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Girl Meets God

    by Melissa Mathews

Leg Irons or Toe Shoes?
Date Posted: February 12, 2006

"Lord, You have assigned me my portion and my cup,
you have made my lot secure." Psalm 16:5

If you like amazing stories too good to believe, you should check out the obituary section of the UK Telegraph Newspaper. I'm not kidding.

It's where I heard about Madame Alicia Markova. She died on December 2,2004, at age 94-- but only after living a life she probably could never have imagined.

Lilian Alicia Marks was her birth name. She held no promise of greatness as a little girl. She didn't speak until she was six years old, and her flat feet and knock knees were moving her straight toward leg irons.

"Put her in remedial ballet, and see if that works," said the doctor. "If it doesn't, we'll put her in leg irons."

And thus was the beginning of her greatness.

She enrolled in her first ballet class at 7, and by age 10 was a professional dancer billed as an "accomplished ballerina in miniature."

As the most renowned dancer of her day, she was one of the few and tiny to be named prima ballerina assoluta. She was star of the show until she was 48 years old, then she became patron and teacher of the next generation.

Dame Alicia is given sole credit for making the art of ballet popular in the United Kingdom and the United States.

I wonder if Dame Alicia's mind ever wandered as she was tying on her size-4 ballet slippers. Did she ever imagine dragging big, black shoes with long metal braces out of her bag instead of satin slippers? Did she ever invision strapping those ugly shoes on her legs, then open her eyes to shiny pink shoes instead? I'm sure it overwhelmed her to see what God had done in her weakness.

God can do the same unbelievable things in our weakness. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 "There was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

That's where God works best--those moments of shame or mistake or regret. God can take them and wow- the-world with what He does through us, we just have to sign up for the class.

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Biography Information:
I'm a preacher's kid, pastor's wife, and southern belle who married a Southern California boy. Can you say 'culture clash?' Scott and I have four boys - Max, Mark, Jackson, and Grant who keep us busy with homework and sports.

Scott and I have been married 22 years and currently live in Northern California where we are beginning year five as church planters. I also teach 12th grade English and love it.

I would love to hear from you. Email me anytime at melissa.g.mathews@gmail.com
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