Have you seen that Tshirt little kids wear? It reads, in childlike scrawl, "GOD DON"T MAKE JUNK". Cute, huh? But how many of us believe that? Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb. I thank you, High God-you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration-what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; you know exactly how I was made, bib by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, the days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day. Psalms 139 14-16, The Message Last weekend I met an artist, a lovely woman who works with stained glass. She explained to me how God had led her to become an artist full-time. I encouraged her, reminding her that God created her with an amazing talent to share. That talent was placed in her for a purpose. It is not vain to do what you were created to do and to take pride in that creation. I was doing well. I was encouraging a Sister to follow God's plan for her. I was praising our God for creating us with talents and gifts. Then...I blew it. I didn't even realize what I had done until days later. I said, "I have zero artistic abilities." Then I'm sure I made some sort of lame self deprecating joke. Several months ago I embroidered a baby quilt for a friend. I took the almost finished project to my Grandmother to ask her opinion on a particular stitch. She turned the quilt over in her hands, rubbing her wrinkled fingers across the backstitching, "This is good," she said. "for machine work." (In my family that is the equivalent of calling some one the worst possible name you can imagine, whatever that may be!) "Machine work?!?" I stammered. "No, ma'am. I stitched that by hand. Every stitch! By hand!" My Grandmother brought the quilt closer to her face and pulled gently at some of the long stitches. "Well, then," she said approvingly. "That's a different tale to tell. I'm a better teacher than I thought." I come from a long line of gifted artists. We are quilters and embroidery experts by experience. God gave that talent to many women in my family and we pass it along to each generation. I sold God short in that conversation with my artist friend. I gave Him no credit for the ability He gave me. God created everyone with a talent. Be bold in how you use it. Display your art. Play your music. Dazzle people with your brilliance. And when they brag on you, use that moment in the spotlight to teach someone GOD DON'T MAKE JUNK.