WWVD?

Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10 (NIV)

Our county fair begins on Thursday, so today, I took the craft items that I am entering to the fairgrounds. Each exhibitor can only submit ten items into the competition. For someone who has been dabbling in several different art forms, it was tough deciding what to take. I wanted to enter my favorite things, but it is hard to know if my judgment will coincide with the judges. What might appeal to me, might not to them. I decided right away not to take any enameling. There is no way for anyone but someone who has tried enameling to know how hard it was to finish the three little bowls I made. They look like someone just threw some paint on a metal pot. No, that is not how I want to be judged. I picked five of my favorite glass creations that also seem to be popular with my friends. Two horse bowls, the purple one that is almost perfect and a black and white one that I tried three times before I got it right. A sunflower bowl, three sunflowers in a stand and the framed leaf with iridescent glass that looks like dew drops were added to the group. My husband picked his favorite, Pelican Pete, a framed piece that Vicki designed, and youngest son picked his favorite, a fish bowl left in the kiln too long that looks fossilized. I decided my three remaining entries would be of felt. The little owl I made at the first felting class I took last spring made it to the final selection. He is what got me hooked on needle felting. I also took a bag I just made a few weeks ago at the request of youngest son’s girlfriend. A giraffe peaks over the top of the bag hoping to eat a daisy that fastens the bag closed. The final piece was a pumpkin I made months ago under Vicki’s tutelage, but never finished. All I had was the orange shape with gold, brown and orange silk wrapped around it to look like it had just been picked up out of the field. Deciding to enter it into the fair forced me to look at it with new eyes, Vicki’s eyes. WWVD? What would Vicki do? I wondered. Certainly not send it off into the world without embellishment. I added leaves and a curly vine, but it didn’t seem enough. Beads, I thought. So, I tediously sewed some tiny green beads on the leaves. There! Now, it looks like something Vicki would make. Not quite as beautiful, but closer to her standards. Many times I make decisions based on what others would want me to do. I can be a pleaser wanting to make people happy. I am learning to make decisions simply to please myself sometimes. But, what I really need to remember is WWJD, “What would Jesus do?” Following His example and desiring to please only Him is the best way to live my life.