Average

I've always considered myself to be very average girl. You know, average height, average weight, average looking, average ability at things. Until University my marks were only ever average no matter how hard I tried (usually arount 75% except in math and science which was much lower). As a child my parents allowed me to delve into many different activities to see what I enjoyed. Throughout my childhood I played softball, ringette, took gymnastics, swimming lessons, played flute and piano, figure skated, took horseback riding, sang in the Cambridge Girl's choir. I felt like I could pretty much hold my own in anything, but I didn't really feel like I 'excelled' at anything. I've always enjoyed doing crafts, but I don't feel like I'm exceptionally creative. I can look at a pattern and do the craft. I can play music that is set in front of me, but I can't play piano by ear, I can't draw without looking at that something that I'm trying to draw.

I've always admired people that have that creative flair. You know the ones I'm talking about. Those people who can sit at a piano and create. Or sit in front of a blank piece of paper and just start to draw or paint etc. I'm not that person.

When I decided to take a mosaics class at heart to heart last fall, Ruth Anne encouraged us to start thinking of what we wanted to do for our big project. My friend Monica hooked me up with an old table from her workplace that I think I paid $10 for. I had no idea what to do with it. I knew that I wanted a pattern that was symmetrical (I've tried abstract, and I just can't do it...must be the gold in me ;) I found the above star patter on the internet somewhere. Then it was like filling in the blanks. I had a blast choosing colours and cutting out the little pieces of mirror to create the star pattern one by one (there must be close to a hundred pieces of mirror on there if not more). I love details. I hand cut every piece of mirror and people thought I was crazy, but that's my cup of tea.

In the end I had this table that I had transformed. I was so thrilled with how it turned out, but more than anything I was surprised by it. I mean all I did was find a picture I liked and copied it onto my table right? I'm not sure why I felt like I had to explain away the positive comments that people gave me on my table. I guess it goes back to the whole idea of pride. I mean for me I am cautious and constantly aware of every thought and motive that I have...trying hard not to be a proud person. We had a talk in our house church earlier in the year about why it is so difficult to take compliments. Is it false humility? Is it that we really can't accept when we've done something that people appreciate and want to commend us on? It's an interesting thought. I don't have an answer.

One of the things I've been learning from Cure for the Common Life (and through Captivating) has been about not comparing ourselves to others. Not looking at the gifts that God has given to other people and thinking they have it better. He made you exactly the way He wanted you to be. There's a place in His heart that can only be filled by you. There's no one that's 'average'. We're all gifted in different ways. Let's praise God for the way He's made us, and use our gifts to help others and to glorify Him.

Melanie