Perseverance: A Lesson from God

    Writing a blog post for a non-writer is akin to pulling something out of thin air. So most of my posts read like a conversation that I am leading... ahem, I seem to be skilled at that sometimes to my detriment. Lately I have been thinking what you the reader may want to read. I don't always get comments and everyone is so busy. So I often just write what I am going through at the time and pray that helps someone.

A little coffee and some knitting on a cold morning. 

    So these cold(14 degrees this morning) days while we wait patiently for the sun to return with warmth and promise of summer I have had one word on my mind.... perseverance. I do believe in the fruit of the spirit it would be long suffering and patience. A gift from God and taught to me over the years, I have a "don't give up ever" attitude. I pray it is always there to the end. I find it very useful to succeeding in everything I do. Think about it for awhile and see where you may need a little inspiration here. Where has God grown you?
    We all have things in life that we need to work through and things we need to learn. Sometimes we give up and say I just can't learn this so I am not a _________(fill in the blank). I think when I was in school I tried so many things to see what they were like that when I didn't stick with them my dad would get upset with me feeling like I quit. Maybe that is were it comes from. I explained no I just wanted to try them to see what they were like(cheerleading, yearbook, band, track, etc.) See being an artist wasn't real high on my families list of great accomplishments so I searched to see what else I was good at instead of just accepting the way God made me and how He would mold me.
    As time passed I realized that we are all unique children of God and that He could grow us in many ways. It is funny how we think we know how everything is going to turn out then we find ourselves somewhere we never thought we would be. I tried college like others I graduated with but I didn't want to be an art teacher which was what I would have made money at. So I quit in my second year not wanting to waste my money on a degree that I was not going to use. Then many years later after having children I thought I would never have I taught art for 8 years at a homeschool co-op... God does get the job done one way or another doesn't He. Perseverance!
    Now living on a farm in PA that I thought we would never own I can look back at God's providence. He never gave up on me.
    God works in all things. I think as a Christian I sometimes think God doesn't notice the little things in life so I should just take care of those all by myself. Like homeschooling my children, cleaning the house, relationships, etc. Funny thing is His way is not my way and the way He molds us is not how we think it should be. I assumed when I started homeschooling my kids that if I just taught them all they needed to know then they would be ready for the world.... just open the books and teach them. As time passed I learned that some of the most valuable lessons they would ever learn when they were young would not be from books but would be by watching my husband and I grow. That can be hard to swallow because it isn't always perfect. Learning lessons of perseverance, patience, long suffering, kindness, love, modesty, peace, joy, humility, etc. I could go on for awhile here. Wow, it is humbling to realize how God does this in you and through you.
    Wake each day and say I am willing Lord what do you have for me today. Over the years God has fulfilled so many blessings in and through me in ways I never would have planned but so much better.
    Last thought is He is in the small things as well. I never thought of God teaching me lessons through little tasks but He does. Like sewing a quilt with over 2000 squares when I had never quilted before but had started after my sister died to keep my mind occupied. It took me almost 20 years to finish it. Or the cross-stitch my grandmother bought me to make for my daughter that took me 11 years to complete. The last one that taught me this lesson was a scissor cover I promised to a young lady that took me about two years to complete. After sewing it single stitch and nearly going blind when it was supposed to be double stitch.
    You may not be a hand sewer, knitter, or quilter but were ever you are in life God will use daily tasks to mold you..... and if you have children they will be watching. If not children then maybe a friend or neighbor. Be a willing spirit and God will teach and grow you. Persevere!

The front of the scissor case and the first mistake made into a needle book.
The pattern is Mrs. Waddelows Needlework Basket by Ellen Chester

The back of the scissor pocket