The Sewing Machine

When Mr. Small Town asked me what I wanted for Christmas last year I excitedly told him that I wanted “a sewing machine.”  He looked at me funny and asked, “Really?”

Now, I took sewing in 4-H and in Home Economics so I knew I could sew based on my training.  Plus, having a friend who had started a sewing business, got me interested in sewing again.  No, I wasn’t going to start a business but I had enough confidence to believe that I could sew a few dresses for myself.  So yes, I wanted a sewing machine.

I researched what kind of machine I wanted based on my level of sewing and what I thought I would use it for.  And, after searching several stores and websites, I finally came upon the one I wanted.  I pushed the button and my sewing adventure began!

I was so excited when the big box arrived a few weeks before Christmas!  I decided to put the box near the Christmas tree and to wait until Christmas morning to open it.  Then my son brought home his tattered backpack.  It needed serious repairing.  Buy a new one or … I could use my new sewing machine to fix it!  My first project – I was pumped!

After everyone was asleep, I carefully opened the box and got the machine all set up.  Everything was going great until I got to the automated thread feeder which wasn’t as easy as the directions lead me to believe – one of the main reasons for buying this particular model!  I eventually had to ‘Google’ how to use it.  After a frustrating hour, I gave up, got out my ‘readers’ and put the thread through the tiny opening.  I pinned his backpack hole together and started sewing.  After several swipes back and forth, the backpack was finally put back together.  It wasn’t professional looking at all but I was so proud of my work! I carefully put the machine back in the box and put it back near the tree anticipating Christmas morning.

Fast forward 2 days after Christmas and I began my first project – a sun dress for my upcoming trip to Florida in 10 days.  I picked out some beautiful material, a pattern which included a zipper, and headed home to start it.  Surely I could produce my dress in 10 days.

Bring a ‘non detailed, out of the box thinker’, I didn’t pay attention to the instructions about how to lay out the pattern on the material.  It looked simple enough. However, the pattern looked much smaller than I felt I was, so I cut the tissue paper a bit bigger to accommodate all the Christmas cookies and treats I had been feasting on.  I pinned it together and eagerly started sewing the pieces together.

I was quickly reminded of a very important tool that I had used during my days in home economics – the seam remover.  I tore out several attempts but I kept preserving along with my goal and vision of me in my beautiful dress.  (Okay, I do admit that I had to have my friend’s mother-in-law stop over to help me when I really got to a breaking point.)

The night before the trip I took out my partially finished dress to mark where to put the straps.  As I put it on, I was horrified how it fit!  I was 4 sizes too big!!  Mr. Small Town and the Kid came in to see it.  There I was in my beautiful dress, 4 sizes too big trying not to cry.  Being the great guy that he is, he just hugged me as I stood there in defeat.  He didn’t say ‘I told you so’ or anything like that.  He just smiled and said he felt bad for me after all the hard work I had put into making it.  The Kid, well, he took a cue from his dad and gave me a hug.

The lesson I learned through this experience is that ….

Don’t try to be someone you are not.  Celebrate who you are.

They had seen how excited I was  in my quest to become a ‘seamstress’.  They supported me but they know who I am.  They know that my past history with sewing has lead to disasters.  They know how I don’t follow directions. They know I’m not a detailed oriented person.  But they supported me, even in my failure.

At first I was discouraged by my defeat as a seamstress.  But then God began to remind me of who He made me to be.  First of all, I’m not a detailed oriented person.  But God provided me with a husband who is.  I’m a cook who doesn’t always follow the directions.  I often swap out ingredients or spices because the taste doesn’t agree with my palette.  This isn’t a quality that works when baking things.  Bakers like to follow exact directions in order not to have runny cookies or muffins!  But I’ve created some of our wonderful family favorites by adding a little bit of this or substituting another ingredient.  (Due to Mr. Small Town’s request, I finally wrote most of my recipes down so I could duplicate it again with the same quality of flavor he likes.)

I don’t always like to follow patterns and instructions – a quality I share with the Kid! Which means, I can make a washing machine or fire alarm out of any material that I have at my disposal. I haven’t yet been able to find a ‘kit’ telling me how to make a washing machine made out of a bowl, a straw, a milk jug, and a battery.

I’ve learned that God made me just the way He wants me to be.  He brought Mr. Small Town into my life to balance out the qualities that I don’t have.  He designed the Kid to be a perfect fit to me being his mother.  Can you imagine if we were all the same?!?

So, how did God design you?  Have you ever stopped to think about it?  How do you contribute to the family, church, organization where God’s put you?

If you’ve never thought about it before, try doing it.  It might change your perspective on who you think you are, and who you really are.  And guess what….

The Small Town Girl

p.s.  I still have my sewing machine.  I recently dug it out to make some more summer dresses.  You can imagine the results…..!