BeaUtiful: Playing With Yarn

Did you know I'm a quitter?

Either did I.

Actually, I'm not a quitter.

It just that there are things that come easy to me, and there are things that don't.

Its the things that are hard that make me want to quit.

No, I'm not a quitter. My problem is that I give up too easily.

I give-in to frustration. I begin to believe the lie that if I cannot figure it out it must not be meant for me.

Or (more often than I care to admit) I allow insecurity or pride dictate what I will learn.

Case in point: Crochet.

Several years ago a lady at our church offered to teach me how to crochet. She made it look so easy that I readily took her up on her offer.

After several starts and stops I made a wonky looking pot-holder and then gave it up. It was too difficult, to hard to figure out, and my end product wasn't what I had envisioned it to be.

You know, maybe the time wasn't right (for all things there is a season) but honestly, it was just too complicated.

Actually it wasn't. But my desire to have what she had made it more difficult.

 I wanted the yarn to slip easily through my fingers; I wanted my stitches to be even and straight; I wanted to make beautiful things from a ball of yarn.

And I wanted them immediately.

What I needed was repetition. I needed to do the stitches many more times than the average bear. I needed to make pot-holders over and over again, and appreciate the work of practice, even if it wasn't always pretty.

That has been true of so many things in my life.

Repetition and grace. Practice, practice, practice. Learning that the finished project isn't going to come out the way I planned. Often times, its better.

Why am I telling you this?

Well, I've been making flowers. Flowers from yarn. Rachel taught me how to do this on Wednesday and I have made many, many flowers in the last 48 hours. With each one, they become more and more flower-like.

With every stitch I have been reminded to persevere. To remember that more often than not true beauty (success) is not measured in how quickly something is achieved, or in what the finished product may look like, but in the process of learning.

As I have moved that hook between strands of yarn, I was reminded that the imperfection of learning can reap a garden of joy.

Most of all I need to remember this in all things.

Not just when playing with yarn.

Beautiful: The Story of One Earring

Last week I had a ministry meeting with my friends, K2 and LR.

As we were discussing the details of our new semester of Ladies Bible Study, LR's blue earring fell out of her left ear.

While she was putting it back in, I noticed that her other ear was nekkid as well. I said, "Oh! You lost the other one too."

She said something to me I never expected: I only have one ear pierced.

Upon further inspection I realized it was true.

Her right earlobe was completely devoid of the puncture of piercing.

She told the story of being a teenager with a desire for adornment, but a serious lack of funds held her back.

She did have a sweet friend, who had a little cash and a willingness to help a girl in need.

They headed for the mall, with just enough coin for the job.

Upon piercing of the left ear, her friend realized that the posted piercing price was actually per ear, and unfortunately, LR's friend was now tapped.

Embarrassed and apologetic, her friend offered to bring LR back to the store after the next pay day, to complete the matched set.

However, as often happens with time and money, the days marched on and they never went back for that second ear.

And here she sat with me at a tiny table in the corner of Starbucks...and my mind began to turn.

Before I had the chance to respond, she said "Here's the fun part-- I have the most beautiful earrings, because for years now whenever a friend or those who know this story lose an earring, they give me the lonely one. You wouldn't believe how many really nice earrings I have."

I can tell you, she wears them proudly.

And Beautifully.

I love her attitude. Her heart. Her willingness to see the bright side of an uncommon situation.

She's not willing to conform to what might be deemed a "normal" standard (if you can call having matched ear piercing normal).

I didn't ask if she ever plans on getting her right ear pierced. I got the feeling she's not planning it anytime soon.

As this point in LR's life her piercing decisions are not limited by funds, but my hunch is that she isn't willing to pay the high price of what a second earring might cost-- such as conversations missed. Or the opportunity to tell a good story and to laugh with someone else.

Why do I think this story is beautiful?

Because LR is beautiful. Outside and in. With or without her one pierced ear.

But more importantly, LR is willing to walk the "be you" of beauty, and when a gal is willing to be herself, that encourages others to do the same.

And that is beautiful.

What matters is not the outer appearance...the jewelry you wear...but your inner disposition.

1 Peter 3: 3 (MSG)

This year I have decided to keep my  eyes and heart open to seeing beauty in a way that is counter-cultural and God honoring. When I see it, I hope to write about it. This is the first post...for more info on why I've chosen to do this go to this post.