So, I recently stumbled upon an opportunity for our girls ministry to take some knitting classes at a local, um, knittery? Anyway, so it got me thinking — what does KNITTING have to do with the Bible?  Can I justify taking girls out to go knitting — just for fun?  Don’t get me wrong there is GREAT VALUE in building relationships and learning life-skills… but right now, I just want to teach you all how much GOD loves you, not just how much I love you.

So — it got me thinking… and I was reminded that some of my MOST FAVORITE Bible verses and stories are about knitting. Kind of.  First of all, if you have been around me for  any length of time, you have probably heard me share one of my most favorite Bible passages – - Psalm 139 –

“Oh Lord, you have searched me and you know me.  You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.  You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all of my ways.  Before the word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord…. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mothers womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full and well.”

The Lord KNITS us together in our mothers womb.  I cannot get over how amazing and crazy and intimate that is.  As you take the knitting class, you’ll discover that so much goes into just knitting a scarf.  You have to pick out your needles, the right size needle, the yarn, the pattern, and then you put time and care into making it.  I can’t imagine all that would go into knitting a person together?! God had so many options to choose from as He knit you together in your mothers womb… and YOU are his finished product, carefully knitted together with love and care… and not only that – a PURPOSE!  You aren’t going to put time, money, sweat and tears into a scarf and then NOT wear it, right?  You choose what purpose it will serve – to keep you warm?  to look good?  Formal? Informal? Light weight? silk? wool?

God has knitted you together with love, care and a purpose.

Another knitting passage I like is the story about Jonothan and David in 1st Samual.  David and Jonathan were the best of friends.. and the Bible describes their hearts as being knitted together.  I have a friend, Tara, and as we’ve shared our lives together and depended on one another — we reference this passage and describe our friendship like Jonothan’s and David’s -

1 Sam 18:1: As soon as he had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul.

As the Lord creates friendships and relationships in your lives, It is very important that you guard who your soul is knitted to.  We know that sex and marriage bind hearts and bodies together — but we rarely think of friendships as being something that influences us in a major way.  As we go throughout our lives, friends will influence us in huge ways.  Make sure that your friends are Christians who love Jesus and want the best for you.  Jonathan risked his life, gave away his throne and swapped his allegiance for David.  He believed that David was God’s man, and wanted to do his part in promoting David and keeping him safe so that the Lords will would be accomplished.

Knitting is a GREAT way to illustrate how God put us together in his womb and how he knits the hearts of his believers together… So, I want to invite you to come and learn to knit with me!!

We will be going to Downtown Knits in Apex in October for a beginner knitting class… The total cost will be around $30 – that includes instruction, knitting needles and a spool of yarn.  Let me know if you are interested!! Until then, reflect on how GOOD and crafty God is. )

My hair is short now and I LOVE IT!!  God is good – trust me girls, I prayed over this haircut and so did Jerrod!  God cares about everything… he even specifically mentions our hair in His Word.

Luke 12:6-7: “What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them.  And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.”

I am happy to report that not ONCE have I felt any less feminine or pretty or special.  I just feel good (and cool!)  Plus, someone gets to incorporate my wimpy 11″ pony tail into a wig… so that is fun.  Weird do think someone will be wearing my hair.

Now, I had a few comments about goals from the last post — but not many (a little disappointing…)  I guess people aren’t into these shorts as much as I thought you would be! (I still stick by the fact that they are fabulous and all that I want to wear…)

The winner is… MONI!! congratulations girl!  Send me an email and we will purchase your shorts asap.

Which one do you think?  Left or right?

My hair appointment is tomorrow!  The anticipation of 8″ of hair being chopped off to donate brings a mix of emotions.  First of all, my hair grows super slow… so It’s kind of precious to me.  I’m scared I won’t be a cute haircut, or I won’t be as feminine with short hair or I will just regret the cut.   Secondly, this haircut was suppose to be a reward for loosing my last 6 lbs of my first goal weight.  Two weeks have passed since I wrote my last blog and I still have 5.5 pounds to shed before reaching that goal.  So, that makes me wonder if I should go ahead with my appointment, or if I should postpone it until I actually reach my goal?  Am I settling for less than I should?  Will I still have motivation once I get my hair chopped off?

All of these thoughts over a silly haircut!!  As I sit here, pondering and writing my thoughts – another part of myself (the preacher, Bible teacher, girls minister) is reminding me that my identity is not found in my hair.  That sounds silly that someone might find their identity  in their hair, right?  But as a red head – it sets me apart a little – it makes me feel special.  And as a woman, my long locks make me feel MORE like a woman.  But Abbigail Grace McCabe is not lost when the shedsthose 8″ off! I have to remind myself of this truth.  Because Abbigail Grace McCabe is wrapped up in an eternal identity.  If I look at myself through my heavenly Father’s eyes, a perspective that will never change, I will always be painted more beautfiully than I can imagine, and see my value as more precious than any jewel (or length of hair!).

Now, how about that goal?  If I don’t reach my goal weight – should I wait to get my hair cut?!  Nah.  I say I will enjoy working out MUCH more when my ponytail doesn’t stick to the sweat on my neck! haha… And there is nothing like a new look (hopefully a GOOD new look) to put a little pep in your step. Right?

Speaking of goals — I am going to now change the topic a little.  Another one of my goals is to teach you GIRLS about modesty. (I’ve been known as the modesty nazi…. not a title I particularly enjoy.)  But my goal in teaching modesty is to protect my girls, our boys, and to raise up women after God’s own heart.  I want to hear – WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS?  Comment to this post with a goal that you’ve reached or a goal that you are currently working on and I will enter you into a drawing to win an AWESOME pair of MODEST ( and fabulous) nike shorts.  I searched our local sporting goods store the other day for a pair that met my length preferences and found these.  I bought a pair for myself to test them out and I love them. They are my favorite summer shorts right now.  SO — Let me know your goals and you could win a pair of Modest ( & fabulous!) Nike shorts.

