Read the Directions

Boy did I learn some important lessons recently. This Friday is Block of the Month, so I needed to get my block done. I had cut out the pieces last week so all I needed to do was sew them together. Well, as is my normal practice, I laid all the pieces down on my cutting board as they would be sewn together. Well a lot of times I have been able to just look at the block and logically start sewing pieces together in a smart way so that it will be easy to put the block together. And most of the time when I do this -it works. However, this time was different. I did not take the time to look at the block and study it to decide the best way to put it together. Well I as I started sewing different sections together - I began to see my mistake. Well I had sewn so much of it together that I did not want to "unsew" all the pieces that would be needed to "unsew" in order to put it together the way the directions said to do it - the easiest way. So I determined that I would go forward and I would get it done. Yes, it would be a challenge but I could do it. Well I got half of it done and decided to wait for another day to finish the block out. So last night, I decided to spend some time in my sewing room to get that block done. As I worked on the block more and more I realized that it was going to be harder than I thought. And I ended up having to "unsew" several different pieces. And at one point because I had sewn the block together the way I did - I had some spots that were REALLY hard to "unsew." So one of my pieces of fabric started to fray on one end of it.

By the end of the evening I had the block together. And I was disappointed in how it turned out- by the looks of it - it seems OK. But when you really look at it - you see the problems. It is pretty lumpy since I did not sew the pieces together the best way. So there are several really thick intersections of fabric. And there is a small hole - maybe the size of an eraser head. It is not really obvious because it is on a seam and it is really just frayed fabric but I can not sew the piece any further over or it will make the block look worse.



As I looked at the block I realized that God had some lessons for me to learn with this block.

First of all, I had directions that would have made putting this block together much easier. Just as in life we have directions... Too often I think we get into the mind set that we know what we are doing - we can do it - we don't need directions. We don't need to spend time in Bible study and in prayer. But how difficult we make it on ourselves. Like with my block, if I had have spent time studying the directions - in life - studying the Word of God - how much easier would life be.

Another lesson I learned is that looks can be deceiving. Because as you look at this block it looks pretty good. And I think as Christians we can look like we have it all together on the outside - while inside - we are lumpy and a mess with holes. Holes unseen by those looking at us - but there just the same.

So to summarize - God gave us directions for life. It is the Bible. We would do ourselves a big favor if we would spend time in His word every day. Getting to know Him and what His will is for our lives. :o)