas about how to serve Eliza, our neighbor, and Jesus. Here’s what we came up with. (Don't be blown away by the amazing new doctrine contained here:)

Serving others means helping them.

My mom serves me by helping me do art projects. [hold up a noodle art pumpkin]

My dad serves me by helping me read. [hold up the picture scriptures he uses to teach her to read]

My teacher, Sister Rose, serves me by teaching me about Jesus. [hold up pic of Jesus]

I can serve others, too.

I can serve my sister, Eliza, by sharing toys with her. [hold up a doll]

I can serve my neighbor, Mary, by taking her treats. [hold up a sucker]

I can serve Jesus by saying kind words to everyone. [hold up pic of Jesus]

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Now here are my disclaimers:
I wanted Sage to say “I can serve my neighbor Mary by helping her in her garden” but she insisted on the treats one. And, just so you know, we don’t always take our neighbors Dum Dums. And I'm almost too embarrassed to admit that on the "share toys" part, Sage held up the little miniskirted Barbie she got from her Happy Meal the night before. And I know an elbow-macaroni pumpkin is not your standard Halloween craft, but Danielle got Sage really hooked on noodle art. So there.

In spite of Sage's regular history with stage fright (many talks having been whispered into the side of my skirt and then translated by me to the Primary), she pulled through on this talk. Perhaps it was the tiny little podium that inspired her. Or the fact that every kid was staring attentively, no doubt interested in how a noodle-pumpkin, Happy Meal Barbie, and dum dum sucker related to church. Or maybe it was the promise of the Dum Dum sucker that instilled courage in Sage, but she got right up (holding my hand tightly during the whole talk) and gave the whole thing from memory.

As I wrote up Sage's talk experience for my journal, I decided to make my own version of service ideas, because, quite honestly, with my birthday coming up in a few months, I don't want anyone to think that my "Love Language" is the gifting of a tasty Dum Dum. Here’s a few I thought of.

Mark serves me by reading my blog and taking the kids so I can exercise and helping the girls clean up the house so I don’t have to bend down or play cheerleader at the end of the day! [I know, “Acts of service” is my love language!]

Sage serves me by smiling at me with her mischievous grin and not holding grudges when I get upset at her for things that all 4-year-olds do, and a few things that other 4-year-olds don’t do.

Eliza serves me by having outgrown her habit of finger-painting in her poopy diaper and by wrapping her skinny little arms around me and giving me tight bear hugs and calling me “Little Mommy” after I call her “Little Liza.” [She’s the only one who calls me little right now!]

Krista and Bryce serve me by not stealing Mark and my now number-one choice for baby #3's name, Lily!

I can serve my neighbors by being less nervous to talk about church, Jesus, and my beliefs.

I can serve my family by spending less time at the computer and getting in bed on time.

I can serve myself by procrastinating less and by trying to resurrect my piano skills.

I can serve my husband by being less anal with money, cell phone minutes and miles put on the car.

How about for you? Do Dum Dums make the cut?