September 6, 2012

Refining fires have exits, you know.

I belong to an online glass forum which for the sake of the positive aspects and people who also belong to it will remain nameless in this post.    For the most part it is an excellent community, and this story is about a specific incident.

I am pretty private about my faith.  Not that anyone who knows me doesn't know I'm Christian~ I just don't happen to be frequently vocal without invitation for reasons which extend back to my childhood and would probably bore your socks off.   And yet...

A couple of years ago I posted on the forum on Easter morning.  I was feeling overwhelmingly grateful and full of the spirit and simply felt led to share it.  To celebrate the life of Christ and the gift of salvation made possible through His death.....but mostly the joy of knowing He loves us all, every single one, no matter what or who or where or when.

About 5 seconds after I clicked "post" that train derailed and went straight to Hell, y'all.   I'm talking downright nasty.  Rude.  Insulting.  Judgmental.    I kind of sat there stunned before closing the window and walking away permanently.  I learned later that it turned into SIXTEEN pages of ugly.  Sixteen pages in which I was drug through the mud (and defended), other people were drug through the mud (and defended), and the very idea of faith in a higher being of any kind of was drug through the mud (and defended).

Except for the gallery sections I ceased visiting that forum that very day.

A couple of weeks ago a fellow lampworker approached me on FB and asked if I would be interested in taking over one of her regular clients.  She has some medical issues paired with too many wholesale customers and just felt the need to let one go.  I agreed to do the huge looming order with a right now deadline, but I was really curious what made her think of me...a virtual stranger...when there are so many talented lampworkers out there...some of which she must know much better online or even in person.

When she told me it was because of my post that Easter morning 2+ years ago I was stunned.  And then I thought over the last 2 years and how much I struggled and how hard it all was and how now I am in such a better place but it took losing (letting go of) my house (and all the things I though I was supposed to have and do) and coming to terms with loss and fear and letting them go too...and what I was left with is the realization that it was all, every little stumble, just another step on the path to God's plan for my life.  And right now I am sitting here typing this with goosebumps because if you've experienced it you know why and if you haven't let me know so I can put you on my forever prayer list because everyone should know how incredible this feeling is.

And that's the story of how I started working with Rachel's Cure by Design....an organization I can totally get behind wholeheartedly in body and spirit.  Yay, God!

So my first huge custom order in a few years was huge and when the hugeness was completed I was so hugely excited and exhausted that I wrapped that baby in a huge box and shipped it with a hugeness WITHOUT TAKING PICTURES OF THE 1186 FINISHED BEADS that I made within 8 days.

I know.  I'm kicking my own butt.  But I did take a progress pic one night along with a pic of my midnight torch table complete with an old VHS/TV set I moved within view to entertain me on an all night torchfest.



and then I died or maybe just slept for 42 hours of the following 36.

~~

Follow your callings 
wherever they lead,
however hard they are,
because you never know
what's waiting for you
down the line.

Especially with God on your side.

~~







10 comments:

  1. Wow. On so many levels. I'm sorry people can be like that. It's sad. But I am happy for you. Congrats.

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  2. Congratulation Juli! What goes around comes around.
    Therese

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  3. YOU my dear are the most deserving of such an opportunity because you recognize grace when it strikes you and you're grateful to your core! Squeezing you virtually and dancing a happy dance just for you in my studio... good thing the blinds are drawn... or the poor neighbors! :o)

    SO many goosebumps as I read this FOR you... so, so happy sister!
    xo

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  4. That's a beautiful story and I am so happy that you shared it with us. Thank you.

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  5. That is a heartwarming story of epic proportions Miss Juls! I am sorry that you had to be dragged through the mud (and defended) for your faith. I suppose that is what the early Christians endured. And their faith made them shine. You, dear one, shine all the time. So proud of you for completing this gargantuan assignment. Your heart and your toes seem to be pointing in the right direction.

    Enjoy the day.
    Erin

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  6. Juli, my friend, I adore you! You are so awesome. This was a great post and I loved reading it. Karma (or whatever you want to call it) is awesome, too. I'm so happy you got that bit, huge custom order (even though I'd love to see the photos). The beads you showed us are gorgeous. I can't imagine how you did all that so quickly and still remained civil and your own lovely self. I'd have been a zombie! It's also awesome to see you live your faith (instead of trying to sell it -- I've had way too much of that from people who should know better). You rock! That's all there is to it.

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  7. What a great story and so unsurprising - good things happen to good people - even if good people don't feel like good things are heppening at the time - sometimes it just takes a while for the good to find the good people :-)

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