Monday, November 26, 2007

True Inspiration

My daughter takes a wonderful clogging class at a little dance studio down the road. This is her second year. When the new season started this fall, we didn't buy her new shoes. I kinda thought she'd be okay for awhile but felt it looming in the distance. It was one of those vague things that hangs around the back of your mind like fog and never really materializes. I just kept forgetting!

Until about 3 weeks ago when sh
e started complaining that her toes hurt. The signs for used clogging shoes had disappeared from the studio walls by then and I had heart palpitations just thinking about the cost of new ones. But I knew we had to do something - my daughter started taking off her shoes in class and was clogging in socks!

So my husband made a several calls and found a discount place south of town. Of course we got lost trying to find the it, making illegal u-turns on dirt roads and frantically getting directions on cell phones. They closed at 5:00 and we got there one minute before.

Fortunately the proprietors were an older couple who didn't mind staying
open a little longer for frantic parents of a clogger! They were so nice. For 25 years they had their own clogging team that toured the east coast. With great expertise they fitted her little happy dancing feet. As a bonus, they not only had the clogging taps in stock, but hammered them on for us in the back! We were so relieved and my daughter was hopping around like a jumping bean from excitement (she does that a lot!)

With such a huge weight lifted from my shoulders, I stopped for gas on the way home. As I was standing there enjoying the crisp fall air and watching the sun set in the distance, I happened to notice the sign beneath the gas prices that usually announce the store discounts on sodas and potato chips. Here is what it said...

BUILD YOUR LIFE AROUND THOSE WHO MATTER

I took a deep breath of the chilly autumn air and said a prayer of gratitude for such blessings. Not just for the shoes or for the wonderful couple that we just met, but also for the owners of a gas station who choose to inspire rather than promote. And how amazing it was to see such true inspiration at the end of hectic day.

7 comments:

the tattered nest said...

great sign! that gas station owner gets it! thanks for sharing...

Nan said...

Great sign and great clogs!
Nan

Admin said...

Glad you found the clogging shoes you needed. If you ever have questions or need new clogging shoes or used clogging shoes, we can help at www.ClogOn.com. We install steven's stomper buck and regular taps for all our cloggers.

Julie said...

I enjoyed visiting your blog. Can't wait to see more!

Julie

Galen B. said...

Jen,
Touching, and I know the feeling with children and growth. Hope you can keep up as the waters around you grow.

Donna said...

Jen,
I'm so glad you found clogging shoes and from such nice people! Somehow things always work out.
Love that sign!

bj said...

It's amazing to watch how God works...sending you to the new couple that you liked so much thru finding shoes for your daughter. We do have such an awesome GOD.
bj