Open the eyes of my heart

Instead of making resolutions for a new year I choose a focus word. Failed resolutions tend to highlight those places in life where both faith, and actual work are needed but do so in a way that invites shamed, and humiliated thinking. Each “failure” has the opportunity to be a stumbling block, or a stepping stone. There’s something about failure that has a way of exposing us in a way that is wildly uncomfortable.

As a quilting teacher, competitor, and writer I’m always fearful of failure, and being exposed as a complete and utter fraud. However, these failures are the things that I get to share with you in what’s been learned, how I work through those failures, and how step on – not to trip up over these things.

A Reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah:
Thus says the Lord GOD,
the Holy One of Israel:
O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem,
no more will you weep;
He will be gracious to you when you cry out,
as soon as he hears he will answer you.
The Lord will give you the bread you need
and the water for which you thirst.
No longer will your Teacher hide himself,
but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher,
While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears:
“This is the way; walk in it,”
when you would turn to the right or to the left.

He will give rain for the seed
that you sow in the ground,
And the wheat that the soil produces
will be rich and abundant.
On that day your flock will be given pasture
and the lamb will graze in spacious meadows;
The oxen and the asses that till the ground
will eat silage tossed to them
with shovel and pitchfork.
Upon every high mountain and lofty hill
there will be streams of running water.
On the day of the great slaughter,
when the towers fall,
The light of the moon will be like that of the sun
and the light of the sun will be seven times greater
like the light of seven days.
On the day the LORD binds up the wounds of his people,
he will heal the bruises left by his blows.

Isaiah 30 From the Saturday of the First Week of Advent

Sometimes God speaks in ways that surprise, delight, and show one where it’s time to (once again) grow, heal, or be pruned having experienced a bit of all in the last few weeks.

Proverbs 3:12 

For whom the LORD loves he reproves,
as a father, the son he favors.

Over the last few days I’ve started tidying up my sewing room, intentionally doing things that are stretching, using parts of my physical person that haven’t been used in a while. Without a lot of detail I’m going to say that I have developed an appreciation for anyone who has an autoimmune that has them in pain for long stretches of time. I was at the point of tears. My. Body. Hurt. I’m fine now however the experience could not have been worse. I’ve worked through migraines that lasted days and tension headaches but this was terrible. Tears, at the top of my throat, ready to spill down my face, holding it back didn’t help at all. This tidying is allowing me to stretch, stand, fold fabric, and find the floor in the studio, and make best use of the available wall space. Tidying does something to clear the mind. (It’s very much like examining your conscience and going to Confession.)

. . . facing a total upheaval in our plans reminds us Who is really in charge. His plans are beautiful and perfect and for His glory. – Debby Brown

And then I saw Debby post the above comment.

As I spend some time in my sewing room, making room and space for the things that need to be in there, in a way that I can access them I’m reflecting, examining my conscience, plotting quilts, thanking God, and working on trusting that things will work out. Because All things work together for good for those who love the Lord.

One thing I’m seeing are the quilts that have been waiting for time to finish. I’m going to put them in priority and schedule them in. Seeing them makes a big difference. The cool thing is, I’m now ready to work on a couple of these quilts, and do them up in a way that is worthy of them.

Each experience, each stepping stone/stumbling block informs who we are in our quilting, and in our faith. Visit TerifiCreations to see my 2018 Word of the Year. As this writing continues I’m going to hold onto Gratitude (2017 Word of the Year). It’s a great word to focus on, as gratitude for each experience is a beautiful thing.

Thank you God,

Teri