If you bought an IPOD today....what color would you choose?

What color of are you? Come on....everyone has a favorite color. You know you do it! When we were in NY last month I noticed it on the subway. Everyone has a color theme. Even guys!!!! There was a woman who had a purple ipod, purple boots, and purple leather purse. There was a guy waiting for the next train with a green backpack, ipod, and jacket. Everyone who knows me knows I am a pink girl! I have pink everything....except the Mary Kay car, although honestly I would if I could! Even my digital camera is pink, sorry Mike! The point is we all tend to go toward a color we indentify as ourselves. It is quite normal I promise.

Today in my Scripture study time I noticed something in Hosea 11:4, "I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love"(NIV). HUMAN kindness. That is huge. God leads His people back through His kindness demonstrated by humans. So, I did a word study on the word "human". Guess what it means? Human. God is so clear isn't He! Here is how the phrases in Hosea 11:4 are translated in other versions:

1. "I led them"- God drew, led, draw's
2. "with cords of human"- man, mankind, human
3. "human kindness"- gentleness, goodness
4. "with ties of love"- bonds of love, ropes of kindness, bands of love, thick cords of love

Hosea 11:4 weaves a beautiful picture for us. God is the One who knits us in our mother's womb (Psalm 139). He does so carefully and thoughtfully. We are each a part of a bigger picture. He uses each thread to compose a beautiful blanket of love for all mankind. I am one of many pink threads in the world that God uses to draw others to Himself. Each time I allow God to pour out His kindness or gentleness into a person he pulls the tapestry tighter forming a bit more of the picture.

For any of you that have ever cross stitched you know that each stitch is not so great by itself, but after a few hundred of them, in different shades, the X's reveal a gorgeous picture for the eye to behold. I think someday when we are allowed to see the entire work we will stand back and be amazed at the view.

So what color thread are you? Are you allowing God to use you in His quilt made up of kindness, love, and gentleness? If you are...you are fullfilling your purpose...to help draw others back to the Artist and Creator.