Russ makes a good model, doesn’t he?!?!
Then, between Christmas and New Years, I had a houseful of teens. The two from out of town spent the entire time here and the three local ones spent most days and several nights here as well. On New Year’s eve, we had all 5 teens for a New Years watch party and sleepover.
In a word, EXHAUSTING!! Added to that, I was trying to fulfill a request by one of the girls to make her a dress – customized to her specifications. Normally not a big deal but with all the things I had just made and all the company and busyness of Christmas, I was tired. Still I worked on the dress, but didn’t quite get it finished in time for her to take it home with her when she left.
After all the kids had left and most of the mess was cleaned up, I began to work on the dress. I wasn’t happy. The granddaughter had said she would help and she didn’t. She had told me of a life style decision she is making and wanted me to support that. When I said I would accept her but could not approve of her choices, she became upset and all the cousins rallied to her side. For the first time ever they were rude and disrespectful to us and our home, and even left behind some disrespectful posters they had made while they were here.
And so as I worked on this dress, I grumbled and complained. “She doesn’t deserve this dress,” I thought. “She needs to show more respect and make better choices.” “I’m tired and don’t feel like working on this dress.”
Have you ever heard that ‘still, small voice?’ I did and it was not very small!! Like a gentle knock on the noggin, I heard God say to me, “You can sew that dress and make each stitch a knot of your hurt and resentment or you can use the sewing time to pray for this child and fill every stitch with love.”
WHOA! How many times have I asked God for something that I didn’t deserve. God has never broken a promise made to me and He has continued to love me even when I have wandered away from His best plan for my life. I made a promise to this granddaughter to make her a dress. It was up to me to stitch it with either resentment or love…my choice. I am almost finished with it now, and as I sew, I pray for this child. When I give her the dress I hope that she will feel my love. When she wears that dress, I pray she will be enveloped not only in my love, but in some way, will feel God’s love as well. She was dedicated to God as an infant and I trust that someway, someday her heart will turn back towards Him. In the meantime, I need to watch my attitude and always finish each stitch with love.
( It’s a costume based on a Japanese (Anime) cartoon character. I don’t understand – but this is what she wanted!!)
23 handmade gifts? That's almost impossible. I hope that now you can rest your busy fingers! It's hard not to be sad when those we love make bad choices, and it's hard to continue loving them in quite the same way as before. I think you did the right thing in speaking your mind, even though your opinion was rejected by your grandchildren. The times they are "a'changing" and that's not always a good thing. Persevere, Donna!
ReplyDeleteDon't be too impressed - most of the gifts were crochet hats and slippers and those only take a few hours. The problem was I didn't think of this idea until mid-October so I was a crocheting fool LOL!! All that work messed up my shoulders badly so now I can't crochet at all!!
DeleteDonna - not sure why but I just kind of felt prompted to check out this blog for the first time. My son made so many wrong choices as a teen that I often despaired of him evens surviving those years and if he did live I thought they might all be in jail. But I always told him how much he was loved and that he was always wanted at home. Not his behavior but him. He rejected us and moved in with his buddy and his Mom and Dad (who smoked weed with the kids). His buddy died of a drug overdose and Todd found him the next morning when he woke up. Long story, but Todd ended up in jail the next day (nothing to do with drugs). And I was such a mess. But I knew that he is a beloved child of Heavenly Father and it was my job as his mother to love him no matter what. He is now a wonderful, happily married man who is on his career path and hopefully soon a son or daughter of his own. It wasn't easy and I cried so much. But with the Lord's arm around me we made it.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Love love, Andrew. Bye.
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