day 85: a sole that stands out?

*disclaimer: i know the title is cheesy, but i had to make up for the fact that today's picture is pretty dull. i'll explain in a minute...

the exciting part of the day consisted of a 4th of july cookout/get-together paired with an early birthday celebration for bruce, complete with trivia & a mario-kart tournament. nothing like some good old american fun, right!? it's one of our last "slow" days to relax! i realized, though, that my camera was dead after we got there.

BUT...that led me to share this instead. after we had our fill of burgers & sweets where did i head? the gym, of course. while i was tempted to place the leftover cupcakes on the treadmills of those at the gym, i refrained. but, i did get a good laugh just thinking about it!

time for some honesty...
lately i've gotten a little tired of standing out. yesterday, a man at our flat who works downstairs greeted us as we headed out for the day. we got caught up chatting for a minute but before we left he made sure to comment again on our american accents. he made a comment on how surprised he was that our students could understand us.

a few weeks ago at an english-speaking church, the pastor mid-sermon started poking fun at americans. & with that came the infamous "american accent" (which, when portrayed by south africans, makes us all sound like really dumb rednecks). there we sat...yep, that was awkward.

another sunday as we walked in the door just merely by saying "hello" the greeters responded with, "oh, americans!" ugh...

& 2 days ago, another similar experience - a girl fussed at her little brother for "sounding like an american"...

so, i'm just going to start faking a south african accent. it will probably just sound australian.

american accents aside, there's one other thing that ALWAYS catches the attention of south africans: my toe-shoes.

today at the gym was no exception. i honestly forget how abnormal they are until, without fail, i catch the wide eyes. i've had them for years. but it never fails. i could tell story upon story simply on the responses evoked by these shoes. i'll just stick to today:

there i was, completely zoned out running when...
- mile 1: the man next to me nearly walked off the back of his treadmill staring at my feet. i have to admit i've stopped acknowledging it.
- mile 2: the two young women on the squash courts to the left of me were both standing & pointing through the glass walls gawking, mouths wide open at what? my feet.
- mile 3: there was a trainer working out a girl on the floor right beside my treadmill. i glanced down & he motioned for me to take my headphones out. (pointing at my feet) "how much?" & we proceeded w/ the conversation as expected
- mile 4: a trainer who i'd met previously (when he noticed & asked about my shoes) came over to talk to the american with the weird shoes again.

needless to say, i don't even want to wear the shoes anymore. but, it's all i have. AND, while i get really tired of people staring, it always make me think:

is my LIFE like that? so completely different than the world that everywhere i go people take notice & want to ask what that is, where that comes from? sadly, no. but that's my PRAYer - that our SOULS will stand out & people would be drawn to the uniqueness that is a life filled & led solely by Christ.

so there ya go, another spiritual lesson from the seemingly insignificant aspects of my everyday life. welcome to the abnormality that is my mind :)