As I look at my beautiful daughter with her "baby bump," I can't help but to be thankful for life.
As my way of saying "thank you" for giving life, I'm hosting a give away. I'm giving away a maternity apron handmade by myself.
If you or someone you know are expecting to bring new life into this world, please leave a comment telling me what life means to you. I will be using the pattern below. Also, you will have a choice of the two fabrics shown. Please feel free to share this give away with others who may want to enter. This give away will end one week from today on Thursday, November 18th. The winner will be announced early Friday morning here on my blog.
*****Update: My friend Tasha over at He's Everything to Me is joining me in this give away by donating a burp cloth, bib and a nursing cover-up from her etsy shop .
*****Update #2: If you live in/around or plan on visiting the Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA area, another dear friend has join this give away. Debbie at Farrar's Bistro is donating a complementary lunch for 2.
On this past weekend I attended a baby shower for a precious sister that I've become so fond of since moving to Vancouver. I was a little nervous at first because this would be the first time I fellowshipped with the ladies at church. Our church has 2 campus' and we were joining in with our Portland campus to celebrate the mother and the new life that will be here any day now. Being around people didn't make me nervous, it was my gift.
Most of the gifts I make are handmade aka homemade. I really wasn't sure how my gift would be received. Some people like handmade gifts and some don't. From my experiences in the past, I was nervous though. I felt that there was something much deeper at work here than a "homemade" gift. Once again, it wasn't so much whether or not my gift would be received, but rather would I be rejected because of my gift.
Why in the world would I be rejected because of my gift? Is a question I kept asking myself. Well, if your a person who has dealt with rejection, you know what I'm talking about. Often times when rejection takes it ugly grip on us, we have to continue to fight as we dig up the root that planted itself there.
As I sat there as the gifts were being opened, I made sure I looked around for the nearest EXIT sign in big red letters. Often times when we are faced with rejection, we look for the nearest exit. Sometimes those around us who knows our weakness will push us to the exit sign only to grab us by the arm before walk out the door. It becomes a game they like to play, but there are the only ones having fun.
Then one day you get to that exit door and you walk outside. For the first time in years you smell fresh air and the freedom that comes with it. You turn around and face your rejector and tell them your free. You will no longer play the game. The game is over and you're the winner because standing behind your rejector are those who are exposing their weaknesses in secret.
I was so relieved when my handmade gift was received with great joy by the expecting mom. The gift was a beautiful crib quilt. I look forward to meeting the baby boy that will be added to the church family. But the thing I look forward to the most is bonding with the women at church and being vulnerable to them and not being afraid to expose my weaknesses out of fear of rejection.
I've learned in life that in my weaknesses, God's strength will prevail.
