afflictions eclipsed by Glory

(If you read here, yesterday, feel free to skip this lengthy
explanation.  Cause it’s the same.  Unless you would like to be
astounded again today by my writing genius.  Your call…)

Here’s the thing.

I am lame.  I like to do lame things that make me feel good.  One of
those things is do something nice for people randomly and out of the
blue when I feel like they did something cool.

If I was rich, I would love to be the kind of person who was like
“You are awesome.  Here’s a new car.” 

But I am not, so it usually looks like this
“You are awesome.  Here’s a coffee/card/mug/baking”.

It’s almost as good as a new car.

And the truth is that it probably makes me more happy than the person(s)
that I give it to, because for whatever reason it makes me all warm and
fuzzy to point out to people that they rock.  So you can think I’m
really nice, but I’m mostly still being a little selfish.

I can spend a LOT of time focusing on why people suck.  And I think that
our society is quick to write letters of complaint about employees who
are incompetent or speak to the manager when we are mad about the
service, but when do we ever do the opposite – speak up when someone
does something great?  Hardly ever.  At least I don’t.

So I TRY to go out of my way and tell people that they are amazing that
day.  I say try because it was a conscious choice to try and do this a
few years ago and while it’s becoming habit, I’m not totally there yet. 
But I’m working on it.

So for the next while until Christmas, my goal is to find one person
doing something awesome every day, and do something kinda cool back.

And then bore you with the details.

_____________________________

Today was both easy and hard.

Easy in that I knew where I would find my awesome people, hard in that I spent 6 hours sitting on the floor.

 Today, I volunteered as I have had the opportunite to several times this year, doing manicures and pedicures for homeless and exploited women.

We have friends who have an amazing home close to us that they open up several times a year to the Salvation Army, who bring 5 or so of their clients, as well as a few staff and volunteers, for a few days stay.  They sleep there, they eat there and they learn about Grace there. IT’s an amazing idea, put on by wonderful people and it’s called “The Journey”.

On the Friday, they get a mini ‘spa day’, where myself and my Jesus Freak friend along with others come to spend time with them.   I do nails and she cuts hair while other ladies with talent make cards and baking and give massages.

Now, I am not an esthetician.  Buy any stretch.  I know HOW to give manicure and pedicures, but it’s not like I’m trained.  They are not getting the cream of the crop with me, they are just getting someone who enjoys doing the work.

Thankfully, Jesus Freak is a professional hairdresser, so at least they get that.

But I have always been one for following exact literal rules (that, my friends, was a joke.  I realize sarcasm is hard to express on the computer, so I will spell it out for you) so I like the idea that I am LITERALLY washing the feet of those in need, just like Jesus.

Actually,  there is some truth to that.  Sitting on the floor cleaning, manicuring and massaging someones toes while you hear the things on their heart they would like to share, that’s something cool.  Serving someone like that when they have never been served in that way before, it’s pretty special.

In fact, it’s a pretty huge privilege to be trusted with that little part of what God is doing that weekend for those ladies.

It’s not much, but it’s the most real way I can think of to show someone they are truly cared about.

I get to meet amazing people.

Women who have had a rough start.
Women who have been abandoned and abused.
Women who feel they have nothing real to offer the world.
Women who have sold themselves to try and stay alive. 
Women who have made some bad choices that have cost them huge.

Woman who are immensely loved and jelously sought after by their Savior.

And I don’t have to say the right words.
I don’t have to speak profound truths.
I don’t have to ‘fix’ anything in their lives.

I just have to remove their callouses and paint their toes pretty.

And I can do that.  
 Let’s be real.  Anyone can do that.

So today, I met 7 woman who are being awesome by refusing to give up and instead choosing to make a change and keep trying for another day.

They are offered Grace by Someone much greater than me.

That makes my foot soak and nail polish seem like a very, very small gift.  But I hoped that gift made them that much more aware of how really awesome they are.

http://samfindsfaith.wordpress.com/

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