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Cheryl Hughes: Something from Something

Recently, a friend told me about a drive to get sewing machines to Afghani immigrants in the area.  The immigrants were willing and able to sew their own clothes but had escaped Afghanistan with only what they could carry.  I was reminded of something I had just read.  The article was referenced in a book called, LIGHT THE DARK, by Joe Fassler.

 

“If you can’t afford clothes, but you can make them—make them.  You have to work with what you have, especially if you don’t have a lot of money.  You use creativity, and you use your imagination” (article in Fassler’s book entitled “All Immigrants Are Artists”

By Edwidge Danticat, 2017).

I believe one of the greatest qualities a person can have is the ability to use what is at hand.  It takes an attitude of moving forward with your best at the time, not waiting until your circumstances are ideal.  “Perfect is the enemy of good.”  I say that to myself at least once daily.

               I no longer have horses, so when my granddaughter said she wanted to learn to ride, we found a local person who had recently started teaching.  When we arrived at the trainer’s house, she told us she was hoping to purchase more land nearby in order to have a better setup, but she was working with what she had at the present time.  I liked her immediately.

               She led us to a small arena she had made from large wooden pallets, turned on their edges and secured with wire.  The setup was ingenious.  As I expected, she was an excellent teacher, and my granddaughter did really well.

               I grew up feeling ashamed and embarrassed.  Those things made me very shy, and shy people just want to hide.  Shy people often come across as aloof or standoffish, but in reality, they want nothing more than to be part of the group.

               I can’t remember who said it, but I heard a speaker say, “If you are going to accomplish anything with your life, shyness is a luxury you cannot afford.”  I took that to heart and began working on the problem by learning to appreciate what I had and who I was, not being ashamed of it.  It is important to give God and yourself credit for the person you have grown into and the things you have accomplished, despite the odds.

               Ecclesiastes 9:10 says, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”  Since your hand is attached to your body, this means whatever your hand finds to do will be in your environment.  Sometimes, your environment seems too small to hold anything that might be of use.  This is where imagination comes into play.  Sometimes, your environment seems so large that you become overwhelmed.  You need self-discipline in those circumstances.  But more than anything else, you need to begin.

               One of my favorite quotes is by William Hutchison Murray.  The following is part of that quote:

“The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.  All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.  A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would come his way.”

In other words, God will do his part, but he won’t do your part.

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