Trusting the Process

It took me a good year or two to before I felt competent at driving around this big ol' city of mine. Having initially grown up in a small town, you never drove more than 5 minutes to get anywhere. Even the closest "town" was 30 minutes away, and THAT was considered quite far. Then, I went to college and moved to an area where a 20-30 minute commute is expected, wherever you go. Church, work, friend's house, or even school. It's all "local", right?

One thing that helped me get around town, though, was trusting the process of following a map. Or, if you don't have a map, just staying on I-5 until you know where you are. Panicking often only leads to premature turns and zizags and unfamiliar territories. Holy cow, I can't tell you how many times I've been lost or how much gas I've wasted just circling the same route, over and over again, only to be embarrassingly close to my destination.

It's kind of the same with... well... everything else in life. At least, that's what I've learned. Staying the course, sticking to the plan, asking for directions, and knowing, veritably, when to take a break or, at times, admit defeat and throw in the towel-- these are all part of the process.

Sewing is no different. It's so interesting how the process of constructing a garment works. Many a time I've tried on a half-sewn project, and fought the urge to PANIC. I think "Oh my gosh, this looks terrible! It looks NOTHING like the photo on the envelope! How is this going to come together?? I just need to stop now, this is useless..." But, I chug along and begrudgingly finish the project. Surprisingly, though, I'm often very pleased with finished skirt/dress/shirt. I actually like it, and YES, it DOES indeed look as it should. It's a good feeling, and it makes me glad that I didn't chuck the project.

Perseverance isn't a strong-point for me, not in all areas of my life. I can sew here and there, and I can find my way around the great metropolis that I live in. Big deal. Now, keeping my house clean or (most importantly) making my relationship with God my first priority? Staving off bad habits and keeping from falling into the same old traps? Loving my neighbor and working on existing relationships? Re-commiting my life to Christ day by day and participating in the spiritual life more deeply? Not so much.

I'll take the analogy of sewing and try to apply it to the rest of my life, and just how fruitful earnest work and commitment truly are. I'm so thankful for a God who loves, and doesn't give up on me (or any of us!), who sets an example for us to persevere, to fight the good fight, and to, day in and day out, trust in His process that ultimately leads to Life with Him.