Drumroll, please

Oh, this was going to be So-o-o much more dramatic. One of the gas stations in town had their gasoline for $1.99 yesterday. (this was a "grapevine" thing, so the lines weren't long or anything.) I did not know the dealie ended at 5pm. I got there about 5:15, but was still pretty happy with what I found:
Later, I went to our new ladies' class at church--Quilting Through the Bible. Some of the ladies do not quilt in real life, so we are putting the squares together out of paper. Last week, I did pretty well with Road to Heaven:
Then, last night, It All Fell Apart. We did a square called Road to Jerusalem. I don't know if you can see the two places where I had to rip off pieces I had put in the wrong place. I'm sure you *can* see where I wasn't too careful butting pieces against each other. AND the blops of glue on every single piece where I stamped it down after gluing. I should have had a clue when the other girls said, "oh, are you finished already?"
Oh, the Shame.

That little question took me right back to first grade...and second, and third...and any other grades where Art Class meant construction paper and paste. Every project had paste smears all over it. Especially, from the side of my hand that pressed down all the pieces.

The worst was the Christmas picture we made out of yarn. The other children picked a Candy Cane or a Bell. Me? I decided to do the entire Holy Family--Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the manger, AND the Star. My teacher let me take it home for the weekend (of course, everyone else finished in class). Glue. Everywhere. As in, every strand of yarn coated in it. I didn't believe my mother when she said she "liked it very much."'

What I *don't* like is how everlastingly FAST I can be propelled right back into that little girl. It really shows us that some things don't change, if we are put in certain situations.

Wow. Isn't that like our sin nature? There have been times when I have been astounded at how quickly I can revert to my Default mode. Things that I thought had been taken care of years ago, I find myself either tempted to do, or actually doing. And with no warning--wham, there it is again.

How we need the resurrection power of Christ in our lives every day, every hour, every minute. We can never, never "rest on our laurels," or think we've "got this one covered."

How I appreciate that my Father can remind me in such a gentle way that He still has a messy little girl on His hands, but that He "likes me very much" the way I am, anyway.

Have I shared my quilting motto with you? Finished is Better than Perfect. I'm glad *I'm* not the "author and finisher of my faith." With God doing the "finishing," I'll be Perfectly Finished. No gloppies or anything.

From now on, though, I think I'll stick with fabric. That way, I don't have to use paste.