How Not To Buy Shoes

12-56pm

Today has been an out-and-about kind of day. My first plan was to find a solution to my sore feet! In February this year I bought a “big brand” cross-training shoe. Now this is how NOT to buy running/training shoes. It was Mike’s birthday and after, getting off air (I was still doing Rise & Shine in February), I rushed home to celebrate with him and the family before heading out to caddie for him. The golf course we were playing at was about an hour’s drive away. After the morning celebration, off we go. We get about 20 minutes down the road, when I look down at my feet and realise I still have my sandals on! I have left my walking shoes behind. There was no time to go back, so we stopped at Access Park and rushed into the closest shoe shop. I need a pair of size 6 cross-trainers I said to the first person who approached me. He showed me a pair – as I say “big brand” – I tried them on. They fitted. We paid for them and off we went. By the end of 18 holes (12km), I only had one massive blister! I finally walked them in, but they just are NO good for running. And after 7 months of wearing them, I’ve had enough! On Sunday, I caddied 18 holes with Mike in them. Then Monday morning, I ran about 3km in them. Monday, after work, we snuck Dustin out and treated him to 9 holes of golf and so that was another 4km. By Monday night, my feet felt broken….and these are shoes I’d been wearing for 7 months. I vowed to not do another gym session in them. Today, I was on a mission.

I went back to Access Park and visited 4 sports shops. In choosing, I said the most important criteria was to have arch support. After trying on a number of different options, I returned to the New Balance store and got these…

I got them at 20% off, so I was happy with that. I’m about to go and try them out! They are uber comfortable and my feet already are saying ‘thank you’!

After that I went to Observatory for my weekly meeting at Cape Town TV. to get there, you have to go down Lower Main Rd. I noticed there was a massive truck behind me and then I noticed there was another coming towards me. Oh, this was going to be interesting. With both of them completely blocking the road, and not being able to pass each other, I stopped my car and took a photo….

Someone had to concede. One of them would have had to pull over, but there wasn’t much space. Eventually, there was a bit of hooting and they sorted themselves out, but it was fun to watch! I pity all the cars that were stuck behind the far truck. 🙂

Isn’t so much of life a bit of a power struggle? For me, submitting to God has to be first. But a question I am hearing more and more is ‘what does God want me to do?’ What is His plan for me? If I have to break it down to two things, I would say that I think God wants us to know Him better – so to have faith in Him – and believe in Him – that’s the first. The second is God wants us to be happy.

Micah 6:8

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

If I have to think of my life, that’s what I try and achieve…to try and submit to God every day – let Him lead the way. And then learn to be content. Look for things that make me happy – enjoy the beauty of the world…look up at the sky, appreciate creation. Then do things that make you happy. If it is serving, serve. If it is sewing, sew. If it is cooking, cook. If it is playing golf, go for it. If your job is mundane, but you’ve got to do it, look for the good within it. Learn to appreciate it. And outside of working hours,  do the things that make you happy.

Keep the smile going!

God bless you!

In His Grip,

Helga xx 🙂

Gratitude Pic – See those shoes above….oh yeah, that’s my gratitude pic! 😀