Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘pedicure’

As a follow up to my pedicure post of last Friday, I have further proof that they are biblical.  I did finish up my conference by treating myself to a relaxing, refreshing pedicure. I took my 14 year old granddaughter, Bailey, along because it was her turn for time with grandma and I invited my sister because she had helped me out at the conference.

Here’s what you need to know about my sister to get the gist of this story.  She is about as different from me as you could imagine.  I am tall, she is short.  I can enter a room and the air will hardly move.  She enters a room and people begin looking around for the hurricane.  I spend a lot of time getting ready to set foot outside my house.  She jumps into the day with a quick comb, a dash of toothbrush and comfortable clothes.  You might never even notice that I was in the room.  She never leaves a room without leaving laughter behind.

As an example of our different take on things, when she showed up to help me for the conference she had forgotten to change out of her old comfortable grey slippers.  Didn’t bother her a bit.  Me – I’d have driven back to my house to get my shoes regardless of the distance or the time crunch.  I would have died of embarrassment if anyone had seen me in my slippers.  She, on the other hand, had everyone laughing and thinking it was the most natural thing in the world and wishing they’d brought their slippers along.

So, I invited her to accompany me for a pedicure.  At first she refused because she’d never had one and she can’t stand to have her feet touched.  I was able to convince her she’d love it never dreaming the treat would be mine and that of everyone in near proximity.

By the time I closed up the conference, loaded everything in my car and shook the last hand of the last participant I was actually thinking of cancelling and just going home to crash.  I’m so glad I didn’t.

The first person I spotted when I walked into the spa was my best friend already sitting in Chair 1.  That was a pleasant surprise.  I grabbed Chair 2, Bailey Chair 3 and my sister, Su, Chair 4.  We sat back, dipped out feet into that wonderful soothing foot bath and proceeded to let Su entertain.  Between squeals and gasps and outrageous comments, she bounced her way through the pedicure while we laughed until we were weak.  The spa staff was laughing, the other customers were laughing – I swear even the pedicure chairs were laughing.

If I had gone home and crashed after my conference I would have gotten up tired.  When I left that spa I was rejuvenated.  I had a smile on my face and wondered when that irritating, obnoxious little sister of our growing up years turned into such a fun, unique and special friend. 

If laughter is truly the best medicine, she should be bottled and sold in pill form.  She might just be the miracle cure of the century.

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Prov 17:22

Read Full Post »

I’m just finishing up a three day conference that my facility puts on every year.  I am the conference coordinator and that means months of planning, organizing, making speaker contacts and travel arrangements, preparing written materials, organizing presentations, processing registrations and all of the other busy work that goes into this type of event.  The three days of the conference are intense and I’m busy from 6:30 a.m. to 10: p.m.

I’m just a couple of hours away from being able to pack up and move out.  I have been looking forward to treating myself to a pedicure this afternoon.  I can’t stop thinking about how good that is going to feel after being on my feet for hours on end, in cute shoes of course.  I didn’t say comfortable, I said cute.

There’s nothing like sitting back and relaxing while your feet soak in that delicious warm, swirling water followed by the foot massage and ending with toes that sparkle and shine.  I don’t do it often but when I do I feel pampered and refreshed.

It brings to mind the feet of Jesus and His followers.  Long walks, dusty paths, rocky terrain, and hot sweaty weather would have made them very aware of their feet.  I can’t imagine their thin, worn sandals would have provided much comfort.  When they did sit it wasn’t usually in a cushioned recliner.  Most likely it was on a rock or the hard ground.

Is it no wonder that Jesus praised the pedicure given by a sinful woman with oil and tears?  Think of it.  Jesus, whose feet were tired and swollen, dusty and sore, enters the home of a wealthy Pharisee.  His host was well versed in law and protocol.  His whole existence was focused around making a good impression, proving himself better than others.  No doubt his invitation to host Jesus was a bit risky.  He may have had an ulterior motive, wanting to show his superior knowledge or hoping to catch Jesus in a theological mistake.  He would have instructed his servants to go all out because, after all, it was all about status and stature – the great Pharisee extending a kindness to the lowly prophet.

But, in all of his preparations, he failed to offer the simple kindness of a bowl of water and a towel to ease the discomfort of his traveler’s feet.  He was so caught up in the sensationalism he overlooked the simple.

No wonder the entrance of the unsavory character with the valuable perfume raised Simon the Pharisee’s eyebrows.  Who did she think she was and where did she get that jar of expensive oil?  Steal it?  Sell herself for it?  Here at least was something the Pharisee and Jesus would have in common – disdain for the despicable.

As usual Jesus took a different path.  In her despair this woman provided what the Pharisee, with all of his possessions, did not.  She brought tearful honesty, soothing repentance, raw adoration.  Everything the Master cherishes.

If we could just remember the lesson of reaching out found in this beautiful story.  It’s never effective when motives overtake mission.  It loses its flavor when impressing takes the place of impacting.  But when we become the servant, when we let our hair down, when we look for the place that needs a healing touch, our efforts are like expensive perfume poured on sweaty feet.  It’s the pedicure that ministers to the entire body.  Not only that but the fragrance fills the room and sweetens the heart of everyone around.

And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Luke 7:50

Read Full Post »

%d bloggers like this: