Red Shoes

 "Faith is a catch and release sport. Standing at the altar receiving the bread and wine is the RELEASE part."

In the fall of 1992, I was invited to the National Young Leaders Conference in Washington DC to be held in the spring of 1993.

I was 17 years old, a senior in high school.

For six days, I had the opportunity to meet with leaders from the government, media and diplomatic corps. I had the opportunity to debate issues on the senate floor. The opportunity to see some of the behind the scenes of how our government works. I met a variety of important people from my own senator to international representatives. I took whirlwind tours of the nation's capital, museums, Arlington Cemetery, Memorials, you name it.

This morning I pulled a few photos out of a large photo album and tossed the rest (summer seems to always be a resurfacing of the great basement clean out).

Do you want to know what I remember about that trip?

Red Shoes.

I still sigh with a smile when I think of those red shoes.

You see that boy in the photo? He's in ALL my souvenir pictures. I'm not sure what he's standing in front of or near, but he's what I remember about that trip.

And I'm not sure we interchanged more than a handful of words.

I don't remember his name. Only his porcelain Alaskan skin and his red shoes.

Red Shoes.

Sigh.

Oddly, this morning, this photo gave me hope. I kept it. I tossed the slew of other pictures of monuments I can't name, and people I don't remember (seems we didn't take selfies in 1993 so I'm in NONE of my own souvenir pictures).

You see my teenagers are fixated on life's distractions. (anyone else worried about how many grown adults are home playing fortnite with our kids during the day?)

I was reminded this morning that distractions are part of life. Boys in Red Shoes take different shapes and tones through the years, but they are still just that .........scenery along the walk.

The seeds that I've planted, the core we've developed in my kids - I'm trusting that they return to that.

That quote above talks about how faith is catch and release.

The Eucharist is about approaching the cross with open hands.

About letting go.

About admitting we don't have all the answers.

For us Mama Warriors, it's about remembering we dedicated these kids to Him.

Many of us put on some make up and a pretty outfit, stood on stage at our various churches, and we said out loud - Yes. Yes, I dedicate this child to the Lord.

At the time, that seemed like a stressful thing to me. Would they cry? Would everyone notice that my dress fit poorly? Or that my shoes didn't match?

Now, I realize that the decision is made OVER AND OVER again. Every moment of every day.

I've promised to lay it all down at His cross. I've promised to dedicate them over and over again. Each time I try to catch them, I'm reminded, they are mine to RELEASE.

Some of my kids distractions are much scarier than boys in red shoes. I have WAY less control over the influences in our lives at their ages. Some of them aren't going to be gone in 6 days. Distance is a relative term in the virtual age our kids live in.

Mama Warriors, dedicating our kids to Him wasn't a one time decision. It's waking up every single day TRUSTING that He's got them.

We can battle for them in prayer. We can provide the boundaries and limits. But honestly, we can't compete the distractions.

Our kids are fighting battles they can only win spiritually. Our kids are fighting battles we can't fight for them. We can battle for them in prayer, we can model healthy choices, but in the end we have trust that they are under His protection.

(Published May 2018)