Prodigal: That sure is darn pretty.

Me: Thank you, it took some time.

I am finishing up my first quilt. It has been a long process. I have tried to sneak in the time several times a month to spend hours sewing the quilt. In the process I have enjoyed seeing it take shape.

I had just finished the first border around the quilt. I was working on the second border of the quilt. I wanted to finish it that Saturday.

The quilt had been going along nicely. I could see the finish line approaching. I had several compliments from how it was looking. I wanted to rush ahead, and complete this part. That Saturday with the other ladies around, I pushed myself. I had to pin the second border to the quilt after the fabric was cut.

I looked around and a lot of chatter was taking place around me with the other ladies. My friend who is helping me, also was chatting, and seemed happy. I decided that I could do this on my own. I decided that I did not need to ask for guidance, or to make sure I was doing everything correctly.

I sew three of the four borders on, and then I am trying to complete the last one. It was getting late. I was getting tired, and my body is telling me it is time to eat soon. I know that I need to start packing up. My friend comes over, and looks at the quilt. Right away she shows me, how I sewed the border in such a way that it will come undone after a while. I did not sew it in a way that reinforced the fabric together. This would make the seams weaker where I sewed. It would not take many washes in the washing machine before it would start coming undone.

The only solution then was to rip out some of the stitches and redo everything. I then knew, looking at the time, I could not finish. This was going to take another day.

I was not upset. I could see my action in all this. I accept the suffering that my mistakes had made. That allowed me to move on, and figure out where to go from there. I will be doing some extra work this week. That is something I can tell you. It is better to find out now, then later on when I find out I have a quilt that is not sturdy and not able to hold up.

This is something as Christians we do not like to admit. We often will be too independent of God. We may see part of a plan. We may agree with the plan. So we rush ahead, and forget to continue to check in with God to make sure that this was the way we are suppose to complete the plan. Then at some point God shows up, and says that plan made things weaker.

See God is interested in not just giving you blessings, your heart’s desires or a good future. He wants to make sure you have the foundation right so that the blessings, heart’s desires, and future will not unravel with one thread at the first sign of difficulty.

The truth is that our lives are delayed sometimes not because of God, but because our spirits are too independent. We are not checking in with God. We have to go back, and fix the weak parts that were created because we did things on our own. That is the only way to move forward, and complete the project.

With that process, it does seem like suffering. We are not good at accepting suffering that we ourselves have made. Sometimes we just need to admit, I have more work today. I have more work because of my path I choose. Don’t blame others. Don’t blame God. Just accept, and get started.

Lord, I sometimes think I know the way on my own, but I need you to continue to guide me. Some days the Lord will tell you you are doing well. Some days there are minor corrections. Some days there are major corrections, but in all of them there is love. God is guiding you to make sure that you are strong.

My quilt might take longer now. Probably just a day longer. It is ok. I have accepted that. I am glad I found out now. I want not only a beautiful quilt, but a strong one also.

Nehemiah 7:2

That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man and Feared God above many.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org