God Has Other Plans

Dear Lola,

I'm back to blogging.  Hope that you missed me as much as I missed you while I was gone.  I was feeling guilty about putting you last in my life, especially since posting here is therapeutic and helps me get my creative juices flowing.  Even if absolutely no one but me reads these posts, I enjoy them.

During my hiatus from blogging, my life has been busy and hectic and happy.  My kids are great and my family and friends make me feel loved and appreciated.  Oh there have been those moments when I get exasperated - like the dog has an accident right after I mop the floor or I make the same sewing mistake multiple times in a row and I become intimately involved with my seam ripper on the same seam too many times!  But all in all, the good outweighs the negative by 100 to 1!

I loved my job at my local quilt shop and helping many customers buy fabrics, new sewing machines and notions.  I helped launch a very successful new sewing machine department including a service department.    I designed lots of fun and very popular Facebook posts that continue to be seen across social media all the time. I was the leader of a wonderful Block of the Month Program and made lots of wonderful sewing sisters.

It was a wonderful experience, but God had been sending me little messages that I was missing.  I had my priorities confused.  I wasn't putting the important things in life first.  It was time to get off the "gerbil-wheel" that experiences, jobs and relationships sometimes become.

The good news - I was able to start spending more time in my little sewing space; and you started to whisper wise words into my ear, Lola.  You asked me:  "Are there lessons in all of this?"  I answered,  "Oh yes, for sure."

1. Focus on who you love and what you love.  
2. Change is good. 
3. Time is the greatest gift.
4. Just keep sewing.

As my alter-ego, Lola, you are wise and patient.   And because of your whispers in my ear, I know that I can move on and still do more great things.  Yes, a chapter is over - but amazing things happened.  I was responsible for changing things for the better!  The experiences I had also changed me for the better.  I'm taking my lessons with me to the next chapter.  I also know - it's okay to make it up as I go along.  Long term plans don't always play out the way we hope - but if everything was predictable - where's the fun?

I'll focus on what I love - God, my family, life and sewing.  I'll also focus on chatting with you Lola.  You don't judge me; you inspire me to be creative; and you find a way to look on the bright side of things always.  For that, I am truly grateful.