Quilting 101

I love quilts. Quilts of all kinds. If I were going to have a collection of something it would be quilts. Well, and buttons...but that is an entirely different post. I decided several weeks ago to attempt to make a simple square pattern quilt of my own. My beloved joyfully took me to the Quilt Haus, and I picked out some pre-cut squares to begin my adventure. I chose a collection of fabrics called "Prairie Paisley." This is how I do most things, I get some wild hair and decide to do something new. I have no clue what I am doing or what I am getting myself into...but I dive in nonetheless. Anyway, we get home and I immediately begin to try and piece this thing together. I just couldn't do it. I couldn't find a pattern of laying things out that I liked. I was so frustrated. Richard ever so lovingly pointed out that the quilt on our bed had no pattern either. He told me to get over it and get to quilting. I put everything back into the bag and hung it on my bathroom door. Fast forward several weeks through a trip to Michigan and an emergency trip to Kansas for my grandfather's funeral. There I was in my bedroom with that bag of scraps taunting me. So yesterday I pulled them out, and with out worry (OK, there was plenty of worry...but I pushed through) about how it would look minus a definable pattern, I got to sewing.

I never dreamed that during this project the Lord had some teaching for me. While piecing this thing together, I realized that life is very much like a quilt. Quilts consist of many different colors and patterns of fabric. Some of them, by themselves are incredibly unattractive.

Others are more boring. Nothing exciting or abundantly beautiful.

Others are beautiful. The colors and pattern are exactly what you love. Just looking at the can make you smile.

When randomly pieced together, they make a wonderfully beautiful masterpiece.

Our lives are much like this. Some of the moments in our lives are ugly. They can be painful, dark, and confusing. Battling a sin or a stronghold, fear, illness, the loss of a loved one, waiting that seems as though it will never come to an end, hope deferred. We don't like these times, and often fight to get though them as quickly as possible.

Then there is the day to day life. Boring and routine. Nothing terribly dark, yet nothing to make you gasp at the beauty either.

Sprinkled in you have those moments that make you stand back and look in awe and wonder. Maybe it is glimpse of how amazing our God is. Maybe it is a special moment with a spouse, shared only between the two of you. Or a good laugh with a friend, who knows you so well, she can tell by the look in your eyes, what you are feeling at that very moment. It is welcoming a new life into your family. Witnessing your children grow to love the Lord. Sharing the Gospel, and seeing someone being touched by God.

These moments in our lives, all of these moments, the Lord, in His sovereignty, stitches them together, to make a masterpiece of His glory. The dark patches in my quilt, only help to bring out the beauty and color of the ones I love. Those boring ones, that I am not thrilled with...well they bring a much needed balance. A quietness that is needed. In my day to day life it is sometime difficult to see the beauty. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, and math facts hardly excite me. Yet these too, are ordained by God. A blessed gift of grace to me.

However, unlike my quilt there is a pattern to the Lord's work. Planned before the foundation of the world. He is using these times, to shape me and mold me into the likeness of His Son. He is always working all things together for good, for those who love Him. When He is finished with me, I will be perfect, and He will present me blameless before the throne. On that day, I will see with great clarity, how beautiful each moment of my life was. I only pray that I can see a glimpse of it here on earth as well.

Cheap Therapy

I guess I need to make Monday "Double Post Monday." Seems as though I always have too much to say on Monday. Vent with me will you?

Why has my Wal-Mart been out of cream of mushroom soup for almost two months? TWO MONTHS people! I have had it up to here with that stinkin' place. They NEVER have stocked shelves. If it was only the soup, I wouldn't vent...but it is many other items I need. Like fiber, but I will leave that for another post...or maybe not.

Why is the gym synonymous with anger for me? Why must there always be such irritating people on the news? Really, do they do searches for the most ignorant people to interview? I really must find something else to do other than watching the news while working out. It can't be good for my blood pressure.

Speaking of getting angry at the gym...I had a double dose today. Here I am trying desperately to tone up my arms, minding my own business when what do I see? A man covered in Obama buttons, wearing a shirt that says "Pastors for Peace" Let me tell you I wanted to give this guy peace all right. A big ol' piece of my mind. He is a pastor and voting for Obama? Could someone please help me to understand how someone could teach the word of God and be voting for Obama. I just don't get it...really I don't. Unless he is not really reading his Bible...that makes sense. A pastor that teaches the word of God, but doesn't read it. That would probably be how we got to where we are in the good ol' US of A.

So, when we are in the Obamanation, and we have socialized medicine, will I have better luck than I have now? Can I expect to be able to make an appointment and actually see a doctor before January 13, 2009? Seriously...can I expect better service? You don't have to answer that...I already know the answer.

How is this for weird...I walked into my bedroom and thought, "I better close the widow, it is getting chilly in here." Immediately after I had the thought, the window slammed shut. Was that answered prayer...or should I find an exorcist?

Ah, now I feel better. Venting is such cheap therapy :)

Not Me Monday

It's that time again. That time when I tell you all my dirty little secrets from the last seven days.

I did not absolutely LOVE Michigan. I did not think it was one of the most beautiful places I have seen. I did not enjoy being spoiled by Amy's mom while there. Living in the lap of luxury is not for me.

I did not fall down a hill, nearly into a creek, while filming footage of the land I don't want to buy in Michigan. I did not get this fall on film. That would be so embarrassing. Then in my confusion of the fall, I didn't subsequently record when I wanted to stop and stop when I wanted to record. That would mean I wouldn't have recorded anything that I wanted, and that I only got footage of my friends backside and the ceiling of the barn.

I did not book flights for Grace and I from Michigan to Kansas, and leave my beloved to drive 800 miles with four children by himself. Then relish in the fact that I was flying and avoiding all the misery. That would not be very nice.

When I booked those flights, I had to book round trip tickets. I didn't seriously consider returning to Michigan today, rather than driving home on Friday.

I didn't get an insanely good deal on an infrared sauna while in Kansas. I would never ask my beloved to set it up so I could try it out the night before we left for home. I would never gloat to my mommy about my cheap sauna, that would be mean. I would never tell her it was her fault she missed out. After all, it had been on craigslist for six weeks. That would be even meaner. I did not laugh hysterically when she said, "I don't love you very much right now."

I did not make my beloved drive all the way home with the kids by himself. I did not drive my grandma's truck all the way. That would be terrible. I am just not that way.

I was not an insanely proud mama this weekend when both my boys shot their first deer. I did not find myself going 75 in a 55 on the way to take pictures of the first one. I did not blame my speeding on the fact that I drove my grandma's truck home from Kansas. I would never say it was because it took much more pressure to get her truck to 55. I certainly would not do it again the next day, when I drove to take pictures of the second deer. I ALWAYS drive the speed limit.

See what else people are not doing over at Mck Mama's blog on this Not Me Monday.