you have been preparing for this

you have been preparing for this
for hundreds of years.

you have been preparing for this

i have mentioned this many times, but the journey i have been on this year has not come about by accident. it really does feel like my entire life has been on a path towards this year. i have, for as long as i can remember (except for one sunday) loved going to church, being in communion with others - connecting to god and to each other. my faith has continuously informed my life and my journey.

through church i have also learned service. i have learned what it means that jesus, after washing his disciples' feet, said, "so if i, your lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet." i have learned love, acted out in service. i have served others through habitat for humanity, trips to juárez, méxico, service opportunities at rainbow trail lutheran camp, through church, and through school. i have learned service. in these service experiences, i also learned what it means to have my feet washed. when i was in new york, i served, yes. but my feet were washed by others more times than i could recount.

these have prepared me for a year of footwashing. a year of serving others in love. loving others as god first loved me as understood through jesus. it has also been a year of having my feet washed. my feet have been washed through fires kept going to heat the house, food made and served, homes and hearts opened to me.

for hundreds of years.

as christians, and as "people of the book," people of an abrahamic religious tradition, our heritage goes back to (of course) the abraham and his travels, following god and listening to god's call, joseph's difficult journey to egypt, moses and the israelites fleeing egypt, the israelites and their many journeys in and out of exile, jesus and his travels to egypt and throughout samaria, the saints and missionaries (for better and worse) as they traveled the world, sharing the good news, through to today. our journey, through good and bad, has led us to intercultural experiences. we are called to share the good news of god's love for all of god's children. god has been at work in the past and continues to work now and in the future.

you have been preparing for this
for hundreds of years.