Nana's Shoes

Little Ellen Loreta’s shoes were new in 1917.

She was a Malvern, Arkansas girl,

Long curls on Daddy’s shoulder as he hugged her off to bed.

Then Daddy died and Momma’s joy slipped away.

Time now for the big-girl shoes…for the 12-year-old,

the end-of-childhood-all-too-soon shoes.

You know, the cook-and-clean-and raise a baby sister on your own shoes;

The lonely watching, and giving to others before yourself, shoes.

But, all right, let’s be clear.

Not many boys were ever looking at Miss McClain’s feet.

Oh, you should have seen her courtin’ shoes!

They were boys-on-the-front-porch, boys-on-the-couch,

boys-at-the-back door ruby red slippers.

And sometimes a preacher-boy-with-a-beautiful-voice made her shoes tap.

“Miss McClain,”....  “Oh Loreta sweetheart,”....the boys cooed, and then 

The lovely Loreta did some fancy-ballet-shoes twirling and 

tiptoeing around all those young hearts.

But Ellen Loreta McClain finally fell for that preacher boy's voice.

And --on her wedding day-- landed on her feet,

Her shoes all purposed and shined for a minister's wife life.

Loreta began her reign as the First Lady of the

First Baptist Church of Arkadelphia Arkansas.

No loafers now for Mrs. David O. Moore, AKA, the Preacher’s Wife.

Reverend Moore kept up his lessons and sermons

While the unflappable, heart-stopping Mrs. Moore kept up appearances.

The beautiful wife of the golden-throated Reverend Moore was a looker!

Ha! No wonder there were babies -- Shera, Kathy, and Cliff --

A woman can’t wear shoes all the time.

Then the real race started.

Mrs. Moore put on her canvas sneaker running shoes and tried to keep up.

Three children, and a professor husband who filled a pulpit or coached the golf team every weekend tried to wear her down.

They should have known better.

Mrs. Moore could dance backward in high heels...on a rug.

In those days nobody kept up with her and her closet full of "life shoes”.

The indefatigable Mrs. Moore wore boots to shovel the snow, wade the water in the flooded basement, and then hike to church to clean the nursery for Sunday services.

Mrs. Moore also donned business-person heels, sensible

entrepreneur foot attire for a woman to run a preschool.

Not just any pre-school either... The Little Tots Preschool,

“First ever and best one in town” preschool

That college professor (remember him?) suddenly became Mrs. Moore’s husband

Clear the way, folks!

Mrs. Moore’s shoes were well worn from

...Running down to church

...Running after kids...

...Running a pre-school

And running her life with her God at her side.

This, dear friends and family, were the enduring, faith-soled shoes

My saint-like mom wore for years.

Then there was Zachary, Alicia, Matt, and Beth....

Grandbaby shoes and toddlers' Velcro shoes;

And, from Arizona, Lindsay Lu arrived; and from St. Louis, Janine.

Now Mrs. Moore's name was Nana and

She wore shoes that could never be filled again.

Sensible, loving shoes for the Pet Shop, and the sandbox,

Nurse shoes, waitress shoes, banana pudding-peanut butter-and-honey chef shoes!

Bhere were no-nonsense Jack Boots too!

The “Now, let’s clean up this mess” shoes.

The authority, the "you will do this and you will like it,” steel-toe slippers.

This was footwear of an indomitable, unstoppable spirit…

Her feet were made for this “Nana fit.”

These are the shoes we see when we think of Nana now.

The child-whisperer collection of loving, show stopping wonders

She wore till her grandkids all grew up and moved away.

Fashion footwear changes, and in the last stretch of days

We could find Nana Loreta, on a cold December all bundled up in her

Salvation Army bell-ringer, Nanuck of the North shoes.

Nana Loreta wore sturdy shoes to serve for another 30 years.

In-As-Much Ministry flats, and talk-on-the-phone-to-the-lost-souls slippers.

Nana Loreta followed the path life leaves for all of us.

Walking ...to walker ...to wheelchair ---

Ridgeway Drive to ...OLOM to ...Pleasant Valley

Loreta became “Loretta” to the uninformed, but she keeps moving, shoes still on.

Now Nana wears her "hard soled shoes", and razzle-dazzle athletic shoes.

Nana wears shoes that slip easily off to sleep;

Shoes for saying, “Forget your age, be happy,”

And, “I love you, I love you. I love you!"

She wears her, “I-can't-be-100-years-old--uhhhhh!!!!” shoes today.