Don’t tell my wife, but I was looking at the cutest babe yesterday. I went hiking and hit the Otter Creek Trail area on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It wasn’t a long hike, but any time on the mountains is worth the trip. It wasn’t too crowded having only a scattering of fellowship nature lovers hiking, fishing, or just splashing in the river.
It was a beautiful day. Moderate temperature. Scattered clouds. Some flowering of plants. The trail was dry … mostly. But mud makes the hike a bit better to me. The small dam was overflowing and the sound water pouring out into the pool created a soothing rhythm. It was a great time.
Near the end of the trek, I came across this exuberant young lady that was just enjoying the trail more than most. She would run and skip and laugh and frolic. I mean, who doesn’t enjoy a good frolic. Her hair was bouncing and blowing in the wind. Her shorts were a bit shorter than I expected, showing legs all the way to her sockless feet in the colorful Crocs.
And it was her Crocs that kept catching my attention. You see, she would run and frolic (I think I’ll make that my word of the day), but about every ten feet, her shoe would come off. She occasionally didn’t even stop the frolic. But then she would notice and stop. She would try to get her foot back in and then continue her frolicking. She often needed assistance, so her dad would bend down and help her put her foot back on those precious feet. Yes, I said dad. For this young maiden was barely past her second birthday, if that.
As I ponder the wonder and the fun this young lady experienced, I am reminded of two great truths. The first is how we are to enjoy God, and enjoy Him forever. The truth of our blessedness and our forgiveness and His grace upon us – should make us run, jump, skip, and yes, frolic.
God is the most glorified in us when we are the most satisfied in Him.
The second truth I ponder is from Ephesians 6. We are admonished to put on the whole armor of God … including proper shoes … shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. And yet, we often forget that. We get busy with life, work, family, and misplaced frolicking. We need to get back to the reality of the gospel of peace. We need to remember who we are, whose we are, and thus be prepared to share that glorious truth of God’s grace.
And we forget this, we often need the Father’s help to getting those shoes back on.
So, today … if you’ve lost your peace, struggling with anxiety, striving to handle all of this on your own … get back and remember the gospel of peace.
And then – get back into the real joy of life, found in Him and His grace.
And for the record, my wife was on the trail with me and she too enjoyed watching this young cutee frolic. And for most the trail, my eyes were always on the most beautiful woman to me … she’s perfect (and she came home with me – wohoo.) I love my wife!
Muddy Shoes by Todd 
Leave a Reply