I was able to attend our monthly quilting day.  We usually have someone who brings something they've gotten online and yesterday was no exception.  These are some of her favorite quilting quotes.  "When life throws you scraps, make a quilt."  (Deb Sarhan) "Measure twice, cut once." (Lilian Myers) And one very close to a saying her mother used to say, "IF you can't see the mistake from a galloping horse, it's not a mistake." 

These sayings got me to thinking of a devotional I gave when I was a member of the ladies singing group.  I had started a quilt thinking that I could get rid of some scraps.  Much harder than it appears.  God begin to work in my heart and tell me that our lives are much like quilts.  All quilts can be masterpieces if they are placed in the Master's hands.  I was struggling trying to get the scraps to go together to make this particular pattern, and the pattern was a scrap type quilt so I wasn't off the mark by choosing this pattern.  As I went along I soon begin to realize that this quilt was taking far longer than it would if I had just bought material that went together and followed that pattern.  That's when God hit me between the eyes and said, "When you bring me the material whole it takes far less effort to create a life worthwhile, but if I'm given scraps I can still make it beautiful, it just takes more effort and usually a longer period of time."  So if it takes less time and effort why do I find myself trying to "help" God by cutting into the material?  Who do I think I am to try to help God in the design department?  Betty Demopolis is quoted, "In piecing a quilt top, a mistake is a great design opportunity!"  In our group we have what we call a humility block.  That's the block that we look at and think there is something not quite right about that block but we can't see what it is that's wrong UNTIL we get it all assembled and in the quilt frame.  It's those blocks that keep us humble, to recognize only Jesus is perfect.  So I'll leave you with a quote from Dorothy Eidahl, "Remember only God is perfect.  Our quilts don't need to be." 

Do any of you remember the Tupperware toy that had all the shapes that had to match?  It was a ball with a handle at each end so the ball could be pulled apart and the pieces "freed" from their storage spot.  Why did I think of THAT last night when I couldn't sleep?  Of all the things I could think about the Tupperware toy came to my mind!!!  In my mind everything is blog potential so here's what I made out of this thought.  As each of the pieces in this puzzle are similar, they are each so different.  Each piece fits in it's own spot.  Isn't that like the Kingdom of God?  We are so similar in our makeup.  God created us, for the most part, with the same body parts, same functionality but each so different.  I have blue eyes, my mother's eyes were dark brown and my daddy had blue eyes also.  Genetics 101 - my mother must have had a recessive gene in order for me to have blue eyes.  Back to my story.  We have basically the same body, some taller, some shorter, some deep, some wide, hair color, HAIR, two arms, legs, ears, eyes, nose, mouth, lungs, heart, brain, etc, you get the picture.  What makes some allergic to some things while allergies are no problem for others? 

OK, once again, I digress.  Each of us has a shape and a special place to fit.  Finding that place for some is easy while some struggle to find where they "fit in".  I know enough about God and His character to say that finding His "will" shouldn't be like going on a scavenger hunt.  He doesn't hide His will from us although total disclosure at any point in time might not be there either.  (And thankfully we don't always know what is in our future.)  Our focus should be on being the feet and hands of Jesus each day and out of that should come a sense of purpose.  Shouldn't it?  I heard it said that we should be missional as we go about our business each day.  Mission minded lots of times means that we give to missions, pray for missions, etc but missional means we are doing the work.  We see a need and find a way to meet it.  Isn't that what Jesus did?  He saw a man who couldn't walk - He healed him.  Demons - zap they were gone.  Sometimes it's easier to fit if I don't force myself into that design but rather keep working myself around my world until I come in contact with a need, do what I can and amazingly enough, it fits.  Now if I can sleep tonight!!!  haha