Cookies! Remember when “The Beverly Hillbillies” was on, and you would watch and when they said, “Kick yer shoes off” in the “Ballad of Jed Clampett,” you would kick yours off?
PeaceBang remembers this very well, as it made her little kidlet self laugh with glee every time as her tiny shoes went flying off her feet and into the air, while MotherBang occasionally admonished from the other room, “Vicki, if you break the TV with one of those shoes you’re going to be in big trouble.”
As you may recall, PeaceBang has a raging case of plantar fascitis these days and is constantly messing with her feet whenever she gets a chance; removing her shoes at the office and rolling her most afflicted tootsie around on a frozen water bottle or tennis ball. Last Sunday in worship she was sitting at the front of the congregation and found that she had removed her right foot from her shoe and was rubbing it against her left calf!!! QUELLE HORREUR (or however you spell it)!
This moment of mortification reminded Your Faithful PB to remind you: When we are leading worship, or sitting on the side while someone else leads worship, we must keep our feet shod, which is really a great word, by the way. That means no slipping off our flats to surreptitiously scratch a toe, and that even means not hanging our shoes off our heel, which PeaceBang has seen both men and women of the cloth do. It makes her want to yell, “This ain’t the ‘Beverly Hillbillies!’ Keep yer shoes on!”
Half-kicking off a shoe can be an unconscious maneuver, but it is never appropriate in a worship setting, so please stay awake and stay alert. No sitting there with your legs crossed in your robe letting your shoe dangle off your toe. It’s all just too rude to be borne. Even Granny would be appalled.
This is an excellent reminder for all of us who want to be respectful during a serious event. I tend to be a dangler from the toe type and it really isn’t pretty, is it?
As a long time, fellow plantar fasciitis sufferer I wanted to offer this tip to you:
My PF has been helped greatly by this simple exercise. Every morning, immediately after getting up, stretch both feet by standing on a step on the balls of your feet and hanging your heels over the edge. Hold for three full minutes, feeling the stretch deep in the calves. Not only does the morning pain subside, but I swear I’m a half-inch taller afterwards.
I’ve tried the ice water bottle trick, the standing on a tennis ball trick, steroid shots, taping my feet at night, wearing a foot torture boot while sleeping…you name it, I’ve done it all short of surgery. My PF is chronic; I’ve had it for over 20 years. Only this simple stretch helps me and it can be done anywhere while the coffee brews. I hope it helps you, too!
I still need to stick to good, supportive shoes (Naots are my go-to) but I have MUCH less pain mid-day after committing to this practice. On really intense standing-all-day days, I do the stretch again in the afternoon. While volunteering on a disaster relief job, the only “steps” available were the rungs of a ladder leaning against the wall and I became known as the Ladder Lady. I’m sure there are discreet steps somewhere around your church office. [Thanks, honey! – PB]
Because most shoes are too wide through the heel for me, I tend to be a toe-dangler, too. A number of years ago on Oprah she talked about sitting like the Queen (Liz2) sits: one leg planted squarely in front of you, the other resting behind the ankle. I have adopted that for my chancel seating pose. It is comfortable, dignified, helps you sit a little straighter and I don’t worry about unbecoming knee gaps…
So, I just stumbled on your page… LOVE LOVE LOVE! As a new minister I am so grateful to have your kind, guiding voice via the internet. God totally led me to this particular post because:
I have a super relaxed church now but was raised in my grandfather’s strict Southern Baptist congregation. The other ministers preach barefoot, and despite regular pedicures, I just CAN’T bring myself to do it. I can’t even do open toe. I am a sensible flat kind of gal. I will always be the more formal lady of the church, and I am okay with that, especially now that I see your etiquette matches mine. Just wanted to share!
[Welcome to BTFM, dear heart!! So glad you found support for your instincts here. I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on a sermon if the preacher was barefoot, because EW! FEET! Keep in touch, doll! – PB]