can't keep a good women down

Sitting in ICU Room #4 I watch a son caress the leg of his mother while she feeds herself banana pudding. They sit and discuss the doctors prognosis and his suggestions for her treatment. With wires and tubes attached to her and machines beeping, I watched the two of them speak with such love and kindness. In one small blink of an eye the son became the parent and the mother became the one in need of her child's advice. He assured his mother that he would take care of everything and not to worry. As he spoke her eye's began to tear up, I realized that the tears weren't really tears, just pride spilling out. She was trying to hide her nervousness with certainty. However, the tone in her voice would crack, she would try to laugh, smile, and hope her son didn't hear the small whimper in her light, sweet Texas draw. I've heard that the women from Texas are made up of grit, stubbornness, determination, vinegar, and sugar. Even in her current fragile condition those traits are easy to see in this Texas lady.
As she lay in the hospital bed recovering from a light stroke, a staph infection, triple bypass surgery, and a mechanical valve replacement she asks me, "Do you like to dance." I answered her with, "I try." The twinkle in her eye quickly returned along with her smile and said, "We'll all go as soon as I get out of this place." I took that as a sign that her strength and spunk never left.
She was moved to the rehab center this week, where her toughness will be put to the test. She has a long road ahead of her, but I have no doubt that it won't be long before this five foot two, go-gettin, gun packin, cross wearin, truth tellin, car burnin, lead-foot drivin, grandma will be back to her old tricks.

you can tell a lot about a girl by her shoes...

I get teased quite a bit about how much I love shoes. Honestly, I rarely leave a store without visiting the shoe section. When a pair catches my eye, it’s the only time I believe in love at first sight. When I slip them on for the first time and take those first few steps in them, I realize that it could be love. The price tag reveals that they are on sale, and then I know its destiny. I love my shoes so much that my daddy built me a six foot tall shoe cabinet to house them in. I currently have 53 pairs of shoes in it. That’s not all of them, but those are the ones that made the cut into the trophy case. There are very few things that make me feel as good as wearing a new pair of shoes.
Marilyn Monroe said, “Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.” I can so relate to this statement. I feel extraordinarily confident, sexy, brazen, and sometimes even smarter in new shoes. I know it must sound silly to boys, but it’s true. Personally, I think all girls feel better in new shoes. If they say different I choose to believe they are liars. Recently, someone told me that I had too many pairs of shoes. He even suggested that I should throw some of them out. After I caught my breath, I started to think that he might be right. Then I quickly regained my right mind, proceeded to tell him, in a very polite way, that he was wrong and it really wasn’t any of his business anyway. That pretty much ended the conversation.
Not that I need to, but I was wondering if there was a way to justify having so many pairs of shoes, other than Miss Monroe’s statement. Then I came across Song of Solomon 7:1, “How beautiful are thy feet in sandals, O prince’s daughter!” Could this be it? Before some of you start judging me for trying to manipulate God’s word, for my own opinion, I know this verse is not God telling me to buy a thousand pairs of shoes. However, He did inspire every word written, I'm just saying. Obviously even God has an appreciation for footwear and thinks a woman’s foot looks good in a nice strappy number. Yes, I’m aware that it may be a stretch, but I’m claiming it. According to biblegateway.com the word sandal(s) is used in 28 different verses (NIV). In Isaiah 52:7 and again in Romans 10:15 it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Why shouldn’t those feet be adorned with a great pair of shoes?It comes down to this, most boys don't understand why girls have to have so many pairs of shoes. I have listed a few reasons boys might understand: We are trying to conquer the world and need the perfect red peep toes heels to do it in. We are tired of being kissed on the forehead, we need the high heels so we don’t have to stand on our tippy toes. The shoes went with the new dress that took your breath away. Buying the shoes was cheaper than buying the gun to shoot you with and not as permanent. Honestly, boys, the truth is that sometimes a pair of shoes really can change your life, just ask Prince Charming and Cinderella.