A LESSON in shoes…among other things.

Titus 2:3-5
Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers.Instead, they should teach others what is good. These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God.

 

Sometimes life CRASHES into me like a speeding car.

Sometimes I find myself SMACK-DAB in the middle of a situation that has not been planned for…a situation that you CAN’T plan for.

Lately I have found myself in a mentoring situation with a teenage girl that lives next door.

She is a sweet 16 year old girl that is at a definite crossroads in her life. 6 months ago she lost her Mother. THAT is a crossroads. A shitty, life altering crossroads.

I mean 16 is ALWAYS a crossroads. Right? Who needs THAT thrown on top?

It is at that age we start to EMERGE.

It is at THAT point that we start to BECOME who we will be.

It is ALSO at that point that a teenage girl can really start to do some LASTING DAMAGE.Trust Me. I lived it.  I’ve got the tattoos to prove it. LOL.

So here I sit…In a place where I have an opportunity to help.

I sit in a position where I can be a GOOD influence.

SO, I try…or am TRYING.

Because I think mentoring is important. It is important for young girls to SEE a woman in action. She NEEDS to see WHAT. THIS. LOOKS. LIKE.

I know that as an “older” woman…I can be persuasive.

And to be honest….as we all know I am a FOREVER student.

I am learning LOADS from this sweetie.

I am getting a crash course in 16 year old girls.

SCORE…practice for the future.

Well…the other day I picked her up from work and took her school shoe shopping.

I was excited…I thought I had style.

I was wrong.  LOL

We walked along the shoes and talked about life and boots and boys….

“How about these?” I said about what I thought was a CUTE pair of silvery ballet flats.

She looked at me with a confident smile and said, “Ewwwwwwwww, Nooooo!!!”.

“No????? These aren’t cute? Are you sure? I think these are cute. No? Really?” I stood there stunned and shocked.

I stood there on the outside of myself….like a fly on the wall, I could see my past and my future at the same time.

I looked to my left and there was another woman there with a teenage girl. There was no doubt that she was standing in her own “uncharted territory”. …HER TEEN doubting her fashion sense also.

We met eyes and I said, “I just got my first, “Ewwww. Noooo”. She looked less than surprised.

“You’ll get used to it. I’ve had MANY!” she said and followed her daughter off to buy some shoes that I am sure SHE would not have CHOSEN.

It was a surreal moment.

And

Even though I guess my style is not what it used to be.LOL.

It made me feel sooooo grateful for this opportunity.

I believe that I have been put  in this situation to SHOW  LOVE and  BE LOVED.

God has granted me this opportunity to again be the TEACHER and the STUDENT…..at the SAME TIME.

He has led US BOTH to each other…

He has made us neighbors …LITERALLY.

He has GIVEN us the chance to LEARN from each other.

He has BLESSED us with the CHANCE to TEACH each other.

And

Maybe…just maybe….

As a BONUS:   With her help- I can get my STYLE back on point.

LMAO.