Life Threads

My mother is a skilled seamstress who made all of her daughters' clothes, as well as our dolls' clothes. I had the best dressed bride doll and Barbie dolls around! And, their fashions were made from scraps of material that were left from our handmade clothes. 

When I was a young girl, Mama would take us on outings to Mary Jo's Cloth Store. In my mind, I can still smell the dye in the thousands of bolts of cloth, and I can feel the excitement and anticipation that washed over me at the thought of choosing a pattern, cloth, and buttons for a new dress. It was important to select the right pattern because there would surely be several dresses of varying colors designed from that same pattern. When the dresses were finished, they always looked just as I imagined they would. There was comfort and predictability in that.

Life is not always so predictable. Even when we choose what we view at the time as just the right pattern and plan, the end product does not always appear as we imagined it would. Divorce, health challenges, wayward children, job loss, disappointing superiors, and other unplanned events sometimes put us on a detour which significantly changes the way we thought our "life threads" would appear.

When I am struggling to get past a difficult "seam" in my life, it comforts me to know that God sees the final product, even when I cannot see past the current moment. And, He loves me even when I am under construction. Just as Mama would (and still does!) patiently repair a ripped out hem or a hole in my clothes, God is in the life repair business. And, He keeps His promise not to leave me to face the challenging life threads and circumstances alone.

I love the "sewing terminology" used in Psalm 139:5 - "You hem me in behind and before; You have laid Your hand upon me." How awesome to know that God is protecting me, and that He is already preparing the way for what lies ahead!

Lord, I know that I am an unfinished product. Thank You for loving me during every phase of construction. Help me to pattern my life after the example of Your Son.