Mending J's Chinese New Year ShirtThe Chinese-style buttons on J's Chinese shirt came off after we wore it for Chinese New Year.
I really dislike sewing as it is very time-consuming (since I am not so good at it, it takes me an awful amount of time to sew a button) and I don't have the patience.
Efficiency speaking, I don't think it is a good use of time. I would rather spend it working on lesson plan for J, do something with J, yet I know this time spent on sewing is important.
So, I have been dragging it for a few days, and J had been asking when I would mend his buttons.
I wanted to find a time to sew it when J is around, and at the same time, I don't want him to waste time just waiting for me to complete it. So today, I chose to do it beside him, while he was watching video.
I remembered my own mum. How loved I felt when she mended my clothes and sewn dresses for my dolls, shortened my skirt when I requested her to etc. It brought me much childhood memories.
I know how clumsy I am with it, I decided that I would have succeeded as long as the buttons do not fall off anymore, nevermind the workmanship.
I tried not to prick myself, but of course, I did. J was busy watching video. Daddy came right away with a plaster. Then they both had to leave for another activity.
When they reached home this evening, dinner was all done. The first thing J asked when he walked through the door, was he would like to see the finished work of his Chinese shirt. And he asked about my pricked finger, if it was ok and if it was still painful. It was sweet of him to remember and to want to see his Chinese shirt.
He was very appreciative that I mended his shirt, perhaps just like me full of appreciation of my mum for sewing clothes for my dolls and mending clothes for me, J is full of appreciation for me, because I sewn for him.
Simple things like that really expresses love to a child. I wish I am better at sewing. I should start enrolling myself into a Husmor Skole (Home-making School) in Denmark. Danish girls can choose to go to such a school to perfect their home-making and life skills. I know so many Danish girls who are good with cooking, sewing and knitting, and I am just amazed!
Doing this task is actually good for me. It trained me first of all, to be less efficient. Yes, this quality is a doube-edged sword that God is working on me. God is telling me to drop being efficient and effective and just enjoy life. I am absolutely not good at it.
Secondly, it trained me to be more patient. I have been asking God to help me to be more patient. And sewing is something that is so time-consuming that it definitely trains my patience.
It is a very simple thing, but I am glad that I didn't "sub-contract" it to the seamstress.
And to my own mum, oh how I respect you for your simplicity. Although you were a housewife back in those days, and did not have much education, you could do so many things that I as a relatively highly educated professional working woman could not. It taught me and reminded me that academic skills and the ability to earn good money isn't everything, and I am humbled.
Though you did not have much, you gave me much that money could not replace. I may not see it when I was a child, but I see it now.
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