Blissful Birthday

For two years I had been planning a “spa-mper me” birthday – a relaxing time of pampering at the spa. A whole day spent in quiet solitude getting beauty treatments I normally don’t have the time or the budget for. I dreamed of going to the Fitness First Spa as it looked so luxuriously inviting every time I passed by to go to the gym.

But for two years, something always came up to derail my plans. In 2008, I mapped out my day: mass, gym, lunch with my singles Caring Group (CG), the rest of the day at the spa (it was a school day so our family dinner had to wait for the weekend). I got as far as the lunch. Then I was called for an urgent business meeting to plan the launch of our website, Proudly Filipina.com. No time to have even a single nail polished.

2009 rolled in and I planned again: gym, merienda with singles CG, spa, mass (solo – I was trying to wean my parents away from the idea that I still needed adult supervision), semi-surprise dinner party hosted by the Feast Council and other community friends. Still a school day – calendared family celebration for the weekend.

Everything went according to plan except for the spa. The day was too packed with activities. I had very little time for pampering myself. Aside from that, I made the wrong decision to look for a spa in ritzy Alabang Town Center. The price range was horrific. I just had my nails done. I did get my spa though sometime during the month. Naty gave me a gift certificate for The Spa. But it wasn’t my birthday anymore when I finally got my massage.

This year, I gave up on the planning. I still hoped to spend the day at the spa but I left everything in God’s hands. My day was clear but you never know. We already had a joint celebration (for Rollie and me) with my mother CG last Wednesday. That’s one item down. I started the day preparing breakfast and my working son’s packed lunch. Then mass with my still-not-weaned parents. Spent time on the phone with a dear friend in need of a friendly ear. Worked on the Feast Alabang bulletin layout. I had an early lunch so I can free the whole afternoon.

And there they were – several hours gloriously free – lines in my planner just aching for the word “spa” to be written on them. I escaped to the new SM Center right outside our village. First, I went to the parlor to get my hair colored. Then with shiny, blow dried hair that swung with my every step I sashayed over to the spa for that much longed-for facial and massage. It was bliss!

As if it was planned, my “spa-mpering” session ended right on time for our family dinner. We had a pleasant, relaxed time getting acquainted with Mediterranean cuisine. More bliss, especially when my sons surprised me with a gift I had been wanting for quite a while – a purple yoga mat.

Like clockwork, dinner was over in time for me to make it to my last appointment, our community mass for Naty’s dearly departed brother. I got there right when they were serving dinner. Naty loves to cook and she prepared quite a spread. Everyone had a laugh when I invited them to partake of the food like I was hosting a birthday party. Although it was a sad occasion, joy filled me because I was surrounded by my community, by people who love and support each other in good times and in bad.

It didn’t end there though. There were more treats. The next day, I spent the afternoon with graduate school friends. At our Media Ministry meeting that spilled over to Music Ministry practice that evening, I was surrounded with more loving co-servants. My Media Ministry members even prepared an audio-visual presentation for me.

Oh, did I tell you that I got a call this morning from the Fitness First Spa? They’re giving me a certificate for a free massage in honor of my birthday.

After two years I finally got my “spa-mper me” birthday and more. What was different with this year? I let God do the planning. I just went along for the ride. And what a blissful ride it was.

A Happy Servant’s Heart

Last week was hectic with a capital H, no make that all caps. Tuesday the Media Ministry had a photo shoot for the Caring Groups launch AVP (audio-visual presentation). Wednesday we had Admin/Finance meeting. Thursday was our first choir practice for Kerygma Conference (KCon) 2010. On Friday, Belle and I spent almost 4 hours on the road to get to the KCon coordinators’ meeting in the distant land of Cubao. Saturday was the Caring Group Heads Workshop. Of course, Sunday is Feast Alabang day. Inserted into my week were the regulars – the bulletin and the website. Thank God that before all that, I had Monday, my rest day. I was able to store up mental and physical energy to weather the week.

As the whole week was highlighted by service to my community, the workshop on Saturday was a fitting recap. I did not volunteer as CG head (the litany above should give you an idea why not). So what was I doing there? Ministry heads were also asked to attend. After all, I also handle a group which becomes a quasi-CG. So attend, I did. And I came away with many lessons on how to lead with love and care – “love strategies” they were called.

But it was at the anointing at the end of the workshop that my servant’s heart got a thorough work out. We were told that there will be washing of the feet. It even has the added feature of kissing the feet. Like Peter, I cringed at the thought. Horrors, my last foot spa was months ago! Did I even scrub off the dead skin on my toesies when I bathed this morning?

At the back of the center, Naty, Josie and I plotted on how we can get out of it. But just to make sure, Josie sprayed our feet with her cologne. I wanted to slather mine with the yummy smelling Bath & Body Works hand sanitizer my god-daughter, Angeli, gave me. But I left my bag in the office and had no time to get it. So I sought refuge in the Music Ministry. I thought we were safe. There were only four of us in the choir and Melanie, our Training Ministry head, had given up trying to make us sit with the participants. Even Bro Hermie, head of all South Feasts, seemed to accept that we couldn’t join the activity and anointed us as we sang. While singing I was conflicted, torn between the call to obey and vanity. I made a deal with the Lord that I will just sing my heart out in service.

But, no deal. Our well-laid plans collapsed when the other Music Ministers who had their feet washed already joined the choir. Bro Hermie signaled the four hold-outs (the original plotters plus Belle) to sit and get our feet washed. Since we had learned earlier that one of the characteristics of a servant-leader is obedience, we followed meek as lambs.

After my foot got washed and kissed (while fervently hoping Josie’s cologne still lingered on that particular appendage), I knelt for the anointing. I thought I was the last and that Ed was just kidding when he said I have to wash his feet so I hopped up to re-join the choir. But Bro Hermie called me back to wash his feet. (Picture me like a cartoon character stopping in mid-stride.) Down on my knees I went, recited the prayer, washed his foot and dried it with a wad of tissue as he instructed and bent for the obligatory kiss. When I got up, I saw Cora snickering. She had gotten wind of our escape plans earlier and was so amused that we failed. She said later that touched by the ritual, she was on the verge of tears. But when she saw me collared by our top leader no less, her tears made a detour and she dissolved into fits of laughter instead.

So who ever said that it is only in solemnity that a heart is moved to servanthood? The laughter, the humor, the joy fuels the passion to serve. It’s funny moments like these that keep my servant’s heart humming. After all, “joyful” is another characteristic of a servant-leader.