Sanctification by Needle & Thread

It was a good day. 

I was settling into one of my all-time favorite tasks, mending.

Some ladies think it's an unpleasant chore. I have to admit that I don't get to it all that often, but when I do it's enjoyable.

I took a deep breath and pulled my Honey's jeans onto my lap. 

Maybe the reason I like mending is that in order to do it I have to stop and sit down.

Or maybe I like mending because my effort results in something being made useful.

I took the needle out of the little package and picked up the spool of blue thread.

I'm getting older so I took another deep breath and steadied myself to thread the needle.

I found the itty-bitty eye, but the thread was too frayed to go through. 

I cut the end clean and stabilized my hands again. The thread went through and I measured out the length I wanted. Well, I tried to measure out the thread. Somehow there was a short piece on the spool so I ended up pulling it right through the needle.

I repeated the same steps with confidence they would be successful this time, but the same thing happened again - honest.

This time I made sure there was a nice long piece of thread before I poked the end through the eye of the needle. I relaxed and settled into the hemming job before me. My hands fell into a smooth rhythm.
                                                                           
I started to think about the little scenario I'd just walked through. There had been rounds of frustration, but I'd been able to remain calm and stay on course. Now that's interesting. 

You see, I'm not the most patient person in the world . . . at least not this year . . . or decade.

I started to think, You know, it sure would have been a lot different if I'd let that frustration get to me. 

I pictured myself all hot and fuming as I tried to cram a piece of thread waving around in my tense grip through the eye of a needle that I simply couldn't see through the fury blurring my vision. After 20+ tries I saw myself throw the mending tools up in the air, ditch the piece of fabric behind the couch, and stomp off in a flurry of nastiness. 

Please groan with me over such immature behavior,

even if it is only imaginary.

I wonder how my life would change if I applied the mending mindset I enjoy to other activities. What would my day be like if I chose to stop and sit down just to collect my thoughts from time to time? I bet it would help if I remembered that God has a loving purpose for everything He plans for me. It would definitely be an improvement if I just chose to relax into His arms continually. Great stuff to ponder.

There, the hems are finished. My Honey puts on his jeans and his smile lights up my day - yet another reason to give patience a chance.

"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."  Colossians 3:12