Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop

I stood frozen, unblinking and holding my breath. I felt anxious, unsettled and nervous. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. …and it did. It was a size 5 boys black dress shoe to be exact and it fell from our second-story landing onto ceramic tile below.

You see, I had heard what I surmised to be the first shoe dropping.

tthhhhhhhhhHHUUMPPPPPP!!

And in that super-speed Mommy brain mode that can think faster than the Road Runner can get away from Wile E. Coyote, I knew what had happened. It was a Sunday morning and our seven-year-old son was getting dressed for church. I knew I had laid out his black dress shoes. I also knew that since recently moving into this home, with an open second-story landing, that our son has a new found interest in gravity. I thought I had made it clear that no “hard objects” were to be dropped below, but apparently with seven-year-old boys you need to be a bit more specific.

So I waited. I waited for the other shoe to drop. And as I said, it did. It thumped as loud as the first and the sound reverberated off the tile floor. Yes, I caught up to my poor son in about as much time as it took for the shoe to fall and we reviewed the “landing rule.” Dropping hard objects is not good for the walls, floor, objects being dropped, or little sisters who happen to be standing below. Lesson learned, and so we moved on with our Sunday morning.

We moved on, but as I was blow-drying my hair I thought about it some more. I had literally just waited for the other shoe to drop. I do it figuratively so often that it was interesting to actually experience it for real!

Yes, I sometimes use that phrase “waiting for the other shoe to drop” when trying to explain to my hubby or a friend how I deal with fear of the unknown. I’ve told them that sometimes I struggle. I struggle with fearing what big, hard trial will happen next in my life.

I’ve had some whoppers of a shoe drop in my past and I’ve faced some difficult situations. I’m thankful that my God has been so faithful and now things are looking up and moving forward. But when that’s the case, when things are going well, I sometimes find myself standing there…frozen, unblinking and holding my breath. I feel anxious, unsettled and nervous. I’m waiting for that figurative other shoe to drop. Oh, I wish I wouldn’t!

So here’s what I’ve tried to do about it. I’ve had to remind myself of two things.

1. The other shoe IS going to drop.

I know, it’s a bummer, but we all know it’s true. This life is full of disappointment, hardships and trial. No one is exempt. Wow, aren’t I Susie Sunshine! 🙂

But, the second point helps:

2. I believe in and serve an Almighty God who never allows a “shoe to drop” without it passing through his Sovereign, Merciful hands.

Wheh! When I remember point number two and when I look back at God’s faithfulness, provision, unconditional love, mercy, grace and hope during my difficult times I can start to move and blink again. I can even take a deep breath knowing that no matter what shoe drops, HE is in control.

Fact is, I don’t know what or when the next shoe will be. I hope it’s a flip-flop or something light if one has to drop at all, but I don’t get to make that choice. I do, however, get to choose how I’ll live in the meantime.

Am I going to waste my time worrying about the future and being frozen with fear… or am I going to live joyfully and fully while trusting in my Sovereign Lord?

Who knew a boy’s dress shoe could have a profound impact on my thinking? …Come to think of it, I hope that’s the only place it makes impact in the future!