Tuesday, September 7, 2010

The Pieces of our Lives


I wanted to post pictures of a couple of quilts I have recently finished. When our grandmothers were quilting, they took the little scraps of fabric from their worn out clothing and sewed them together to make a piece of fabric big enough to be a quilt. Today we spend hundreds of dollars on beautiful fabric large enough to make a quilt, then cut it into little pieces and sew it all back together. It seems kind of crazy, doesn't it?!
I think quilts (and quilting) teach many beautiful lessons of life and belong in a category along with sheep, coins, wheat and fish--the stuff that allegories and parables are made of. My daughter passed this little allegory/parable/story to me and I'd like to share it:

The Threadbare Quilt

As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord along with all the other souls. Before each of us laid our lives like the squares of a quilt in many piles. An angel sat before each of us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life.

But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed how ragged and empty each of my squares was. They were filled with giant holes. Each square was labeled with a part of my life that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was faced with in everyday life. I saw hardships that I endured, which were the largest holes of all.

I glanced around me. Nobody else had such squares. Other than a tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich color and the bright hues of worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own life and was disheartened. My angel was sewing the ragged pieces of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.

Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to the light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose, each in turn, holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been. My angel looked upon me, and nodded for me to rise.

My gaze dropped to the ground in shame. I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes. I had love in my life, and laughter. But there had also been trials of illness, and death, and false accusations that took from me my world as I knew it. I had to start over many times. I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again. I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and guidance in my life. I had often been held up to ridicule, which I endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me. And now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I had to accept it for what it was.

I rose and slowly lifted the combined squares of my life to the light. An awe-filled gasp filled the air. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with wide eyes. Then, I looked upon the tapestry before me. Light flooded the many holes, creating an image, the face of Christ. Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in His eyes. He said, "Every time you gave over your life to Me, it became My life, My hardships, and My struggles. Each point of light in your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until there was more of Me than there was of you.

May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through.

3 comments:

Tiffany said...

I really enjoyed reading that story. I need you to teach me how to make such beautiful quilts, thanks for sharing the pictures.

Britt said...

oh, great! Now you are a better person because you are recording your life again and I am worse because I am now coveting your quilts! I know I've already seen them but I don't think I had the chance to "ooh" and "awe" over them enough. I really think they are great and I really am coveting them. Maybe I can crash the quilting retreat next time!

Mary said...

Thank You!!!