Dealing with Frustration

As I have been putting my online store together, I have also been learning new skills. Keeping my mind moving and learning has been very important to me over the last several years. Many years ago my mother suffered a stroke which caused her to also suffer from dementia. My husband and I took care of her for the last four years of her life in our home. It was a difficult time of my life, but I would do it all over again. Mom was able to spend her last years and days where she was loved and cared for by her family. It was this experience and knowing that there were other relatives on my mother's side of the family who suffered from Alzheimers that pushes me to keep learning new skills.

Learning new skills takes a lot of patience, something I am short on. I also want what I make to be something that will sell well- so if I make a mistake that I can see, I take it apart and start all over, sometimes more than once. Frustrating and discouraging. Some things can't be taken apart. The newest skill I am working on is with resin. Oh my, when you do it right it can be beautiful- but when you mess up it cannot be taken apart and redone. I have to look at and learn from the mistake and make a brand new one. Soon I will have a whole box full of mistakes. Oh the frustration.

I am reminded that I am most definitely a work in progress. In Psalms 139:14 it says " I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful. I know that full well." God is my creator, and what he made was perfect. But, I also know that because of sin I fail and need to be continually molded. In Jeremiah 18:4 it says " But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hand; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him." Later on in the chapter the Lord says in verse 6 " Can I not do with you Israel as this potter does? Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand Israel." God is still molding and making me into the woman he wants me to be. And he does so with divine patience. This is so encouraging to me. My skills come straight from my maker. He is the one who helps me develop those skills.

A potter forms the clay and makes beautiful pots, occasionally he sees the pot is not forming to his satisfaction so he smashes it and starts all over. He knows his time has not been wasted, he learns from each mistake and his craft continues to improve.

When I make mistakes with my crafting, I do feel my time has been wasted and frustration builds. However, I am continually learning and my skills improve. Each piece sparks my imagination to create something else. Even though I have not been particularly successful up to this point. I know I will be. I am reminded of God's patience with me and my need to be patient with my ever developing skills.

Each day brings new opportunity to develop my skills. I know God will be my help and guide through this journey.

I would appreciate it very much if you would leave me your thoughts and input. Please hit like and share my blog. Don't forget to visit my little shop at kdscraftin.com