Half Shoes

     The Jacksons have been super busy lately. We have in times past saved to have our flooring replaced but each time was called to spend the money elsewhere. I prayed that God would place a love for our carpet in my heart if we were not to replace it. Never happened!

      The replacement has been completed and the house is gradually being put back together. We spent the last couple of weeks packing and unpacking. A number of things did not find the way back into the house; items that should have been a blessing to another household years ago. Numerous others just needed to be sent to the round file.

      We have done rather well with not overflowing into the attic. It mostly contains things that we actually do use seasonally and of course, is home to the original boxes for Dan’s prized cars.  Most of the cars are still "parked" in the garage. New shelving has been ordered to make better use of their office space.

      I decided to store some of our boxed belongings in the attic during the remodel. As I struggled up the stairs with a load my husband’s voice of reason sounded in my head. I was wearing my flip flops. They are a far cry from safety shoes.

     My husband dislikes flip flops, thongs wedges or any version of shoes that do not cover the foot. He refers to them as half shoes. On many occasion he has wisely cautioned me about wearing them. It is not that it offends his sense of style. He doesn’t want to make another emergency room trip with me after falling off my half shoe. I have had a broken foot and a sprained ankle and I can say the latter was more painful and took longer to heal. No, my Momma did not name me Grace; but if the half shoe fits—



      I don’t know how or when we all began our attachment to half shoes. I can personally remember a time when they were just shower shoes. Do you remember checking them off your list of supplies for summer camp? I recall a warning to always wear them in the shower area in order not to contract a disease that could make your toes fall off. And yet, with these delightful memories, we are still attached to them.

      I have never once heard, “I told you so.” In response to a reckless shoe purchase Dan did ask, “Honey, could you not afford to buy the whole shoe?”



“The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.” - Habakkuk 3:19