THANK YOU!

My mom would be so disappointed in me.  I am sitting here looking at dozens and dozens of thank yous I have yet to write. She always taught us to be very grateful for anything given to us and do so with a thank you card. I have more people than I can name that need thank yous.  Over the course of the last five weeks we have inundated with cards, meals, grief books, hugs, childcare, even an oil change when we were in the hospital. Last night we feasted on a delish meatloaf. A friend brought the kids and I lunch today. I just received a text to check on me as I am writing this. All these thoughtful acts of kindness have left me feeling overwhelmed with gratitude. Truth be told a simple "thank you" is not sufficient. I can't put my gratitude into words, so I was very relieved when Sunday's sermon did it for me.

Perhaps, I am just overly emotional right now, but it was the "bring you to tears" type of sermon that changes you. I have heard the sermon on the John 13:1-17 many times throughout my Christian upbringing. I mean what Christian hasn't heard the sermon on Jesus washing the disciples feet? But the Pastor brought something out that I had really thought of (or lived) before now. What is love? Love we always think of as an emotion, but emotions are not reliable and change from day to day (or second to second as in my case). Furthermore, Christ never shows us love as an emotion but as an act. We find that act in the sacraments. We also find in the act of humility and kindness toward another. Christ as the Messiah washed feet. Gross, dirty, stinky feet! In that time it was seen as the most lowly of task. Most slaves wouldn't even be caught dead washing feet.  It is really powerful if you really think about it. I mean we like to sing songs from K-Love and go to our beautiful churches on Sunday, but how many of us wash feet?

Literally, I have washed feet hundreds of times; I am a nurse after all, but figuratively I am horrible at this. I never really truly knew what it meant. Blessed are those who have "washed my feet" because it opened my eyes. Washing feet is sending a text out the blue to check on someone, making a dinner when someone is too distracted to think about cooking, a hug and no words, offering to take down your Christmas decorations, an oil change when an oil change is the last thing on your mind, dragging bulky play equipment a block so your neighbors can enjoy it when you move. YOU all have washed my feet. I am blessed by YOU. Now, I must go on and show the love Christ wants me to and wash others feet...and yes mom I will finish writing some thank yous too.