Jesus and Stinky Feet

Around here, bedtime is a disaster!  It takes forever, and even though I feel like I've just negotiated with bank robbers when its over, I still have three hours of work to do before I can go to bed.

I was tired last night. And since mob mentality usually rules, I decided to split up the crew.  I made up some crazy "stations" game and they bought it with grand excitement.  "What?  Half of us go to snack station, and half of us go to shower and grooming station?  This is the best night ever!"
I know!  Sometimes, they are smarter than me...and sometimes, they are little sheep! :)

I got three of them going on snacks and I took the two youngest boys up to my bathroom.

I am so hesitant to write this next part.  I fear that many of you will look at me differently.  You know how sometimes when you drive a car...you forget to change the oil?  Well, sometimes, I forget to clip my kids' toenails.  Usually I don't bust out the clippers until someone is stabbing holes in their sheets.  I think I just hate feet.  I don't even really enjoy my own.

So, as one of the boys removed his sock...I may have gasped in horror.  I'm not really all that sure my kids even wash their feet.  Based on what I saw under the socks, I'm not sure their feet ever get wet.
(okay, wait...put down your bagel)
We're talking long toenails with dirt under every one.  Sock fuzz was stuck between every toe.  It was just NASTY!

As I grabbed the clippers and set to work on the toes, the thought actually crossed my mind, "Wait!  This is Mother's Day!  Why should I have to do this on Mother's Day?"  This day is about me, my comfort, my praise!

But soon, I felt something happening in my heart.  My eight year old was perched on my sink, and I was carefully clipping toenails and removing dirt.  I grabbed my very special foot scrub and brush, and went the extra mile with a little spa treatment.  He smiled and put his hand on my shoulder.  "Thanks, mom!  That feels really good," he said.  "You're washing my feet just like Jesus washed stinky people's feet."  Yes!  I thought.  Serving is good!

My eleven year old was watching this scene unfold.  He walked up to me and said, "Mom, can you do the same thing to my feet?  It looks fun."

Ahhh!  Lesson learned!

Sometimes, in my Christian walk, I struggle with entitlement.  Why do I have to do the hard stuff, Jesus?  Can't someone else do it?  But, when I truly serve...when it stops being about me...something beautiful happens.  Blessings happen.  The recipient is blessed, and so am I.  And even more amazing than that, is the fact that other people see it.  My eleven year old might not have even wanted me to touch his feet.  And truly...he COULD take care of his own feet.  But, he saw that something gross could actually be quite lovely and he wanted to be part of it.

How are we going to get other people interested in even knowing Jesus, if we don't show them how great he is.  And sometimes, in order to show them, we have to get our hands dirty...and do things we don't exactly enjoy.

This is my mom with Es.

As Mother's Day comes to a close, I must say thank you to the beautiful and loving woman that has raised me.  She taught me the tough lessons on sacrifice and love.  Without her, I would not be the mama that I am today.  She made a delicious meal for me yesterday and she did it with a hip injury.  I'm not going to embarrass her and tell you how she got the injury.  I will only say that we now call her Shaquille O'Neil  and she isn't allowed to play basketball with D-Dog any more.

I love this girl! :)

And I love Jesus for saving my wretched selfish soul and teaching me that servanthood is always better than my own comfort.

Have a beautiful Monday, friends!  And look for opportunities to serve others today.  :)