Cinderella,
Goldilocks, and Finding the One that’s “Just Right”
Yesterday I went running shoe shopping with my fellow running friend,
Katy. I have never bought a pair of shoes specifically for running before. I
have been using my New Balance sneakers (that I now wear for work) or a pair of
red Brooks sneakers that were given to me by Katy.
Every shoe can tell a story of where it has been. My New Balance shoes
are special to me, because I wore them running the Disney Princess Half
Marathon at Walt Disney World in February. I wore the Brooks sneakers on
September 1st while running the Women Rock! Half Marathon.
Just as every shoe can tell a story, so does each one of our lives. I
love hearing the stories of others. Everything that has happened has brought us
to this point right now. We can’t change the past, and we’re not guaranteed
tomorrow, so let’s make the most of the moment we have been given right now.
We went to TriFitness in White Bear Lake. People watch you stand, lunge,
walk, and run, determining which shoes will work best for you. There is no “one
size fits all” solution. Life is like that, too. Pastor Renita mentioned that
in her sermon this morning at church, which was a beautiful service on this
first Sunday of Epiphany. It was great to see her this morning. :) Name your
darkness. Light a candle. Arise. Shine. Your light has come. :)
It turns out that I needed some stability shoes, because my left ankle
rotates or turns in. So, it was time to try on three pairs of shoes. I have a
very transparent face, so you can tell if something is bothering me or not. Or
if I like something. Like shoes.
The first pair…Something didn’t feel right…They were “too big.”
The second pair…Again, something was amiss…They were “too tight,” “too
heavy,” “too clunky.”
I was hesitant to try on the third pair, because…Well, they looked “weird.”
But, never judge a book by its cover. Wouldn’t you know it…I tried them on, and
they were “just right.” They were light on my feet. And “bouncy”…I kind of felt
like Tigger from “Winnie the Pooh.” I was ready to go out for a run!
It’s amazing how motivated or energized we are when something fits “just
right.” Trying on the shoes reminded me of Cinderella and the glass slipper…As
well as Goldilocks, trying the chair, porridge, and bed…The same could be said
when we use the gifts that God has given us for ministry. When we match our
gifts and talents with areas of ministry that we are drawn to, it’s like a hand
fitting in a glove…Or a foot in a stabilizing running shoe. :)
Is darkness trying to eclipse the light? Maybe you feel that you don’t
have gifts? You don’t know what they are? Maybe you feel that you’re not good
enough? But, God deems us as good, as we are deemed worthy in Christ, and takes
our brokenness and gives us His goodness. Instead of “I’m not good enough,” talk
back to the darkness by lighting the candle that says, “I’m good. Enough.”
We sang “In the Bleak Midwinter” this morning (hymn #294), and after we
were all done lighting candles, naming the darkness in our lives and placing it
at the cross, we sang the last verse, “What can I give him, poor as I am?...yet
what I can I give him—give my heart.” :)
Like the running shoes, we try on many different things in life…But,
know this: You are a beautiful child of God. Your Creator has given you
wonderful gifts. Sometimes we may not know right away what those gifts are, but
they are there. God has a wonderful place for you in this grand story. A unique
purpose for unique you. We may find our fit on the first try, or it may take
about fifty tries. God has a place for you; are you willing to let go of the
darkness and flip the light switch? God’s already there…The electricity is just
waiting for you to flip the switch…Will you allow God by the power of the Holy
Spirit to fill you today? :)
Thanks be to God…Amen. :)
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