cheetah shoes, retrenchment, and other spiritual thoughts.

It was the perfect storm.

Phil started doing our books and felt increasing pressure to find a summer internship that can pay the bills.

I listened to an LDS podcast on the Retrenchment Movement.

Then... I bought amazing shoes.

Let's start with retrenchment. Retrenchment means a cutting down, or back; reduction. In layman's terms this means to simplify. In 1869 Pres. Brigham Young called the women of my church to retrench or, in other words, to simplify their lives.

"I desire them to retrench from extravagance in dress, in eating and even in speech. The time has come when the sisters must agree ... to set an example worthy of imitation before the people of the world.... There is need for the young daughters of Israel to get a living testimony of the truth... We are about to organize a retrenchment Association, which I want you all to join, and I want you to vote to retrench in ... everything that is not good and beautiful, not to make yourselves unhappy, but to live so you may be truly happy in this life and in the life to come."- President Brigham Young

Apparently women were getting very preoccupied with lavish table settings and fine dress. They were spending a great deal of time on embellishing their clothes and preparing big dinners. It all sounds pretty modern to me. I go online and drool longingly at dresses or try to be Martha Stewart only to find myself crying in a pile of glitter with burnt-by-glue-gun fingers.

It was hard for some women to take the lace off of their skirts and simplify their lives but they were encouraged to spend their time enriching themselves in more valuable ways. Now I love a lacy skirt (I think I would have been the girl in the laciest of all skirts as a matter of fact) but my podcast historians explained that it wasn't a puritanical movement (everyone wear black and look morose) but instead a shift in priorities and a returned focus to important things like spiritual growth and testimony.

I haven't been asked to throw away my clothes or stop throwing dinner parties. I think I'll always like to dress well because I love beautiful things. I like to look my best and express myself through what I wear. All of this being said I did take away some new perspectives on priorities in my own life.

Now onto SHOES. I bought the most marvelous shoes. They fit perfectly and looked so sassy... because they're cheetah. Cheetah never ceases to make me feel like a million bucks walking down the street. I brought them home and showed them off. I looked at them lovingly in their box. I'm not sure if I pet them...but I feel like I did at least with my eyes.

Later that night Phil and I talked about some of our financial concerns. Namely him finding summer work to support our growing family and get us through to our LAST YEAR (yeehaw!!!) in law school. In the morning I felt resolute that I should pray for a paid internship. So I knelt down by Teddy's changing table, held his chubby hand and we prayed for Daddy. That's when it came, the strong impression that my shoes were going to have to return to the shoe store and that I had been selfish and that at least during this time of uncertainty I need to retrench.

Now I hope in a few months I'll tell you about how returning the shoes blessed our family and how I happily got to buy them again but that's not what's important. What is important is that the shoes are NOT important. That's what I had to learn.

So what's getting in the way of what will truly make you happy? What distracts you from truly good and beautiful things? If I can return my "SOLE-mates" so can you.