What's your shoe hunt?

So just a short one today....about the everlasting love and grace of God which isn't complicated anyway so it fits :-)

We have been in the throws of wedding season recently with Bogdan's youngest brother getting married to his sweetheart and all the stress/joy/busyness that comes with that. It came to the civil ceremony (a few days before the church service) and I realised Sophia didnt have a suitable pair of shoes to wear as she seems to be growing at quite a rapid pace recently (how inconvenient). She got by with some old ones she but then comes the task of buying new shoes, an overall horrific experience, and I am sure anyone with children of any age will agree with me.

Anyway after traipsing (with Sophia) around numerous shops, which either seem to believe it is reasonable to charge adult shoe prices for kiddie shoes with sparkles on, or sold shoes which looked like they would break in 2.5 minutes, I gave up. At least I found out her new shoe size. It's 8 if you're interested.

For Bogdan's other brother's wedding last year Sophia wore beautiful golden and silver Monsoon 'heels' that I found on ebay. I bid for them and won and my sister-in-law brought them over when they came. They fit like a glove and she adored them. A rare find for my little Cinderella. I had hoped they would have been good for this wedding too but it was a long shot and sure enough they were too small. When Sophia tried them on and they didn't fit she said 'Oh no Mummy, I'm the ugly step-sister...' hahaha. Poor poppet. She loved them. Oh well...a day before this next wedding the hunt continued. This time, alone. Armed with the size 8 information I wasn't holding out much hope feeling like I had already scoured the city. I may also have not had much hope because I had been particularly grumpy that day. Ever feel like that? I heard someone say that for women in general (not to be sexist but...) when one light bulb 'breaks' then all the lights go out. It's like one thing affects another which knocks onto another etc. Well I had had a bad day. I was grumpy. I had been snappy to my husband (probably the first time ever since we have been married....no...wait...that's a lie.....second time...) and I wasnt feeling into shoe shopping. It's always a drag when you are trying to find something specific as well. No one likes a shoe hunt the day before a wedding. No one. 


So, I pull away from our road off into town feeling hopeless and not very full of faith that I would find anything, along with feeling bad for being a bit of a dipstick with my family. As I get to town I see the street with the second hand shops down it and a thought suddenly passes through my mind '....what if?...' I parked the car and in my mind I whispered a prayer 'Father God (because He is my Daddy), do you love me enough that you would provide Sophia with some beautiful shoes?' Then continued my thought pattern towards the 'logial' response which was, 'Well maybe if I would have thought soon enough I could have found some in time and not feel the need to test God's love. How dare I test God's love.' ...Oops. 

I walked into the first shop and wearily wandered up the stairs to the shoe section. As soon as I arrived I had to do a double take. There, sitting right there on the front row, were Sophia's shoes. They were hers! The EXACT same ones that she wore to the wedding last year. The gold and silver Monsoon ones with the heel that I got from ebay! They were here! Calming myself down I thought 'Well of course they won't be her size...what are the chances of that?' I tried not to look like a crazy lady on 75% off sale day but I can't say I didn't make a mad dash for them. Glaring at the undersole I could hardly believe my eyes. "He does love me!..." I felt like shouting! "SIZE 8!!!" Overwhelmed I paid the 14 RON and held my new acquisition close to my chest. Maybe I thought someone would steal them from me...but really more so I knew that they were God's present to me. They were more than just shoes. This divine intervention (because that is what it was) told me "I am a good good Father to you even when you don't feel worthy of my love, I always want to give you good and pleasant gifts. Just ask. I am willing. We are in this parenting thing together, all 3 of us. I love you with an everlasting love."

"You parents - if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him?" Matthew 7:9-11

The Bible is very clear. We can ask God to show us His Fatherly love. We can ask for gifts and He is good and faithful to show us how much He cares. I believe God is just standing waiting, listening for you to call upon His goodness and believe that He loves you enough. It isn't testing Him, it is believing what said is true! He loves you enough that he would give you all that he has good to give. He doesnt just love you 'enough' but He abounds in steadfast love for you that does not change with our changing moods, actions, reactions and situations. 

I want to ask you today, what's your shoe hunt? What is making you feel overwhelmed and hopeless? Are you waiting until your are perfect and have exhausted all other options before you turn to your Daddy for help? You need to stop faffing around, you've got a wedding party to get to! I encourage you to ask God to show you more of His goodness because He will show up just when you need Him to. Expect the miraculous! He is willing.