Whisper

Sue Heck: Okay, as I'm sure you know, it's Mom and Dad's anniversary coming up. It's their 20th! So what are we going to do for them?

Axl Heck: We lit up their lives every day. What more do they want?

(The Middle) 

Peanut has spent the last week trying to "whisper" to her siblings. She desperately wanted to create an anniversary surprise for her father and I. 

I watched her try several times and I watched her siblings ignore her or brush her off. I knew she was up to something. 

And as our life goes, it went typical The Middle style. 

Neither of her big kids wanted to be part of her plan. 

Both think coming up with anniversary plans was our job. 

Neither got on board with Peanut's enthusiasm or her grand plan. She knew the Xman likes to cook so she wanted him to make a dinner, "You know like spaghetti!" She knows the Princess loves music so she wanted her to make a play list. Peanut was going to be in charge of setting the table and making it "fancy."

I was teary for her this morning on the drive to school when she said "Mommy I tried but the big kids won't whisper with me. So I'm just going to tell you what I wanted. Then you can picture it."

Peanut is always about everyone else. 

She can't fathom that you aren't too. 

It would never occur to her that I'm supposed to do something myself for my anniversary. 

She knows its our anniversary and therefore just knows in her heart she wants to do something for us. 

As I tearfully listened to her on the way to school this morning, I circled back to the story of Jesus washing the disciples feet. 

Maundy Thursday. 

Our Peanut was born on Maunday Thursday 8 years ago. The word "maundy" in Latin is "command" - it comes from the Last Supper where Jesus commanded us to love and serve one another.

We are called to wash the feet. 

We are not above washing the feet. 

Washing the feet is not someone else's job. 

Once you know about the dirty feet, it's YOUR job. 

I think we get really caught up in whose job it is, or more specifically that its not ours, that we miss the opportunities. 

We don't feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the needy, visit the sick. 

We don't cook the spaghetti or create the playlist. 

Because it's not our "job."

We're too busy being independent goats to remember that we are called to be sheep. 

Mama Warriors, Holy Week always gives me all the feels. 

I pulled up some pictures of the stations of the cross for Peanut and I to use tomorrow. Each one is so moving. 

How do we look at Jesus on the cross (or a visual representation of that) and not feel compelled to love like He does? 

So tonight, Peanut and I will set the table. 

We'll dust off that bath and body works candle someone gave us in 2001 it seems and find the lighter. 

We'll put the nice tablecloth on and "fancy" up the dining room. 

Because I want Peanut to always want to serve others. 

I want Peanut to know that Jesus would have fancied up the table. 

Make time for the whisper conversations this Holy Week.