The Tatted Cross

I made this quite long ago, one perfect cross.
It marked the spot in my Book where my father's picture rests.

It came to mind to give to you for the gift I can't repay.
It is the one perfect thing in my lifeI have ever made.

But then the gift within the gift was given me
to add and share with you from Him.

I said I had made it,"all by myself" but then, He says to me,
"Let me show you, friend of mine, what you didn't see."

"Did you see the rain and sun and the cotton seed that said,
"Oh the pain, I break in half! I think now That I die!""

"It didn't die but grew and flowered and said,
"I'm perfect now it's true. My life's work is through."

"But the fruit of the plant was taken from it for men had found a way
to weave it into many things. The cotton plant died that day."

"Someone took the extra time to make a perfect weave of thread
so tiny, light and fine but - it's strength went to it's head."

"The tiny thread took great pride,"I'm so long and strong and straight.
I'm perfect now! I'm the best of all!.""

"But wait", I said," my thread came in a ball."

He says,"I know -you should have heard what that made our poor thread feel.
It felt each twist and turn and lap as it went on the spool".

""Now I'm a mess, what good am I", said the thread. "Men are just such fools!
To take something as perfect as me and put me on a spool.""

Into my hands came the perfect thread -so fine I could barely see
to work my pattern of rings and chains into the cross it would be.

I counted and watched my fingers as I pulled each ring up tight.
Like magic the thread never broke. It had been woven for me, just right.

I unspun each wrap, undid each twist and for a moment you could see
the perfect straight thread between my hands but it was not to be.

Never straight again that thread, and live cotton not again
nor a seed beneath the sun and rain but a perfect cross instead.

You can not see the many crosses I have made before.
I finally made one perfect cross and my pride was full.

Then He said, "Each named itself perfect as it was
a total complete creation but it was really something else."

"Each of you is many things more than you can see.
I create with each of you what I need you to be."

"Never name yourself complete or say your life is done.
You can't know what I have planned. You only need to trust."

"I take each life grow, pluck and weave the beauty I have seen
and match it to the pattern of all that is to be.

Who made it?" he asked"You", I answered, head hung down in shame
and "You, too." he graced me,"With what I made of you".

Much more humble nowI offer you this piece of tatted lace,
that was once all those things if you can but see the truth within the thing.

But most of all I hope you see the truth he's laid on me.
It's a gift that he started long ago - from Him, through you to me.

A gift was given, in love, by a friend. A friend He brought to me to bring me to Him.
The gift you gave was the greater even if it can not be seen.

Thank you.