Welcome Back!

Well, I have had a LONG sabbatical from writing for several reasons:

 

1)  My original blog, "Imperfect People, Perfect Redeemer" was impenetrable as I tried to open it for several days and still have not been able to.  The settings, password, or something have been irreversibly changed, so it is no longer accessible

 

2)  I completed my Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction (big collective ~sigh~ from my end of the keyboard)

 

3)  I needed to re-group personally, spiritually, and emotionally as I'm still healing from wounds (aren't we all?)

 

So, a new name, a new look thanks to Candace Crabtree, a homeschool mom and blogger extraordinaire for the layout, its time to re-visit old posts and create new ones.  I'm so glad you stopped by and come back often as I'll blog about many things, hopefully several of which may inspire you.

 

Why the odd title?  Honestly, I was sitting at Arby's on a really rainy Labor Day writing another paper for my master's.  I was tired of "borrowing" free Internet from somewhere, I was tired of the buckets of rain, and really I was just tired.  So I thought about how grateful I was to have dry feet at that very moment.  Dry feet are a blessing and very difficult to have in many parts of the world.  I learned that as I traveled to Belize twice in one year.  Also, the simple blessing of clean socks, another thing many of us take for granted. 

We must take care of our physical feet so we can literally be the Hands and Feet of Christ.  Am I neglecting my feet, my own personal walk with Him?

 

For me this is true and continues to be a daily struggle.  That led me to think, "What have I been neglecting?"  "Are there things in my heart I need to wring out from the past?"  Probably.....very likely, um, absolutely.

 

Join me on this journey we call LIFE and realize your feet will get wet, you may get some blisters, but are you willing to take off those wet socks (sin, guilt, shame) and enjoy the blessings of dry feet (soaking in the Son)?

 

Each post will be followed with an "older" post that was on the original blog.  The original date will be posted and feel free to follow and comment.  Thanks for stopping by!

Learn Something New!!!

from Imperfect people, Perfect Redeemer by Rebecca Original post May 17, 2010

Yesterday's walk was such a recharge for me as the air was dripping with the rich fragrant smell of honeysuckle. Today I introduced Gretchen to the joy of the "drop" of honeysuckle after a rain while on our Sunday afternoon walk. She eagerly stuck her tongue out to take in the sweet nectar of nature, and she smiled joyfully at her treat.

We picked flowers and she tried to eat most of them but held them tightly as she tried to twist the phonetics of "Fou-wer" from her new found word. It was sweet, it was tender, and it made me think of Bambi when the new fawn bent over to smell a new creature a skunk and said, "Flower??"

How does a mother feel when she sees her young trying something new, maybe even something challenging? Trying a new taste, feeling a new texture, building a new creation is exciting and rewarding for the child and it is healthy, very healthy. What happens neurologically is the connection of more pathways that "teach" our brain to make quicker and shorter pathways within our brain. In essence that is how we learn. I truly feel that is how God must smile at us as we seek to learn something new in this world.

As we get older, we don't stop learning, but we tend to not gravitate towards it either. Demands of life, obligations and routine frequently get top billing. Have you taken the time to learn something new lately? Think about it? What is a dream of yours that you've never quite had the gumption to tackle yet? Learning to play a violin (Yeah which I started playing in September of 2011!) is one of my life long dreams. Here are some interesting ones I heard from co-workers and friends........

1) Learn to surf

2) Learn to speak Italian fluently

3) Learn to play the piano

4) Learn to how to jetski

5) Play mandolin

6) Play autoharp

7) Learn how to fly

8) Learn how to fly fish

9) Learn to play guitar

10) Build a homeless shelter

11) Drive a stick shift

12) Learn how to fly an airplane

13) Learn how to break dance

14) Learn how to rock climb

15) Speak French

16) Learn how to motivate others (speaking)

17) Learn how to play the sport of curling

 

Now, it's your turn. Add a comment to the end of the blog of something you've always wanted to learn to do and I'll add them as I receive them. Over the next few weeks, investigate possible cost, lessons, equipment rental, etc. that you may need in order to pursue your dream. When you've attempted it, let me know so we can share in your joy!

