I t was a week before church summer camp before my mother realized my twin sister and I didn’t have a single pair of shoes to wear. We didn’t have too many shoes to begin with, but we most definitely did not have suitable run-around-the-campfire shoes. And this was an issue because my mom didn’t really have much in her checking account either…so we prayed. No, really, my mother asked us to sit around our dining room table—complete with mismatched chairs—and pray for God to help us find a great bargain. Apparently, my mother believed that God could take time out of his busy I’m going to tear down the Berlin Wall schedule and find us a nice pair of cheap sneakers.
And He did.
The following day, I trailed my mom at the local Pic-N-Save when, lo-and-behold, I saw the most amazing sight. Ever. At the front of the store was a life-size cardboard cutout of Michael Jackson and piled next to him were his designer line of LA Gear shoes. Piles and piles of overstocked and discounted shoes. I gingerly touched the cardboard image of Michael and then rummaged through sneakers to find my size…complete with silver studs, double-shoe laces, and two criss-crossed straps with metal buckles.
The Berlin Wall and my Michael Jackson sneakers. Two major miracles in the 1980s.
As I boarded the yellow school bus on my way to camp, some of the boys made fun of my outdated shoes. But I didn’t care. Yes, I was a little late in the fashion game, but they were still new to me. I sat on the sticky leather seat, pulled my knees to my chest, and gazed at my shoes. They arrived a little late from Heaven, but they were totally worth the wait.
Many years later, I’m still kinda on the better-late-than-never cycle. When the new iPhone burst onto the market last month, I wanted one so badly, but had a hard time justifying the purchase (com’on…after reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad I look at every purchase differently and weighs its long-term benefits seriously!). Last Friday night, JD came home and surprised me with an iPhone. I was so excited that I almost started looking for its double laces and metal buckles! ;)
The Berlin Wall, my Michael Jackson sneakers, and my new iPhone. Three major miracles in the past few decades.
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