Saturday, July 23, 2011

The Queen of Flip Flops



My daughter, Emily, is "The Queen of Flip-Flops".  She is the only person I know who wears flip-flops all year long; it’s crazy! 
April, on the other hand, is more like my mother; she is rarely ever seen without her 3 - 4" heels.  She will be in my "Real Women Wear Heels" blog. 


When Emily finds a “favorite” pair of flip-flops, she tries to buy a pair in every color and she wears them until they fall apart - literally - then she’s on the lookout for her NEXT “favorite” pair. 


I have horrible feet!  Hang on now, I didn’t say they were ugly; they just hurt all the time.  I have spent hundreds (maybe thousands) of dollars over the past 10 years or so on doctor’s visits, prescriptions, orthotics, and trying to find the PERFECT shoe.  Merrell, Born, Clark, Acorn, Birkenstock, you name it and I’ve probably tried them.  To try to stay comfortable, I usually keep shoes all over the house so I can rotate them during the day.  Some days I luck onto just the right the combination; other days... 
Not long ago, I bought 2 pairs of 99 cent plain ol’ rubber flip-flops for our trip to Destin this past June.  The first morning we were there I woke up, swung my legs over the side of the bed, and slipped into my flip-flops--WoW!  WHAT?!?  You mean I’ve been paying $ XX.00 all these years for “comfortable” shoes when all I had to do was buy a pair of FLIP-FLOPS!  I could have bought 80 to 100 pairs for the price I’ve paid for 1 pair of the others!  What’s wrong with me?!?
Who invented flip-flops anyway?  If my friend Don reads this, he’ll have an answer for us all in seconds!  I could have looked it up myself I suppose, but the truth is – I DON’T CARE!  My love and respect for flip-flops have been RENEWED!!  Kisses and hugs to whoever you are!  You have made our lives simple, comfortable, and financially manageable (unlike the guy - and I’m sure it was a guy - who invented panty hose and spiked heels).  We salute you, flip-flop guy!
You know, I wore flip-flops most of my young life.  Somehow along the way I must have thought I had outgrown them…no matter, I don’t have time to linger when there’s work to be done.  Summer will be gone before we know it, (Thank You, Lord!) so I’ve got to get out there and buy up as many flip-flops as I can carry because once they’re gone, we won’t see them again until next May.   Don’t be surprised if you see me in January and I’m sporting 99 cent flip-flops. 
(Maybe Emily isn’t so crazy after all!)


me and my flip-flops :- )





Thursday, July 14, 2011

Control

As I attempt to be (somewhat) transparent in this post, my hope is that you will not focus on me and what I have been through or am going through now but that you will take an inventory of your own life, do a little soul searching, a little housekeeping of your own as you read this; a little grace would be appreciated as well. 
Everybody has “stuff” and I am no exception.  A lot of “stuff” was going on in my life when I was growing up.   For many years everyone and everything in my life was out of control.  It took me a very long time to realize that the life I was raised in was not “normal” and it certainly was not the life God wanted for me.
I am going through a study right now that talks about allowing God to be in complete control.  I don’t know how many times I have read or taught such studies, how many conversations I have had with others, or how many sermons I have sat through that deal with this very topic…and though I know I have struggled with this very issue from time to time in what I consider to be the BIG things, I didn’t realize until recently just how much I struggle with it in ALL things.
I guess because I had spent so much of my life around people who were out of control themselves and who controlled me, when I finally was able to gain some kind of control over something, anything no matter how small, I didn’t want to let go.  One of the questions in this study is, “What is your biggest fear?”  To my surprise my answer was, “Being out of control.”
Since becoming an adult, there have been many times that the only thing I have been able to be in control of was how my house looked.  That sounds so silly when I actually say it out loud, but it’s the truth.  So, what did I do?  I made sure it was clean, all the clothes were washed and put away, it smelled nice, no dirty dishes, beautifully decorated, etc.  Oh yes, I was the woman who used a toothbrush to clean around the sink and stove and washed the bathroom and kitchen floors with a rag while on my hands and knees!  Can you relate?  I guess it was the second or third time my husband had to take me to the hospital for breathing problems related to household products (I have allergies/asthma) that he said, “Enough!” and brought in a housekeeper.  I know, he’s a good guy!
Now, you would think this would take care of my control issue – NOT!  I just transferred my desire to be in control of my house to something else.  You see, it didn’t matter to me how big or how small the object of control was, I just had to find something that was mine.  This may sound ridiculous to you, and I guess it is on some level, but if you were to think about it hard enough, you will see that there are things or people or circumstances in your life that you have to maintain control over also.  Maybe it’s not at home, maybe it’s at work, or at church, or your community – or something like your day timer/your schedule.  My latest object of control is my schedule.
I love God with my whole heart and I will tell you that I trust Him because I have witnessed miracle after miracle not only in my own life but in the lives of my family and others.  I am able to call Moi my son today because God performed a miracle on August 22, 1997.  There is no way I would have admitted to not trusting God/not allowing Him to be in control.  I would say to you that I trust Him with my children, I trust Him with my finances, I trust Him with my marriage, I trust Him, I trust Him, I trust Him.  But when asked the question regarding my greatest fear, I answered “Being out of control”; guess I don't trust Him as much as I want to think I do.
I have always said that I could never be an alcoholic or drug addict because I do not like the feeling of not being in control.  I’m sure that’s what I was thinking when I answered that question; that “feeling” of being out of control.  But, let’s look at that a little closer…
The definition of control is:  “the power to regulate or guide; to exercise authority over.”
There it is – “power”; “authority”.
Whose power?  Whose authority?  I think the object of control is insignificant.
When Jesus was praying in the garden, knowing he was headed for the cross, He said “…not MY will, but YOURS be done.”  (Luke 22:42) 
He relinquished ALL power and ALL authority to God, the Father; the picture of complete surrender.
Now, you may say that this is such a little thing (being in control of a home, or job, or project) and God doesn’t really care about or belong in the little things – I would have to disagree.  Do we not ask God to order our steps?  Can He not be trusted with our daily schedule?  Certainly ministering to a hurting friend trumps a closet that was scheduled to be cleaned out or a hair appointment.
James 4:17 says, “Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”  That’s pretty simple, isn’t it?  Either I trust God to be in control of ALL things or of NOTHING; I can’t pick and choose what I ALLOW Him to control.  He cares about my house if for no other reason than I care about it, because He cares about me.  The last time we evacuated for a hurricane, I remember standing by my car and saying, “This house belongs to You, God, if it’s gone when we get back, so be it.”    I can’t give it to Him when I have to evacuate and not give it to Him on all the other days.  It’s either His house or it’s not.  
I’m a big believer in “walking the walk if you’re gonna talk the talk” and to my shame I am learning that I need more work in this area of relinquishing control than I realized.  I was taught many years ago that sanctification (holiness) is a process/a journey; “strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life…”  (Mt. 7:14)  My road seems to get even narrower the older I get in the faith, but Luke does say in chapter 12 verse 48, “To whom much is given, much is required.”   God gave ALL He had to give through His son so that I might have eternal life.  I owe Him everything – ALL of me.  As expected, with each step toward complete surrender the devil counters with a stumbling block.  It may be anger, confusion, depression, anything to slow us down or make us change our mind.   Our eyes must remain on the prize - holiness. 
As I travel down this narrow road, I know that I am not alone; many have gone before me and many will follow.  Pray for me as I attempt to walk in my Father’s footsteps on this path to holiness and I will pray for you as you gather the courage to do the same. 
Pray that I will have ears to hear and eyes to see – and a will that is easily bent.