I am the very fortunate recipient of daily emails from my mom. She sends them when she gets up, which happens to be about the time I go to bed—so my last thoughts before I go to sleep are often from her emails. She shares verses and the concepts she’s studying in her personal and group Bible studies. And sometimes, she’ll tell me that one of those verses or concepts just “blessed her socks off.” She’s used that expression as long as I can remember. And when I was a very little girl, I took it literally. I had a vivid image in my head of Mom listening to a choir and suddenly feeling so blessed by the music that a tiny tornado would swirl around her feet, blowing the socks right off of them. I watched her feet intently, especially in church, but I never saw it happen.
I think of that every time I sit down to write. I pray and ask God to move my fingers over my keyboard in such a way that someone will be blessed. For some reason, I have a mental image of a lady somewhere on the East Coast, drinking her coffee in her robe and slipper socks while she reads my words—and suddenly, she’s so blessed that a little tornado pushes her back in her recliner and blows those pink striped slipper socks right off of her feet. I’d like to think that every person who reads my words is barefoot by the time they’re finished—but that’s just a little fantasy I share with God. A girl can dream, right?
I remember the days when I dreamed of being sober. Yet when I finally got sober, I saw my ten-year struggle with substance abuse with newly clear eyes. And I felt such overwhelming regret and sadness. I saw how I’d hurt people. I saw the damage I’d done and the wreckage I’d left in my wake. I also saw the enormity of my blessings. When I looked around at what I still had, at all the people who forgave me and still loved me, it blessed my socks off. I’ve been metaphorically barefoot for almost six years now.
I never want to be passive in accepting my blessings—I don’t want to just sit here and wait for God to bless me. I want to actively accept His grace and redemption and turn it into a blessing for someone else. I want God to use me to shine a little light through the window of my computer screen for any lonely soul who might need it. Most of the time, I’m able to ask God to use my words and trust that He will. But sometimes it’s hard not to wonder if anyone is being affected by my words or even reading them. And at those times, insecurity pops up, and I compare myself to other people. I see the gifts that others are using for the glory of God—gifts of mercy. Servanthood. Hospitality. Music so beautiful that it must give God heavenly goosebumps. Gifts of love and grace that mirror the love and grace of God. And I worry that my gifts won’t measure up—that they won’t be worthy of the King.
Last week, Monty and I were driving home from dinner with Mom and Dad, and I played a version of “The Drummer Boy” for Mom that I knew she’d like. She did—I think it blessed her socks off. Later that night, I thought about the song. I’d never paid much attention to the lyrics of the song, but as I thought about them, I realized that the story they tell is quite poignant: a little boy is invited by the three wise men to bring his finest gift to offer the newborn King. He sees the wise men bringing expensive gifts, and he worries that he has no gift to offer that would be worthy of the King. All he has is his drum. So he stands humbly before Mary and asks if he should play it. When she nods, he plays “his best” for his King. And the King smiles at him.
Imagine that—having the King of all creation smile at you when you offer your gift to Him. I want that. At the end of my life, I want to be able to stand before my King and say, “I did my best for You.” I want Him to smile and say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” Just thinking of that moment blesses my socks off. And, as we enter this season of gratitude and gift-giving, it inspires me anew to turn my gratitude into gifts that bring glory to my King. I invite you to do it with me—to use your drum, whatever it happens to be, to bless the socks off of someone. You might not know until heaven if you’ve done it. But I can guarantee you that using the gifts God gave you will bless your own socks off. So play your drum. Do your best for Him. And may we all have a barefoot Thanksgiving.
What can I give back to God
for the blessings He’s poured out on me?
I’ll lift high the cup of salvation—a toast to God!
I’ll pray in the name of God.
I’ll complete what I promised God I’d do,
and I’ll do it together with his people.Psalm 116:12-14
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Comments 12
Hi Renee, thank you for your kind words, it’s been a little rough here this week and your kind words were a big pick me up, you more than anyone else would understand I think! Thank you,
Love,
Grover
Grover–I do understand. This week somehow brings out the worst in everyone–but it’s also a great week with family. I carry your heart ith me always;
Renee, you are so fornature to have your mom to talk to everyday, that’s so awesome you can lean on each other. I watch my wife and daughter message each other everyday, some times three or four times a day, they carry each other day to day.
Renee your writing is so awesome and points every one to the Lord. When you but these post out there you have no idea who will see them after your friends see the post on Facebook, you will probably never know who or how many people your messages each. That’s up to God you write these beautiful post put them on the internet after that the ball is in God’s court and will use the post for His purposes as He chooses. Never fear you are doing God’s work! You have touched my heart and given me strength problems I am facing!
