Bless the children

I started a new ministry a few years ago at my little parish. After the final procession, I stay at the back of the church to greet parishioners as they exit. My daughters love to walk down the aisle with me as we are processing and, being a smart mommy, I decided to put them to work. I would take off my vestments, give them to my daughters, and they would process back up the aisle, reverence the altar, and take them into the sacristy. Now all the little girls in the church race to the back so that they can "help." I end up giving someone my chasuble, someone my stole, someone my cincture, someone my alb, someone my microphone--sometimes I have to say "Sorry y'all, I just can't take off anything else!" But the folks at church love watching the little ones march up the aisle with the vestments. They have been nicknamed "the handmaidens of the Lord." (Which I'm not sure I'm comfortable with but I didn't give 'em that name.)
Last night, after 40 minutes of washing lots of feet, it was time to have my feet washed. The little girls must have worked it out with the head of the head of the altar guild (who is also the senior warden) ahead of time--they all came forward to help wash my feet.
It made me pretty emotional, I gotta tell ya.
Bless the children.
Peace,
RevMutha