Stitching and Being Unique

My latest stitching project was just one simple word cut out of old t-shirts and stitched onto a white t-shirt.  This one is for me.  I have seen a lot of t-shirts in magazines or around town that have one single word on them.  I think it makes quite a statement, not to mention a sense of style, to have a certain word worn.  Personally, I love the word unique.  I have talked with my kids a lot about this word and truly desire them to consider themselves extraordinary.   As I have hit the big 3-0, I have come to the point of realizing that I should be proud of who I am. There is no other person just like me.  God made us all different.  Being different is a good thing.  I don't really want to be normal or strive for that.  You can't be rare if you are always following the pack.  Not only do I want to wear this word, I want to know and live it.  

As, I was working on the final stitches of my shirt, Maddie was dreaming up her own shirt.  She ran her plan by me and then asked if she could do it beside me while I was working on my shirt.  I told her, "Maybe," (we all know what that usually means) and she cheerfully went somewhere else.  I thought that she had found something else to do.  However, she came skipping back to me with all the supplies needed for her design.  I was impressed.  I put down my shirt, that was moments away from being completed, and picked up hers.  She told me just what she wanted to do and she began.  I helped a little with the stitching when she had problems.  An hour later, she was done.  I am very proud of her.  I like her style and creativity.  I hope she holds on to her uniqueness.  



This post reminds me of a fabulous children's book called If Only I Had a Green Nose by Max Lucado.  

I read this book to my kids a few weeks ago.  Here is what Julian wrote about it in his narration:

Punchinello got his nose painted green to be like everyone else.  Others kept changing the color of their nose, so he just couldn't keep up and be the same.  Soon, he realized he should be how God made him, unique.  -Julian