Quilting Bee of Women #6 (Men Welcome Too)

Good morning everyone!! As promised I have asked my friend here in town to provide drinks of choice today along with some scrumptious muffins. I love muffins. She owns a classic NW coffee stand and can brew up almost anything. I adore Chai, but… I think I will do a double shot, skinny, crème de menthe latte, no whip & a lemon poppy seed muffin. What would you like?? I have racked an enchanted quilt full of beauty and magic today. It is still not warm enough to head outside – soon I hope!!! So pull up a chair!

I was watching lovely Susan Boyle sing this week and I got to thinking about gifts and how we use them. Everyone has gifts, not everyone recognizes them as gifts though. Some gifts call out to be public, like Josh Groban – what an amazing voice that man has!! Gives me shivers. Others we keep to ourselves. Have you ever had someone tell you, you are not using your gift? I was thinking about that question… what is your gift and how do you choose to use it, do you even know you have one?

There were a few comments about myself being in a rock band – a bit of shock – lol. My kids get that look too – no way MOM. Yes…. It was brief but yes I played keyboards and sang lead vocals in a band. There was a period in my life that I was determined to use my voice as my vocation in some way or another. Then… well I had kids and life happened. But I continued to sing, if only at church in the crowd. What a joy was that. I love singing harmony – my very favorite thing. Frequently some stranger in front of me or beside me would chastise me for not being up on the stage in the choir. That I was wasting my gift. I remember being offended by this, I felt I was offering up just as much joy to the Divine in my seat as on the stage. Honestly, I didn’t want to sing solos, it makes me wanna puke. I wanted to sing backup harmony which I love. But, when the directors heard me sing they kept throwing solos at me and at that time in my life I had a hard time saying, ”NO thank you”. So I chose to not join at all. So, now I sing for the pure joy of singing. Does this make my gift less of a gift? Does the divine find less joy in hearing me sing in my kitchen or with my preschoolers? I guess… my very public gift has become a very private gift and I’m ok with that.

I think in our society we are so used to seeing big gifts, tv, You tube, it’s everywhere…. BIG gifts. But what of the not so public gifts, those amazingly quiet gifts. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking BIG gifts – what a joy they are! But… what of the wonderful nurse that answers that call button for the 15th time with grace and gentleness. Or that amazing blog writer that always touches your soul (I know several of those). What about that amazing woman who every day goes and cleans other people’s homes and never complains, does an amazing job and has such an amazing attitude about it? Isn’t that a gift too? Every day I meet women here who offer up their gifts! Deep, loving, gritty, honest women! When I read about a mom telling it like it is with a child who challenges her every day, exhausts her, but whom she fights for like a mama bear, I see a gift. Reading the struggles of women going through cancer treatments like warriors, I see a gift. I’ve met women here who offer up their beliefs despite severe criticism from others, I see a gift. The amazing artists here who offer up encouragement to those who are new, no jealousy, just a hand and a hug, I see a gift! Those of you who offer up words of support, I see a gift! Not big huge public gifts, but private, quiet gifts.

I guess what I’m asking today is….do you see the gift in yourself? It’s there! Do you know how HUGE those little gifts you offer up everyday to those around you really are? I’m asking you to see the beauty and gift I see in each of you!! See that little sparkle, kinda like fairy dust – yup right there!! That’s you!!! I ‘m not asking you to share with us if you don’t want to, but please share with yourself, what is your quiet gift – give yourself credit and the joy of acknowledging that you have amazing gifts that you offer up every day! Even if you don’t quite see them yet, someone out here does & thanks you!!

So….. gifted ones, I’m going to enjoy that muffin and latte now. There are also several bar cookies, oooh I see lemon bars – am in trouble now!!! Thank you for joining me again today!! Namaste, Sarah