Why I Wear a Toe Ring
I remember in 5th grade begging my mom to get my ears pierced.
Only one other girl in my class had hole-less lobes so I pleaded my case, “But Mooooooom! EVVVVV-ERYONE has their ears pierced but Heidi and me!”
My super-conservative mom told me if God wanted holes in my ears, I would have been born with them.
I retorted, “Well, if he wanted me to wear clothes, then I would have been born with them on too. So, tomorrow I am going to school nude.” :-)
Mom was bluffing. She took me to the Meijer Thrifty Acres grocery store on my birthday that year where a nice lady in the jewelry department pierced them for me.
The pain was worth the cool.
In college, my friend Carmen and her best friend each got one ear double pierced (cool for that time). They said it would be to remind them that they belonged to the Lord; that they were His slaves.
Exodus 21:5-6 says about slaves (who would be bound to work for 6 years and then could go free):
“But the slave may declare, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children. I don’t want to go free.’ If he does this, his master must present him before God.Then his master must take him to the door or doorpost and publicly pierce his ear with an awl. After that, the slave will serve his master for life.”
I loved Carmen’s idea. An earring to remind me I want to serve God and my family.
However, I am a wimp. And the pain of the first go-round of ear piercing was enough for me!
In fact, I am so thankful I am not a missionary in a country where, if you don’t have your nose pierced, it means your husband beats you. Or, that I don’t have a hubby that thinks I could totally rock the cute-tiny-diamond-stud-nose-ring look.
If either of these were true, I would use a Barbie stick-on earring there instead!
Well, a few years ago, while speaking at a resort on St. Simon’s Island, GA, a group of us from the retreat went shopping downtown on our free time. There, we each bought sterling silver toe rings.
I wear it to remind myself that I am a voluntary slave of Christ. And that I love my Master and my husband and children.
When I see it, I am able to realign my thoughts at those times I want to put myself on the throne. Or, when I grow weary of the serving, and running, and working that is required to be a Christian wife and mom.
Tweet ThisI have become so concerned with the many women I meet (and some I know in real life) who have decided the grass is greener on the other side. So, they chuck their families (and sometimes God too!) and venture off to finally “Be happy.”
Now, I am not one who will just sit and wag my finger at them thinking “For shame, you sinner!” God has gently chided me when I have done that in the past saying, “Karen, that could be you someday, you know. Be careful. And prayerful”
Marriage and mothering the way God commands is hard work! It takes patience, time, tears and forgiveness. It requires that we regroup and restart—-sometimes over and over again.
But my toe ring reminds me that this is for life. I am a slave of Jesus and a willing servant of my family. (And it is not a one-way street. They love and serve me too.)
Yes, I am free to do as I’d like. There are no laws in my country against chucking my family and running away. (Come one….you know we moms sometimes dream of running away!)
However, my toe ring reminds me of this:
“Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.” 1 Peter 2:16
Will you sign up to be His slave?
I forgot to mention that I love the fact that you got your toe ring while you were in Georgia!! I am a Georgia Peach!!
I loved this!! It reminded me of my own begging for pierced ears and getting them when I was a little girl!! I also loved the reminder of being a voluntary slave and the caution about growing weary. The toe ring is a great visual reminder!!!
I’m new to your blog, but so far I’m really enjoying your refreshing combination of faith, inspiration, and dedication to the Lord, along with a little fun. Thanks for sharing what’s important to you. Hope I win the prize!
I LOVE toe rings! I used to have a little silver one .. need to see if I can find it! Great message and reminder! Thank you!
I loved this and really needed this today. I’m having a rough week where I feel stuck and not focused on Christ. I want to be His slave and love the idea of finding something that always reminds me of this. Thank you.
This was exactly what I needed to hear today! :)
I LOVE the idea! Thanks so much for sharing!
You Rock Karen!
I just love how you perfectly describe what is really happening around us and how God is so present in all of our choices-even our ear piercing days- moms included!!! Mine was the same! However, a toe ring would be another way to “shine” God’s presence for all to see-most importantly for me! Living in the present is the way to go and abiding in him warms my heart – God Bless You for staying so REAL!
