April 22, 2011

Last night the kids and I went to mass where they had never seen washing of the feet before.  They were both a little disappointed their feet weren't washed but I was wowed by the way their eyes followed as person after person had their feet washed and then went on to wash the feet of someone else. After the priest had finished talking, I asked my 6-year-old, "Do you know why Jesus is washing their feet?"  I wanted to see if he was paying attention. . .His response?  "They were dirty."  Yeah, well the priest had said something about them walking on the dirt roads--he has inference down already; I guess that's a good thing. The 7-year-old pointed out, "If you do for others, they will do for others, and then they will do for others, and then they will do for others. . .That's a whole lot of people doing nice things for others."

Yes, it is.  Why is it that we can't see this truth evident in our every day lives and act on it?  We've all heard of pay it forward, but really there is so much more to it.  The thing about it is that sometimes the people we live with or work with or interact with most are the ones who we are missing out on the opportunities to do for them over and over again. Why is that?

For me, I know it's a choice I make minute by minute really.  The me I can have the tendency to be around my family is impatient, irritated, and dare I say, unkind for no reason at all sometimes? Seriously.  I have to make a minute by minute choice not to be her and sometimes it works and sometimes...not so much. I feel relieved that I figured this out sooner rather than later but it still irks me that I'm not naturally calm, and patient and nice all the time.  I teach other people's kids for part of the day and I would never think of speaking to them the way I have spoken to one of my own children in a frustrated, chaotic moment.  But I recognize that now and I'm striving to change. . .

But, let's face it.  Change is hard.  Not as hard as Jesus dying on a cross for our sins which we remember and recognize today. . .so really maybe it's not so hard as I make it out to be.  How about:  Change is a choice. . . a daily choice: to love, to serve, to forgive, and to remember that He died so that I might LIVE!!!

Choose right now to make this the best day possible by your acts of service in remembrance of Him. . . 

Yes son, your feet were that dirty! Jesus would have washed them--I always knew there was a purpose for this picture!