In them old cotton fields back home

For my friends, Kate and Debra. They are As I see it now and Johathan's Closet on the side bar.
I went back to crocheting and tatting a bit, not too long ago. I hope to do more. I wrote this for a friend. You get the modified version.

I tatted this quite long ago, one perfect cross. It is the one perfect thing I ever made. I give it to you as a gift. Then, this gift within the gift, was given me to 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 perfect 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 lifes work is through.""

"But the fruit of the plant was taken from it and 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. 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 tiny 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 crossesI have made before.I finally made one perfect cross and my pride was full.

Then He said, "Each named itself perfect as it wasa 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. "You, too." he graced me,"With what I made of you".

Much more humble nowI offer you this piece of tatted lace,that was 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, to you and me.