Beauty Tips for Ministers

Low Self-Esteem Shopping

October 24, 2009 on 12:22 pm | In Self Care | 3 Comments

OH Pigeons,

PeaceBang prayed this morning for God’s help with stewardship of her body and her bank account. We seem to have done a little bit of low self-esteem shopping last week and we don’t feel great about it (although PeaceBang is a pretty responsible little chicken and never goes really nuts, but like almost everyone else in America, she could be saving more). Don’t you appreciate how PeaceBang switches to the royal “we” when she doesn’t want to use “I” statements, as in “I ate like a pack of ravenous wolverines this week” or “I went in search of retail therapy for my lousy mood”?

I needed brown pumps. I know that “need” is a relative term when we’re talking about shoes, but you know what I’m talking about.

So I purchased these (Born Sassafras) at DSW Shoe Warehouse:

Love them, have been looking for a brown pump with a sturdy heel for years, good deal.

But I forgot that I had bid on this very cute pair of Danskos on e-Bay:

And, um, whoops — I won them!
Also a good deal, but still!

Part of me wants to say, “When you know your wardrobe staples and you have trouble finding a basic, do purchase them when you find them; you’ll be happy you did.” Because brown pumps are a staple of my autumn/winter working wardrobe that I haven’t been able to find for a long time (I’ve been wearing brown boots most Sundays, and for summer I have beautiful brown Bandolino wedge sandals). And those little Danskos will be great in the summer when I need a light-colored shoe (I LOVE that fawn color of brown and it’s hard to find) and a closed toe. They’re even fine for casual weddings, I think. They’re dopey and Olive Oy-ish but since I don’t wear the usual FLOWING GARB of the liberal Protestant minister, I think they’ll be cute and appropriate for my life and work.

So those were good purchases that I can justify.

I can’t really justify the silver sneakers that I forgot I ordered online last week, though. Those were pure Veruca Salt “I Want It Now” sneakers.

Realizing with guilty worry that I have acquired THREE NEW PAIRS OF SHOES in two weeks, another part of me admonishes, “Be careful. When you feel lousy about yourself it’s very tempting to seek solutions in new possessions, especially of clothes, shoes, bags, other accessories and make-up and hair products.”

It doesn’t matter that these purchased were subsidized (and then some) by an honorarium I received for doing a lecture. What matters is the issue of stewardship, which I do not have to explain to you fine people.

What I like to do in times like this is carry a little tiny zip pouch with just some cash and my driver’s license in it for the week. I’m not going anywhere, so I can call a friend in the event of an emergency. Not having credit or debit or checkbook on hand is very freeing. It denies me even the choice of spending or not. I’m stocked up on groceries and pet food, the gas tank is full and I should have no need for spending at all beyond a cup of coffee or sandwich.

I’ll look forward to getting my Danskos in the mail and having fun with my new eyeliners. And with God’s help I’ll be able to attend well to my body, mind and soul during this busy week.

You, too, y’ hear?

Kiss of peace, PB (and her new shoes!)