Big Shoes to Fill

This pitiful shoes hold some pretty good tales.
Not big by most standards; the average size 10.
However, there is someone that fills these beat up foot covers that is far from average.
I have tried to talk this man into retiring these poor old things for a long time now, but frugal man that he is, he would assure me that he thought that they had some more life in them.
We would be out in genteel company when I would glance down and see these ratty ole things and cringe.
I could not persuade them that the time for his Good Shoes to step up to everyday.
It was while I was preparing for The Retreat that I had the chance to hide these hard workers from their owner.
But before I could relegate them to the Work Shoes Closet, I had to reflect on the miles that they took.
I thought of the many times these shoes helped others.  The moves, the service and the hard work that they represent.
I thought of the self sacrificing that they represented.  Surely, he wanted to keep his Good Shoes good longer so he could spend the Shoe Money on me.  Or others.  Some that he is not related to.  Like families that are struggling to pay their water bills and electric bills.  If he has to wear shoes like this so others can have the basics, then so be it.  This is how he thinks.
These shoes have taken him to many hours of work.  And back.  Then back again.
These shoes have taken dog walks when he neither cares for or really even likes either dogs or walking.  But I do, so he does.
I thought of the grocery shopping they have done when I could not.
I thought of the hours of fabric shopping that they accompanied me to, when he could have been napping.
I thought that he really didn't notice that they were so incredibly nasty because he is not the type to worry about how he looks.  Or others.  He tends to be the type that sees through to the soul and has little concern for the outer casing.  Good news for me.

I have to thank My Hubby for the success of last weekend's mama's collection of Friends First Annual Retreat.  In the midst of one of the worst medical/work week that he's had in a long time, he quietly departed to Eldest Son's welcoming home to spend resting while I filled our home with Wonderful Ladies and Their Progeny.  He left me well financed when I didn't even ask.  He never even objected or protested when I 'asked' him about doing this retreat at our home.  It is a given for him; if it is going to help others and give refreshment, then that is why he bought our home in the first place, so why question it.  And he came home with the right questions and the ability to disappear while friends were still here...

A rare gem and a delightful man packaged in raggedy shoes.
A true blessing....Thank you Lord, for Hubby.....

Pearls from Edith

As a young mama, I actively sought out spiritual/family mentors.  I knew I wanted to be a Godly Mother, but I truly had no idea what that meant.  Then one day a friend introduced me to Edith Schaeffer.  Edith is the wife of Christian Philosopher and prolific author, Francis Shaeffer.  He is the author of such epic tomes as "Whatever Happened to the Human Race?",  'A Christian Manifesto', True Spirituality', 'How Then Shall We Live?', 'The God Who is There', 'Art and the Bible'.  Knowing a bit of his life and of L'Abri (labri.org), I knew I wanted to know more about the Woman behind this incredible man.

It was then, that I knew the woman that I needed to model my motherhood after.

I read Hidden Art several times.  Then on to 'Tapestry' and 'Common Sense Living'.  I was introduced to their daughter through her life changing book, 'For the Children's Sake' and started to understand the value and responsibility of learning vs. schooling.  I do believe I have loaned out 'For the Children's Sake' so  many times that my dog eared copy needs replacing.

But Hidden Art is my favorite.

In it, Edith shares the intrinsic weaving that is mothering, teaching, and everyday Christian Living.  She's the one that showed me how to involve all of my life into my Christian life, without being tedious or overbearing or smugly self righteous.  She showed me that celebrating the daily and mundane with a eye to the gifts from God.  She has been an amazing mentor to me.

I think I have purchased this book and given it out to many young mama's looking for the same everyday joy for celebrating their babies and children with new eyes.

And so it came to pass that I needed to replace my own copy. 

Imagine my excitement in finding an autographed copy on half.com.!

It was one of those God things; Christian Karma!  I had given all my other copies away so that I could receive a personal note from Edith herself!

And so it sat on my bookshelf, waiting patiently for the next opportunity to be a gift to some other Young Mama.

Last week, I started to prepare for my first session for the mama's collection of friends First Annual Crafting/Spiritual Retreat (I told you that you would be hearing much about this!! :D).  The first session is called, 'God's Creativity in Our Lives' and I started combing my bookshelves for some references.

And there she was.

My Friend Edith!

Why I had not gone to her immediately?  The session I want to share is, the essence of her book!  Of course it is!  It's where I learned it!!

So I open the book, and read for perhaps the first time, the inscription, that Edith made over 30 years ago to an unknown woman named Jenny.

The date seemed familiar to me....

I searched my diary archives to realize that the long ago week in October, when Edith was probably speaking at a woman's conference, my pre Christ life, was tumbling apart.

It was the week that we were told that our beloved firstborn would never walk and that never mind that she had been in a body cast for over 6 months, her treatment would have to begin again.

An abysmal pit.

It was with a gasp that I read the last sentence on her inscription to "Jenny" ...'to spur you on to special creativity in the days ahead in all the adversity of circumstances...'

I may not be the Jenny that asked for the autograph, but this benediction was meant for me at that time in my life......And it was so....It was the many days of hospitalization and treatments that taught me to be creative in whatever I had to work with.....

The next mama that needs this book will have to wait till I order another one; this one is mine........