Quilting with the Spirit
I asked our team Wednsday to pray for me like the artisans sewing the temple curtains . . that I would be able to finish a quilt for Caleb that would send him off to boarding school blanketed by beauty and memories of home. I'd been working on it square by square over the last couple of weeks, but the deadline was fast approaching. I had cut out the centers of several favorite old T-shirts, including his only organized sports team, community soccer in Kindergarden . . plus scraps from old couch cushions, curtains, dresses. In the center I wanted to put a cross-stitch piece that I started FOURTEEN years ago when Caleb was a baby, and then laid aside. So between cutting and piecing fabrics and frantically stitching, I was getting pretty desperate to finish on time. Thursdays are the day I set aside for prayer, and this week I decided that I would consider the creative act of sewing to be one of prayer and love for Caleb as I went. And God met me in the process, in a focused day of grace. I had just enough of the fabric I had hoped to use for the borders and back. It all came together over about 8 solid hours of work yesterday, and I finished up today, in time to pack tomorrow. Whew. It is as beautiful as I hoped, not perfect (none of us are), but reflective of Caleb's unusual life and honoring to him. I'm glad God cares about the details of mothering, often giving me ideas for a meal out of sparse and mismatched ingredients. Or providing friends . . Ashley and Pat are busily sewing on NAME TAGS now while I recover from finishing the quilt and start to think about packing. The front room has become a good community gathering point as Luke and Caleb experiment on guitars and Julia on piano, some of us sew, and others come in and out to visit. We leave in about 36 hours. Lots to do.
I asked our team Wednsday to pray for me like the artisans sewing the temple curtains . . that I would be able to finish a quilt for Caleb that would send him off to boarding school blanketed by beauty and memories of home. I'd been working on it square by square over the last couple of weeks, but the deadline was fast approaching. I had cut out the centers of several favorite old T-shirts, including his only organized sports team, community soccer in Kindergarden . . plus scraps from old couch cushions, curtains, dresses. In the center I wanted to put a cross-stitch piece that I started FOURTEEN years ago when Caleb was a baby, and then laid aside. So between cutting and piecing fabrics and frantically stitching, I was getting pretty desperate to finish on time. Thursdays are the day I set aside for prayer, and this week I decided that I would consider the creative act of sewing to be one of prayer and love for Caleb as I went. And God met me in the process, in a focused day of grace. I had just enough of the fabric I had hoped to use for the borders and back. It all came together over about 8 solid hours of work yesterday, and I finished up today, in time to pack tomorrow. Whew. It is as beautiful as I hoped, not perfect (none of us are), but reflective of Caleb's unusual life and honoring to him. I'm glad God cares about the details of mothering, often giving me ideas for a meal out of sparse and mismatched ingredients. Or providing friends . . Ashley and Pat are busily sewing on NAME TAGS now while I recover from finishing the quilt and start to think about packing. The front room has become a good community gathering point as Luke and Caleb experiment on guitars and Julia on piano, some of us sew, and others come in and out to visit. We leave in about 36 hours. Lots to do.
4 comments:
Loved this story. Blessed for each of your journeys in this. I love that you are sending Caleb off with a quilt that was created in prayer.
Love,
Miriam Phillips
Caleb's quilt is absolutely beautiful, as was Luke's. What a tangible testimony to your mother's heart and a gift I'm sure he will treasure. My prayers are with your family as you prepare to send Luke and now Caleb to school. I know you will all miss being together physically and pray that God will give you peace and comfort as your hearts stay strongly united. With love - Cindy
As a surface design artist who reads your blog daily, I SO appreciate your sending your child off with one more piece of your loving partnership with him that celebrates his life. I am preparing to embark on my last child's going away bed quilt.
Praying for your three weeks away and the transition for your family this adventure continues to be.
Thanks for sharing. This is a good posting, I like it. Tiffany Lamp
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