DROP STITCH

The girls took up crocheting projects this weekend. They went to the craft store, invested in their supplies, mapped out their designs and got at it. They soon discovered that being new to crocheting made it quite easy to ‘drop a stitch’. When that happens their straight lines become curved and the work takes on a much different shape.

The girls each have a different approach to this situation: one daughter, after seeing that things aren’t going as planned, unravels the entire project and begins again. She’s restarted many times, attempting to get that original pattern to take shape. Right now, she’s frustrated and has set her supplies aside for a time. I’ll encourage her to keep at it and trust she’ll learn the rewards of perseverance.

Daughter number two is as much a novice, dropping her stitch just as much; however, when she notices she’s off-model, instead of scrapping and starting over, she rethinks the plan. She takes a second look at what’s in front of her and sees a new opportunity in what’s been done. Each time, she ends up creating something more beautiful and useful than originally planned. She’s stretched, implemented additional skills and delighted by her newfound craftsmanship. This is the result of resilience.

I was able to chat with both about their response to their projects, noting that neither was wrong, but perhaps there is an outlook that is more useful and joyful in certain situations: You can still make something beautiful from a misstep and mistake, even if it means taking on an entirely new direction. By moving forward, you continue to learn and grow and improve, which is mostly the point of any good work.

If you’ve found you’ve ‘dropped a stitch’ I encourage you to look at the situation with a totally different perspective. My hope is that by the grace of God something more lovely is in the works for you.

Until next time,

Mrs. Farmer Jones, Locavore Farms

TIME IS SHORT

Please pray for my husband. He is on hospice and his time is short. As much as I love him and will miss him I pray that he not have to suffer. I am worried about being able to pay our debts when he is gone. My health has taken a toll since I have been his 24 hour caretaker for the past three years. I do not regret being the one there for him at all. I am also asking for prayers for my youngest 2 sons. They have walked away from their faith and I worry about them and their families as I know that things are changing so quickly and they need to get right with God.

anonymous