Just jump in

Liz, you inspired today's post :)

She commented about someday getting motivated to learn to sew. I started to laugh, because I wasn't all that motivated to learn, but my mom suddenly decided I needed to. My two daughters were 8 months and 20 months old, and that's when I learned to sew. My first project was this:

Then, I started experimenting with other patterns. I had some major flops, but I kept on, and pretty soon it all started to make sense. I started in the late summer, and by the next spring, I was able to make this:

Since then, I have made at least 4 different regency dresses, countless dresses and nightgowns for the girls, a christening dress, lots of curtains and aprons, and two quilts. I've attempted a bag, but gave up on that.

Anyways, my point is, in almost everything I've learned to do, I just had to jump in and learn it! When I got married, the only thing I could cook was spaghetti, toast, scrambled eggs and frozen things. By the time we were married for 6 months, I made Thanksgiving dinner, from scratch.I still remember what I made: Cornish hens with 40 cloves of garlic, sweet potato casserole, mushroom rice casserole, homemade cranberry sauce, stuffed porkchops, mashed potatoes, salad, apple and pumpkin pie. It turned out great. I just plunged in and started. I made some bad stuff. One time I wanted to make baked beans from scratch, and forgot that I needed to soak and boil the beans first. Yeah, a huge pan of hard baked beans. We were so hungry too! I made rolls that didn't rise, a peach cobbler that disintegrated, bread bricks...

But, I learned not to be afraid of things. If it doesn't turn out, no big deal. I didn't really enjoy baking at all until I was expecting my third. By then I had kind of mastered cooking, and felt ready to do more baking. I finally learned to make good biscuits, fluffy pancakes, and good bread. I had fun and learned to deal with measuring :)

The same thing goes with making soap, and jewelry, and homemade cleaners etc. Just go for it. I was never very athletic, but I really wanted to play on the volleyball team, because my sister did. I am not gifted in this area. But, I practiced sooooo much, I went to camps, played all through jr. high, and by highschool, I was pretty good. I wasn't just awesome, but I could be depended on to serve the ball (overhand) wherever the coach wanted me to, not miss balls on the back row, and not miss my sets when time for me to spike. In fact, I didn't even wear knee pads my senior year because I had learned to be that quick on my feet. I loved it.

Another thing, I can't run. But, the track coach convinced me to try, and MAN oh MAN, did he work me over!!!! I did things I never ever dreamed I would ever do. He worked me hard, but was such an amazing, encouraging, loving person, I had fun. By the beginning of track season, we had been working for three months!! I could now run 2.5 miles straight, lift over 300lbs in a squat, bench press 100lbs, and throw the discus way far. ( cannot remember how far though, yards or feet?) I was a lean, muscled woman. He made me jump in a pit of sand as high as i could, then run around the soccer field, and keep on until I thought I was going to pass out. I jumped the steepest hills he could find and then sprinted them. talk about torture!

But, I did it, and you know what? Even though I was not gifted with running, or jumping hurdles, or wasn't even the best at throwing shot put and discus, I won track athlete of the year, and all around athlete of the year!!! Why? Because I was so ordinary, yet I because of all the hard work, and my Godly character, I ended up being exemplary. I was just blown away.

I felt like I could do anything after that! And I looked great too :)

So, what I'm getting at, is it doesn't matter what experience you have, if you keep at it, you'll get there. I would love to be that physically fit again, but it required working out 3 hours a day for at least 3 days a week, and I just don't have that much time :) But who knows, maybe I will someday. Talking about it is inspiring. too bad I don't have digital pictures, and I have no scanner.

So I will end with the cliche phrase, "You can do anything you put your mind to." Or better yet, "You can do all things through Christ, who strengthens you." Phil. 4:13