Got a good laugh from my attempt at being a seamstress & a warm smile from making a gift for a friend

So apparently, my comfort zone really does not include mending clothing. My friend Lexie, who has been following my blog, got this crazy idea that I had skills for sewing. For the rest of you, let this story be a lesson to you. She brought over some clothes that needed some very simple mending, and we set to work. Mostly, we just had some tiny holes to repair, and managed that together with no problem. Sewing in a new hook to her bikini top, on the other hand, caused me to break out in a hideous sweat, and yes, there was some yelling at myself. After battling with my sewing machine for what felt like ages, I cheered myself victoriously when I finally sewed through that little half inch of fabric. And then I pulled it away from the sewing machine and promptly broke out in uproarious laughter because this is what it looked like on the flip side:

oh wow. I have no idea how I managed to do that. I had to take a little breather, splash my face with water, enjoy the laugh, set to ripping that mess apart and starting over. But I did persevere. You can still tell its been mended by an amateur, but in the end, we got this instead:

Lexie was kind enough to say this was good enough for her to be seen in. It doesn't hurt that she's gorgeous, which will detract from a the site of this clasp on her back :) This report is not meant to deter any other friends who might want some help mending their clothes, honestly, I'd really like some more practice to try to get better. I just want to be clear and honest, making sure you are forewarned.

In exchange for my not-so-expert sewing, Lexie shared her very savvy expert advice with me - giving me feedback about a presentation I'm preparing to give at a conference next week. She really hit the nail on the head for what was missing in my talk. Not only did she give me a helpful critique, but also she did a great job at helping me think through how to solve the problem. Just because pictures make things more interesting, and in case you're curious, here's the little handout I'll be distributing to go along with the talk:

So Lexie provided a good laugh, and my friend Erin provided a warm smile in response to another recent project of mine. [Today was a good day for girlfriends!] My dear friend Erin's birthday was this past Sunday - Happy Birthday Erin! Once upon a time, Erin and I were college roommates in an cottage right on the edge of a freshman dorm. We had an unforgettably wonderful year there together. During that year, I was in a discipleship group where I learned about how important it is to remember God's faithfulness to you, your family, and your people, which has brought you to where you are today. We see God regularly reminding Israel of how He brought them out of Egypt to assure them that if they will turn to Him, He will continue to provide for them, protect them, and be faithful to them into the future. Israel forgets this a lot, so He reminds them a lot. For us individually, it's also easy to forget how much God has provided for us, how faithful He's been in times of our own uncertainty or pain, as we step into new situations where we feel unsure. This is a lesson I have had to come back to so many times, as I, like Israel, so easily forget. Erin is one of those friends who helps me remember, in times when I get anxious, she is a constant comfort. Erin now leads one of these discipleship groups at Westmont, and I can only imagine the blessing she is to the students who get to spend that precious time with her.

A few weeks ago, I went to church and heard this great sermon about Nehemiah. Nehemiah is trying to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, to restore the nation of Israel and bring glory to God. Israel's neighbors aren't happy about the idea of this nation who has been demolished, scattered, and enslaved finding any restoration or healing - so they're out to get them. So as the men work away at the wall, they have a trowel in one hand, laying the bricks, and their sword in the other hand, prepared to fight and defend themselves from their enemy. These people have been in captivity for so long, that they have lost their language, cultural identity, and memory of their historical roots. They're trying to rebuild this city together, but they're really anxious and afraid. Nehemiah speaks words of encouragement to them, reminding them, "Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious." Later in the story, the account of their escape from Egypt is read to them, and this history of God's faithfulness brings them to corporate weeping from the incredible joy of knowing all that God had done for them. I loved how this imagery captured this lesson that I had learned in college that was so dear to me, and thought it could be an encouragement to Erin too. So when I was learning some new quilting skills like making crazy-quilts, and applique, a few experiments evolved into a little wall hanging quilt that I sent to Erin for her birthday. [she's sentimental and enjoys old-worldy type stuff like me, so I hoped it was safe to send a homemade gift] I worked on this project with my mother-in-law (see my "creating in community" post), and she suggested the applique dove. The rainbow is supposed to be an image of God's promises to us, but I like how the dove captures this memory of a moment when Noah wasn't so sure whether God was going to give them dry land to step out onto, the dove was sent out and they had to just wait, relying on nothing but their faith in God to provide for them. Now that Erin's gotten to be the first to see it, I can share my finished little project here, maybe you can also be encouraged to remember God's faithfulness in your own life - especially if you are entering a stage of uncertainty or doubt:

front

back