Six Habits To Happiness- Serve

I was daydreaming in church Sunday when I heard the speaker say " I am happy when I serve". My first thought was to disagree with her claim. She might feel happiness but I don't see myself as a service oriented person. If I am choosing the top habits to happiness, this would not be one of them. Then I received a distinct message, "Serving makes you happy!' What? Where did that come from? "You should expand your Five Habits to Six." I know that voice and so I began searching my heart to understand if what the Spirit said was true. I am one of those people who must remember to help. If I am at a party I have to decide to be helpful and go into the kitchen to assist. I don't serve without intention. But, there are times when I do something without thought of how I could be helpful. It feels as if I act without thought of myself at all. And, the outcome is like electricity moving through me. I feel alive and bright. An example comes to mind which happened Saturday. I was feeding the missionaries. (That was an intentional act of service.) While we were eating one Elder referred to his renewed interest in playing the piano. He wished he had learned more when he was a child. He yearned to be able to play freely, even to improvise his own music. I stood up and gestured for him to follow me. For the next forty-five minutes we improvised together on my piano. Step by step, he tried new things and became bolder each time. His eyes were bright and he marveled at himself. I felt that energy go zinging through both of us. It was purely one person meeting the need of another. 

  Now that is what I think makes me happy. It is true that I want to have that habit. So now I have a dilemma. These moments come spontaneously. How can I make them a habit? I can't answer that yet but I will obey and change my list from five to six. When the spirit speaks, I will obey. Wait, that may be the answer, serve when the spirit speaks. Recognize that habit. Hmmm…..thinking…..wanting.