Leon's Feet

A little known fact about this author is that ... I ... have ... a ... foot ... fetish!  I can't explain it.  I love taking foot photos!  When the girls were baby's, their tiny little feet just made me melt!  I have no idea what it is about these appendages that makes me weak but I love them!

I love them when they are cute, clean, and in pictures.

This morning I watched a clip from Beth Moore.  In this clip, she begins to tell a story about a situation she found herself while waiting in an airport.  To see her full story, check it out here:Beth Moore Hairbrush Story

I had heard Mrs. Moore's story before, but this morning I was instantly moved in my Spirit to remember a time God asked of me what I thought to be the impossible.  Sometimes, our impossible is so trite.  Impossible like climbing a mountain or scaling a wall seems more ideal.  However in the trite the impossible gets elevated and so often dismissed.  It was this "trite" moment that God spoke volumes and straight to the places within my heart that needed to hear His voice.

Years ago, Chris and I had a dear couple in our lives who were like parents to us.  They had never had children of their own and adopted us into their home and hearts.  In their last years on the planet, he developed Alzheimer's.  During this time, God allowed our schedules to open up and give us the privilege of seeing them on a regular basis.  I made a commitment to go once a week to see what I could do to help around the home.  Usually it meant reaching something from a high place in a closet or low place on the floor, cleaning out the cat litter bin, or running an errand.  However on one particular day, it meant the impossible.

Our friend, Leon, was immaculately manicured.  Brands names and quality meant a great deal to him.  He was always clean-shaven, well dressed and best foot forward.  With his wife, Jo Betty, confined to a wheel chair, and his state of mind slipping daily, simply putting on a pair of sweat pants had become a chore.  Physically our friend was disappearing as fast as his mind.

I came to their house expecting to complete a task that was out of their range of abilities and well within my own.  Leon sat in a chair next to the little dining room table with a blank look on his face that we had come to recognize as normal.  Jo Betty had a request that she hesitated asking me.  Finally, through an  "I understand if you don't want to" introduction she made her request.  Usually Leon was able to go get a pedicure on a regular basis.  Because of his declining health, and her inability to do it herself, his feet were in terrible disrepair.  Dry, worn, and in need of nails clipped, Jo Betty wanted to know if I would be able to do something with his feet.

Feet.
Old feet.
Old, dry feet.
Old, dry, long nailed feet.

I had a pit in my stomach.  I really didn't think this was something I could perform.  I did not want to touch his nasty feet.  I was the problem.  And that's when God's voice in my Spirit spoke.  I moved away and the Holy Spirit filled the situation and allowed me to not only wash those beautiful feet but love those beautiful feet as if they were the feet of Christ.  In my Spirit I could hear the voice of the One I love ... "You are not washing Leon's feet.  You are washing mine."

Into a plastic basin I eased Leon's tired feet into the warm water.  He was confused.  He didn't understand what I was doing.  I just comforted him with a "Shh, Leon ... I'm going to wash your feet."  Both feet stood as heavy rocks within the clean water.  I was undone.

As I rubbed gently over the protruding veins that covered most of his feet, the warm water was sweet balm to Leon.  His face relaxed.  He closed his eyes.  "Leon, are you OK?"  "It feels so good" came his reply.  He sat with face up and eyes closed and enjoyed the moment.  We were both in a different place.

As he was lost in his world, I washed.  I clipped nails.  I rubbed lotion.  I dried.  I prayed.  I don't think I prayed for Leon.  I prayed for myself.  I needed to know that because I am a child of God, its' never about me.  The Holy Spirit in me does miraculous things.  The Holy Spirit in me can do the impossible.  It's the Holy Spirit in me that produces such incredible things that others take notice ... and are drawn to God ... because He loves them ... and me ... and it's always about Him ... for our sake!

A few months later, Leon died.  But before he did, he had nice feet,
Christina