Just Quilt!

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. (Psalm 139:13)

A few years ago my daughter-in-law, Missy, and I embarked on our very first quilting adventure. For years I wanted to make a quilt, but was never brave enough to start one. Missy was going through a difficult time, and I was also feeling rather pulled down by the stress of daily life. We had our own little slogan that made us laugh. We would say, “When life gets you down, just quilt!” It was fun and a great stress relief to think of overcoming our problems by making a quilt. We even joked about having T-shirts made with our slogan on them.

I signed up for some quilting classes online and Missy decided to join me. We were so excited to get started on our new endeavor. One Saturday afternoon we set out for Joann Fabrics with so much enthusiasm about our quilts that we felt as if we could conquer the world. Like artists selecting the perfect palette of colors for a painting, we compared various fabrics, choosing the perfect blend of colors for our new project. We felt like kids in a candy store sifting through the many rotary cutters, mats, threads, and needles. We took our time, making sure we had everything we needed to get started. Soon, we were ready to begin cutting out our fabric. We were surprised at how long it took to cut out all those little squares and triangles. Each piece of fabric was unique and we were excited to see what it would look like when finished. What we weren’t prepared for was the amount of work that goes into making a quilt! We soon learned that a lot of hard work and sore fingers go along with quilting. We also learned that it was worth the effort.

This afternoon, as I prepared fabric scraps for my next quilting project, I thought about how living our lives as Christians is like making quilts. When we first accept Christ as our Lord and Savior we become new creations, forgiven of our old sins, but that doesn’t mean God is finished with us. He knit us together in our mother’s wombs, and He knows the plans He has for us. Just as a lot of work and time will go into my new quilting project before I see the results of a lovely quilt, God has plans to craft us into lovely women whose lives are a beautiful reflection of Him. Our lives are made up of many different “scraps” and each one fits together uniquely as we are gradually fashioned and molded into the women He designed us to be. God hand selected each unique part of us to fit together in our own personal tapestries, all in His perfect timing. We are one of a kind, designed perfectly by the Great Designer! We are works in progress and will not become complete until our time on this earth is over. Each trial, difficulty, hardship, joy, and victory is lovingly stitched by the hand of God, woven into the fabric of our lives, fashioning us into the beautiful women He created us to be.

The Recipe Box

The faded tin box sits on the counter, resembling a miniature Shredded Wheat box from days gone by, purchased for free by sending in box tops from Shredded Wheat cereal over 30 years ago. It doesn’t summon any attention and almost appears out of place among the lemon-colored sunflowers and cheerful rooster décor, better known as the “French Country” look. It seems obsolete among the modern kitchen gadgets. Yet, priceless treasures lie beneath its dented and misshapen lid.

Opening the box evokes sweet memories. Food splattered and worn index cards hold “secret” family recipes. Each contributor’s writing was unique in style, and one can recognize whose recipe it is just by glancing at the handwriting. Several of the recipes were written on small scraps of notebook paper and even a few on the backs of old store receipts; nothing fancy, but more valuable to me than any of the store bought cookbooks sitting on my kitchen shelf.

Looking through the small box is like visiting with old friends and relatives, many who have passed from this earth. I sense a part of them still with me as I leaf through the recipes. I can almost see Grandma Mitchell’s stout arms rolling out cookie dough for her famous Soft Sugar Cookies. Her cheeks rosy, she was always cheerful and happy, regardless of life’s circumstances. We looked forward to her plump cut-out cookies at Christmas time and Easter. Sometimes she would surprise us with a batch on Valentines Day, cut in the shape of hearts. Her Seven-Layer Salad was anticipated at family picnics and Thanksgiving dinner. Memories surface of my mom standing at the old farm house table stirring up her Raisin Nut Cake and various kinds of cookies that often awaited us when we returned home from school on cold winter afternoons. I can almost smell her delicious Beef Vegetable Soup wafting through the farm house door enticing us in after evening farm chores. Her Fresh Strawberry Pie, a recipe handed down from a friend of hers, was a special summertime treat we enjoyed. I remember picking the juicy berries with Mom on sweltering June days and later enjoying the refreshing pie topped with mounds of thick whipped cream as the juice from the berries dripped down our chins. Recipes from friends far away, some from other countries, bring to mind our adventures as a young military family; all part of the legacy of memories contained in a tiny metal box.

Like written letters, recipes written by hand are becoming a lost art form, replaced by modern technology. I feel blessed to have experienced the joy of finding recipe box treasures, and I am so thankful for each priceless legacy left behind on food-splattered index cards and scraps of notebook paper. It really is the simple things in life that bring us the greatest pleasure, including small tin recipe boxes purchased with cereal box tops.

Happiness is Homemaking

While going through some books the other day, I came across a tiny book that made me smile. It took me back to the days when I was “just a homemaker.”

