Wear Your Heels!

As all of my friends know, I love love LOVE to wear heels. Something about them makes me feels much more relaxed and confident. While it's nice to find a pair of comfortable stilettos, this is not always realistic. I'll pick a toe-pinching "tall shoe" over the most comfortable ballet flats every time. Now once my job description changes, this persuasion may change slightly. But for now: heels win out every time.

With this love comes a love for shopping. I LOVE shopping! My favorite is finding "deals". "Banana Republic shirt for $10!? What an easy shopping-decision!" While Augusta wasn't one of my favorite cities to live it, they made up for it with an AMAZING mall. The three best stores a girl could ever want were side by side: The Loft, Banana Republic, and Gap! Overwhelming, I know. A simple stop through on my way to studying at Barnes and Noble would produce bargains beyond belief! But somehow I managed to live there two years without going completely bankrupt. 

One of the many adjustments of living in south Georgia: the closest mall is two hours. While at first this fact was part of my wallowing, God is faithful enough to give me a reality check every now and then. Fact 1: I have no job. Hence, the blog! No job=no income=no money. Period.  Fact 2: Shopping is not the most productive way to spend my time. While there is a time and a place, I can see how being a housewife with a mall close by would be dangerous...very dangerous. Fact 3: God has a lot of work here for us to do. The last thing I need are distractions from this work.

While I am still figuring out God's current calling for me, each day is an adventure. As He helps me focus more and more on Him, He is showing me ways to be part of His work here. Being a youth pastor's wife, this shouldn't be hard to find. Isn't it funny how we make "doing the Lord's work" so complicated? Maybe what God has for me right now is to help with cleaning up after youth events after everyone has left; or type up handouts for the lessons Wednesday night. Or even just do what I can to help the youth pastor be the best youth pastor he can be! This is not as glamorous as leading Bible studies or writing books, but since when is it all about me? This is a hard pill to swallow; my wallowing and self-pity do not allow such thinking. How exciting, though, to be part of the amazing work God is doing here! And what an honor. Despite feeling out of place and useless, He has given me purpose. All He is asking me to do is be myself and look for ways to dive right into His work.  

So, while wearing my new $8 Gap shirt (purchased through online shopping... moderation is key!) and my "tall shoes", God is using me right here in south Georgia.

Proverbs 31:22- "She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple."

My mom is one of the classiest women I know; she makes a point of presenting herself in a proper way without being flashy and consumed with her appearance. Her house is always nicely decorated and clean. Meanwhile, she has an extraordinary ministry with the impoverished high school mothers in her GED class. Clearly her sense of style is not flashy! And she in NO way lives outside of her means. Where do you think I get my love for bargain shopping?! :)  Because of this, she is a true Proverbs 31 wife. I hope to one day find that balance she has. She's my hero!