Shoes for Ashley

Awhile back I talked about how sometimes I dread some new change we are going to have to get through, anticipating how difficult it is going to be, only to discover that we just sail through it. One example is Ashley giving up her blanket. I thought she was really going to have a hard time giving up her baby blanket, she hadn’t separated from it in years. But at age eleven it was past time for them to separate, at least in public. We were shocked at how easy this change occurred, she barely seemed to care or notice after we got past the first day or two. Now she doesn’t even try to take it with her. Then I run into some experience that should be simple, for example, buying her a new pair of shoes and it becomes ridiculous and tedious. It is not like I am that picky. I cannot be the only parent in the world looking for a pair of women’s size 7 everyday athletic shoes with a few special requirements. I only had two real needs- they can’t have shoelaces that need to be tied and they needed to be somewhat cute. She needs to be responsible for putting them on and she just is nowhere near ready to learn to tie shoes; I just don’t know if she ever will be able to tie shoes. I could find cute shoes that tied or “old lady” shoes that didn’t. Evidently this can become quite an ordeal when you get into woman’s shoes. After two months of searching with no luck, one day while shopping I found several pairs of shoes exactly like I wanted. My problem is solved for now, but I’m not looking forward to her next growth spurt. Maybe it was just bad timing, but does something so simple really have to become that hard? That seems to be my repeated lesson in life – things never go how I think they should or how I plan them.
“And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. Matthew 6:28-34
We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. Proverbs 16:9
Originally posted April 2011