God created us uniquely with different desires and passions. God has promised us he would never leave us, even when we are tackling something new. Who knows, it may lead to something bigger and exciting that you would have never known otherwise!

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;I will counsel you and watch over you." Psalm 32:8

Why the Odd Name for the Blog?

My purpose in our blog is to take a look at the lessons we've learned through our own mistakes in our lives and in our marriage, how God really does have a humorous side to Him, how He fiercely loves us, and how we are continually learning to take care of the basics before moving on to more challenging tasks.  Come walk with me and join the journey as we all

Hike through the Waters of Life!

Welcome to Wet Feet, Dry Socks

I'm so glad that you've stopped by.  I have been a blogger for some time, but my other blog (ImperfectPeople, Perfect Redeemer) disappeared sometime early last year.  As I begin writing again, I will post a few of my favorite blogs as well as write new ones.  I'll be writing more soon.  Thanks again for stopping by!

Lessons Learned from the Belly of a Big Fish



Two days ago I felt led to write a blog. Had I written this blog when I initially wanted to the tenor, the tone would have been very different. You would have likely read about how the last two weeks were without a doubt the most heartbreaking, most difficult of my teaching career. As you read on you would learn that even though I've been teaching several years, I have learned I am far from seasoned in my profession. To wrap it up, I would have penned how God burdened my heart with what my eyes see daily, my ears hear, and how it just about broke even me, someone I thought had pretty tough skin for working and teaching the youth of today.

So, what "Road to Damascus" turn around happened in my life in the time span of a day or two? What took the stern of my boat that was clearly sailing off into the thoughts of "Why am I doing this?" to turn into the peaceful shore of "Why wouldn't I be doing this?" Ok, so I admit, I didn't really envision it quite this way sailing off into a pink sunset, but more like a battle raging inside my heart that questioned my desire to teach, to continue on. But God allowed me this time, no matter how brief, to teach me a very important lesson.

Some time ago someone quipped at me and it was extremely hurtful. Deeply hurt, I simply left. I couldn't believe someone would say what they did, and I hurt very deeply from those words that stabbed into my heart.

The following day I received an email from a dear friend I had not heard from in over two weeks which is particularly unusual. But as I read the email, I understood why. I had said something out of line, out of place, and out of character for me. She fully explained her hurt and I fully understood the repercussions of my words and began laying the groundwork to mend this relationship. This was definitely a "mendable" moment of misplaced words turned into a healed repaired friendship.

I quickly learned that I had spoken too soon......just like the person that spoke out of frustration to me. As all of these parallels were swimming around in my head, I quickly thought of one of my favorite prophets in the Bible, Jonah.

Jonah and I have a lot in common. We both tend to be cowards when God says "Go this way, I need you in Ninevah." Or for me, "I need you in this place, in this school, now." But just like Jonah tried to bargain with God to go to Tarshish where he felt he would be better received, I try to coax God into my plan. My plan of wanting to be in a place that is more receptive and more accepting. As God replayed this parallel over and over in my mind the past couple of days, I realized I may very well be where God needs me right now.

As I took twenty four hours to pray and fast with my friend which we do weekly, I asked God to somehow show me or reveal to me affirmation that I am in His will, or to direct me down a different path.

In a resounding way, he answered three very clear prayers that indeed give me clear affirmation and hope that we are walking down the road He has planned for us for now.

If you are in the belly of a big fish right now trying to fit God into your plans, your schedule, just remember that He can take you to the very place you don't want to go or to one person you most resist in order to accomplish His purpose. It may take a couple of days of being in the uncomfortable yucky belly of the fish (like it did for both Jonah and I) for you to realize why God had you there all along....to trust His way.

My verse for this week: Luke 6:32-33"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that.