A Time to Quilt and A Time to Quit, Lessons Learned

This one may be a little long, but bear with me.  Lessons learned are worth sharing.

Monday morning Izzy and I awoke to twenty-three blocks left to quilt.  That's not quite as bad as waking with a toothache, but almost.

Ingenuity kicked in and our brillant minds came up with a plan.  First things first - teacher declared a holiday and principal He's Too Good To Me approved it - so, we set about trying to find twenty-three fun ways to quilt blocks.  Twenty-three different locations. We had a few laughs, squenched a few thoughts, high-fived a few, and then hit the road.

Believe me, I've had better ideas.  Remember, it was a school holiday - it started out as fun, but not too far into it Izzy realized this was not fun for her - no, it was much, much work.  Ten year old hands were not made to quilt twenty-three blocks in one day.  At least not in this century on your first attempt at a quilt.

After one teary plea to stop I watched her soldier on and thought of all the things I've "begun" in my life and never finished.  Specifically in my Christian walk.  Kindness, charity, tackling projects at church - all my good intentions.  Then there's the monster, the king of them all, my biggest failure - daily quiet time and prayer with my Lord. 

I'm not talking about praying while you drive or cook or clean.  I'm not talking about sitting down to read HomeLife.  Sure, those things have their place, and, of course, God hears every earnest plea, but I'm referring to my small promise I made to Him in response to His unending promises to me. 

The kicker - He keeps His.

Just a little of my time.  Not time split between Him and whatever urgent (if only that were true) activity I feel needs my attention; but my undivided, exclusive, unbroken quiet time with Him.  Time to hear Him speak.  Time for Him to reveal His plans for me.  Time for Him to make me understand why the answer is no, or wait.  Time to take pleasure in my King and friend. Time to immerse myself in His immeasurable love and goodness. Time to learn and grow.

Psalm 25 tells us, if we seek Him, who God will teach.  Verse 14 says that the Lord confides in us.  Can you imagine that?  It gives me finger and toe tingles to think about the maker of everything sharing a secret with me.  Little 'ole me.  But that is what He desires, an intimate relationship with me.  What is keeping me from reaping the full benefit of this?  You said it honey -  me.

Just look at what He revealed to me Monday in that quiet moment of watching my child.  No one was around.  All I could hear was the birds, tools from the shop, and an occasional sniffle from Izzy.  He spoke and forgave my disobediance.  I made a new committment, arose, and took my daughter home. For the time being quilting had come to an end.  Such a simple lesson because I became quiet and drew unto Him.  Imagine what He could have taught me if I was reading and soaking up His Word at that moment.

I required too much of Isabela.  I require too little of myself daily when I excuse disobediance and laziness. Quiet morning time with Him allows me to begin my day with His instructions.  Maybe that's why Monday fell short.  The teacher approved it, the principal approved it, but I forgot to check with the Headmaster.  We left Him out - and because we know better - our glory was cut short.

Sandy Smith, wife of evangelist Bailey Smith, says, "It has taken me years to realize that God doesn't love me because I have a quiet time - He just loves me!  This knowledge alone has increased my desire to be with Him."

" . . . resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."  Colossians 2: 2-3

Tomorrow I will post some pictures of places she is quilting blocks. Three days have passed, she is asleep in her bed, and there is only one block left to quilt. We missed our deadline but the world did not end, the earth did not stop spinning in orbit. And, all in all, we are creating a good memory.  Lessons learned.