These Feet are Made for Walking

(Somehow, publishing a post before it is corrected, edited, spell checked, and totally finished, just takes something out of it.  I'm sorry.  Please stay with me and the hair brained mess that I am.)

My parents always said that I started walking at 10 9 months. I thought, really? Really? Sometimes I wondered if they remembered correctly or were just terrible excited about the first baby. Nevertheless, these feet have been walking me around ever since their first steps.  Early on they walked me to the barn to show off my new red shoes to the bull. They have walked me down the cow trails, two tracks, and dry creek beds. They have walked the county roads, city streets, school tracks, city parks, national parks, forests roads, and pastures. They have climbed state capital buildings and to the crown of the Statue of Liberty.   They have walked with children, grandchildren, and more friends than I dare to try naming. Here in North Dakota they have walked from the clinic in the north to the new houses on the south. They have stepped the streets between the high school on the west and the park on the east. And of course they've been to the Post Office, Food Pride, Hardware Hanks, Farmers Daughter and the Drug Store.

But then I got a little limp and I much preferred focusing on getting the bargain rug straight on the floor and the close-out chair positioned just right, rather than taking care of the limp.

 

 

And the limp got worse, but I still would rather hang Goodwill pictures over rummage sale tables and arrange coupon greenery in thrift store vases than focus on my feet.

 

 

Until six, eight, maybe 10 months of limping became crippling

and I finally focused on these bony old feet.

 

 

 I did the unthinkable - I made a clinic appointment and began a series of x-rays, appointments, diagnoses, planters fasciitis, inflammation, chiropractors, treatments, therapy, ibuprofen, ice, frozen water bottles, tennis balls, and soon custom fit inserts for my shoes.  My foot is finally straight, the limp almost gone, and I will hopefully soon be on the road again - literally.

 

But the thing it has really done for me, is give me compassion for people who walk with pain every day of their lives.  I have seen them always, but never really understood the pain they are in.  Like my friend, Pat, who has walked uncomplaining with braces and crutches since she was 2.  Like the man walking into the convenience store using, not one, but two canes.  Like the sweet folks in the nursing homes with walkers and wheelchairs.  People in pain are everywhere - bless their hearts and feet.

 

Like our physical walks, let's walk the straight paths of God's wisdom so that our steps will not be hampered and painful and we will not be crippled chidren of God

 

I instruct you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.
 When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble.
Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
guard it well, for it is your life.

Psalm:41:11-13

 

and take care of our feet.

 

I have no greater joy than to hear

that my children are walking in the truth.

3 John:1:4

 

Thanks for joining me and my craziness!

 

...those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.

 They will soar on wings like eagles; 

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:31