Sole-ly His

Ankle boots, army boots, athletic shoes, ballet shoes, beach shoes, boat shoes, boots, bowling shoes, brogues, cleats, climbing shoes, clogs, court shoes, cowboy boots, cycling shoes, deck shoes, dress shoes, elevator shoes, espadrilles, figure skates, flip-flops, galoshes, golf shoes, gumboots, heels, high heels, high-top sneakers, hiking boots, ice skates, inline skates, jackboots, jump boots, kamik, loafers, Mary Janes, moccasins, mukluks, mules, open-toes shoes, Oxfords, penny loafers, platform shoes, pointe shoes, pumps, rainboots, riding boots, rollerblades, rollerskates, running shoes, saddle shoes, sandals, shoes, skates, skate shoes, ski boots, slides, sling-backs, slippers, sneakers, steel-toe boots, stiletto heels, swim fins, tap shoes, tennis shoes, toe shoes, track shoes, valenki, waders, wedge shoes, Wellington boots, wingtip shoes, work boots, zories...a few types of footware.

I copied this list...and I must say there are those that I don't know, like Kamik, espadrilles, slingbacks, valenki and Zorries....i don't know what they are. I love going barefoot, but if I was to wear any shoes....sketchers...i love my sketchers!! These tennis shoes are so comfortable!!

The green sandals I have were awesome at first...because of the air flowing through and .....NO SOCKS!!! (i LOVE socks...it's just the barefoot feeling I felt the sandals gave) but then after wearing them for a while, every time I put them on, my feet start to burn on the bottom because they can't breathe on the bottom.

Perhaps you are wondering why I am blogging about shoes? I'm not crazy about shoes...as I said, I would rather go barefoot. And I've seen some pretty interesting shoes out there. How do people walk in them? Regardless of the answer, every shoe has a creator...a designer. And each shoe, boot...foot covering has someone to wear them. There may be people who are thankful for their shoes, others cannot wait to take them off.

Jesus loved each and every person who wore foot coverings...or who went barefoot. It didn't matter the fashion statement, the stench that blanketed the foot with sweat....whether the children ran past the adults, if these people were on their death bed, or poured perfume on Him. Even if they called Him a heretic. He loved them. He stood with them, speaking words of Life. He sat with them, fellowshipped with them. He cried with them. Never once did He show favoritism.

Though trends have changed...Jesus has not. I've worn a pink and orange tennis shoe on one foot, and a blue and green tennis shoe on the other....granted, it was a LONG time ago....but today, from time to time...I wear mismatched socks...it's something I enjoy....

I was at the gym the other day where a man wearing shorts, to the knees, sported a pair of bright green and yellow socks. After talking to a fellow gym mate, I went over and told him that his socks are awesome! He thanked me and went on talking to the group he was with.

The gym is where this blog idea originated...because as I listen to Mark Schultz proclaim God's love for us....I study faces. Some are be-bopping along..where others look like their going to drop. I wonder what goes on in their lives? Can they see just how awesome they look, shoes and all as they keep on keeping on? I pray they know that they encourage me...socks and all.

You encourage me :D

What's your favorite foot covering?

Silence from the Lamb

As a child I've always been fascinated with caterpillar & butterflies. There are the inchworms, the zebra monarch ones, the green ones with sticky suction cup feet...the fuzzy ones....even fuzzy ones with horns that are quite aggressive....along with so many more I haven't mentioned. These worms with legs would go where ever there many legs would carry them. Then one day, POOF!!!! They have become a butterfly!!! Now able to soar on top the wind wherever it leads them.

I've always wanted to watch this "secret" process...in fact as a child I collected a cocoon,waiting & waiting. I thought it might be too dirty to open so I washed it.....eventually the green cocoon turned black.

A very dear friend encouraged me to start blogging again....so I thought about what I could write. It was then the Lord showed me that He is bringing me through the transformation process..that little by little the Holy Spirit is removing all the legs that would pull me in every direction, each direction having a different noise to drown out His voice. Jesus is guiding me through my trials so that I will have His strength to soar like an eagle

Since my last blog post, the Lord has blessed me with jail ministry, being accountable at a gym along with visiting dear friends at nursing homes.....playing my violin and so much more!!

It is a Grand Adventure having the faith if a mustard seed to allow God to lead me ...stretching me, shaping me, growing me in only ways He intimately knows.

I praise God for silencing my fears so The Lamb may proclaim His Truth!!!!

Until next time!!!!

It's A Wonderful Life!

I praise God for the many friends and family whom God has brought through my life!!  I thank the Holy Spirit for pouring Himself through me to practice the violin so that I may play for family, friends and my new friends whom are so very precious and patient!!!

There are so many lessons Christ has taught me through each one that has traveled through my life...I am so thankful I am able to give back, or "pay it forward" in many ways...one of which is the violin.

Since July, I've only been practicing with one other musician...my teacher.  It has been very difficult for him as while we are playing, I tune my notes to his, which I know are right.  I want to play beautifully like him...I don't want to play out of tune.  Yet when I am home practicing....I have no sound to compare myself with.....but that doesn't stop me.  I still keep trying.  The Lord has blessed my obedience....as people can tell which song I am playing....and as I play alone....it sounds pretty good.

Yet, as I said...God brings people into my life so that I can learn....and because my teacher is trying so very hard for me to learn to play the sharps, flats and naturals as I continue to play to the beat I want...ignoring that part of the lesson...because I'm having so much fun playing the songs that sound "ok" to me.  Little did I realize I was training myself to play.....out of tune.

However, this last Friday a dear friend and excellent pianist joined me as I was to perform.  GULP!!! 

I've never had a concert with another musician since high school!!!  As my breathing quickened, a piano was rolled into place.  I set my music on the piano and opened the music book as my hands must have shook. 

As I began to read a short story...a previous blog called "let it snow, let it snow, let it snow" I heard soft notes genteelly gliding across the keys. Soon these tiny white flakes covered my nerves as I continued to read to the end. 

A bit confidently I picked up my bow and began to play the notes before me.  It was fun!  And going well, until my eyes grew tired and I became unsure of the notes I was seeing.  Still,  I continued to play...because so many times  before I would stop and start over...which was soo embarrassing!!

Yet, adlibbing the music just seemed to snowball as my confidence plunged into a spiral decent quickly!  What did my friend think?  Would he ever want to accompany me again?  I didn't think so....I felt like Jimmy Stewart in "It's a wonderful life" who thought he let everyone down.

I love the end of that movie....because someone had gone around to encourage all the friends and family to encourage Jimmy....which is what my dear friend did.  Instead of playing through the music, praying it would end soon, he asks if my husband, who has a beautiful voice, could lead everyone in singing the words as we played.

OOoohhhhHHH!!!  God is such a sweetheart!!!  As I heard everyone start to sing...my ice cold worries and thoughts melted away...there wasn't any room for doubt as I heard joy pouring through voices.

In the same way....how often have I ....how often will I see the enemy's lies and believe them?  Oh, that I learn to be a team player so that we may all rejoice, for definitely "It's a wonderful life"!!