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Sometimes My Tapestry Looks Like A Quilt Square

REFLECTIONS by JaneDoes a thought every hit you and it just won’t leave your head? That happened to me when I woke up this morning – and it won’t leave my head because now it’s on my list.

That’s what I want to talk about – because – well, let me tell you.

A few years ago, I was really struggling with my purpose. I don’t want to bore you with all the years of introspection, self help books, and career counseling I went through to answer the simple question, “Why am I here?” I could go through a litany of ideas: corporate trainer, book author, professional blogger, social media diva – The truth is, my purpose is not one of those things. God showed me that my purpose is simply to do what he wants me to do every day. My purpose has nothing to do with what to be, but has everything to do with being what he calls me to be in the moment.

God calls some people to be ‘something’ he called me to just be. And now you know why I write about the craziness of lists. Maybe God has called you to be ‘something’, but what if he called you to love him and serve him in the moment? Our lives, no matter what, are never a straight line. Life is like tangled threads.

I like to think of life as a huge tapestry that God looks down on from his place in heaven. He sees the pattern, even the flaws where there are human errors, but he keeps weaving the threads anyway. We, who are the threads, see the process of the pattern. Doesn’t it look like a tangled mess at times?

quilt square - purposeYeh, sometimes my tapestry looks like a quilt square.

I remember writing in my journal one day. I was asking God what he envisioned for my life. I had recently been in an accident an nearly died. God chose to spare my life. That’s a pretty clear indication that he isn’t finished with me yet. After writing and hashing through a menagerie of my own thoughts, I asked, “What is your plan for me?” I didn’t hear an audible voice or anything, but I felt it. “Be you. I made you with the personality you don’t appreciate and gifts you think are not valuable. Use your attitude, talents, personality and gifts to encourage people who need to know they matter.”

My little part of the tapestry, my purpose, is to encourage people. I don’t want to mess that up because that would put a serious flaw in the pattern. My lists are all based on having a PEACEful heart. Psalm 119:165 says, “Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.” If you’re curious, this is how my lists materialize to be purposeful and have a peaceful heart.

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P – Pray – and have quiet time with the Lord. I pray and also write out my prayers to God and read his instruction manual, the Bible as well as a devotional.
E – Exercise – I don’t want my family to have to take care of me because I didn’t take care of myself when I had the chance. I have a reminder and I have another friend who won’t let me forget.
A – Accountability – I write on my list what I will be accountable for that day. A project, task, or appointment – and I often ask a friend to pray about this with me and hold me accountable because even though I am accountable to God first, it helps to have a coach.
C – Commitments – These are work I have promised to do for someone. It might be client work or it might be to take a meal to someone, visit a person who needs to be cheered up, during school season child care on Wednesday morning, or on specific Sundays help out in children’s church. God expects me to keep commitments. I write them down.
E – Encourage – In some way, every day, encourage someone. Write a card, send an email, give of my time to cheer someone up, use my words to bring joy to others. If I see someone without a smile, I share mine. Simple act, but sometimes I need to see that on my list to remember to be diligent about it.[/message] [su_spacer]

So now you might understand my obsessions with lists that never end. We are all creating the tapestry that is life. I don’t know your method or how you live your purpose, but I need a list so I don’t forget.

Jane Anderson
Jane Andersonhttp://refininggrace.com/
JANE’s professional experience is scattered across industries from financial services and insurance to engineering and manufacturing. Jane sees her background in writing and editing website content as the foundation to her current love of social media. Being an avid reader, meticulous note taker and lifelong learner has fostered her natural pursuit of sharing her world through writing. Reading books and summarizing content started as a hobby and has since grown to be a major part of her vocational experience. Jane says, “Authors pour their heart and soul into writing their book. When I write a review, it’s with intent to celebrate the book and promote the author.” Jane claims to be 'the best follower you'll ever want to meet' and has been repeatedly called servant leader, eternal cheerleader, social media evangelist, and inspirational go-to person. Jane is a contributing author to the inspiring book Chaos to Clarity: Sacred Stories of Transformational Change.

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2 CONVERSATIONS

  1. Jane. Your article speaks volume. First, let me say that I am glad God decided to leave you here a little longer. I don’t know you except through your writings, but I feel I do have a connection. Just today on our 1st Saturday meeting with the sisters of Charity, our spiritual director spike simply this: Do all things simple, pray, and remember: all things big are small at the beginning. Mother said: Listen to God and do only what you can but do it well. God Bless.

    • Thank you for reading and understanding where I was writing from. We are conditioned to think we have be noticed, be popular, earn huge amounts of money, and that if we work hard we will have it all. How often do we hear, “Chase your passion, not your pension” and think it means when we do what we were meant to do, we will be successful and wealthy? The truth is, like Mother Teresa, we might chase our passion and die a pauper – but when we are doing what we were meant to do, there is satisfaction and contentment on which there is no price tag. What we do matters. It matters now and it will matter in the future. What we all hope is that the difference we make is a positive difference. The key is being confident that we are fulfilling our unique purpose even if the only one who notices is God.

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