Embellishment for Holes

I found a nice shirt on sale at a thrift store the other day, but as I inspected it more closely, I realized why it was on sale. There was a small, perfectly round hole near the hem. I was disappointed at first, because I really liked the shirt, but then I decided since it didn’t cost much, I could just mend the hole and make it as good as new.

Now, my mends typically aren’t that pretty, and I wasn’t able to find exactly the right color of thread, but the perfect roundness of the hole gave me an idea.
I embroidered a flower over the mend, and now it’s even better than new! –And only you privileged few readers know that there was ever a hole!

It occurred to me as I was working, that this is what God so often does in our lives. He takes the ugly, unraveling holes and not only mends them, but uses them to make our lives more beautiful. He gives us “beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness” that He might be glorified in our lives. (Is.61:3)

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, who are the called according to his purpose.” –Romans 8:28

Handshakes

Have you ever had to shake hands with someone who had such an atrocious handshake it made you shudder? I recently met someone who had what I call the “dead fish handshake”. Their hand was completely limp. (And slightly slimy…eew!) My Dad always told me that one can learn a lot about a person by the way they shake hands. The following are my observations of what one can learn from a handshake.

The shrinking shake: This is the handshake that lasts less than a second, (often accompanied by distinct fishiness of the deceased variety) which clearly communicates dislike or discomfort.

The speed shake: At the end of this shake, one is often surprised to find that his hand has not vibrated off! Often fueled by the exuberance of youth, this shake clearly denotes enthusiasm or excitement. –Or a rather extreme excess of caffeine or sugar. : )

The trick shake: This shake could take several forms, and is usually completely unpredictable. Such a shake reveals a personality with an all-too-healthy dose of mischief in it.

The rival shake: In order to experience this shake, one must participate. Instead of maintaining an appropriately firm grasp of the other person’s hand, both parties grip as hard as they can for as long as they can, or until one surrenders. This shake reveals a competitive or adversarial spirit.

The warm shake: This is the best kind of shake. Hearty, firm, and often accompanied by a happy smile, this shake communicates warmth of feeling and friendship.

Just like Daddy always says, you can learn a lot from a handshake. What does yours say about you?