Although my parents are in failing health, I enjoyed my weekend time with them in South Carolina. On the "to do" list was a visit with my nephew, his wife and their three children. Mom and Dad loved seeing them, especially the new baby. Babies do have a way of making me feel not quite so old and rather full of hope.
The baby's mommy thanked me graciously for a crocheted baby blanket I recently finished and mailed to their home. I ducked my head with embarrassment over the blanket's imperfections; she was extravagant in her praise of the blanket's colors and softness. You see, the blanket hadn't come out quite "square" due to a change in yarn tension about 2/3 of the way through. She deemed the defect "character" and brushed away my concerns.
Uneven tension, my life is a prime example. Jesus said that He would give us rest in exchange for our heavy burdens (Matt 11:28-30). Yet, like many, I practice "Indian giving"; I lay it down and then take the burden of my life right back. Today grant scores are the heavy burden I bear. I wait anxiously for them to see if my grant is funded or rejected again as have so many have been recently. I wait as though God does not already know what they are and how they affect my career, as though He does not have a plan for good for a future with hope already in place (Jer 29:11) . Father, help me to remember the command to be anxious for nothing and just breath a prayer of trust and faith (Phil 4:6)
Oh, to live a squared up life.
The baby's mommy thanked me graciously for a crocheted baby blanket I recently finished and mailed to their home. I ducked my head with embarrassment over the blanket's imperfections; she was extravagant in her praise of the blanket's colors and softness. You see, the blanket hadn't come out quite "square" due to a change in yarn tension about 2/3 of the way through. She deemed the defect "character" and brushed away my concerns.
Uneven tension, my life is a prime example. Jesus said that He would give us rest in exchange for our heavy burdens (Matt 11:28-30). Yet, like many, I practice "Indian giving"; I lay it down and then take the burden of my life right back. Today grant scores are the heavy burden I bear. I wait anxiously for them to see if my grant is funded or rejected again as have so many have been recently. I wait as though God does not already know what they are and how they affect my career, as though He does not have a plan for good for a future with hope already in place (Jer 29:11) . Father, help me to remember the command to be anxious for nothing and just breath a prayer of trust and faith (Phil 4:6)
Oh, to live a squared up life.
6 comments:
Don't think we are called to live a 'squared up' life...Remember the story of the tapestry? We can only see the knots and flaws on the bottom, while God sees the finished picture from Heaven. Trusting is hard, I know, because I fail all the time, but the main thing is that we KNOW that's the source of life and we repent and go back each time.
that is pretty cool that you know how to crochet!
Yes, he has a future and hope for you. In Jesus we all have that; God is good. We can trust him, no matter what we face. But it's good to see his goodness in our lives and out from our lives into the lives of others, even if only by our prayers (that's so often where it starts).
Our lives do seem haphazzard and out of control at times, but that may just mean we're not in control of them any longer, which we never were anyhow. God's good hand will work it out everything well in the end, using all things for our good and conformity to Jesus.
I'm sounding like a preacher here, and kind of related to my post this morning, I suppose. I'm thankful this is true in my life, and for everyone else as well because of what God in Christ has done. To be received by faith. (I can't stop preaching, though I need to hear God's truth always, fresh from him.)
Praying for you today.
I'm kind of sad you were actually able to finish that pink blanket for Sam and Jamie's baby. Why? Because that means you had enough time to finish it--something that probably wouldn't have been true if Olivia and I were still in Bolingbrook.
We miss you!
I miss you too, Drew. So much, in fact, that I've finished about 1/3 of your blanket as well :)
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