Everything I Need- Part 1

Let's see, I've got my drafting supplies...

Lot's of fabric in my stash to choose from...

Thread (love the two-sided cases for thread storage I picked up 

from Superior a couple of years ago by the way...)

Needles...

Rulers- these are my personal favorites...

new rotating cutting mat, rotary cutter...

Assorted notions...

Iron and pressing surface...

Sewing machine...

and even a chair to sit in...

Add some batting...

have quilt frame on standby (Ken and I built one just like this 

from a kit over 20 years ago, I think I need to stain mine and make it pretty...)

Yes, it looks like I have everything I need to make a quilt.  

On their own all the individual parts cannot do much, but put them all together and

Voila!

I read 2 Peter 1:1-21 this morning and in this letter Peter stated that As we know Jesus better, His divine power gives us everything we need for living a godly life. (v.3)  Where does our knowledge of Jesus come from?  His Word.  It seems these days we want the easy road for everything, we can even take a pill to help us lose weight instead of eating properly and exercising.  We peruse the bookstores for books to help us solve every kind of problem we have, looking to people for solutions that God tells us He has already provided.  He has given us EVERYTHING we need.  That means that there is nothing we lack.  So why do we often feel so lacking?

 He has given me all of His rich and wonderful promises (v.4) and I have but to apply the benefit of these promises to my life.  It all starts with faith.  That faith is grounded in something very specific.  Jesus died once for all-He was the ultimate sacrifice that allows us to be reconciled to God.  Without that faith none of the rest of this is going to make much sense.  Knowing Jesus leads us to that faith.
Faith in turn produces a life of moral excellence.   Moral excellence, sounds kind of high and mighty doesn't it.  I don't believe Peter is talking about a list of do's and don'ts, I think it simply means to do what is right, in all things, in all areas of our lives.  When we really know Jesus there are things that suddenly make us uncomfortable.  Sometimes the language we use needs to change, sometimes the things we watch with our eyes and listen to with our ears need to change, sometimes there are habits we need to let go, sometimes even the way we dress needs to change.  It means more and more I choose to do the right thing in every circumstance, even if I am ridiculed by the world for it.  I think it means that I recognize that right and wrong do exist, despite what the world all around me is trying to sell.  "If it feels good do it," it not moral excellence.  Interestingly that life of moral excellence that comes from knowing Jesus leads me to knowing God better.

The journey doesn't end once we come to faith.  Simply doing what's right from here on out is a good start, but it is just that, only the beginning  There really is no such thing as blind faith-God wants us to ever increase in our knowledge of Him- to open our eyes to the glories of who He is.  "Come in-come in! and know me better, man!"  (A line from the Ghost of Christmas Present from A Christmas Carol by Dickens)


There's more!  But this is going to be a very lengthy post if I do not break it up somehow.  So I hope you will come back and read "the rest of the story."

Blessings to you this day,
Deb