When we first started walking together my toes were killing me. Brett told me it was because my shoes were too tight and I needed new ones and I needed good ones. I had ones that I paid a decent amount for and I was sure they would be OK.
My toes did stop hurting after a few weeks, but then I noticed a couple of weeks after that, one of my big toe nails was turning colors.
So I started researching it. Guess what. If you run or walk a lot apparently there is this issue called purple or black toe.
And take a stab at what causes it. A few things apparently. One being that your shoes might be too small. When you walk your toes will swell kind of like your fingers do. If there isn't sufficient space at the end of your shoe your toe will bump it. Another contributor is people who tend to grip with their toes when they walk. I wear flip flops 6 or 7 months out of the year. Of course I am a toe gripper. Cheap shoes were another culprit. All the sites I researched recommend that you get shoes that are 1/2 or full size above what you normally wear.
The end result, there is a good chance I will probably lose that toe nail. It doesn't seem to be a problem, the other one is usually grown most of the way back before the old one falls off. And it appears there will be no reason I can't continue to walk through the process.
God uses the strangest things in my life to correspond with spiritual issues.
As I was thinking about this, I thought, that is kind of the way my walk with God goes sometimes.
Sometimes I tend to cram as much as I can into what I am doing. Kind of like my toes crammed into the nose of that shoe. When I do that, when I over book, when I over extend, when I over commit, things start to swell kind of like my toes do. Suddenly there is no room for God. The things I might be doing are not necessarily bad. They can all be good things there just isn't room for everything.
When that happens my heart tends to start to look like that toe nail. Bruised and black and purple.
I also sometimes tend to want to grip my life just like my toes grip to hold on to that shoe. I hold tight to things I don't want to let go of. That might be sin or it might even be good things. Parts of my life that I don't want to give up to God. Parts that I am sure I don't need to bother him with. Parts that I am sure I can handle on my own. Either way, anything that I am holding on to is sure to turn my heart purple just like that toe nail.
Do expensive shoes really matter? Do the best really make a difference?
I know that Jesus gave the best he had in purchasing my life. He gave his one and only Son. The one most precious and dear to him.
So, I did break down this weekend and purchase new shoes. I got a size bigger than my normal size and I didn't check price tags (well not too close anyway). I just tried them on and went with what felt the best.
Result - I told Brett to be prepared to double our walking time. They really did feel great.
Psalm 139:16 "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."
God already has allowed time for me to accomplish everything he set out for me to complete. If my life is feeling crammed I have probably placed things there that don't belong.
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