Shoes!

I’ve written about shoes before. Last time was when I went shopping for shoes on the streets of Kampala and had the irksome experience of trying to get a fair price and fair treatment.  Not fun, not fair, but that’s in the past.  A few years ago I also wrote about shoes during a Christmas season when Acacia was much younger.  Geoff was preaching the sermon on Christmas morning 2008 at New Hope and as he shared about the true meaning of Christmas she leaned over to me and, just checking to make sure she’d gotten her facts straight, asked, “It’s about shoes, right?,” such a girl.

Earlier this month we tearily left New Hope and began our journey to the U.S. Our first stop was a friend’s house in England where we were privileged to relax, sleep, read, explore and enjoy the quiet and beauty of the English countryside.  We took many, many walks on the numerous foot paths around the area and our shoes became very muddy. I thought it would be a wise idea to wash our tennis shoes the night before we left the cottage.  Before bed I put them in the dryer on the high setting to make sure they’d be dry by morning. Looking on the positive side, I only completely destroyed two of the three pairs!!!  They were annihilated--the soles popped off and the special support structures separated from the rest of the shoes!!!  Fortunately, Kevin’s were still ok to wear and Acacia had another closed pair of shoes to wear, but poor me . . . I was left with only a pair of Ugandan flip flops to navigate the wet cold of England, the freezing cold airplane (why do they keep the planes so cold?????) and then my first day in Denver!  Brrrrrrrr, my naked toes intensely felt each and every degree below 75! I was so glad to reach the in-laws and put on my monkey slippers!

Geoff’s mom had a new pair of tennis shoes she loaned me,

 but I needed to get something else to wear for when we speak at events.  Wow, a legitimate reason to shop!  :) 

So, Geoff and I ventured into the Denver shopping mecca where I found a nice pair of boots, but sadly had to later return them as they were a bit too big.  After a couple of days I went out with Acacia to find another pair and found a beautiful and comfortable looking style.  I was about to try them on when I noticed that the name was “Jezebel”--are you kidding me??? The most wicked woman in history and someone feels the need to name a boot after her?? No way am I going to support that kind of nonsense, so out the door we went and off to another store. Finally, I found a sweet boot at TJ Maxx. I love to shop discount! But, I digress.

As we trod this earth, regardless of the styles we wear, where we shop or who gifts us, our fascination or lack there-of with shoes in general or whether or not they are adequate for the weather we find ourselves in, may we remember Who it is Who has given us EVERYTHING. The core of life rests forever with our God and His ultimate provision for us. Even our unique desires, interests, aptitudes and affinities can be attributed to His grand design for us. 

Acacia now knows the true meaning of Christmas, in fact, as a family, we quote from memory this scripture every Christmas season, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” James 1:17 

This Christmas, may you rest in Him, knowing His design for you is perfection. Look for His provision, it is always there.

--Mary

From Uganda to the UK

Toby and Sam's teacher Uncle Robert came over on Tuesday for supper. We all cooked together--he contributed pork and atapa (a traditional food from his part of Uganda) and we contributed roasted maize, ground nut sauce and rice. Kambo showed up at just the right time, as usual and it was a fun night!!

giving the barbecue a work out

On Sunday we said an official goodbye to the church family as we walked into our last four days on site at New Hope Uganda. It has been an extremely full agenda these past few weeks. Trying to juggle the daily responsibilities as well as getting ready to leave our house and work for five months was a recipe for tiredness, and unfortunately sickness as Geoff and I both fought illness while packing and tying up final preparations. It was MORE THAN hard to say good bye, especially to the children in David Family. I couldn't hold back the tears as we drove away from the house and the friends who had come to pray for us. 

And, in less than 24 hours we were in a different world . . . what a whirlwind!

Walking down High Street

We're spending a few days in England before flying onto Denver to spend Christmas with Geoff's family. At present we are staying near Broadway in the Cotswalds and took this morning and early afternoon to explore a little.

Sights on High Street in Broadway

Yummy fruits and vegetables!

A little tea time

Perhaps this isn't the most exciting blog you've ever read, so forgive us for being a bit tired and enjoy the pictures!

"I LOVE walking in the English countryside!"

A phone booth in the middle of the horse trail--in case a horse needs to make a call!
:)

There are many walking paths near where we are staying and we intend to explore as much as possible!

--Mary