Tottering for His Glory

Asherel good naturedly took the long silky gown into the dressing room.  The girl I have to pry old tshirts and jeans from would do even this for her beloved future sister in law- submit to a dress fitting. And as she is a bridesmaid, not just any old dress but a long, fancy dress.And as is the case for all bridesmaids, not even a dress of her own choosing (which would have been no dress at all) but a dress chosen for her. And purple too. Still she entered the dressing room smiling.

As the bridal consultant pinned Asherel into the dress, she even managed to smile for the picture I took.

"The bride says we need silver shoes," I said, "But Asherel doesn't want heels at all. She has never worn heels. She doesn't want to totter down the aisle. Any suggestions?"
"Can't I just wear purple converse sneakers?" whispered Asherel, "They even make them in silver......"

I laughed. That morning I had drawn a picture in anticipation of the afternoon fitting. The picture is the one on this post. Do I know my daughter well, or what?

The consultant brought out several pairs with small heels. Asherel scrunched them on her bruised and battered feet which despite my constant urgings, are always running barefoot on concrete. She walked a few steps.
"Will those be ok?" I asked.
"If I have to," she smiled weakly.
Then the consultant appeared with some flat silver thong sandals.
"She could wear these to a formal wedding?!" I asked, hope percolating in Asherel's eyes.
"No one sees the shoes anyway," said the consultant, "I have had brides wear these."
"Well, I better run it by the bride before we get these," I said.
"And these pretty bangles on the shoes could be picked up by the jewelry she wears," offered the consultant.

Asherel's eyes popped open, in horror, and she mouthed silently to me, "Jewelry! I have to wear jewelry?!"

Meanwhile, we had gone to the shop for fitting, but intended to order on line. Out of guilt for taking the consultant's time, I fingered through the mother of the groom dresses. I already had found a tea length gown that fit and had been approved by my sister Holly  who won't let me get away with any faux pas if it can be helped. She is not always successful, mostly because I don't confer with her on everything. Holly liked the dress but expressed concern about the tea length. The bride had told me if it was a fancy tea length it would be fine. And now as I mentioned to the consultant that I had a tea length gown I liked, she scrunched up her face.
"For a formal wedding?" she asked.
I nodded.
She looked at me with a pregnant silence.
"Not formal enough?" I asked.
"You're funny," she said, as though I were joking.

So she pulled out a half dozen gowns.
"Try these," she insisted.
They were covered with frufru.
"I don't like this neckline....or these ruffles, or this flower shoulder.... no! No one shoulder- too risque. No, that is too fluffy...." etc etc etc.
Asherel watched me. It suddenly occurred to me that my next question was going to be if I could wear my running shoes with it since no one would see the shoes anyway......

And as I thanked the consultant and prepared to leave, she pulled out a simple and elegant, rather Grecian looking gown.
"Try this," she said.
With a sigh, and an apologetic look at Asherel who was in on the ruse that we had to appear interested so the store would fit us without being angry at us, I went into the dressing room to try on the dress. And this is the part that stinks.... I fell in love with the dress. I sent a picture to the bride and she loved it too. Even my husband loved it. So I may have to get it.

Today is the birthday of our old friend in the Alzhiemers unit. It is a wild, racing day jampacked with activities, not the least of which is ordering the gown(s).  I had made banana bread to bring to Evelyn. What do you give someone who is losing touch moment by moment with the world around her? She loves sweets. You fill her sweet mouth with sugar and hope that it conveys the sweetness of God's love prompting the souls He has placed in her presence. And I thought of the dichotomy of the luxurious and lovely gown that my tshirt/jeans loving girl was willing to wear as a gift to the future sister she loves so well, and the humble offering of banana bread to our old friend for her birthday. 

My Bible reading this morning was from 1 Corinthians 10:
...whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Whatever we do.... tottering on heels, submitting to photos with a smile on our face, or holding a wrinkled hand and singing Happy Birthday, and all the residents within earshot think it is possible you are singing to them. Such a simple credo to live by. Oh how I pray I could carry that verse in my heart always, and live it fully.


1 Corinthians 10: 31-33
 ³¹ So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ³² Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— ³³ even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.