When Kindergartners Wash Feet: John 13:14-15

I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet. So you also should wash one another’s feet. I have given you an example. You should do as I have done for you. - John 13:14-15

I love this so much. Sometimes the greatest act of love and discipleship is being willing to serve in humility.

I've been reflecting this week on what makes an effective and strong leader at work, with my family, and with friends. It's difficult not to speak out when you feel it is your place. For me, I find this especially challenging when I see someone I care about hurting or being taken advantage of. This usually doesn't end well, though. Instead of rectifying the problem for the person being wronged, it sometimes draws more attention to their problem and escalates it for them. So what if instead of setting others straight, we find an opportunity to serve those in the wrong? Being the example isn't always advising them how to fix things. It's showing them how to love one another.

Today a kindergartner came up to me during stations and said that a little girl stole his glue and wouldn't give it back.
FYI: This kid tells on everyone for everything. With the little guys, I try to encourage them to solve problems with each other by acknowledging the problem (apologizing) and fixing it (showing each other that they will respect them in the future). Sometimes this needs to be accompanied by a consequence when their will overpowers their desire to learn a lesson. ;)

 Well, to be honest....I'm just getting tired of making everyone apologize to this kid all the time. Kids want justice so bad. Their little bodies scream, "Must...Receive...Justice...For...All...Wrong...Doing." Plus, the little girl has a very hard time getting along with others.

When he came to me to right the wrong, I told him, "I'm sorry buddy... Why don't you try forgiving her today?"
This kid looked at me like I was bat sh** crazy. "What?" he replied. "But she took it. It was mine and she took it Miss Heath! She won't give it back. Can you tell her to give it back?"

"That wasn't cool, friend. I'm sorry that happened to you....Do you think you can forgive her? She needed some glue and she didn't get it the right way, but maybe you can help her by showing her how to share. Try using good manners with her, ok?"

Unsatisfied, the little boy walked with crossed arms back to his table and stood next to the little girl .He stared at her for a while (he is a stubborn one). Finally after watching her use the glue for another minute, he said,  "I forgive you for taking my glue." (Reluctantly)

I giggled.

The little girl stopped her cut and glue project, looked up at him and said, "oh ...sorry." She handed him the glue but he gave it back to her!
 "Can I use it when you're done?" He said. *Triumph for good manners!* "Ok!" She said with a smile.

and don't you know...they shared that glue for the rest of the project.

:)

Of course, adult life is just a little more complex than letting someone who stole your glue use it first, but does it have to be?

Maybe that little girl will share her glue tomorrow. Maybe she won't. If I want her to learn to be a person that understands what sharing and loving means, she needs to encounter some love and forgiveness in her path. I don't think this is foreign to adult life. ;)

Love knows no record of wrong. It never fails.


REFERENCE:

John 13:1-17

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

13 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him,and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

When You're Sad...

To the person out there who struggles with anxiety/depression,

This one is for you.

(Practical advice to myself and some I love)

Read me when you're sad, laying in bed, and cannot find the courage to face the world today.

Insert your name here,

YOU HAVE TO GET UP TODAY because you have a purpose.

You are loved by an almighty God. He made you in his image and for a reason. Some days sad thoughts will overwhelm you. Talk to Jesus when they do. He tells us to take captive every thought in obedience to God. Do not let the lies of negative thoughts and sadness steal the purpose God has for you. Do not hold your sadness inside and evade it. This is a recipe for anger and pro-longed resentment.

 Be guilt free, feeling this way is not your fault or sinful. Life has a way of hitting hard. I know he is quiet sometimes, but God cares for you. It's ok to be transparent in prayer. He already knows your thoughts and heart. You can admit if you are  feeling broken. He sees your beauty no matter the state our lives are in. Emotions can be deceiving, but you can always cast your burdens on Jesus...for he cares for you. For those of us who struggle with depression and anxiety, do not let other Christians make you feel ashamed or void of faith for experiencing low days. On these days, remember the truth above all else. You are very very important to Him. You are not being punished. You are extremely worth the journey to health.

 Never give up. Every day that you choose to get up, make breakfast, watch birds out the window, call a friend, go to work, venture to the grocery store, smile at a stranger... is a triumph. 

Be triumphant today.If you fail some days and give into the sad thoughts, it's alright. Every day is new. :)

Talk to someone you can trust. This may be a counselor, friend, mentor or Pastor. Don't feel like you owe everyone in your life an explanation. Not all friends are able to be this for you and may not give healthy advice. Love always protects, trusts and hopes. Many people you love may not understand this sadness. It's not because they don't care, they may not have a point of reference.
Surround yourself, however, with people who support you in the positive changes in your life. Negative friendships feed the sadness and can  trigger negative cycles more than you may realize. If I'm a person in your life you trust, hit me up. I'm a decent listener and all personal information stays that. I'd love to be a person like this for you.

