In our Keepers group this week I was in charge of doing the devotion time. We have been memorizing Proverbs 31 this year and the girls are doing SO great...all of them!!! So, this month we were on the verses talking about she dresses in strength and dignity. I decided that we would talk about how what we wear on the OUTSIDE reflects what we think about God and ourselves on the INSIDE. We took a few minutes to "design" an outfit that would honor God made out of a few strange supplies in their bags...
She is making sure that those shoulders are covered and that the neckline doesn't plunge!
They are about to give this dress a little length:)
They had a great time making some funny clothes for our fashion show...but also talking about how how we can glorify God in what we wear!
Then we began quilting. Y'all. Quilting is HARD! Well, it's not really hard...it's just detailed. I'm not a detail person for the most part. I'm organized, but not detailed in the measuring
the height of picture frames, cutting patterns, gauging sewing distances...none of that is fun to me. I married a detailed, logical, do-it-right-the-first-time kind of man to do those jobs for me:)
I am the creative one. I am the visionary. I'm not the fix-your-sewing-machine-when-it-makes-crazy-noises kind of girl. If the project can't be finished and looking fabulous in a night...it ain't my kind of project! That's when I gladly hand it over to my hubby and let him make it right.
So quilting has WORN. ME. OUT! But, I gotta hang in there to the bitter end 'cuz my girls love it! Well, sure they love it because I am the one in knots staring at dozens of tiny boxes of fabric (that I had to cut PERFECTLY!!!) trying to figure out if I have a 1/4th inch seam...huh?
Quilting is lots of measuring, remeasuring, checking, rechecking, batting, and I like a deer in the headlights. I have met my match...and it won.
Quilting - 1
Frances - 0
So, this Saturday those of us who don't have a CLUE and are so far behind that we can't even imagine a purse coming out of what we have sewn together so far...are "invited" to come to a catch up class:) Y'all...let's just say it...I'm quilting challenged! Yep, I'm going to quilting tutoring:) At one point, one of the GIRLS in the class looked over at me (by this point I'm glazed over and I'm just staring at my fabric...while the girls play hangman with their friend) and said..."you are STILL on sewing your fabric?"
Insert long *sigh* here.
After the meeting I proceeded to call my quilting friend and ask for her help! She told me that she hardly EVER cuts her own fabric squares and just kind of does free style on her quilts. Free style? Now that's MY kind of language!!
I'm being dramatic in order to get to a point here. The kind of woman that God finds very precious is this (my memory verse for this month):
"Do not let your adorning be external - the braiding of hair (or lots of hairspray in my case!), and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear - but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is very precious in God's sight." 1 Peter 3:3-4
Every single time I read that our adorning must be the hidden person of our hearts...I just want to cry tears of relief. I am praying daily - moment by moment - for a gentle and quiet spirit. That doesn't mean that you are a mouse who is shy and silent. It means that our SPIRIT is gentle and quiet. It's at peace with who we are and what our identity is founded on...the Cross and Jesus Christ!
So, during these past 3 quilting meetings, I have found sweet release to just laugh at myself and know that God just might not have quilting in my future:) My mastering quilting isn't precious in His sight...it's my spirit while quilting that is precious to Him. It's my spirit while teaching school, doing dishes, making beds, doing laundry, speaking to women, writing articles, counseling women, teaching Life groups, talking to my husband...that is what is very precious in His sight.
My blog features lots of projects that I LOVE to do! They "fit" me and they are things I enjoy...'cuz I'm the one picking them out:) But, there are so many things I am NOT good at:) I pray that each of us will just enjoy the Body of Christ and not try to be every part ourselves.
Y'all it's OK to not be every single part! Remember the things that are VERY precious in God's sight...and run HARD, pray HARD, seek HARD, and rest in those. And...enjoy how gifted someone else is! Learn from them...instead of feeling insecure. Listen to them and enjoy watching someone do something that is really hard for you. Then...tell them what a great job they are doing! Let's encourage and exhort one another!
