A reflection of light

My mom bought Daniella her first latch hook.  I helped her pick it out... a 20"x27" teddy bear with an American flag in the background.  It seemed fitting to do with daddy gone serving our country!  She was excited to get started.  Megan, her cousin visiting from MD even got to help, which made it even more fun!

PopPop (my dad) - set up a nice work station for Dani so the project could just be left out.  Turns out it invited others to sit down and latch a few colors and help... those that wanted to, that is!  Here's the interesting part about this project.  It showed me who were starters, who were finishers and who were observers.  There are those that look at the details immediately and those that don't... but later see the beauty in the details.  I know... it's just a latch hook project... but actually it became much more!

Gigi working on the details...

My cousin, Gigi (Megan's mom) looked at the project and said, "wow, this is a tough one" and the funny thing is I never even looked at it that way.  I mean, how hard could it be really?  Just follow the painted colors on the grid, find the yard, latch it and move on.  Of course, it was easy at first as you can see... it was just blue, white and red for the first few days.

Notice the bears nose.  The girls went ahead and put the brown yarn on the nose and walked away.  Gigi followed the pattern and saw that there was supposed to be a few white yarn mixed in it.  THIS IS MY FAVORITE PART OF THE WHOLE BEAR!  This one small detail highlights the LIGHT reflecting off of the bears nose!  A detail that I'm so glad that Gigi fixed and made right!

This military life I've been living for the last 15 years has taught me to just kind of "go with the flow".  Don't stress too much about what lies ahead.  You gotta just jump in and figure it out.   You stress too much about what you can't control - and it paralyzes you to move forward.   Hmmm... that seemed to be my approach to this project.  JUST DO IT... we'll figure it all out as we go.

I love that my cousin took the time to see the details from the beginning.   Counting each row... matching it to the detailed and enclosed pattern of instructions.  She pointed out that there were 2 different reds, various shades of white and grey.  Hmmm... I started to think, maybe this is too tough!  As she worked quietly and methodically, I watched and observed, yet too busy to actually sit down and participate... but always watching the progress!  Wow, turns out that the details do make a difference!  There were highlights of white in the bears nose that didn't show on the latch hook grid - but indicated the WHITE in the pattern of instructions.

The adults took over the project.  There's no surprise that my mom got into it.  Showed me exactly how I see her... always involved in my life and always helpful.  A doer, a worker... a starter and a finisher.  She sees the details... always taking time to do things RIGHT!  She's amazing!  She's my cheerleader, my life coach, my everything!  I LOVE MY MOM!

I'm a FINISHER.  I always have been!  Also known as a procrastinator... but I like to think that I FINISH things STRONG.  Our last week here in Florida, I finally sat down and got into the details of the final 20 rows down and 70 rows across.   Working together with my daughter at times... calling out the colors in each row as she pulled them aside and lined them up.  We had a system... we worked together and it made things easier.  She started... and then left me to do it on my own for 2 days.  I guess it got a little boring for her.

As I latched different colors it made me think of all the colorful family & friends that are in my life... how each person completes a picture in MY life.  There were some yarns that stuck out further than others... Gigi mentioned to just "trim them down" later - but then I thought... these kind of represent the people that seem to go above and beyond what is asked of them.  They go out of their way a bit more.  I love how they're spread out... kind of how God places them in my life just at the right time... just when I need them.

Daniella was frustrated at one point because our pattern was OFF for a few rows.  I assured her that it was okay and that we can either take everything out... or just continue.   Reluctantly, she continued and it's hard to tell now in the BIG picture where that row is.  Life is like that, too!  We may get off track for a moment and it seems like a BIG deal at the time... but eventually it all works itself out.

Then there was this lone red yarn at the end... all on it's own.  I think Daniella did that.  Maybe in her head she wanted to be the one to FINISH the project... so she put the last yarn in before actually getting there.  But it just stood there alone.  The picture incomplete.  I found that interestingly funny.  How often do we wish we could just finish something... and it's just not happening fast enough.  Hmmm... say like THIS DEPLOYMENT of Dale?    As much as I want it to come NOW... I know that day will soon come and there are still things GOD needs us to do to complete our picture.

I LOVE LIFE LESSONS even in the simple things!
So I ask Dani, "Show me the rows we messed up on"
Hard to find now!  But if I ask her where's the LIGHT
reflecting off the bears nose... that one's easy to find!
FOCUS on the LIGHT and SHINE ON for all to see!

Maybe I'm reading too much into this project.  It was quite therapeutic actually.  I did make myself stop and let Daniella FINISH it... since it was supposed to be HER project.  She appreciated the help and was full of JOY when she could finish the last few rows.

Here is the complete project.  Our DALE bear... this one is for you, Daddy!  We are proud of you!!  Do well out there and take time to see the details all around you.   SHINE ON and be that LIGHT to those that need you most!!

Matthew 5:14-16 
(New International Version)

 ¹⁴"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.