Gifts
What's old is new again. November 22, 208.
Some mothers are sacrificial by nature. Others are sacrificial simply out of necessity. I wish I were more like the first, a woman whom a daughter could admire for her selflessness, but I'm afraid that all too often my spirit struggles with the grace needed to freely give up what I'd like or truly need when our family's requirements outrun our resources.
It's mostly just new clothes and shoes that pass me by in favor of our growing children, but recently a bigger sacrifice challenged me to the contest.
For a long time I've promised Aelsa her own sewing machine. I've wanted to make sewing more available to her, to enable her to work on projects without having to secure permission from me to use my machine in the dining room. She has the space in her bedroom, both for sewing and storing her materials; all she's lacked is a machine to use under her own initiative, and with her birthday in October, I knew the time had come.
I had already decided that I would hand my machine down to her; she learned how to sew on this simple model and seemed to feel intimidated by having to learn a new machine. The problem was that I didn't have a replacement for myself. I knew I needed to let mine go, but I didn't want to be without a reliable machine. I did not want to make that sacrifice.
So I turned to God, and I turned to Craigslist. One evening in October Paul drove us down to a southwest suburb, to a dimly lit garage crammed full of old odds and ends, and to a Singer Touch & Sew 468 in a broken case. "Oh, Lord. What's going to make this machine any better than the two I already have?"
I already have two old Singers. I bought them both second hand, just to discover both times that they needed work I haven't been able to address. While I knew the price of the machine in front of me was less than what it would cost to fix either of the others, I was wary of adding another hopeless cause to my collection. It would have to work well for this exchange to work well.
Taking a deep breath, I tried the machine out, and it seemed to be okay. After asking several questions, I breathed a prayer and told the woman I would take it.
So now I had a dirty machine with no promises, but Aelsa received a sewing machine for her birthday, anyway. The machine was no longer mine. I didn't have the faintest idea of where that would leave me, and I was not enjoying this sacrifice.
It wasn't until this past week that, armed with a new tube of lubricant and a new bottle of oil, I was able to set about the business of cleaning the machine up. From deep within my spirit I prayed, "Oh, Lord, please help me really take delight in this machine."
What happened that evening went beyond my expectations.
It turns out that everything is solid. I didn't need the broken case, so I tossed it. But there's more: long ago, when I bought the first old Singer, I also picked up a couple boxes of accessories. It turned out they weren't compatible with that machine and were completely useless. However, they are perfectly suited for this slant-needle model. One of them: a professional buttonholer.
This gadget is so cool. I'll have to post a picture sometime. But the reason why this is so incredibly exciting for me is that buttonholes have been my Achilles' heel. I haven't sewn a blouse for... ever, because my buttonholes turn out so poorly. The mechanism works; I just can't wait to try it out on fabric when the machine is threaded.
So Aelsa wasn't the only one who received a gift this fall. My new old sewing machine promises to be a wonderful tool, and I take that as a gift from God. Not only that, but my sacrifice was short-lived, and that in itself is a gift. However, I continue to throw myself on God's mercy for the life of His Spirit to produce the greater gift in my life, the fruit of love and joy, peace, kindness, and goodness in times of sacrifice. I pray that Christ's faultless sacrificial nature may increasingly become my own.
from Ephesians 5:
1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
posted on Saturday, November 22
Comments
• Sunday, November 23
Why do we doubt?
Posted by Carol
Pamela. I could so put myself into your shoes in this situation. I am just so tickled with joy that the Lord worked this out not only for you physically, but for the building of faith of us all because you shared this experience. This is just something extra special for me to be praising and thanking the Lord for this Thanksgiving Day!
• Sunday, November 23
Pamela...
Posted by PreschoolersandPeace
That was a lovely story. Thank you for sharing it!
~Kenj
• Sunday, November 23
I do pray ....
Posted by Dana
a daily prayer - to be selfless and walk in love. I am not my mother ~ she was good at it.
Wonderful story of God's provision and gracious mercy. We need to share these stories with one another, thank you.
