I don't know about you, but ruby red slippers sound divine.
For some of you who don't know me, I have been blessed with 4 girls. Right now their ages are from 4 to 12. Wow?! I know. Anyway, back to the red slippers. I wish I had a nickel for every time we were even near red shoes of any kind, that someone in the crew wanted them. Not only wanted them; it's been more than a few occassions I thought we might get escorted out of the "Baby Gap" over a complete melt down over a "no" to the red shoes.
There is just something about girls, teens, women, in general, and red shoes.
Do you have a pair?
I do. A gorgeous candy apple red, high heel, strappy number.
I won't even tell you, I would be way too embarassed, how many the girls have together.
What is it about red shoes?
Was it "The Wizard of Oz?"
Well, my girls have never even watched it!
Then, what is it?
I really don't have the answer. I know it has brought down sisters in this house. Just a week ago, Sarah, my 6 year old got a new pair. Cute little Mary Jane type, with the strap cut low across the toe with tiny white polka dots. Lily, the 4 year old, did not get a pair. This pure and simple fact put both of the girls into a knock down, drag out, type struggle. Lily wanted to wear them. Sarah did not want her to. A fight broke out.
It was a pair of red shoes!
Exactly!
It was a pair of red shoes!
Don't think this is a story about getting to the why of it all.
I don't know!
I do know little girls want 'em.
Big girls, too.
Over the holidays we watched "Christmas Shoes." (If you have never see it, Hallmark Channel, highly recommend it! The song, "Christmas Shoes" by Newsong, also highly recommend it!)
The entire movie was heartwarming and captured the true meaning of the Christmas season. Especially moving for me, though, was the part where the mom and dad danced.
The mom, played by Kimberly Williams Paisley, was dying of cancer and she was saying her goodbyes to her husband. The little boy had already given her the ruby red slippers, and they looked fabulous. Her husband scooped her weak, pale and next to lifeless body up and started dancing around the room with her.
(Hallmark and Kleenex have to be sister companies.)
Quite a moving scene for anybody.
It reminded me of Jesus and our own humanity.
The part that reminded me of Jesus was the way the husband held her.
Like a precious jewel that was so valuable it had to be cradled in his arms. Like he would never put her down. The way my Sarah Grace holds her "baby" at night. "Baby" was a Reagan, my 10 year old, reject and looked brand new, so I put it in the crib when we brought Sarah Grace home. She has carried it around ever since! "Baby" gives the loved look a whole new dimension! Ratty, smelly, dishelveled, worn, a bit pathetic. Not to Sarah Grace. She is the love of her life. She even LIKES the way she smells.
I guess that's what moved me about the scene in the story.
Reality of someone dying isn't a romantic picture.
I don't mean to be offensive and please understand me when I say this. Hair and make-up probably isn't where you might want it. Breath would not be described as minty fresh. Perfectly pedicured toes, probably not. I may be the only person on the planet that wonders about these things, but I do. I am just being honest.
I bet Jesus holds us like the husband did in that scene.
I bet Jesus holds us like Sarah Grace holds "baby."
And even if we are lucky enough to go right after a trip to the salon, with make-up and a cute outfit and a new "do" to boot....
What about the insides?
Coming from the beauty shop might not be so wise. Lots of gossip usually goes on there!
Jesus can see our spiritual filth, our judgemental rot, our critical cancer...
He still scoops us up in His arms, cradles us like His most prized possession and delivers us straight into His Father's arms!
Glory! Glory! Glory!
The 1st part that reminds me of our own humanity is the part where she isn't healed here on earth.
You want the little boy to come home, give his momma the ruby red slippers and instantly watch strength flow into her and watch her get up and dance a jig across the room.
That's what I wanted.
It's not what happened.
That's the part that reminded me of our own humanity.
We all die.
The other part that touched on this humanity of ours was the fact she had on ruby red slippers.
Do you all get that?
The little girl inside her was wearing ruby red slippers.
She was safe in her Daddy's arms,
being his princess
and
still playing dress-up in her ruby red slippers.
Every girls dream come true.
I bet she even clicked her heels together and said, "I want to go home."
The song has a line that goes something like this:
"I want her to look beautiful if she meets Jesus tonight."
She did look beautiful in her ruby red slippers.
Maybe when we are scooped up in the arms of Jesus,
when it's our time to go home,
all the gals,
get a pair of shiny new ruby red slippers.