Are we all doing enough for God? Well we all can’t be a Billy Graham, but you know it’s the little things we do in life, and the examples we show in our life’s. Your recovery speaks tons to the person trying to recover from drugs, gambling or all the other problems life throws at us.
I have had the same feeling like you, am I doing enough for God? I hope I can look the Lord in the eye and tell him I did the best I could even with all the things the baggage I have had in my life, but God is the perfect judge and knows us so much more than we know are selfs and all we can do is trust His judgement.
Grover–these are such kind words. I will come back to them when I get discouraged. I will also keep coming back to what you said about writing my posts and then letting them be in God’s hands to do with them as He chooses. I have to believe that if He calls me to do this, then He’ll use my words for His purposes. I know you are shining God’s light for Him because you do it for me and all the others you encounter, especially your sweet wife. Thank you for shining it for me today with your beautiful, encouraging words. Happy, happy Thanksgiving to you and Jean and your family. My love to you.
Renee,
Your words bless my socks off more often than not. I don’t always have the words to respond to your messages of hope, faith, and love. Please know that your “drum” is a blessing to me and your blog is something I share with a couple of my close friends who understand the struggle. You have blessed many. I would love to share this with my family at Thanksgiving so that we can all have a barefoot holiday. ❤️
Jennifer–well, there went my socks! Thank you so very much for your words, and thank you for sharing my words with anyone you think might want to hear them. I so appreciate your encouragement. ❤
Love this! I love the last line about having a barefoot Thanksgiving! You inspire me how you have use your God-given gift of writing to connect and bless others. You make me want to do the same!
Monty–thank you for your beautiful words. I’m barefoot right now! You’re a walking blessing, you know. You spread kindness every where you go and you’re the first to step in and show kindness and help someone.
Good morning Sparrow. You will have to excuse me, for starting with that “Wondrous Song”, “The Little Drummer Boy”. I first became acquainted with this song, Christmas season, 1958. As a “Teenage Rock N’Roller” my tight little clique of fellow R&R enthusiasts, would gather at the local “Recird Stires”, to hear what was “cool” in our genre(R&R).Well,one afternoon we heard “The Little Drummer Boy”, and we were all struck, in some way, by this beautiful song. Pr firmed by the Harry Simrobe Chorale Group, What a Beautuful song. Looked at my “trusted Google”, before I started writing, found out it was originally written by Miss Katherine A.Davis in 1941. Then performed by The Trapp Family Singers in 1955. Then of course Harry Simrone1958. Still love to hear the song, peaceful, powerful. Brings me to today’s world. What can we offer to the Baby Jesus. My own thought, Our Lord and Savior JesusChrist, will accept any gift from us. Prayer, thought, deeds, especially deeds. We should not expect anything, we should jut love giving of ourselves. My feeling, as I have given myself the Thanksgiving week off from my “peeps”, give Joy, conversation, prayer, song. God Will Bless Us. I, Me, need God’s Graceand Redemption. Once again, your Blog has awakened my thoughts, writings, when I woke up this morning, no clue was what I was going to write. Soared, your writings inspire, lift, and help me. Can’t thank you enough. ❤️TexGen
TexGen–oh, I love to picture you singing with your fellow rockers. What a great story about you discovering the song. I didn’t know the Trapp Family Singers sang it–that’s so cool. I like what you said about God accepting anything we bring Him. I know you have the gift of servanthood with your peeps, for sure. Thank you for your kind words and for never failing to read mine.
Well now, it’s a very good thing I am in my warm and fuzzy macaroon covered footy PJs (it’s a chef thing!😊) otherwise I would be sitting here barefoot as ever!!! Thank you for this beautiful blessing of your heart you are so called to share! I am approaching a disconcerting milestone birthday and I am becoming more aware of the fact that I could be losing some drums that I have loved serving with, at the very least I will have to adjust my rhythms! Then, God in his infinite Mercy gently redirects my hands to a new drum, drums he has longed for me to play, and even drums I never thought I might have a gift for! Gosh, can you tell your metaphor has struck a chord with me?!?!?
Have a very blessed Thanks and Giving season with your loved ones!
Danine
Author
Danine–Oh, I love to picture you in those jammies. And I really like your phrase about “adjusting your rhythms.” I think we all have to adjust those from time to time, when our strengths change, or we encounter new challenges. I have no doubt you will find more drums than you know what to do with–a veritable shower of drums. Thank you for blessing me with your words this morning. Love to you.