As our family prepared to go to a water park for a final summer outing a couple of days before school started back up, one of our children read online the benefits of wearing water shoes. When we got our water shoes out, it was realized that we did not have any that our kids could wear.
I wasn’t all too keen on getting new water shoes and held off doing so until the evening before going to the water park. I really thought and anticipated I would simply go into just one store where I was sure there would be plenty of water shoes in stock, get them, and be done. However, that was not the case. I was unprepared and not ready for the reality that summer was almost over. Their end-of-season selection was very limited and the sizes we needed were all out.
My quick errand resulted in several hours of going in and out of store after store until one by one the stores started closing. At each place, in asking store employees if they had any and coming up empty handed, surprisingly, I learned and overheard that other consumers were looking for water shoes too. Sadly, the various stores either did not have any water shoes or ones in the right size or what was available was so over priced and close to the same cost as a discounted water park ticket, it was not worth purchasing a pair for a one day use.
On a side note, when I left the house, I had quickly stepped into a pair of casual water slip on sandals that were conveniently right in front of me as I entered the garage. Little did I know at the time how beneficial wearing these shoes would be a short time later. On this hot 100 degree day, I had no idea it was going to rain. It was a tender mercy that as I came out of one of the stores into a torrential downpour, although I was drenched immediately as I did not have an umbrella, the shoes I had put on were suitable for the inclement weather.
After searching for water shoes in store after store after store with no success, it was a tender mercy that in the very last store, I came across a different type of water shoes that I was excited and thrilled about the possibility they could work just as well. There was only one pair left and they happened to be in a size we needed. The alternative water shoes had a clear soft plastic, flexible exterior shell with holes throughout and an interior removable sole. Although the soles were not in a preferred color, I saw that I could be resourceful and easily take the sole out and replace it with a .98 cent flip flop in a preferred color. Wallah! The substitute water shoes were effective and held up the entire day!
When have you conveniently been wearing shoes or an outfit that was suitable for unexpected inclement weather while out and about running errands?
And, when have you been in search of a particular seasonal merchandise that was no longer in stock and you saw potential in an alternative option that worked very well as a substitute?
tendermercym❤️ments~jld
“How have you noticed Heavenly Father’s awareness and mindfulness of you today?”
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