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pattern: delight yourself in the lord

Delight Yourself in the Lord


Today I'd like to share something that I've been learning and experiencing over the last year or so. Or possibly more accurately, over the course of my entire life so far. (Crafty notes and the pattern download are at the end of the post!) When I was younger, probably a teenager trying to sort out why life didn't always go how I wanted it to, I remember my mom quoting Psalm 37:4 to me.

"Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart."

It was comforting, but I think it was because I understood it wrong. Let me paraphrase how I took this verse: "Make the Lord happy and He will give you what you want." While God may choose to operate in that way, I think that was a selfish perspective, one that was looking for what I could get out of "the deal". And while I have had many things that I've wanted, when I come up with an idea of what I want, it doesn't usually work out for me.

Delight Yourself in the Lord
Delight Yourself in the Lord
Delight Yourself in the Lord

I've spent many years living a life that I hope makes the Lord happy, and I'll continue to do so because God is God, and He deserves more than I can ever present to Him. But it won't be so I get something. As I've nestled myself closer to Him, I've found myself living something closer to what I now believe Psalm 37:4 really is about.

It was as life happened that I discovered and experienced my new paraphrase: "Focus on the Lord and enjoy Him and He will place His desires in your heart and then He'll fulfill them."

When I look to God alone (or at least when I try...we're all human after all!), my own desires fade and I'm satisfied by Him. But then, just when I'm completely delighted by Him, He plants a desire in my heart, and says "Here. I want you to want this, and I'm going to give it to you and you'll be amazed by it all." It has happened in big things and little things, and I can't help but love this God who cares so much about each of us.

I stitched this pattern to keep my focus always on finding my hope and delight in the Lord, and I hope you will too.

Delight Yourself in the Lord


The entire design was stitched with pearl cotton on osnaburg, which has a nice weave for the thread. And though it's not really a Valentine's sort of pattern, filling the edges with hearts made sense to me, given the "desires of your heart" ending of the verse. I stitched them using the heart stitch I shared last year. Oh, and the pattern will fit perfectly in a 6-inch hoop.

Now, you're all set to stitch and delight yourself in the Lord!


Delight Yourself in the Lord

26 comments:

  1. ...this reminder has been on my heart a lot lately. The God designed us to be 'happy'..but happiness that is found in loving Him - and how frustrated we are to try and find that joy is shallow.distracting things around us instead. Lovely thoughts, and stitchery goodness!
    xx
    mel
    needle and nest design

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  2. Mollie,

    You paraphrased that verse exactly right. It is only when we focus on Him that we have true happiness and contentment.
    I don't know whether I told you that life hase been a real challange and my family is really struggling this year but I have been singing the Doxology whenever life seems to be too much. It helps me remember that my life is for Him, not me, and that what is going on is part of His plan and He will provide and guide if I remain true.
    Your design is perfect for the month. Shouldn't we love the Lord the most?

    Maureen

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  3. I love this! Thanks for being so honest, I think we can all relate to that if we are honest too. Will have to add this to my to do projects so I can keep focus!! Thanks!!

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  4. Thank you for the pattern and speaking, er, writing truth. He is the best desire our hearts could ever know. Any other desire pales in comparison.

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  5. laurie8:40 AM

    lovely. thanks for sharing the back story and not just the pattern.

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  6. Hi Mollie - couldn't agree more with your post, and the pattern is gorgeous. Thanks for sharing it and your thoughts. x

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  7. What a wonderful, thoughtful post - thank you.

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  8. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. To me right now, that verse almost seems like a mockery, as it seems that God withholds everything I desire while fulfilling everyone I know with great abundance. But I suppose that is just what you talk about in your post--if you misunderstand this verse, as you did and I do, then that is what this verse becomes. I hope that someday I can have the same view of it that you do.

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  9. What a great lesson from God. You described it wonderfully. Thanks so much for your heart for God and your beautiful patterns! God bless!

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  10. Thanks for the pattern. And a great reminder of how I want to live.

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  11. So lovely and cute, I really like your stitches Mollie! Such beautiful heart patterns...

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  12. Anonymous8:43 PM

    Gentleness is one of the changes and desires God has given me! My twenties were filled with anger and lashing out. Through prayer and His desire I am not that woman!

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  13. Love this pattern! Perfect verse (:

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  14. Sweet story and sweet embroidery. Thanks for sharing both!

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  15. So beautiful and sweet Mollie! A wonderful Psalm! Thanks for sharing!! xo Heather

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  16. This is beautiful. I just happened to discover this blog of yours... my name is Krista! I'm oh so happy I found this lovely little space

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  17. This is so beautiful and I'm thinking of stitching it, but I've never done anything like this before: I've only done cross stitch. Do you think it's a good pattern to start with?

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    Replies
    1. Yes! This should be fine to start with! I did all of the lettering in back stitch, which is very easy, and you'll get lots of practice on this heart stitch throughout the pattern!

      Good luck, and I'd love to see your project when you're done!

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  18. Thank you for this wonderful pattern and your insightful words. I know I can be tempted to think as you did, which of course, is a misunderstanding of the verse! :)

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  19. Mollie,

    I cannot tell you how happy I am to have found your blog on this beautiful rainy morning. I just picked up some vintage tea toweling fabric with red stripes and a skein of red embroidery thread from a craft upcycling store here in town and went surfing the web for aome inspiration for my blank canvas. I could not have found a better place, thanks so much for doing what you do! Your style is so "me" :)

    Nora

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Nora! I'm so glad that you found my blog too! And I'm curious about this craft upcycling store...it sounds like a very fun place!

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  20. Mollie, I'm loving all these bible verses. I have cross-stitched since the 5th grade, but I've never tried embroidery. Guess it's time to try. Thanks!

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  21. Anonymous6:41 AM

    I love this pattern and reference. I'm new to embroidery and want to give this pattern a go but
    I have know idea how to transfer your pattern. What are the steps? ~ Teresa

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  22. Thanks, Teresa! You can find my transfer favorite methods here: http://wildolive.blogspot.com/2011/03/embroidery-basics-transferring-pattern.html (Be sure to go all the way to the end of the post for all of the options!)

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