Just Do What You Do

I could spend all day (and have on occassion!) surfing the internet from one blog to another and oohing and ahhing over the beautiful and talented crafters out there. From sewing to all kinds of crafting, from party planning and decorating to scrapbooking, I have found so much joy and inspiration from countless bloggers that my head spins. You know what else I find? I find myself wishing I could be that good. I find myself comparing myself to this or that woman whose talent is light years ahead of mine. How do these women find the time? How do they come up with these ideas? Why can't I do that? Oh I wish, I wish, I wish I had that kind of ability to make that scrapbook page, that crafting element. By the end of my blog hunt I find myself paralyzed; unable to do any kind of craft because I'll never create anything that good. And so my paper collects dust, my scrapbook room lies quiet and still, waiting for my self confidence to return.
The truth is I will probably never be as good as these women, and most days I'm o.k. with that. In my own way, in my own style, I'm actually fairly decent. But when you're passionate about something, fairly decent isn't good enough, and I spend too much time comparing myself to others, frozen and a little jealous of their talent. This is where my walk as a believer in Jesus Christ comes in.
God has reminded me today that I am not to compare myself to others, for in doing so I find fault with His creation. Jeremiah 1:5 says, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart..." Because I am a child of God, I know that I was created for a purpose. Right now my main purpose is to be a good wife and mother, taking care of the gifts God has given me and to grow in my relationship with Jesus Christ. He also has reminded me to be happy with who I am, and with the talents He has given me, for "every good and perfect gift is from above." James 1:17. I don't need to be the skinniest, prettiest, or most talented when it comes to scrapbooking. And while crafting gives me joy, it should not be the source of it. So I will keep looking at the beautiful creations of others on the internet, and marvel at their abilities. But for now, I'm just going to find happiness in my own creations, and I want to encourage you to do the same - just do what you do.