In both Creation stories in the book of Genesis God Created the physical world, giving it form, function, whimsy, oddity, and people. It is the people who are entrusted with the care of the physical world. God gave us, and therefore dignified work. Most work is good, giving us the opportunity to grow closer to Himself and to one another through this gift. While work in and of itself is good, like many things it can and sometimes does become misordered. That is, however, is not the point of this evenings thought.
I’m looking for a day job. This hard work in oh so many ways, trying to balance the work of looking for that job ,and the work of figuring out, a bit more clearly, how to make quilting, and writing the day job. I’ve been told more than once that I’m easily amused. I have to admit this is true. So it will not come as any surprise that I find it fascinating that from site to site descriptions for the same job can vary and even differ from the company’s website.
After applying for a position on a new-to-me website I started poking around seeing what they have that might be different. This site does have different things including a company that included this:
Write a cover letter telling us why you are right for this role. Feel free to send us links to anything interesting about you online (no LinkedIn profiles, please). Show us that you are bright, perceptive, insightful and organized. Also, please note we only hire extremely nice people.
in their job description. While working for this particular company would be cool, very cool. What I deeply appreciate about this particular paragraph is the clarity of what they are asking the applicant to share. What is it about you, that makes you, you? Often as quilters/artists/creative types we have a hard time sharing these things, often I think, because we just Do stuff. We work through the hard stuff, through asking questions, trying techniques, taking classes, playing with the tools of our trade. Often sharing some tip that has worked to make the work easier. Sometimes taking the work to teaching, in some way or another.
I find that we often put the things out for public view that we find least tasteful about our work (meaning quilting); pointing out our flaws, and then dwelling in them. We live in the mistakes as though they are the end all and be all of our work. The thing about mistakes is putting them down and allowing them to be useful as stepping stones, building blocks, foundations for rather than something that we hold onto for dear life, weighing us down to the point that we can’t live, or create!
Work is sometimes difficult. Quilting is difficult, particularly in the beginning when everything is new, when we’re learning how to do every single thing and learn an new language. The more we do, the easier these tasks become. Work is good, it helps build strength of character, skill, with quilting it connects us to one another thread, by beautiful thread.
As I continue on this journey of seeking, renewing, finding, setting down the stones of this moment to step on I appreciate your prayers. I will continue to work towards finding the day job, so that I can continue the work of quilting, and teaching.
I am Blessed.
God bless,
Teri
A Quilter's Heart 