{"id":327,"date":"2012-03-31T13:12:00","date_gmt":"2012-03-31T13:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/?p=327"},"modified":"2012-03-31T13:12:00","modified_gmt":"2012-03-31T13:12:00","slug":"sewing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/?p=327","title":{"rendered":"Sewing"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

I enjoy working on hobbies and crafts. To be honest, I think I would try anything once. But in the end, I know I can\u2019t do everything, so have settled on a few hobbies that I really enjoy.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
I\u2019ve mentioned Ukrainian Eggs, but most recently, I\u2019ve re-discovered sewing. I never enjoyed it throughout high school and only pulled out my sewing machine on occasion since then.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
It was actually difficult to \u201cpull out\u201d my machine. It wasn\u2019t a portable sewing machine. It was the sewing machine of my youth. The one I learned how to sew on. And years ago, it was the best there was. But as the years rolled on, some real issues began to occur.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
I eventually quit using it. The only person who ever sewed anything on it was my mother, the real seamstress. On her visits from Ohio, I\u2019d have projects ready for her. I am fortunate. My mother can whip up just about anything.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
A couple of years ago, Mom came and, and usual, I had a project ready to tackle. She began the cleaning process on my old machine. It was dirty. It was rusted. It had seen better days. It was time to put this sewing machine out of its misery. <\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cIf you want new curtains, I need a new machine,\u201d Mom said.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
My husband, Mason did the research. He then took Mom and together bought my new and improved, portable sewing machine. It is quite the machine! There are plenty of bells and whistles on this machine\u2026almost overwhelming to this inexperienced seamstress (and I use that term loosely).<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The purchase, however, turned out to be a good one for me. About 18 months ago, I pulled out my sewing machine and started creating. Halloween costumes, Easter outfits, NICU vests, curtains, pillows, aprons, and the list could go on.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
I must say, I enjoy sewing.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
But it hasn\u2019t always been this way. Here were my reasons for not enjoying sewing in years past:<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
1) my sewing machine was old and not functional<\/span><\/div>\n
2) sewing patterns did not make sense<\/span><\/div>\n
3) ripping out seams frustrated me<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
So over the past 18 months, I\u2019ve worked on this list. <\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
1) old machine is gone and new sewing machine has taken its place<\/span><\/div>\n
2) I\u2019m mastering sewing patterns\u2026reading and re-reading until I understand them<\/span><\/div>\n
3) okay, maybe this one will never disappear, but patience does help<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Old and New<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n
The Bible talks a lot about old and new. Think about your own life. What \u201cold\u201d ways need to be shed and what \u201cnew\u201d attitudes, thoughts, or actions need to be applied? <\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
2 Corinthians 5:17 says, \u201cTherefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!\u201d <\/i><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
And Ephesians 4:22-24 \u00a0says it this way, \u201cYou were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of our minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.\u201d<\/i> <\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
We need to understand that the \u201cold us\u201d needs to be replaced by a \u201cnew us.\u201d Only through Jesus and His Holy Spirit is this even possible.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Patterns<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n
We learn about patterns in Scripture as well. Romans 12:2 warns us \u201cnot to conform any longer to the pattern of this world.\u201d <\/i><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Paul asks Timothy, \u201cwhat you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching,\u201d <\/i>in 2 Timothy 1:13.\u00a0 <\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The pattern is written. We must learn to read and follow the pattern directions for our lives.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Ripping Seams<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n
Well, this one hurts. The sin in our lives that must be ripped out is for our own good. Without this process, we can never be the new creation God desires us to be.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
There is a section in Ezekiel 36 where God tells Israel what He will do for them when they turn from their sin. But the part I love is that He \u201cwill give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.\u201d<\/i> (Ezekiel 36:26) When sin is ripped from my heart, God will replace it with a new one\u2026and a new spirit as well. <\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
My new sewing machine is awesome. It has the capability to create beautiful items. But if I never use all the tools available, I will continue to create the same old items I\u2019ve made in the past.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
In my spiritual life, if I do not use the available tools, I will never know how beautiful my life truly can be. The Master Creator has offered it all to me. It\u2019s up to me allow Him to do His handiwork and see what beauty He will create in me.<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Are you up for some seam ripping?<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Grace and peace be yours in abundance,<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Donna<\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I enjoy working on hobbies and crafts. To be honest, I think I would try anything once. But in the end, I know I can\u2019t do everything, so have settled on a few hobbies that I really enjoy. I\u2019ve mentioned Ukrainian Eggs, but most recently, I\u2019ve re-discovered sewing. I never enjoyed it throughout high school […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_s2mail":"","_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22,15,21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-327","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-believing-god","category-knowing-god","category-trusting-god"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/327","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=327"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/327\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=327"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=327"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fullmeasureofjoy.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=327"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}