Paradoxically

I started writing this post later last night and had to stop to do some work. The bonus is I woke up with a song in my head. Everything Falls. Actually it’s the chorus that is looping through my brain this morning. I still have a very, very full week of have to do’s. Fortunately some of what I have to do can wait until Wednesday and Friday when I am not working out of the house this week. I can not tell you how grateful I am for that. Now on to our regularly scheduled program. Sunday we celebrated Saints Peter & Paul. A cursory reading of the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles will tell you a lot about these dudes. We have a tendency to think of those great biblical characters as such Godly, holy people. Uhm. no. Neither one of these dudes were perfectly holy.
Let’s start with Peter, promises up and down and sideways, “I’ll always be faithful, I’ll never deny you.” Shockingly 20 minutes later. Okay so it wasn’t 20 minutes, maybe 30. That denial was clear, “I do NOT know the man!”
Then there’s Paul. Talk about a dude who persecuted the early Church. I mean come on. I have a sort of crass comment running through my head about St. Paul, watching the crowd stone Stephen. I promise i won’t say it. Because it is crass, truthful, but crass.

Further reading we meet Mary Magdalen who goes from playing fast and loose (I gotta say I love how Jesus called out the people who brought her to him condemning her) to anointing the feet of Jesus and being the first at the tomb.
We read about the prodigal son and his brother, the ahem “non-prodigal kid”. Oh I could go on and on about these men.  About which son experienced the deepest mercy and the one who ended up so judgemental – and seemingly wounded.
Peter
Paul
Magdalen
the Prodigal
the woman at the well
sinners all
and yet these are the ones we look to as heroes, examples etc.

because at some point they recognized their own faults and failings, they gave in to Gods great Mercy, accepted the Justice of his Judgement and turned their lives over to him. They became merciful, loving, holy people – who most likely still sinned until they left this earthly life. (Please don’t be shocked by this.)
This is the paradox of faith, the what looks like this is actually that, the what looks like that is something else entirely.
We don’t always get it but what’s more important? Mercy, faith, kindness, prayer, generosity, a willingness to get that we don’t always understand the bigger picture, forget being brave and following our hearts (our hearts will lead us astray – ask me how I know).
Peter sinned in a big way, repented in a big way, and experienced God’s Mercy in a way that I’m not sure I’ll ever fully understand.

As it relates to quilting – be gentle with newbies we’ve all been there

tell people how good their work is

if you see a “flaw” or “mistake” in someones quilt don’t say anything, seriously they know and probably feel very little for it – what do you see that can build them up

if you’re a new quilter – please be kind to  yourself – refrain from comparing yourself to any other quilter, particularly one who has some serious experience – its not a loving act to yourself or them (trust me I know)

when you get a compliment on your quilt, say thank you someone recognizes the beauty

when you make a mistake go ahead and be frustrated, ask for help or support

when you make a mistake be gentle with yourself – you’re still learning (and this goes for you, yes you with all of your experience quilting)

when you make a mistake own it, embrace it, cherish it as that is an experience gained through making quilts and move on

when someone else makes a mistake pause before saying anything, they need the experience – offer help, if they say no they are not turning you down they just need to figure it out for themselves and it’s not about you

when someone else makes a mistake and they ask for help offer something, if they use it great! if they don’t at least you gave them something to think about which probably clarified what they wanted to do in the first place.

there are many teachers out there some of us will be good for you, some of us will not. Don’t trash us if we’re not the right fit for you.

there are many teachers out there – who have made pretty much the same mistakes you make – probably more times than they care to admit – thank them for sharing their wisdom and experience

In other words, be kind, be merciful, refrain from harsh judgement of ourselves and other, if ya gotta whine do it privately with a friend who can talk ya off a ledge, love deeply, take “mistakes” as learning opportunities (we encourage little kids then are brutal on ourselves), cherish the beauty.

God bless!

Teri