These boots were made for...Hiding?

The beginning of the year I started reading Beth Moore's blog that she writes on along with her two daughters. No teaching, just fun thoughts from them. Sometimes I just assume everyone knows who Beth is, but if you're not familiar with her, she's an incredible Bible teacher with a huge world wide ministry based out of Houston, Texas. I've done some of her studies and always close my workbook feeling so much closer to God than when I started.


WELL, last January Beth posted on her blog these pictures she took of shoes she found at Payless and loved...

I too loved these shoes, so I took myself to the local mall and lo and behold there they were. I tried them on in the store and though they are higher than what I normally wear since my husband Gene towers over me by only a few inches, I decided that I just wouldn't stand next to him when I wore them. So, I made my purchase and home I went.

In Nebraska, Spring has finally sprung and the opened toe shoes are getting worn by everyone who has any sense of fashion, except for Lelia. These shoes are the most awkward shoes ever on me. We have wood floors throughout our home and every time I've had them on I feel like a 12 year old that gets to wear high heels to church for the first time. I wobble and pray the whole time I don't fall or twist an ankle in them. My husband doesn't even dare comment as I prance my way past him.

Now Beth Moore is maybe 5 feet 5 inches and is petite as she is maybe a size 2, perhaps a zero. Also, just looking at the pictures of the shoes above, I would guess Beth's feet are probably a size 6. Me on the other hand, I am 5 feet 8 inches and I too could wear a size 2 if you sewed about eight of them together. And my feet fit comfortably in a size 9.5 or 10. I also suffer from what I call Cankleitis. If you have no idea what that is, please let me share with you. Cankleitis is the inflammation of the calf which causes the leg to cover the ankle area therefore hiding any cute definition. Here is a meaning that I found on the inter net along with a picture...

The area in affected female legs where the calf meets the foot in an abrupt, non-tapering terminus; medical cause: adipose tissue surrounding the soleus tendon, probably congenital, worsened by weight gain and improved in appearance only by boots. From the English "calf" meaning wide portion of the lower leg, and "ankle" meaning slender joint of leg with foot.

So here are the pictures I took of me in my Beth Moore shoes this morning that I'll never wear except to do housework in front of my wise and silent husband. One would think I was the model for the above drawing as the similarities are haunting.

This is what I have learned from this experience...

So often when we like some one's teaching, writing or speaking we perch them up on a pedestal. A pedestal that they themselves do not want to be put on if they are a true humble servant of our Lord. Beth was simply showing the blog community what she found while shopping. Yet, in my warped sense of wanting to be a God-fearing woman like Beth, I ran out and bought the same shoes she had bought. I took home the shoes despite knowing while still within the walls of Payless that it would take a miracle for my feet to look good in them.

How often do we do that?

When there is someone we admire for their relationship with Jesus we want the same walk they have. Lord knows buying some cheap shoes was not going to make my relationship with Jesus the same as Beth has. God proved His point to me that I can't walk in Beth's shoes as I stumbled around in them. The calling on Beth's life is different than the calling God has for my life.

I just want to encourage you to keep your eyes focused on Jesus Christ.

He is using women like Beth Moore and Lysa TerKeurst to get us closer to Him no doubt, but worship Him not them. I know both of these godly women would agree with me on this point. Just like you, they are women who just want to say Yes to Him and want to be an instrument for Him. Remember that when He's using them to perform heart surgery on you whether it's through their books, teachings or blogs, HE IS THE SURGEON and they are just the instruments He's using to work on you.

Recently my husband had back surgery and prior to surgery he talked to a guy that had the same procedure done a few years ago. This guy praised the surgeon many times during their conversation, but not once praised the instruments the surgeon used to repair his back. I'm not saying we can't share what an impact they've had on our lives, just be wise and keep in mind that they are being used by God.

Let's keep focused on the King ladies!

As for me...I guess I'll be wearing boots this summer because according to the inter net definition that is the only way to improve the appearance of my Cankles.

~Sigh~

*I am entering this post in a monthly contest at Scribbit.*

~Many Blessings~