The Proverbs 31 women...isn't Jesus. So, let's just embrace the Gospel and give up perfectionism and find sweet release in the Jesus alone!
She is making sure that those shoulders are covered and that the neckline doesn't plunge!
They are about to give this dress a little length:)
They had a great time making some funny clothes for our fashion show...but also talking about how how we can glorify God in what we wear!Then we began quilting. Y'all. Quilting is HARD! Well, it's not really hard...it's just detailed. I'm not a detail person for the most part. I'm organized, but not detailed in the measuring
the height of picture frames, cutting patterns, gauging sewing distances...none of that is fun to me. I married a detailed, logical, do-it-right-the-first-time kind of man to do those jobs for me:)
I am the creative one. I am the visionary. I'm not the fix-your-sewing-machine-when-it-makes-crazy-noises kind of girl. If the project can't be finished and looking fabulous in a night...it ain't my kind of project! That's when I gladly hand it over to my hubby and let him make it right.
So quilting has WORN. ME. OUT! But, I gotta hang in there to the bitter end 'cuz my girls love it! Well, sure they love it because I am the one in knots staring at dozens of tiny boxes of fabric (that I had to cut PERFECTLY!!!) trying to figure out if I have a 1/4th inch seam...huh?
Quilting is lots of measuring, remeasuring, checking, rechecking, batting, and I like a deer in the headlights. I have met my match...and it won.
Quilting - 1
Frances - 0
So, this Saturday those of us who don't have a CLUE and are so far behind that we can't even imagine a purse coming out of what we have sewn together so far...are "invited" to come to a catch up class:) Y'all...let's just say it...I'm quilting challenged! Yep, I'm going to quilting tutoring:) At one point, one of the GIRLS in the class looked over at me (by this point I'm glazed over and I'm just staring at my fabric...while the girls play hangman with their friend) and said..."you are STILL on sewing your fabric?"
Insert long *sigh* here.
After the meeting I proceeded to call my quilting friend and ask for her help! She told me that she hardly EVER cuts her own fabric squares and just kind of does free style on her quilts. Free style? Now that's MY kind of language!!
I'm being dramatic in order to get to a point here. The kind of woman that God finds very precious is this (my memory verse for this month):
"Do not let your adorning be external - the braiding of hair (or lots of hairspray in my case!), and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear - but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is very precious in God's sight." 1 Peter 3:3-4
Every single time I read that our adorning must be the hidden person of our hearts...I just want to cry tears of relief. I am praying daily - moment by moment - for a gentle and quiet spirit. That doesn't mean that you are a mouse who is shy and silent. It means that our SPIRIT is gentle and quiet. It's at peace with who we are and what our identity is founded on...the Cross and Jesus Christ!
So, during these past 3 quilting meetings, I have found sweet release to just laugh at myself and know that God just might not have quilting in my future:) My mastering quilting isn't precious in His sight...it's my spirit while quilting that is precious to Him. It's my spirit while teaching school, doing dishes, making beds, doing laundry, speaking to women, writing articles, counseling women, teaching Life groups, talking to my husband...that is what is very precious in His sight.
My blog features lots of projects that I LOVE to do! They "fit" me and they are things I enjoy...'cuz I'm the one picking them out:) But, there are so many things I am NOT good at:) I pray that each of us will just enjoy the Body of Christ and not try to be every part ourselves.
Y'all it's OK to not be every single part! Remember the things that are VERY precious in God's sight...and run HARD, pray HARD, seek HARD, and rest in those. And...enjoy how gifted someone else is! Learn from them...instead of feeling insecure. Listen to them and enjoy watching someone do something that is really hard for you. Then...tell them what a great job they are doing! Let's encourage and exhort one another!
The Proverbs 31 women...isn't Jesus. So, let's just embrace the Gospel and give up perfectionism and find sweet release in the Jesus alone!
1 comment:
i love it when i read blogs and can hear the person writing it reading it in my head. this was me hearing your voice, inflections, frustrations and excitement all in this one post!! love you girl!!
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