Happiness is Homemaking is the title of a small paperback book with a lime green cover written by Ella May Miller, published in 1974. Thirty-two years ago, when I got married, my mom’s best friend insisted I have a copy of the book that had inspired her and my mom on their homemaking and mothering journey. I read the tiny book with delight over and over again. It became my mentor when I was a young military wife living almost 2,500 miles from home. I was passionate about keeping house and being a stay-at-home mother, and often turned to the little book for ideas and inspiration. The tattered pages and wrinkled cover bear witness to the fact that it was well used.

We moved 13 times in 14 years, and I still remember each humble little apartment, trailer, and house where we lived. Even in the process of moving, with our belongings tucked away in cardboard boxes in our used Ford Pinto, I would tell others that we still had a home, but we just needed a place to put it. Each move was a new adventure, and I couldn’t wait to get settled in and make our house a home. I happily decorated our humble little abodes with simple items, many of them handmade. Cross-stitched samplers adorned every room, lovingly created during quiet afternoons while babies napped. Crocheted blankets brightened up worn second-hand furniture. A kitchen table centerpiece of fresh flowers handpicked by tiny fingers, and treasures found at yard sales or flea markets provided a homey feeling to our rather humble surroundings. I recall the satisfaction of setting the table for our evening meal with the dishes I had collected in my hope chest since I was a young girl. I enjoyed preparing new recipes that I found on the food splattered pages of old cookbooks and women’s magazines handed down from my mother and grandmothers. We savored many comforting soups, stews, and casseroles on our meager grocery budget. Evenings were spent curled up on the couch reading many of the same books over and over again at the request of eager toddlers.

I won’t dismiss the fact that those years were difficult and hard, and raising children and staying home is not without its share of struggles. I can with all honesty say it is the most satisfying thing I have ever accomplished, and I would not trade it for the highest paying career or position in the working world. Being a stay-at-home mom and homemaker is tough, but it’s worth every drop of sweat and hard work that goes into it.

I look back with fondness to that time; a season when I didn’t question what I was to be doing with my life. I never wondered if I should pursue a career. Never worried whether or not I was where I was meant to be. I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt I was to be a wife, mother, and homemaker. I took great pride and pleasure in my homemaking and felt a contentment and peace unmatched since that time. I believe I felt that way because I was doing what God had called me to do; I had accepted the high calling of motherhood and homemaking with joy.

Now my children are grown, and I question my role daily. While it’s true that my children no longer need me like they did when they were small, I wonder if I’m where God would have me to be in this new season of life or if I simply fell into the trap of thinking that I should have a job because my children are older. Do our God-given roles as women really change that much? I’m still a mother and now also a grandmother. My calling to be a wife, mother, and homemaker has not been eradicated just because the children are older, it has simply changed.

I wonder if working and using so much of my time and energy for my at-home medical transcription job is right. Though I like my job and it is interesting, and I’m able to remain in the home while working, I’m not nearly as content as I was during my homemaking days. I dislike the fact that much of what I seem to be focused on now has no eternal value whatsoever. I feel guilty that I don’t have the time for my family and friends. My dad is getting older and I can’t spend as much time with him as I once did. My house is falling apart, literally. I used to enjoy having a home where people could feel at home and comfortable. I usually had food prepared to offer if someone dropped in. Those days are gone. Housework is neglected and the mess leaves me feeling stressed out and frazzled. Contented afternoons sewing and making things for my home have been replaced with rushing to meet deadlines and catering to the demands of doctors. The thought of what to make for dinner makes me cringe and head to the nearest fast food place. I’m exhausted, tired, and weary. I glance at the photos of my grandchildren on my desk and feel sad that I’m missing out on so much of their lives because I am working now. I think about my daughter and daughter-in-law and how much more I would be available to help them out in times of need if I was not working. I miss cooking and baking and the wonderful smells from the kitchen. I miss the house being reasonably clean and tidy. I miss having time to enjoy a cup of tea or time to go outside and enjoy the outdoors. My days are spent in front of the computer, plugged into headphones typing. I often think about all the things I no longer have time for. I miss being “just a homemaker.”

As I gaze upon the tattered green book from days gone by, I’m once again reminded that happiness really is homemaking. I believe God has entrusted women with the care of our homes and families first and foremost. If our homes and families are neglected at the expense of our jobs, then we need to take a good look at our God-given priorities. What truly matters in light of eternity? This is something I have been asking myself lately and it certainly is not my medical transcription job. I’ve been praying about where God wants me in this season of life, praying that once again I will embrace my role and gladly accept my God-given calling as wife, mother, and homemaker.

God's Masterpiece

The sweet symphony of each bird that sings,
the babbling brook, and the trickling spring,
a gentle spring rain, soft falling snow,
twinkling stars, suns golden glow,
warm summer wind, a rainbows hue,
cotton-like clouds against a sky of blue,
radiant moon illuminating the night,
flowers blooming vivid and bright,
tender green plants and towering trees,
the roaring waves and the ocean breeze,
majestic mountains overlooking the land,
in all of these things we see His hand,
A masterpiece painting, perfectly displayed,
His presence clearly seen in the things He has made.

