I just spent a fabulous day with my gifted, gracious friend, Lea, who gave me her time for the entire day to teach me how to do home canning. Together we canned several jars of tomatoes and made apricot jam.
I was struggling with internal fears of failure. I was procrastinating and becoming very frustrated with myself as I read a "how to" book about canning. It was confusing to me and only furthered my frustrations. When I talked to my husband about it, he listened. I heard myself admitting to him that I was scared and didn't know how to do it though I wanted to learn. I heard myself expressing to him, "I learn better when somebody can show me how to do it, you know, a hands-on experience". That's when he came up with a great solution. "Why don't you call someone and ask them to show you how to do it?"
Yeah! Why don't I? I can't believe I didn't I think of that myself? Instead I just suffered through this frustration as though I had no choice and it never crossed my mine to ask someone to share their time and knowledge with me. For some silly reason I guess I thought I should already know this or at least should teach myself alone. I have no idea where we come up with this crazy way of thinking.
Even though we tell everyone that men are so frustrating because they won't stop to ask for directions, the truth is women are terrible about asking for help. For some reason we think we must have all the answers and that it is our lot in life to carry the load ourselves. I don't know if it is that "motherly instinct" to nurture and take care of everyone else or if it is the "superwoman status" or if it is the godly woman of Proverbs 31 that we aspire to achieve as role models. One thing I do know about myself and about several women -- we are hard on ourselves.
So I called someone for help. I called my friend, Lea, to help teach me how to do some home-canning. She seemed honored to do it. I sensed this was a divine plan and am reminded of Titus 2, which lays out a leadership plan -- "women of age, teaching the younger women". I knew that Lea was the right person to teach me. She has an amazing God-given talent. Lea is so patient and puts everything into a step-by-step, easy-to-understand method. She also has a gift of organization that is so necessary for a project like this.
My mother and my grandmother would be so proud of me finally learning something they did as part of their way of life. When I was younger I had no interest but now that they have both gone to be with God, I find myself longing for one day to spend with them learning their wisdom and knowledge.
For me there is nothing like hands-on experience. I'm so grateful to God for blessing me with a "mature and wiser" woman to teach me, "the younger and inexperienced". It was almost like spending a day with my mother once again.
Thank you, God, for this blessing.
Thank you, God, for another adventure and a beautiful day.
Thank you, God, for my friend. Please bless her for her sacrifice of time given to me.
For me there is nothing like hands-on experience. I'm so grateful to God for blessing me with a "mature and wiser" woman to teach me, "the younger and inexperienced". It was almost like spending a day with my mother once again.
Thank you, God, for this blessing.
Thank you, God, for another adventure and a beautiful day.
Thank you, God, for my friend. Please bless her for her sacrifice of time given to me.
