Saturday, July 10, 2004
Paint me a picture
O.K. I have spent my Saturday painting my son’s house. We decided to go ahead and do the walls while the furniture was out of the way. (the in-laws finished the hardwood floors last weekend). We have only finished the trim and the ceiling. I ask you, is there anything worse than painting ceilings. I think this is why God wanted us to lay prostrate rather than look up when we pray; we wouldn’t last long. My shoulders and upper back are killing me!
I realized I am not a very good painter, actually I am just an inexperienced painter. I ask my husband 1000 questions and he got really tired of it. You see he is a really good, experienced painter. He could not understand why I could not fathom the purpose or use of an angle brush. I ask him to be patient with me explaining that I am neither stupid nor lazy, just inexperienced. I told him once I got past the learning curve I would be fine, and you know what, I was.
I wonder how many people we run off by expecting them to be at our skill level. Sometimes we are so quick to criticize those who cannot do what we do, or at least try! But are we patient are we trying to lead them along? I chuckle a little when I think of Mike Cope’s post on women taking a more active role in the church. I have trouble finding women to lead prayer in a group of other women in Bible class! But how much time have we spent training our young women or providing a loving atmosphere for them to learn to pray publicly. Just like my painting, practice does make perfect (or in my case at least a little less sloppy).
Well I must go and scrape the rest of this paint off and get ready for the baby shower at my house tomorrow. I love my children, but man they can wear me out.
I realized I am not a very good painter, actually I am just an inexperienced painter. I ask my husband 1000 questions and he got really tired of it. You see he is a really good, experienced painter. He could not understand why I could not fathom the purpose or use of an angle brush. I ask him to be patient with me explaining that I am neither stupid nor lazy, just inexperienced. I told him once I got past the learning curve I would be fine, and you know what, I was.
I wonder how many people we run off by expecting them to be at our skill level. Sometimes we are so quick to criticize those who cannot do what we do, or at least try! But are we patient are we trying to lead them along? I chuckle a little when I think of Mike Cope’s post on women taking a more active role in the church. I have trouble finding women to lead prayer in a group of other women in Bible class! But how much time have we spent training our young women or providing a loving atmosphere for them to learn to pray publicly. Just like my painting, practice does make perfect (or in my case at least a little less sloppy).
Well I must go and scrape the rest of this paint off and get ready for the baby shower at my house tomorrow. I love my children, but man they can wear me out.
