How My Louis Saved My Life

In October 2009, I ran the Milwaukee Marathon. After the marathon, we had plans to go to Wisconsin Dells, 3 of my closest friends, and one of those friend's family as well. While we drove up to Wisconsin Dells, I had to stop several times to stretch my legs. Our last stop before the destination was a winery, where we ate lunch and planned to take a tour and wine tasting. Of course, one of the most logical things to do after running a marathon is to wear high heeled boots, and take a tour of a hilly winery. If you have never run a marathon, going up stairs is fine, but going down is very, very painful, and it is very easy to fall. So, I started the tour with taking the ELEVATOR down to the basement, and explained to the group that I am not normally an invalid, but just ran a marathon the day before. Of course, then we had to go outside and walk up a hill, and at one point the tour guide stated "If anyone feels like you can't go all the way up the hill, you can stay at the bottom and I will talk so you can hear". I knew that was directed at me, and because I can run marathons, I thought, I definitely can go up this hill! Now remember, it is the DOWN that is the problem. I started to walk down the hill, and to the stairs to the gravel drive. I had let everyone go first, so that I would not slow anyone down. About the time I reached the stairs, I started to fall, and thankfully, the handle of my Louis Vuitton caught the stair railing and kept me upright, and also kept me from knocking everyone down in the group like dominoes. Louis Vuitton prides itself by saying that its skinny handles can hold 200lbs without breaking. I had thought at the time, when would I need to be able to tote 200 lbs without breaking? Louis Vuitton is absolutely correct, in that my handbag has about 20 lbs of unnecessary stuff in it plus my weight of 130 lbs, and the straps kept me from falling to a very gravelly and injury laden end. If I had used another cheaper handbag, who knows what would have happened to me and my tour group.

This had me thinking, and remember, I am in no way saying that my Louis is an idol, I am just using it as a comparison. My handbag reminded me of how Jesus is in our lives. He is the one true God, and all others do not compare. He saves us when we least expect it, and is always there for us, aware of the unnecessary baggage in our lives. If we put our stock in "cheaper" models, such as money, wealth, power, relationships, etc., we will always feel unfulfilled, incomplete. He can hold us up when we are about to fall. He takes our abuses, is still there for us when we forget about him, holds all of our troubles, is very forgiving, and loves us unconditionally. Nothing else in this world can offer us this. In essence, my expensive handbag saved my life, and also reinforced the importance of God in my life...all in a Louis.