Wandering into the living room as the late afternoon sun filtered through the west windows, my eyes focused on the cathedral window quilt draped over the back of the sofa. My mother-in-law Elizabeth created this quilt for her grandson, and presented it to his parents on his third birthday. She stipulated it was to be given to our son on his wedding day. Each window was created with scraps of a lifetime of sewing projects. Bathed in light, the fabrics tucked into the diamond shaped window created an eye catching pattern resembling stained glass. An aha moment! Churches encouraging creative souls. Timeless inspiration. Breathtaking. I can feel my heart beating faster as I am envisioning the hundreds of hours it must have taken to piece each together by hand. Even the bits and pieces of fabric becoming a human connector.
Overwhelmed, I read the accompanying card, “Life is the gift one generation presents to the next. This quilt is a symbol of that life. It is made of many parts-each different, some bright, some dull; some beautiful, some plain; some rough, some smooth-but they are all connected, all dependent on each other and equally responsible for making a whole.
“This quilt,” she said, “is not perfect and neither is life. We hope you will keep seeking. As you live your life sharing whatever is yours, may the stitches in this quilt remind you of the caring of all those who have lived before you.” Signed, With our love, Grandmother Betty and Grandfather Jerry. A blessing shared. Embroidered words from a Robert Frost poem near the bottom foretelling, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood. I took the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference.” A blessing shared. A prophesy declared. The journey is ours to make. Decisions. Choices.
Not unlike like the body of Christ. The foot, the hands, the heart and mind build the whole, each with a part to play. Not perfect; growing pains for sure. Broken stained glass creating a redemptive masterpiece. Twists and turns in the journey and the path ahead diverges. Decisions. Choices.
Father God, thank you for the blessing of a legacy.
Digging Deeper: Psalm 66:8-9
Susan Hurd