I am going to donate my locks to Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths program.  (Click the pic above to get more info!)  This program takes donated hair and makes wigs for women who have lost hair due to cancer treatments.  I’m super excited about having a new look, and feel good that all of this time spent growing out my hair isn’t going to waste on the salon floor!

SO, I want to challenge you! – If you’ve got 8 inches of expendable hair (anyone want to try a pixie cut?!) Why not join me and get your hair cut and donate it to Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths with me?!  I could use the company.

Just wanted to let you know that if you didn’t attend our Father Daughter date night last weekend, you totally missed out!
Click to view slideshow.
No dads wore Hawaiian shirts or socks and sandals (phew!) – but I do think I remember spotting a fanny pack – it was black and well concealed though! – And if pulling out the fanny pack to buy an awesome Lion King souvenir or sweet piece of cheesecake – I would gladly endure!

Kudos to dads who participated and YAY to all you brave daughters for accepting their invitations.  Until next time!

I am so excited about RCCC girls upcoming event in January!!  : Father/Daughter date night!!

Why is it that somewhere between 5th and 6th grade, our Fathers go from being our Hero’s to big fat Zero’s?  Life would be a whole lot easier if relationships would just stay the same, wouldn’t it? But relationships change.  Boyfriends and girlsfriends break up, BFF’s dont talk as often, and parents go from being cool to super lame over night!

We’ve got to get some control over this madness!! So, we will start with the Father/Daughter relationship.  Guys and girls already have a hard time communicating – so when it comes to girls and their dads — it can be even more tough, and akward — especially after we start to blossom in to women (so akward!)

But let me encourage you to push through those akward moments and continue to show your dad that you love him!  I am encouraging your fathers to push through and continue to show you their love, too with the monthly Father/Daughter newsletter.  I can hear you now, “my dad is sooo embarrasing!!”, “He doesn’t understand girls my age!”, and did i mention, “My dad is like, sooo akward!”.   But let me ask you this question.  Don’t you want your dad to love you for who you are, exactly the way you are?  (the answer I am expecting is YES).  Then don’t you think your dad wants YOU to love HIM for exactly who HE is… even witht the Hawaiin shirts, socks with sandles, fanny packs, etc — learn to love your dad for who he is…. exactly the way he is… because he is YOUR Dad. 

Some easy ways to show your dad that you love him:

1. Hug your Dad

2. Tell him thank you for working so hard (what/who do you think pays for those ipods, uggs, school supplies & food?)

3. Give him a picture of the 2 of you in a frame. (It could be a picture from when you where little OR a recent picture!  Don’t have a recent picture? You could if you do #5 on the list! )

4. Talk to him about ANYTHING.  Silence just makes things more weird.

5. Let him take you out on a date.

We are offering dads an opportunity to take you on an amaaaaazzzing date night out on the town — We will go to see Broadway’s The Lion King and then discuss the show over some yummmmy cheesecake at the cheesecake factory!  Many of your dads want to go, but are finding resistance in their girls (thats you!).

GIRLS – LET YOUR DADS TREAT YOU TO A NIGHT OF FUN!! Maybe it can be the start of a whole new chapter in your relationship with your dad!

Last week we had an amazing time learning how to MAKE gifts for our friends and family.  We made packets of hot-cocoa, easy scarves, and chocolate covered pretzels, and learned how to make no-sew fleece blankets!

SO – Why on earth do we make crafts in a church?  Here is why we had a Christmas crafty day… we owe it all to the Proverbs 31 lady! Do you know about her? 

The proverbs 31 woman is (like Mary-Poppins) practically perfect in every way.  In fact, she can be pretty intimidating (and quite annoying!) She is an excellent wife,  trustworthy, she does all the shopping, she sews garments for her family and sells clothes to other poeple too, she is a great boss, she buys land and plants her own vineyard, she’s strong, she is profitable, she goes to bed late and gets up early, she reaches out to the poor, she makes her own bedding, She is dignified and wise, she teaches others about kindness and is not idle. Her kids love and praise her… and so does her hubby.  It even says she “laughs at the time to come”.  Phew… if we want to be like this lady — we’ve got a LOT to live up to.  It can almost seem impossible!!

I used to think that this woman was at the end of the “book of wisdom” to point a finger at me… showing me all the things I am not.  I could  here her gloating and jeering “look at what i do! look at what you DONT do… “.  But as I’ve grown closer to the Lord, read His Word… and studied the Proverbs 31 woman a little closer, my view of her has changed.

I don’t think she is pointing out what we CANT or DONT do.   I think she is providing an image of what we CAN be like.  She is saying… look at all these things I do, it isn’t impossible! Keep trying, keep close to the Lord, keep on keeping on… and you can do it, too.  This lady no longer is a thorn in my side… but a motivator and someone I can look up to.  I may never reach her level, but I can certainly try to mold myself to who she is. 

So, we are learning to do a little of what this woman does — she is crafty.  She makes clothes, she makes bedding and coverings… and knows how to kep her family warm.  Through OUR craftiness, the possibilities are endless.  Who can YOU keep warm with the scarves or blankets we made? Who can you make smile by giving them a sweet treat?  You can show kindness by giving gifts, you can make money by selling them! – See? Isn’t the lady at the end of Proverbs an excellent role model?!

Next time: Holiday Cooking, “She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens.”

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