My dad used to always say,
“Trials and tribulations are mandatory-
misery is optional.”
I remember this sign hanging in his office
before I could ever even understand what those words meant.
But every day
it rings truer than the day before.
I chose the theme
Trials
for the month of March.
It really actually feels like this theme chose me.
Now, don’t get me wrong.
I’m not gonna start playing the
“woe is me”…..
card.
Really, what’s happening is that I feel so aware of the trials of those around me.
It is one thing to go through your own trials and feel lost
but
it’s another thing to watch someone you love so much
go through trials
and all you can do is watch and pray.
Like the saying above illustrates so clearly,
nobody is exempt from heartache
or grief
or pain
or fear
or fear
or loss.
But how we endure those trials is the important part.
As I reflect on the heartache of those around me
I can’t help but wonder if I could ever handle those trials with such poise or grace.
But, I think endurance, like any skill, comes with practice.
I know these trails are not endured well by chance, but because the endurance of those being tried
has been tested.
Endurance,
just like any muscle in the body,
cannot become stronger
without being stretched to its limit.
Not just once,
but so many times
that the ability becomes second-nature.
I hope that one day I can endure trials with poise and grace
just because that has become second nature to me.
I would like to introduce the quilt design for this month.
I wrote these words to a loved one, over 2 years ago.
And those words have encouraged through some hard times since then.
And they are words that I will never forget.
Here are the colors I will be using.
I chose these colors for a specific reason.
I wanted to represent the black background as the trials we face.
They sometimes feel like an endless dark sea.
Hard to grasp.
Hard to focus.
I made the words white because it is the ultimate contrast.
If we can but focus on the white words, it is easy to forget how dark the background really is.
The darker the black is, the easier it is to read the white.
Just like with trials,
the harder they are, the more likely we are to recognize that good that can shine from them.
The more we go through, the more we will recognize how far we have come, and how bright we can really show up- even in the midst of darkness.
The words are slanted, but every edge is square.
Life may teeter and quake.
But the beginning and end are straight forward,
precise,
and perfect.
I chose such bright colors because
just as trials can come in any way, shape, or form
so can blessings.
I hope that this month you will take the opportunity to notice
your trials.
And if that is too easy,
try to notice other’s trials.
Do something.
Help someone.
Go somewhere.
Endure trials.
And remember,
misery is optional.
Be great to each other.
-Karlee