Acknowledge what is bothering you so you can take captive your sad thoughts and rebuild them on the truth. This is actually a very important step in cognitive behavioral therapy. Identifying the negative thought, negating it and identifying the truth so you can establish healthy thinking patterns. Try not to only focus on the pain. Instead, hug someone, laugh, smile, create, run, sing and praise God that you are his. Sometimes  big life changes are not on the horizon. Quitting your job, moving, restoring your heart from a breakup, etc, may take a lot longer to pass. You do not need to figure out how to change everything today. All you need to know today is this, GOD wants to be your purpose and can be your cause if you let him. Even on those sad days.

Live a healthy lifestyle. It will have big impacts on your life.

Mindless entertainment and social media may numb these feelings for a while, but they are not healthy ways of dealing with issues that trigger your sadness in the long term.
Take some time to figure out what things make you feel the most alive. Spend more time on these things.

 It's never too late to learn something new. Spending time doing things that make you feel happy will fuel you into making positive changes later on down the line. 

Eating healthy, exercising regularly, volunteering for service projects, helping someone in need, having good routines and taking some time to organize your life a little so that chaos does not overwhelm you will help. It's difficult to hold your head above water when you are feeling overwhelmed. You may have to learn to take a few steps back. THIS IS HEALTHY. Friends and family may not completely understand this, but if you live in panic mode...you will tear those relationships apart without realizing it.

Always remember,

You are not alone. You are loved. You are precious. You have a purpose. Everyday that you choose to get out of bed is a triumph!

If you love or know someone who is struggling with anxiety or depression, hug them when you see them. Listen to them without judgment. They may not always need your advice either. Talking to someone who can  listen objectively (a counselor, etc) may be the most helpful for them anyway. Companionship can do wonders for the heart, though. Encourage and support their passions, dreams, loves. Dance with them, listen to music with them, laugh with them. Don't push them too hard when they need more time. Some days, will be like this. Let them know you love them and you care. They will know they can trust you when they are ready.

(To that special someone that was this for me, your compassion changed my life. It fueled me to keep going.The nights we went to shows, talked about Politics, God and Russel Brand were some of my most hopeful times.You were and continue to always be there to talk to about big or small things...Thank you for understanding that my failures were just missteps and encouraging me to keep going. I love you more than you will ever know.)

Peace and love,

Tiff

Life Update: May

Hi world,

There's nothing on my mind pressing enough to type into this text box. Instead, I'll take a minute to life update you. Ha! Actually, that shouldn't take more than a few seconds. ;) I haven't actually seen very many of you lately. Wish I knew if that will change soon.

Currently I am...

-Working lots.

-Lots.

-Deciding, exploring, searching for new places to live (including the decision of whether to stay West Valley, live with roommates, possibly relocate more central, or...dun dun dun... push myself into grad school out of state. This will most likely take longer to convince myself to do).

-Sleeping. (not cutesy napping, hardcore passed out  at 6:00 p.m. from exhaustion)

-Exploring new places in Phoenix, alone. (not sad. Extremely rewarding and confidence building).

-Singing lullabies. I've missed that. I would really love to write a few of my own...which leads me to...

-Writing really awful, sad poetry...this always seems to cycle back and pay homage to The Private Eyes, though. I can only be serious for so long.

-Actually choosing to read fiction over non-fiction. (I've needed something mindless to distract me). Currently reading Shadow Spell by Nora Roberts.

-Drinking coffee in new places.

-Introducing myself to total strangers and allowing myself to be vulnerable to the possibility of new friendships,etc, etc.

-Hugging (Charlie).

-Watching BBC's " The Paradise" on Netflix.

-Praying more. Reading devotionals less. Banning myself from Relevant for a while.

-Listening to Iggy Azalea and thugging out, white girl style with my windows down in my car.

-Dreaming of new ventures with my bestie. (My favorite update :D)

-Longing for big changes.
-Kicking around the idea of being a Cooperating Teacher for a Student Teacher next year. Big girl status!

-Running. Watch out boys. Workin' on that hottie body. (This is a joke)

-Visiting H&M too frequently...*shame shame, Tiffany*
-Wearing less makeup. Actually, generally I feel I've tipped the cute scale back a few notches. This is A-Ok with me. More time to sleep. :D

-Oh yeah, and I also switched Fabric Softeners to Downy Infusions, Honey Flower. Riveting. I know.

Meh, that's pretty much it.

Only a few weeks of work left. This summer, I'm not letting myself let loose and party hardy. I've got too many important things I need to focus on to make life easier/more enjoyable this next year.

Alrighty, I'm peacing out.

Love to you!

Tiff