Thanks for sharing the touching devotional today. You are so wonderful to make simple things in our lives mean so much more when we look at it from God’s perspective. Blessings to you!
Karen…thank you for your post today. I would definitely opt for the toe ring over a second ear-piercing as well!! I think that no one can really prepare or explain all that is entailed in becoming a bride/wife/mom/homemaker until we find ourselves navigating those years. I was an ‘older’ bride, which made me an ‘older’ Mom when we started our family. The Lord’s timing was perfect in my life and He has given me countless opportunities to grow and learn how to live out the fruits of the spirit beyond what I ever knew I could as I minister to my husband and our two children as a wife, mom, and keeper of our home. Thank you Lord!
Love…Love…Love your post! What a great visual reminder as to who’s we are! I need to go shopping!
Love that!!!
Haven’t worn a toe ring in awhile, I kept losing them so stopped.
thank you sooooo much! i was feeling stuck today and struggling to find some motivation to do some tough things I need to do… thank you for the REFRESHINGLY honest look at being a willing slave to Christ.
My sweet six-year-old daughter spontaneously prayed for Jesus to be her Lord on the way home Monday night… after months of questions. I was so excited… and now I get to help her see — as an insider– what that looks like!
I’m 65 years old. Being a young adult in the early ’60s gave me “license” to make unwise choices and I did. Now years later, I can say that those scarlet sins are white as snow — God waited patiently for me to come home. There are times that I shake my head as I recall my actions-I cannot believe that was me. Oh, what an idea – a toe ring to remind me of my true bridegroom and His grace and mercy for me – a lost & found sheep.
I love this reflection, reminds me of a song we often sing at church that says, “Majesty, I bow before you and lay everything at Your feet. With royal clothing that I don’t deserve, I live to serve Your Majesty”. It always reminds me of everything I have or don’t have is because the Lord has allowed it in my life — He is God, not me; He has everything under control, not me. What can I do but serve him? I am his slave and am so blessed to have this privilege. Thanks for all you share — you’re a blessing Karen! God bless!
What a great reminder. As a mother it is so easy sometimes to forget who we serve and want to run as far away as possible! I had just been thinking recently about some sort of reminder for myself such as a necklace or bracelet that when I look at it I would be reminded of all that my God has done for me. But now a toe ring, hmmmm….great idea.
Now I know what to do with the tarnished silver toe ring that’s been languishing in my jewelry box for several years now – polish it up and put it on as a beautiful daily reminder of the privilege it is to serve my family and my Lord and King. Karen, thank you for being such an inspiration to wives and mothers! Love your blog!
Love this idea! I am doing a study on Proverbs 31 with some other ladies and may suggest we all get toe rings as a reminder of what we have studied!
Karen,
What a cool idea! The funny thing is when I had babies, I used to run out of door the minute my husband arrived home in his car, and I said, “They are yours! Here is their spoon!” I would just run and run away to bookstore, anywhere to get my sanity back.
Now I run to my bathroom and lock myself there when I feel like the “chucking family.” I would stay there for a few minutes then feel ready to start over.
Besides hard work is only temporary on earth.
I love this! God has been teaching me so much over this season of life, and part of it is putting aside my type A personality (actually type AAA!!!***) and just be content to be His little girl.
What a great idea! I have worn toe rings in the past just to be cute. Now they take on a whole new meaning. I will share this with my teen daughter too. What a neat way we can be reminded who we belong to! Thank you for your thoughts today. :)
Just last night I stumbled onto a website about hating to be a mom and a wife. Woman after woman complained about how much it took away from them to serve there families. The level of hatred towards motherhood and the desire to have never had children broke my heart. I literally “hungered” to be with my own children. I saw this posted on facebook and it restored my hope in moms and reminded me why we do what we do. Even if we feel like running God gives us a greater purpose and thank you for the reminder that we serve him above anyone else. A toe ring is a wonderful idea to take the focus off our own selfishness and turn our eyes to God.
Love your posts. You are an inspiration to me. Like the idea of the toe ring. Blessings
What a beautiful reminder……even for a 54 year old! Thank you for considering me in this giveaway.