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Through The Looking Glass

                                            Through the Looking Glass     

shutterstock_14746480 falling down

Early one fall I took a day trip to Calgary, Alberta, to buy spring and summer fashions for my retail business. I brought my teenage daughters along and planned to do some afternoon shopping after my appointment. I wore my navy business suit to make a good impression and for added flair, I wore my three-inch heels.  It was important to me to look pulled together so the sales representatives would assume I knew what I was doing.

My teenagers dressed for comfort in jeans and tennis shoes.  However, I decided to keep the suit and heels on for shopping, because I did not want to bring an extra set of clothes.  The day had been fun but exhausting, and by 5 pm I had burned-out.  I had a headache, my feet hurt, and I was hobbling. I was ready to go home, take a hot bath, and go to bed.

 I made one last stop at the drugstore on the way out of the mall, and my daughters decided to wait outside for me.  I paid for my purchases, and hurried out to meet them. Suddenly and abruptly, I crashed into a sparkling clean glass wall with such force it caused people to stop in their tracks and check out all the commotion near the eighth aisle.

 After my perfect face-plant into the glass, I slid to the floor in an ungraceful heap.  My shopping bags were in complete disarray, one three-inch heel came off, a button flew off to the great unknown, and my skirt was a little higher than I felt comfortable with.

As I tried to gather my wits and composure, I noticed my two daughters bent over in laughter and I could tell they were pretending not to know me.  When they began to walk away from me, I was sure they did not want anyone to know the dressed-up blonde in a heap on the floor was their mother. 

The August Hustle – Back to School

August has always been a stressful month for me.  I am rushing to finish up all the loose ends before fall arrives.  It is also an expensive month, with all the costs of getting the kids ready for school.  New clothes, backpacks, supplies, and trying to get an extra weekend away before those school days, sports, and music lessons take over my life.

When my children were younger, I could take them to the store and buy their school supplies and clothes, and they were thrilled.  However when they became teenagers, each one had their own distinctive fashion style.  One of my daughters decided she didn’t want to wear Levi’s anymore; she wanted designer labeled jeans like everyone else.  My husband, Lyle, wasn’t sure what designer was in, but he thought surely as long as it had a name on it, it would work.

While visiting a western-wear store, he found a sale on designer jeans: “Kenny Rogers” with the name and face embroidered on the back pocket.  Wow, he thought he had hit the jackpot and bought two pair. He couldn’t wait to get home and show off his find.

I had a hard time keeping a straight face when he gave those “Designer Jeans” to our daughter. They say, “A picture is worth a 1000 words.” I wish I had that picture.  She didn’t have the same enthusiasm that my husband had for those jeans, and she said, “I’m not wearing a picture of Kenny Rogers embroidered on my butt.” Who knew?

All My Life (Kenny Rogers song)

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

She never did wear those jeans, and two years later we packed them up and gave them away.

When I think back, I just laugh out loud thinking about those “Kenny Rogers” jeans. To be honest, I probably wouldn’t have worn them either.

My husband thought he was giving her a greatest gift, but she didn’t see those jeans as wonderful.  How often I do the same with God. When he doesn’t give me what I want, or my struggles overwhelm me, I begin to doubt his love and promises.

Jeremiah 29: 11-14 states, ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen.

My plans are often complicated and stressful, I tend to over research and worry about every detail. It is such a relief to know that God has a plan for my life, and he cares about the details too.  I am learning to trust in His plans and promises for my life, confidently embracing the hope and future he has planned for me.©

Lovingly,  Karan

Do you  find it hard to trust God in the in the hard times of your life?

What time of the year do you find the most stressful for you?