In the Potter's Hands

Several months ago, I went through a time of severe spiritual drought, brought on by the busyness of life and allowing the urgent details of everyday living to take the place of that which was truly important. I soon became aware that spiritual drought gives birth to a desert-like writing life, and I am learning that my writing life is often a mirror that reflects my spiritual walk.

One of my favorite quotes is from Beth Moore: “Clay out of the Potters hands is just dirt.”

It is true. In order to be Christian writers who glorify God, we must remain connected to our Heavenly Father. Scripture confirms this in the following verses:
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15: 4-5)

If we desire to write for God’s glory, we must make sure we are in the Potter’s hands. We have a multitude of resources available to help us become better writers: writing classes at local community colleges, books too numerous to count, magazines dedicated to the craft of writing, and online courses to help us improve our writing skills. While these things all have value, they are no substitute for our personal relationship with God. We need to nurture our time with God; seeking Him in prayer and listening to Him speak to us through His word. Cultivating a powerful spiritual life by sowing prayer and scripture reading into our daily lives will enable us to reap a harvest of writing that will glorify God.

We are often concerned about many things. We think about query letters, what to write about, proper punctuation, or what magazine to submit an article to. We wonder if we will ever write a book or get published. Yet, we often neglect the very thing that is needed for our success….an intimate relationship with God. He needs to be the foundation of each poem, article, or book that we write. As we pray and read His word, we are filling our reservoir with His presence, which will overflow into our writing and ultimately into the lives of others through the articles, books, or poems that we write.

The choice is ours. We can choose to be like dirt; easily blown about, enticed and carried away by the desires of our flesh and worldly influence, or we can be like clay that remains in the hands of the Potter; molded by His truth, enabled and empowered by the Holy Spirit to use the writing talent He gave us, and ultimately fashioned and molded into a vessel that will be used for the glory of our Heavenly Father.

A Place of Quiet Rest

I took several hours Sunday afternoon just to sit by our pond and relax in my favorite quiet-time spot. There is something about being outside surrounded by nature that is so refreshing! The smell of the mountain air, the subtle summer breeze against my face, the sound of the water trickling in the creek nearby, and the singing of the birds all seemed to soothe my tired and weary body. I was amazed at how many sounds of nature I heard while sitting there; sounds I normally don’t hear amidst the noise of everyday living. I left feeling as if I had been on a mini vacation. I felt renewed!

This made me think about how our relationship with God is like that. In the busyness of everyday life, we rush through our day running from one place to another in a flurry of noisy activity. As a result, we fail to hear God. If we are to hear His voice, we must learn to be still before Him. We must choose to set aside a time for prayer and to read His word; time to be still and know Him.

Had I sat by the pond for only a brief moment, I doubt I would have felt very refreshed. It’s the same with our quiet time with God. It takes time to sit in the stillness and listen as He speaks to us through his word. When we take the time to pause and be still before Him, we will come away feeling refreshed and renewed.

Be still and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10

Continuing The First Place Journey

God has been working on me lately in several areas of my life where I lack obedience; one being my weight and taking better care of my body. Many years ago God led me to the First Place program. I joined the online group, lost and kept off 30 pounds, and have been involved with First Place for almost 7 years. I have been blessed tremendously by the program and have made new friends from all over the world through the online group. Getting involved with First Place was a turning point in my life. As a result of developing a daily time of prayer, scripture reading, and Bible study, I’ve learned what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It truly has changed my life! First Place is about much more than weight loss. It is a 4-sided program that teaches you to put Christ first in every area of your life: emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual. It is not a diet, but a healthy lifestyle program that builds the whole person.

While I have done well with the other parts of the program, I often neglected the physical side. I now feel led to do what I know God has called me to do and take seriously all parts of the program. God has worked in my life in so many ways during my First Place journey, and now I know it’s time for me to take eating healthy seriously and allow God to set me free from my bondage to food and the sin of gluttony.

I’ve spent years abusing my body by overeating and medicating my emotions with food. Through reading and studying God’s word over the past several years, I’m finding those areas of my life that I need to deal with rising to the surface. It’s time to face them rather than ignore them. With any addiction, there is a reason underlying why we turn to substance abuse, whether that substance is food, drugs, or alcohol. I’m no different than a drug addict or alcoholic, except that my addiction is readily accepted in today’s society, and the sin of gluttony is not easily hidden and is worn outwardly for the world to see. I no longer want my overweight body to be a billboard for the sin of gluttony. I am ready to move forward on the next step of my First Place journey and be the woman God has called me to be; a woman who fears the Lord and walks in obedience to what He has called me to do; a woman set free, released from the bondage of gluttony that has held me captive for so many years. I’m looking forward to the journey!