New Shoes

Do you remember getting a special, new pair of shoes as a kid?  Man, it may sound strange, but growing up having the cool shoes was much more than important... it seemed like everything.  This was especially true in middle school.  I don't know why it was so important.  The fancy shoes didn't impress the girls.  As a guy, I think we really believed the shoes would enable us to do things that normally we couldn't do.  I remember thinking as a kid, "Man, these shoes make me run fast!"

Wish I had captured his face when he saw these bad boys on his feet!

These pictures are of Bud in his soccer cleats.  The cleats don't actually look like soccer cleats... probably more like football or baseball, but because I love soccer... we call them, "Soccer cleats."

I can't describe how excited Bud was to wear them.  Seems like we had them for a long time before he actually put them on.  That wasn't because of him not wanting to wear them... or him not asking to wear them... I've tried to remember why I was reluctant to let him wear them for so long.  Maybe I thought they were too big?  Maybe I was afraid they'd leave marks all throughout the house?  Maybe I thought they'd look strange with whatever clothes he was wearing at the time?  Regardless of why, I hate all of the reasons I didn't let him wear them sooner now.  He was excited and ready.  I should have let him lace them up even when they were huge on them because they brought him such joy.  Then I should have commissioned him to play.

Truth is... he's got the shoes on.  He's ready for action... he's excited... all day long his words and actions scream, "I want to play!"... but he has no idea how to play soccer.  Yes, we've played a little in the road with neighbors (of course... such good times), but Bud's always half the size (or less) than nearly every other player.  He does want to contribute though!

Well, I can really identify with my son lately.  Started my new job.  It feels like a dream job in so many ways.  There's a lot to the job.  I feel like the kid who's ready and excited... got my fancy shoes on... but I don't know what in the world I need to do.  Much to learn.  Hungry to learn.  Much excitement.  Ready to play.  Always ready to play.  Just need to learn the about the other players, need to learn about the game, need to learn everything...  Even in my state of knowing nothing I feel unbelievably so jacked up that I get to play.  Don't know what to do, but thrilled out of my mind.  Of course I can get overwhelmed like anyone else... that doesn't matter... similar to the old days, just like I expected the fancy shoes to make me able to do things that I had never been able to do, I'm 100% confident the Lord's going to use me to do things I never imagined doing.