Sarah is using FS GREEN Heavyweight Linen
Have you ever wondered what to do with a hobby or skill that you love?
One time when I was on a solo bicycle trip down the Mississippi, I stayed the night at the parents of one of my friends, who happened to live near my route. As we washed the dishes together after supper, the mother told me to be very careful on my journey. She shared with me how we each have a special calling on our lives and how important it is to be available to fulfill that calling. In other words, she was telling me to not die along the way.
The next several days her words rolled around in my head as I cycled through the hills and dales along the mighty river. Something about it didn’t seem to find peace in my heart, although I agreed with what she said! When you spend the bulk of everyday of a bicycle seat, you have a lot of time to think. The more I thought on her words, the more clarity I gained. What she didn’t understand, but what she helped me understand through her misunderstanding, was that going on bicycle trips IS part of my calling in life.
Sarah is using FS GREEN Heavyweight Linen
You see, it’s up to us to decipher what our calling is. No one around us can feel it as clearly as we can, and unfortunately, quite often the people around us actually discourage us from our callings. They can’t see the vision!
Sometimes we try to find a “purpose” for our skills and hobbies. We mistakenly think that if we aren’t using them toward some end goal, like building a business with them or bringing in a monetary profit, we aren’t doing it right. But I’d like to reposition that perspective. I think we fulfil a big part of our purpose when we simply offer our Creator the joy of seeing us reveling in, growing in, and using our talents.
Sarah is using FS GREEN Heavyweight Linen
There is a hidden gem in the ancient Hebrew texts that talks about women whose heart stirred with passion for creating.
“All the women whose heart stirred with a skill spun goats hair.” (Exodus 35:26)
The context of this story is the Israelites are getting organized and setting up a temporary tabernacle after being freed from 400 years of slavery in Egypt. Everyone is donating what they can to make it the best tabernacle they can make with the supplies they have. What I love about this sentence is that these women weren’t making a living from spinning, it was just their skill, their hobby, and when an opportunity came for them to use their skill for a big project, they were motivated and excited to use their skill to participate and serve. But they didn’t derive their worth or enjoyment from spinning only by their contribution to the tabernacle.
Sarah is using FS GREEN Heavyweight Linen
If you love sewing, I want to encourage you to not fall into the pressure of thinking it has to have some purpose other than that it brings you joy, and it brings you clothes you love. Using your talent and enjoying it is perhaps all you need to do to fulfill your purpose and bring joy to that which created you.
Do you ever fall into the trap of feeling like your sewing isn’t fulfilling a purpose if it’s not making you money? How do you remind yourself that just enjoying it is enough?
25 Comments
That was a beautiful reflection, thank you! I can feel that way about my talents…If we do something well people are always encouraging us to use it for a “reason” i.e. to make money! For me, if I HAD to sell things I make I wouldn’t enjoy it as much and therefore wouldn’t do it as well. There is NOTHING wrong with doing things for our own pleasure and God’s glory. It never has to be more than that unless we want it to be.
What a wonderful message at such a tumultuous time in our lives. Thank you!
Glad it was meaningful to you, Karen. Thanks for your kind words.
When a friend asked if I’d make several masks for her, I said ‘yes,’ assuring her that I had fabric. She also asked if It would be o.k. if she made a donation to a food bank, since she didn’t think I’d want payment. I told her I’d like that very much. Since then I’ve made masks for family friends, for people in a low-income apartment building and for my sister’s friend to send to her friend who knows someone on the Navaho Reservation and will see that they’re distributed there. I’m taking a short break for now, but I’m happy to do this as part of helping to keep as many of us as safe as possible during this difficult time. My sister, who’s also sewing masks, taught a friend’s daughter (about 19 years old) how to sew masks, too. It’s all part of sharing our skills and recognizing our connections to each other. Be safe and well, all of you.
Sharing our skills – that is so neat, Carolyn!
Thank you… as a believer so many times others don’t understand when I refuse to take payment for the gifts I freely give. I have a talent in sewing and I choose to use it to bless others. Thank you for your wonderful words of encouragement. I give and I enjoy. I sew (sow) and I reap blessings in other forms.
I love how you have consciously made the decision that feels right to you to use this talent to be a blessing, Deborah. It’s a beautiful sacrifice.
Thank you Sarah for your vulnerability and brilliance. You are a fantastic sewist and person. I aspire to have your peace in the creative process. Keep up the good work!
Hello Kelly, thanks for these kind words. It’s definitely an on-going process with learning and relearning 🙂 We can grow together on this journey.
Thank you so much for this. I read it with moist eyes. How often I have struggled with just doing what I love with joy and gratitude and fought the overhanging weight of “but what difference does it make?” Or “but you’re not making any money.” When I am engaged in creative endeavors I am not only happiest, but closer to God than at any other time. I even know his presence & help in figuring out how to proceed. Thank you, thank you.
Ohhh this is so beautiful. It makes my eyes moist reading it! Such a true principle — when we do what brings us inner joy, it is an act of worship toward our Creator.
I loved this post too. I found a way to both fulfill my need to sew and to give. When my friends wanted to give me money for masks I didn’t want to take it. One of them said, “it would make me feel better to give YOU something to show my appreciation for what you do.” So I took her money. Her comment made me realize that my sewing had worth for those that didn’t sew. I put all the money I collected over several months of mask making, into a basket on my sewing table. I also sewed scrub caps for hospitals. A week ago I was able to donate $500 to the local cat sanctuary, where I volunteer. Being able to do this made me very happy and it also made everyone I sewed for very happy. WIN WIN for all!
Cindy! What an incredible story! This is a good reminder that sometimes accepting money can also be a way to serve others, when it makes them feel good about giving. When we love to give, we have to sometimes remember to let others have opportunity to give to us also. You found a beautiful way to balance that!
Sarah, Thank you for this beautiful reminder! I use the talents the Creator gave me for work sometimes, for teaching sometimes but my favorite way to use them, the way that makes me feel even more joy is to make gifts. To sew just because I can, just because I enjoy it …and then to give it away. 🙂
This is beautiful. Thank you for sharing Alisha.
Thank you so much for this, Sarah. It brought me to tears as I do often struggle with feeling guilty for doing things (like sewing!) just because I feel like it! And I appreciate the reminder from those ancient texts–never out of date!
The guilt can come on easily sometimes, can’t it? It’s really a strange thing to feel and to work through. Sounds like you are on the right track of fighting against it!
Love the post
Thank you Patricia! I’m delighted you enjoyed it.
Thank you so much. I will do things for people, but I have no desire to monetize my sewing. I like to create and have told people that that is enough. They question me. They demand that I take money. I to tell them that if they continue to insist I will not do it for them. I don’t want to monetize my joy. It’s enough that it is my joy.
Oh I love this. Sounds like you are really good about setting up boundaries that protect your joy. Well done Colleen! We can all learn from you 🙂
Thank you so much for these words. I have struggled with feeling like I was just fooling around or wasting time when I was at my machine. The thing is, I was happiest and felt most centered when sewing! With the advent of the pandemic, I realized that I had a skill that people needed- I could sew masks. I have been doing this non stop for months now, and realize this is what I can offer to help. My old fashioned skill is now a highly valued skill. This is what I can do. Thank you for posting your reflections.
Why is it we feel like we are waisting time doing something we love? Such an easy tunnel to go down. Good job for standing firm and doing the thing that brings you joy and balance. What a wonderful, wonderful, useful skill you have!
I love this so much!!
Thanks Veronica! So glad you enjoyed it.