In their shoes

About 8 months I asked my husband for a new mattress because ours was really rather uncomfortable.  We instead got a foam topper.  When we went to put the topper on, we realized that the seams on my side of the bed had come out and the entire side of my mattress was hanging off the mattress.  We like to stretch our dollar as far as it can go and my husband didn’t see anything wrong with our mattress because it was still pretty comfortable according to him.  Well I am never one to insist on something- I might ask over and over again, but ultimately, I allow him to officially make the big decisions. 

Well, the topper helped for a day – then I was back to sleeping on the couch for a firmer bed, and just not sleeping well at all.  I have been waking up with lower back pain which has lead to upper back pain.  My body has not felt like it’s 29 year-old self.  I have always had some back issues, but it has really escalated.  Finally for our anniversary, my husband says that we are going to get a new mattress. I am ecstatic!  We went shopping last weekend, our kids in tow, and I think that I have found the mattress that I like and he claims he can sleep on anything.  Well, last night, as I was attempting to work out the tightness in my shoulders and lower back, my husband says, why don’t we try to rotate the mattress?  Well, we hadn’t thought about that before and frankly, I didn’t want him to have to have the bad and broken side of the bed since he has to go to the store all day and lift things etc…

So we rotated our mattress last night and I totally see why he didn’t think that we needed a new one – it is comfortable on his side of the mattress.  I slept so well and woke up with a new attitude for life.  Even with waking up at 2 am to assist my almost 2 year old, I still got the best sleep that I have had in ages!  I called him and informed him that I could handle this mattress a little longer if we needed to save the extra money and his response was – that we would get our new mattress.

It is amazing what putting yourself in someone else’s shoes can do for you.  For some it can rejuvenate you, for others, it can make you see where the other person is coming from.  Being in their position can make you see the trouble that they are facing and the hardships.  So often we can’t see the hardships that others are facing because we are too involved in our own issues.  Take a second and think about the homeless person, the person that doesn’t have something to eat or to feed their children.  The parent in Somalia that has to choose between their children, which one they are going to give water to.  Think of your friends, maybe they are going through a rough time right now – maybe they need an empathetic shoulder to cry on. 

If you can, don’t just think about these issues, actually put yourself in their shoes.  Place yourself in the shoes of the person that needs that extra food, the person that has to feed their kid and can’t because they don’t have the money to pay for the food.  The person that just lost the love of their life… There are great organizations in place to help deal with a lot of the issues that are at hand, it just takes a minute to help, write a check, volunteer, go grocery shopping. 

My friend Mindy posted this today - Matthew 25:35-37" for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink;..."  

It isn’t just about physical food and water, it is about being their for them spiritually too.  If they are going through a rough time, you can be the emotional food and water that they need – we can be there for others.  People are hungry for the love of God – people are thirsty for everlasting life- lets be the people that feed and shelter those physically but aslo spiritually.  We have to meet the physical need before they will listen to the spiritual aspect. Lets be the kind of people that strive to be understanding and put ourselves in the shoes of the people that need help wether it is someone that is in physical need of help – or a friend or family member in need of emotional help.  Lets feed God’s sheep and tend to His Lambs!