I know what you're thinking. What does that shirt have to do with ANYTHING this blog is about? Like all the other pictures, this one has a story.
Last year, my sweetie bear and I went to a FSU game for fun. We aren't really into football (don't tell the South, we'll be exiled ;-)), so, of course, we had no gear.
We stood out like sore thumbs in our regular t-shirts and jeans amongst the sea of garnet and gold. To keep people from staring at us, we paid more for spirit shirts than I think I have ever paid for a single item of clothing in my life (my wedding dress may have been a few pennies more expensive ;-)). The story behind this shirt was so funny to my husband and I that we laughed about it for weeks. Then about a month later, I never wanted to see this shirt again.
What altered this story was so far out of my hands that it shook me to my very core.
It was a chilly Friday morning. My school was having a faculty spirit day and we were told to wear spirit gear. Since I signed over my firstborn for this shirt, I figured I had better get some use out of it.
Not six hours later, still in this shirt, on a beautiful, crisp blue, November day, I was at the bedside of my Grandfather as he unexpectedly departed this world, leaving us shattered and broken a week before Thanksgiving.
I had not believed that this sickness would claim him. He was a believer and I just knew there was more he had left to do. If I'm honest, I was hurt and confused for longer than I care to admit. Even as a believer, even knowing that by taking him God healed him and answered our prayers, I didn't get it. The sound of monitors beeping made me ill for months and I buried this shirt in the abyss that is my wardrobe so that I didn't have to confront my own lack of faith in my creator.
Yesterday, we received an email stating that it was that time again: pull out the spirit wear for the faculty photo! Not only that, wear the spirit gear on THE EXACT SAME DAY that one of my MOST favorite people in the world, my dad, must undergo a minor heart procedure. My heart fell and my stomach churned thinking about this non-threatening FSU shirt. Since the idea made me sick, I convinced myself that I would NOT bring out that bright, yellow reminder. I especially wouldn't wear it to a hospital again to see my Dad since the last time did not turn out how I wanted! I made this determination: I would just wear regular clothes. Most people accept I am not sporty and prefer glitter to golf any day, no one would be the wiser.
But God would know why I didn't.
He would know that I didn't wear that shirt because I somehow associate it with a day he "did me wrong."
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I HAVE to wear this tee tomorrow. God doesn't answer prayers based on what I wear. If I analyze what I really was doing, I was being superstitious.
I have already prayed and believed that God is going to make sure my dad is even better before he went in. He will annoint the hands of the doctors and open their minds to the correct course. I believe that by his stripes, my dad is healed.
And all of this has NOTHING to do with whether or not I wear an overpriced FSU t-shirt or not.
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