I have a bad tendency to think I can fix things myself. Case in point: This week I worked my toushie off getting the fall catalog ready for print. My photographer gives me the photos and I lay out the catalog. After some long hours, I had the catalog looking mighty fine. The print company I use is amazing, but the catalog has to be submitted as a PDF file. Sounds so simple, doesn't it?
HA. I spent an entire day and a half trying to figure out how to transfer my catalog from a Publisher file to a PDF. I did this last time with ease (and a free trial program of PDF Complete, which has since expired.) I downloaded free programs (all which didn't work), saved multiple copies, might have yelled a bit, and almost pulled my hair out.
I have a brother, a best friend, and an acquaintance whom are each computer whizzes. Did I call any of them? No. Lori, the girl who thinks she can figure out everything on her own, did not. I stressed all day long, adamant that I could do it.
I finally gave up, handed the laptop over to my husband, and watched him click a few buttons. He turned the laptop screen back to me, and there, saved in PDF, was my catalog.
I jumped up and kissed my hero.
"How?" I asked. "It was easy." He replied. "I just called Cain and Shane (two of our best friends) and asked what I should do. It was a free download and easy to fix."
So, God really wanted to hit this point home this week. Case in point numero dos:
Hank, my heavy duty sewing machine, has been in the shop this last weekend. He is my work horse, needed a good cleaning, and his tension had gone haywire. When I picked him up Monday, my Singer lady told me the bobbin case (the bottom thread holder of the machine) had a broken tension adjustment. I'm pretty sure I broke it trying to fix it myself before I brought Hank in.
*sigh*
HA. I spent an entire day and a half trying to figure out how to transfer my catalog from a Publisher file to a PDF. I did this last time with ease (and a free trial program of PDF Complete, which has since expired.) I downloaded free programs (all which didn't work), saved multiple copies, might have yelled a bit, and almost pulled my hair out.
I have a brother, a best friend, and an acquaintance whom are each computer whizzes. Did I call any of them? No. Lori, the girl who thinks she can figure out everything on her own, did not. I stressed all day long, adamant that I could do it.
I finally gave up, handed the laptop over to my husband, and watched him click a few buttons. He turned the laptop screen back to me, and there, saved in PDF, was my catalog.
I jumped up and kissed my hero.
"How?" I asked. "It was easy." He replied. "I just called Cain and Shane (two of our best friends) and asked what I should do. It was a free download and easy to fix."
So, God really wanted to hit this point home this week. Case in point numero dos:
Hank, my heavy duty sewing machine, has been in the shop this last weekend. He is my work horse, needed a good cleaning, and his tension had gone haywire. When I picked him up Monday, my Singer lady told me the bobbin case (the bottom thread holder of the machine) had a broken tension adjustment. I'm pretty sure I broke it trying to fix it myself before I brought Hank in.
*sigh*
She told me I could still sew with him (it's a long story, but basically you just set all the tension from the top.) Eventually I would have to replace the bobbin case ($50 repair), but not now. He would have many more purses in his future before he would need the repair.
So, I took him home Monday and fired him up. 20 minutes later, he was doing the exact same thing as before. I was ticked, mostly at myself because I knew this was my fault. If I had just took him straight to my lady and not tried to fix this myself he would be fine. I boxed him back up, and tried to figure out how to come up with $50 more dollars. I was certain the bobbin case was the problem. (You know, since I am such an expert in the area.) /sarcasm/
Finally, today, I called my singer lady. I explained what Hank was doing, and asked how long it would take to order the part. "Oh honey, there is no way you need that part yet. Are you sure you threaded it right? You have to pull that thread really taunt when you pull it through that top tension. If you don't, it won't catch, and you will get those loops." she said.
I told her I would try, but really didn't think it would work. I hung up, got Hank back out, and re-threaded him the way she had told me to. Tight. I started him up, and......
He worked.
I hung my head in shame.
The point of this week? I can't do everything on my own. I don't know everything, and It's ok to ask the experts when I am baffled. Why suffer trying to figure out something when there is someone who has already learned the lesson and can share the knowledge with me?
I need to trust other people to help me.
Anyone else out there try to do it all yourself?
So, I took him home Monday and fired him up. 20 minutes later, he was doing the exact same thing as before. I was ticked, mostly at myself because I knew this was my fault. If I had just took him straight to my lady and not tried to fix this myself he would be fine. I boxed him back up, and tried to figure out how to come up with $50 more dollars. I was certain the bobbin case was the problem. (You know, since I am such an expert in the area.) /sarcasm/
Finally, today, I called my singer lady. I explained what Hank was doing, and asked how long it would take to order the part. "Oh honey, there is no way you need that part yet. Are you sure you threaded it right? You have to pull that thread really taunt when you pull it through that top tension. If you don't, it won't catch, and you will get those loops." she said.
I told her I would try, but really didn't think it would work. I hung up, got Hank back out, and re-threaded him the way she had told me to. Tight. I started him up, and......
He worked.
I hung my head in shame.
The point of this week? I can't do everything on my own. I don't know everything, and It's ok to ask the experts when I am baffled. Why suffer trying to figure out something when there is someone who has already learned the lesson and can share the knowledge with me?
I need to trust other people to help me.
Anyone else out there try to do it all yourself?
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