Tools and Life Lessons

We were so absolutely blessed to get to go to my parent’s home this weekend for a fast 30 hour visit. During this time we were also able to get to meet up with my brother and sister-in-law who live and serve among the Navajo in the Arizona/New Mexico area. It was such a short time but yet God enabled us to get a lot done and to get to touch the hearts and feet of my parents. He also met me there and downloaded insight to me in even the smallest things. I just love seeing how He chooses to open my eyes and mind to things He sees and feels.

Saturday after my parents, my brother and our family went to eat lunch together, I was honored with getting to take my mom shopping for some new shoes. Years ago my mom suffered a brain stem stroke that left her with a left-sided deficit making things that once were easy a big task now. Shopping is something I did not grow up doing, not sure if it was due to not enjoying it or not have finances or both. However, with my mom and I, it’s not something on our top list of things to do. Needless to say, this afternoon of shopping for shoes to fit over her AFO brace was one filled with much needed laughter on both of our parts. It was so much fun to get to freely laugh with my mom. She has been blessed with an electric scooter which we took out to assist in prolonging her physical stamina (she doesn’t get out much so it’s physically exhausting). However, with this new tool, she needed experience to increase her operating skills. It was a precious time for me to get to watch my mom concentrate and work hard on trying to figure out how to make that little “joystick” on her scooter take her scooter and thus her, where she needed it to go. It was such a joy to get to watch, wait, and see her accomplishment when she was able to use her new “tool” to make her life more full or accessible. I was so proud of her and how she never gave up or got overly frustrated. It was an honor to be there and quietly, patiently assist her (like I have much experience using joysticks … my boys have far more knowledge there!) with what I could see from my angle that would make things work better for her in different situations. During her learning time of maneuvering in and out of bathroom stalls, elevators, narrow aisles, etc I spent a lot of time just watching and praying so as not to interfere with her focus. However, there were situations where I was able to giggle with my mom (a much better thing then getting frustrated and angry!). I was also able to pass on the peace, pride and joy of her new accomplishment with her scooter with people that entered into our paths (however haphazardly!) It was amazing to see people’s demeanor change when they found out my mom had a new tool and was learning to use it. They were much more supportive and most times would depart from our presence with a new smile on their face and some a bounce in their step. Wow, to imagine, while learning to use a new tool, my mom was able to be used by God to uplift others in ways we will never know. We all have experience with learning to use a new tool and the sense of accomplishment that comes with it once we master it. I sense that many were reminded of the good feelings they experienced at such a time in their life.

But wait! There’s more! God has many years ago spoken in to my life about making sure I’m not comparing myself to anyone else... just the me He has created me to be. I am to always measure myself against my own personal measuring stick to see my growth. He has created us each unique and we are all at different growth levels so only comparable to ourselves. I totally enjoy the fact that I am at peace with what He’s doing in and through my life. I love how He edifies others through me just being the person He created me to be (and how He feeds me in return). In learning to measure my growth against myself and no one else, I’m encouraged with what He’s doing and thus respond with peace, joy, patience, His love and so much more instead of the frustration, intolerance, bad attitude and all that comes when trying to compare with someone else and never measuring up or having a positive comparison. It’s makes for a much more pleasant life no matter what challenges cross life’s path.

Talking about challenges … my mom was a trooper in laughing through my consistency and being patient with me. After seeing that most of the shoes were on top of the display shelves and not easy for my mom to view, I tootled through the aisles looking for different shoes that would possibly work and fit with her brace then bring them to her to try. Now trying on shoes can be exhausting but add having to prep the shoe to receive the AFO brace then placing it on a deficit foot … we’re talking marathon here for both of us! I could do all the prep work but I totally had to step back and allow my mom to see if she would be able to get the shoe on her foot without my help (seeing as how she doesn’t normally have anyone around to help her! … and she’s pretty stubborn about being as independent as possible – a good trait at times!) At times it was so hard for me to just step back and watch. I so wished I could step in and help but my help would only possibly hurt her physically (if I tried to bend the brace or flex her leg or foot in the wrong direction) OR possibly give her a false belief that the shoe would meet her need in her being able to get it on but with my assistance thus wasting money that she is steward over by ending up with something that won’t work for where she is at physically. Wow talk about a download of God’s heart to mine! He so wants to help us as the Father that He is. However He, having created us, knows that He has to step back and allow us to make our choices and walk through the consequences so we can learn. He gave us guidance and step-by-step, hands-on directions by sending His son, Jesus, to earth to walk every aspect of life that we might ever encounter. He even called forth others to document it for us so we would always have access to the “How To Manual” (Bible) and can access it whenever we choose to. Some like to read the instructions first … others like to wait and try it themselves and only when in a bind access the manual for help in getting out of the mess. When we are struggling or just living our day to day life, He is always watching over us as the proud parent that He is and giving us little boosts of help when we allow Him too and it will not hinder us and our growth. No matter our struggles, He is always there with us looking at us with eyes of pride and a heart full of love, proud of even the baby steps that we are taking. He doesn’t ever look at us with malice or contempt. He’s always cheering for us and whispering little helps to us or sending help if we are open to seeing, hearing and receiving it. Wow … His love is so deep and His feelings even deeper for us.

