Shopping For A New Perspective

During a recent shopping trip my daughter, Lydia, became exasperated as she tried on several pairs of shoes, none of which fit. She finally cried out, "Shoe stores can be soooo frustrating!" She had in mind a certain look and every time she saw a pair of shoes that came close to what she had envisioned she would get a burst of hope as we searched the stacks of boxes looking for her size. On occasion we would find a box with the correct number and she would get giddy as she wrestled them out of the box, stripped out all the paper stuffed inside, and worked at the various buckles or straps to get them on her feet. Too often though the smile disappeared as disappointment set in when the shoes just didn't work on her feet. She was tiring of the process and I knew exactly how she was feeling. 

Life can sometimes be just like that shopping experience. 

We get something stuck in our head or heart and begin to seek it out. We start out with high hopes believing we can easily accomplish this new desire. We get excited when things appear to be working out but when all doesn't go as planned our hopes dash right into disappointments. Before we know it we're crying out about how life can be soooo frustrating! Too often we give up, shoving our dreams back into a box, closing the lid and walking away defeated.

I looked at my daughter's face and knew she was resigning to the fact her dream shoes were not going to materialize. I knew it was only the first of many disappointments in life and a lesson we all face but I also realized I could offer another chance at hope. 

It took two more stores before we finally found the shoes. Fashionable, comfortable, and age appropriate!

I was as elated as she because this search had helped me to look at my own heart's desires and find renewed strength to persevere. Funny how something as simple as a shoe shopping trip can birth a new perspective. 

What about you? Have you felt defeated lately? Don't give up! Instead, join me in hanging tight to our dreams and setting our minds on persevering until they become a reality. Either that or take a determined eight-year-old out shopping. 

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