Shoeless in Georgia

I lost my shoes - or shoe, I should say - on this unbelievably pretty spot of Jekyll Island, GA!

The stark beauty of the driftwood piled along the sandy, secluded beaches make it an ideal spot for photography-loving tourists like myself! In order to walk in the water's edge, I pulled off my shoes and put them in a safe spot - or at least that's what I thought!

A few minutes later, I went back to get them, and only one sandal was there; the other - washed out with the tides! Well, one shoe was worthless, so I threw it in, too! Since I don't carry extra shoes with me, I was shoeless and had to walk barefoot over the hot path back to the car. My tender feet suffered! We then set out to look for somewhere to buy some shoes. Of course, I wasn't going in a store barefoot, so JD would have to purchase them!

As we drove around the island, we found a fishing/park area with its own bait/tackle shop. Maybe they sold flip flops, I thought . . . and hoped. John David went in to find out and returned with the cutest pair - white with green peace signs and hearts! Cute or not, I would have worn them, but I thought he made a really good choice - and they fit perfectly!

The next day we walked along the beach on St. Simons Island . . . and this time my shoes were in a really safe place!

This little episode - and my new flip flops - remind me that "things" can slip away from us so quickly and unexpectedly.

More importantly, I've reflected on the fact that I really don't want to be too far away from my Heavenly Father, where I'm safe. It's when I move away from Him that I'm in danger of being pulled under by the tides of worry, fear, discouragement, conformity, selfishness, wrong attitudes . . . which only take me farther out to sea.

If I'm not "sheltered safe within the arms of God," it's so easy to just drift along, too, and have a form of godliness but lack power and purpose. The driftwood is appealing to the eye and is photogenic . . . but it's dead!

Well . . . who knew that losing a shoe would be a teachable moment?? The truth is that God uses the "little" things in life, both pleasant and difficult, to shape our lives and draw us to Him. That's just how much He loves us!!