And the laughs continue … My mom, being weary from the outing, was ever so patient and open to giggling with me when invariably, I would pull the right shoe out and prep it. I even put her AFO in one of them getting ready for her to try it out! If you haven’t guessed by now … my mom’s AFO goes on her LEFT foot! We tried the AFO in well over 20 different shoes and I’m not sure if I should be proud or not, but I can say I’m consistent … I truly pulled and prepped the right shoe in every one of them! Tee Hee … I still giggle about it as we did through the remainder of our visit. Enter yet another LIFE LESSON: Sometimes we are so focused on what we are doing that we continue to approach it in a way that doesn’t meet the purpose (i.e. prepping the shoe was necessary however prepping the right shoe was a waste of my time and energy since the final outcome depended on the left shoe). However God is always patient with us and brings good or victory out of all that we do. I caused more work for myself however God allowed my mom to get physical rest while I was exerting my energy in a way one could deem as useless. (I tried to tell mom I was only doing this to give her more time to rest between all the exertion of trying on yet another shoe … she didn’t buy it though!) Through this He showed me that, sometimes we run around in busyness doing good deeds and consistently going through a long process to reach the necessary means. However, we could be less busy (not prepping the “right shoe”) and take more time to just sit and rest in Him in between just prepping and trying on the needed “left shoe”. It’s untruth that we must always be busy. Jesus, while He was on this earth, set the example over and over that we need to be still, rest & commune with God. Be less busy. Oh how much more happier and energetic we would all be if we would ask Him to show us ways that we are making excess “busy” in our lives and turn that time in to rest time, time to enjoy all the He gives us. I pray this for each one of us. Less Busy = More time with Him + more energy + more Joy + more time with our #1 mission field + more accomplished for His Kingdom.

The final insight I’ll share for today, however not of this shopping trip … we went with the mindset of looking for tennis shoes as that is what Mom has pretty much always used. The therapist who fitted the AFO to mom after her stroke fitted it to a tennis shoe and so the pattern continued for years even though an inner desire of my mom’s heart was for something different, a change, a chance to dress up or appear a bit more fashionable. Thus we started our shopping trip out in the same path or rut that was started years ago, looking for tennis shoes that would work and being willing to settle on something that fit even if she didn’t like the looks. Praise God I was listening to Him. I started to look outside the box (no pun intended but hey it works with shoes!). I refused to force my mom to stay in the rut and only get what worked but didn’t bring joy to her. She is too special and unique for that! After many tennis shoe preppings, yucks and ughs not to mention the eye rolling … I started introducing other types of shoes I could find that might possibly work. We encountered many duds (thus many laughs – it is what you make it!) that just wouldn’t allow her to get her foot in. However … by really stepping out of the box and all that the world has brain washed us so easily with … we finally found a pair of penny loafers that worked with the AFO and were fun, fashionable, and serviceable for my mom. Needless to say, they were nowhere near the original rut we started in (women’s tennis shoes). No, God took us on a totally different path that without being open to Him we would not have even considered. The penny loafers were not women’s (as they weren’t cut properly to fit the AFO) but men’s which were a better fit with what we were working with. PONDER Point: So what “rut” are you stuck in? What area are you still operating in because that is what you first were introduced to? Are you willing to allow God to help pull you out of your “rut” and take you to a new level? To assist you in finding a new path that is a better fit to whom and what He created you to be? That makes your heart race or swell up with excitement? That puts a smile on your face, a bounce in your step and joy in your spirit? That gets you excited to get out of bed each day! That gets you excited to see what the day is to bring? It could be in your life ministry, schooling, your diet, the way you study His word, how you relate / love your family, how you relate to other people … the list and possibilities are limitless … our God is bigger than we can even comprehend and wants - as the ultimate great parent – to love on us so much and give us even more. So … are you going to settle for the “rut” OR step outside of the box and look to see what exciting path awaits your journey’s footsteps? Doesn’t mean it will always be easy but it will be more exciting, joyful and fulfilling personally and Kingdom wise.

We love to hear from you! Thanks for all of you who are partnering with us in so many different and creative ways! Your encouragement and partnership allows us to work together as a team to further His Kingdom. We so love and enjoy looking at all the amazingly creative ways He works in and through us as a team “outside the box”.

Blessings and Love!