All done

It's 6.53am according to my kitchen clock and we're all breakfasted. Not all out of pj's yet - but I'll leave them in snuggly warmth until I've sorted out the dishes and put the dishwasher on. It's still raining here - I'm expecting another day of it at least according to the forcast. The country (NZ) has been a bit battered, some of the photos from down south show extensive damage. I'm thankful that here at least the worst of it for us seems to be a few duck ponds created in the paddock and some overflowing drains. DH is going to switch the water tanks around (we have three, two tiny ones that fill, then one big one - so you have to remember to move it over) as the little ones should be pretty full now.

I just wanted to share an amazing thing with you ... about 8 weeks ago I went to get my sewing machine out. Now, my sewing machine is an older model, kinda on it's last legs, but it is still working and does the job that I want it to do. Cue opening it up and not seeing the pedal foot with it. Slight mad dash checking all the places I might have put it (you know, when you don't put something away in the right place but somewhere where you'll just grab it in a few minutes time). Well, it wasn't in any of the usual spots I put things. Not up the bookcase, not in the craft cupboard, not beside my bed and definatly not where it was meant to be, inside the sewing machine cover. For the next eight weeks I have been searching - the linen cupboard, our cupboard, under DS2's bed (he a hoarder) - everywhere I could think. I have trawled TM looking for new pedal foots, gone into our local dealer to check out new machines. That exercise found me redefining my savings goal, with a decision on the machine I liked and a price range in mind.

 I was just over half way there WHEN .... I decided to tidy up our kitchen breakfast bar. This meant I had to go to the pile of electrical cords and find the surge protector thingy (not sure what correct name is). That was under a coiled up extension cord and in the middle of the coiled up extension cord was my sewing machine pedal and cords. I couldn't believe it! I am so thankful. But what I'm most thankful for is not just the sewing machine pedal, it is the lessons I have been taught in the last eight weeks.

 a) Put my things away in the right place straight away - this is a huge thing for me. I'm not so great at doing it - and waste much of my time searching for things I've just dropped into a 'safe' place away from little fingers.
b) Patience is a good thing ... I nearly bought a whole new machine when I didn't have all my savings (CC) because I wanted to do my sewing NOW. A wise friend reminded me that if I waited (and it was only a matter of waiting another 8 weeks or so) the prize would be even sweeter. I am so thankful for her voice of wisdom. Now I can keep saving - and who knows, the machine I am looking forward to getting might even be on sale closer to the end of the year.

c) Sometimes what we think we NEED and what we really need are two different things. I thought I needed my sewing machine - what I really needed was a lesson in patience, perseverance and listening to God's voice inside.

My new dream machine ....