As a self professed Quilt Addict it should come as no surprise that I like fabric. Some quilters are much more refined and keep their fabric hoarding completely in check. They only purchase fabric in the exact amount needed for a specific project, very noble and economical. Noble, but not for me. If I see a piece of fabric that intrigues me, I buy some. I don’t have to have a plan for it as that is not in Fabric Acquisition Guidelines.   I do have a special clause in my Guidelines though while on a special trip. That clause allows me to purchase fabric with a project in mind. I can spend hours picking out just the right fabrics to go together and then they have a special shelf in my stash that protects them. I never allow myself to separate the grouping, NEVER EVER NEVER!  

This past fall I headed off to my quilt retreat with a “special” collection along so that I could whip up a fall table runner. Quilters by nature are very generous with their fabric stashes and what ever fabric they can’t or unwilling to share are never put out publically. As I unpacked my supplies for the weekend I made a grave mistake. I unpacked my special collection and left it in plain sight of other quilters. One of the quilters needed just a little something to spark up her quilt and guess what. One of the fabrics in my special collection was perfect. Oh the agony of it all. It looked great in my collection but it was fabulous in the other gal’s quilt. Not wanting to cry in front of the other quilters I put on a brave face and encouraged her to use it. I was frantically trying to recall what quilt shop I had found it and wondered if they might still have some a year later! 

My friend pieced away unaware of my inner turmoil. But as her quilt was finished I was at piece (or rather peace!) The quilt was finished and it was amazing! The fabric that sat in my stash being hoarded for something special was no longer waiting but was already in action. It was not the plan I had for it but the new venture was even better.

Following Christ is the same thing. We have our ideas of how things are to go and how we see ourselves serving. We can’t picture anything else and when that picture changes it either excites us with possibilities or paralyzes us with fear. Either way we are Christ is there to help us and be with us. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." is recorded in Matthew 4:19 and Mark 1:17. Simon and Andrew were fishermen. Fishing is what they did and the Sea of Galilee is where they did it. Jesus walked up to them one day and moved their “picture” and picked them out of the “special collection” of fisherman. I can imagine their pulses raced a bit and probably wondered if they were making the right decision but, they followed. The beginnings of the early Church started out with people being called out of their comfort zone (actually out of their current occupation) and into serving others. Are we tuned into God’s calling or are we wrapped up in our vision for the future? Get in the scripture and make some “heart checks” on yourself to see if you are serving as God has planned.

I survived breaking up my fabric collection. I’ll still buy collections but will also know that pieces can be called out to serve where they are needed best.