I can do Math!

OK, as promised, the next chapter in the story…
Today, I (Lorenda) spent the day assisting an amazing group of women who were creating curtains. OK so perhaps “assisting” is a bit of an overstatement- it was really more like I was trying not to wreck anything and attempting to stay out of the way of the productive people. Those who know my lack of creative ability will not be the least bit surprised by that!
There is a wee bit of a back story here- something I didn’t share with you- mostly due to the fear of being mocked! Last week when we were in Gulu, I looked at the toppers on the windows and thought, “I could do that.”  Actually, I did more than think it, I said it to Judy. Since she is a nice person and she hasn’t known me long enough to know the truth, she said, “Of course you could!”
So, as we have been in all these fabric stores in the last few days, I have been looking at fabric and thinking about what I would like in my home in Canada. I could buy the fabric here and just “whip up” these projects when I get home.
Reality, like gravity, is a force that is undeniable- it catches up to you eventually and today was that day!
Today Judy and I were cutting fabric- truth be told, I was helping her to straighten the fabric and then I would hand her the measuring tape and the scissors. At that point, I may have been thinking, “Maybe I could do this”. Then Judy did the unthinkable; she went off to do something else and told me to cut the next set of curtains. This woman really doesn’t know me, does she? OK panic started to set in- I need to get the fabric all laid out straight, then I need to measure- oh no, what if I measure wrong, so I need to double check and triple check the measuring, look at the paper again, did I do it right? Can I cut it there? Should I cut it there? It was a hot day today and I was sweating some earlier, but now the sweat is pouring off me. What if I cut it and it’s wrong? We only have just enough fabric- the store didn’t have any more of it! If the cutting is crooked, the whole curtain is going to be crooked. Then I thought about that day I was in Gulu and reality kicks in. “No I could not make that!” Reality really is your friend when you embrace it and accept it!
Some of you who don’t know me as well might be tempted to think that I am being too hard on myself. Trust me, I am not! I have no creative skills, but I am good at other stuff. For example, yesterday when we were figuring out how much money we needed, I was coming up with the numbers in my head faster than the woman with the calculator. I can do math, I just can’t do creative stuff! I have recently decided that the right side of my brain (the creative side) is really just a placeholder that keeps the left side from rattling around loosely in my skull.
It’s OK though- I don’t need to have creative talents, I just need to surround myself with the right people. When I need flowers, I call Laurena. All I have to do is tell her who it’s for, the occasion and how much I want to spend- done! Why would I even think about sewing anything? I’ve got lots of choices- Joanne, Kathy, Barb and now Charissa is sewing- got that covered. Scrapbooking, photography- there’s Courtney! I don’t want any of you to think that I take advantage of my family and friends- I do things for them too! What you ask, can a person without talents offer to others?
Well…I can do math for them!