Flip Flop Fiasco

Do you notice anything strange about the flip flops on my feet? They are both brown and both Nikes; however, they have different straps and are therefore NOT the same shoe!!! The one on my right foot is new for this summer, and the one on the left foot is from my 3 year old flip flops (that I think I wore everyday). So are you wondering what the fiasco was? Well let me explain.

Last Thursday I had another follow-up oncologist appointment in Little Rock. It was at 10 am so I had to leave VB around 7:30 or so. When I woke up I was faced with many decisions...can I lay in bed a few more minutes, how many more chapters of my new Karen Kingsbury book can I read without being late, breakfast or not, which outfit should I wear, a little make-up or really 'get ready', straight hair or curly hair......all these decisions! I hurriedly got out of bed, read a couple of chapters while eating a quick bite, picked out a cute (why did I want to be cute at the drs. office?) outfit, a little make-up, and curly hair, grabbed my flip flops out of the basket and was off to Little Rock.

About 30 minutes into my trip, I looked down and guess what I saw? That's right--I had on 2 different flip flops! Oh great, now what am I going to do? I immediately called Trey and my mom and shared my situation with them. I also informed them that I would be stopping at Target in Conway to pick up yet another pair of brown flip flops because I was definitely NOT wearing shoes that didn't match! :-)

A few minutes after I made that declaration, I began to think about all my flip flops--6 pair in all. 3 browns, 2 blacks, and a blue pair Question--Did I really need my 4th pair of brown flip flops? Answer--No!

I honestly think God was teaching me a lesson through my flip flops--if you remember back to my morning and all those silly decisions I was worried with. Did anything I was preoccupied with that morning actually have anything to do with helping me grow and become more like Jesus that day? Did I spend any time in His Word that morning? Or was I more concerned with myself and how the world was going to view me?

In 1 Samuel 16:7 it says, "But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

I mean really, was I more concerned with what others (a doctors office full of strangers in this case) think of me that I would go waste money on more brown flip flops? Or did I need to wear those un-matching flops to remind me that day (and every other time I grab my shoes) that what matters most is my heart? I can look like I have it all together, matching flip flops and all, but my heart can still be a mess! That day I was convicted that it doesn't matter how others percieve me (crazy girl that doesn't wear matching flip flops), what matters is living a life that is pleasing to God, even if that means wearing flip flops that don't match on occasion! So I by-passed Target and walked in the doctors office laughing at myself and my un-matching shoes!

I was also reminded that I have a daily decision to make about what I do with God and His Word--I can either ignore Him and care more about my sinful desires, the world, & my outward appearance while neglecting my heart, or I can take care of my heart first by depending on Him daily, meditating on His Word and letting Him teach me more about Himself.

What decision will you make today?

PS--Just for fun--go in that closet of yours and grab some flip flops that don't match today just to be reminded that Jesus cares more about your inside than your outside! :-) Hope you have a blessed day!