Craftsmanship

Over the last week or so that winter funk creeping in, thankfully it didn’t have time to take root and cover me completely. I know what started it and am slowly discovering the deep down why it happens and am seeing what needs healing. Yesterday ended up being Teri gets out of a funk day because I made a series of small comments to a group of friends and got the, “that’s enough of that” in a way that made me realize what I was doing. This also helped the writing process yesterday. YAY.

I’m pausing here for a second to ask you to hang with me here as I share a couple of things that I’ll bring to the quilt world. Thanks.

While standing on line waiting to get the flu shot a guy, maybe in his 40’s, was a bit loud, demanding that whatever he needed happen quickly. Annoyance at his lack of patience with the pharmacists and other employees behind the counter started rising, and I almost said something to him. However I waited, and listened. There were three things he kept repeating: he didn’t have a lot of time, he needed to get to work, and he was going to be late. A few moments later he was on the phone asking the person on the other end to get food ready for him, he needed to eat, change and run because he was going to be late. And that’s when the dime dropped, the connection was made. The bluster and the frustration while directed at the folks behind the counter was really his fear and anxiety bubbling to the surface with a lack of skill in dealing with the fear and anxiety.

When I opened one of my social media outlets a link to this article by Simcha Fisher on Parenting Strategies That Work was at the top. It was eye opening in so many ways. Simcha shares some profound insight into parenting, growth, maturity, healing, and change. It is a beautiful testament to allowing experience, and faith to inform you, making changes to how you do things.

Over the years I’ve had a few experiences teaching that taught me about what not to do. And this can change depending on the group of quilters I’m with. What I can do is learn from those moments, be forgiving, guide quilters as best I can and be there in the moment, be present, clear, compassionate and direct.

I can assure you that when things don’t go well in a class I carry that with me as remorse and shame because more than anything my desire is for you as my student to succeed and grow as quilt makers, to figure out how to do the quilt making that you want to do. And I know that I am one of many teachers, voices speaking to your quilting. It’s hard to filter out those voices to hear the ones that are encouraging you to do the quilting that you are meant to do.

As a student I’ve had some amazing voices speak words of encouragement to me and some who have given me the constructive criticism in a way that allowed me to hear it for the good of my own growth. I am so grateful that my friends called me out of my funk yesterday. This was truly a gift, one that I treasure. There was no shaming, simply love received as it in the way it was meant.

Receiving love is essential to growth and healing. It is, as I can well assure you, transformative. As we are transformed by love, we are free to explore our quilt making in new ways. We can let the grace of quilt making transform our lives in recognizing that quilts show us some beautiful gifts:
mistakes happen we can choose how to deal with them
there is great beauty in the ordinary
we grow over time, our work changes or not as we desire
we can change how we speak about our quilts
we can change how we speak about others quilts
quilts can be intensely personal so it’s important to mind our words

When getting ready for today’s posts I was reminded of Psalm 139 where the Psalmists speak of our being fearfully and wonderfully made when we were knit in our mother’s womb. We are unique, and have the great potential for holiness. God is crafting our life through our experiences. Somethings are really hard and can form us in great gentleness and compassion stretching us, growing us in ways we never expected. That crafting extends to our quilting life as we do the work over and over again practicing, getting better.

Quilters over the last few weeks I’ve experienced places in my heart that are in need of healing so that new growth, new life can take place. Where is God asking this of you? Where does He want to heal you? Where does God want to Craft you?

God bless  you,

Teri