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Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Putting My Shoes Back On

Today, I put my shoes back on.  Alert the media.  I had not had them on my feet in a few days.  Instead I have been schlepping around in bedroom slippers, or fuzzy socks, or plain old bare feet.

Why?  Or more to the point, who cares?

Point taken.  The thing is, I have been sick.  That awful pestilence - no, not Ebola or the bubonic plague, although it felt like it - but rather the common stomach flu.  You know, the kind where first you are afraid you are going to die, and then you are afraid you might not.  That kind.

However, I am now recovered, and I know this not because the fever and chills are gone, nor because the Advil has been stowed away. No, I am sure I am well because I felt good enough to put on my shoes and do something.  Anything.  Anything other than lying around feeling icky.

When your feet are well-shod you can do just about anything.  Ask the Apostle Paul, he knew.  He wrote about it in Ephesians when he told us to put on the armor of God.

"... and having your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace..."

When you have good feet and the proper foot wear almost anything is do-able.  Some people have problems getting their shoes on, though.  My mother had a thing called a hammertoe.  It was awful. That thing was so bad that she could be heading north and her toe would be pointing east.  She limped badly because of it.

There are also some common "spiritual foot ailments" that can cause our feet to be poorly prepared to spread the good news of peace.

Corns of criticism - Oh, maaaan, these little things can hurt, and yet they are originally caused by friction on the toe - constant rubbing the wrong way.  About the only treatment, for feet that want to be prepared for peace is to refuse to criticize others, and refuse to allow other's criticism of us to 'rub us the wrong way."

Bunions of bitterness - Pointy-toed shoes are often the culprit here.  Pointy at this one who "done us wrong" - or pointy at that one, who "just didn't understand" - etc.  Bunions are no joke, they can be so crippling that they require surgery.  Bitterness is just as seriously injurious to our spiritual walk.

Hammertoe of hatefulness - James tells us that we "bite and devour one another" and end up hating one another because we want what we don't have.  Hard to spread peace when we are limping with resentment.

Fallen arches of failure - Otherwise known as having "flat feet" - the military is well-known for refusing to allow people to serve if they have flat feet.  Fallen arches - guilt, remorse, depression over past failure is not from the Prince of Peace.
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Personally, I am soooo thankful to be up and around again that even my old black Reeboks look pretty good to me. Hoping to spread a little peace today.  Hope you have avoided any of the dread foot conditions mentioned above and that you have a peaceful day, too.  Until next time ~ Marsha

11 comments:

  1. Right on Sister!
    Glad you have your shoes on cause I appreciate your wisdom. Nicely written and full of truth.

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    1. Christine - thank you. Always glad to hear from you.

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  2. I had to chuckle a bit - certainly not at your discomfort - but because as I type this I am in fuzzy socks. I've been sick with a respiratory/bronchitis thing for almost two weeks now. Yes, the other day I did put on some shoes and go with my hubby to the market and post office. But oh, when I got home, I felt whipped...still do. Grrrr...

    I am such a fan of word picture/analogies - and this one about the various *foot ailments* that we can suffer from was inspired. Funny, but filled with so much truth!

    Hope you're feeling better and better. And maybe I'll put some shoes today, in your honor...

    GOD BLESS!

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    1. Oh dear, I've only had bronchitis once, but it was awful. Ended up with walking pneumonia - only I didn't feel much like walking anywhere. Hope YOU are feeling MUCH better!

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  3. My tummy is unhappy. My mother had something wrong with her heels, some bone thing. It's driving me crazy that I can't think of what it was called. Maybe bone spurs. It caused her a lot of pain. I wonder how you would explain bone spurs. I don't put on shoes unless I leave the house, which often happens only once a week or so. It's good I don't have any appointments I have to miss. I'm glad you feel better.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Well, Janie - you lucky thing, you. If only I did not have to leave the house but once a week. :) But I am NOT complaining, just saying .... Thanks for stopping by.

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  4. Oh, the "stomach bug" is just about the worse, even though it seldom kills anyone, it makes you wish you would die (as you stated). So glad you are better. And, what a great post about anology, I may have to copy this for future reference. Happy weekend!

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  5. Sorry to hear you have been laid up but it is good to hear you are on the mend and back in shoes. I have bunions but they are not painful is I wear comfortable shoes.They weren't caused by pointy toed shoes because I never wore them but I inherited them from my mum and her mum etc.

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  6. Glad you are better. But if this is the sort of thing you produce when you are not well, oh, my! What we have to anticipate! Excellent, excellent piece. How about the plantar warts of weariness? "Be not weary in well doing." Blessings.

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    1. Hi, Vanilla - I stopped by your blog the other day and you and your wife have certainly been "on the road again" lately. Good for you! Thanks for the kind words.

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