I love this time of year when the leaves change into the brightest shades of yellow, orange, and red. And the temperature drops at night. Time to turn on the heat and throw blankets or quilts on the bed! Personally, I love quilts. There is something so homey about quilts. The ones I love most are the hand-stitched antique quilts. My mind always wanders when I hold a vintage quilt. Who made it? Under what circumstance was the quilt made? Did the fabric pieces come from old garments of different people? What were their lives like? Who did the quilt cover? On and on the questions come to my mind.
The first couple of years of our marriage, my husband and I lived in the mid-West. My best friend there was a quilter and created the most beautiful quilts! I spent a lot of time at her house hanging out while she worked. She told me about the different types of quilts, but she focused on pieced or patchwork quilts which consist of squares and triangles. Every design was carefully thought out, and planned, and every piece of fabric, every color was carefully positioned. It took a long time, but when she was finished – wow! – the overall design of the quilt was just absolutely stunning!
In the 2 years spent with her before we moved, I realized some things. When we examine just one square or triangle in isolation, there is nothing meaningful about it by itself. It may be of one color or it may be part of a larger pattern cut up. Nevertheless, when all the pieces are stitched together and we stand back to look at the overall quilt, everything goes together to tell a story or form some kind of pattern or image. With or without a pattern, every quilt is created for a specific purpose – to provide warmth. Well, there are decorative wall quilts too, but right now I'm thinking about a bed quilt covering.
The events in our lives are so much like the squares and triangles on a quilt, I think. Some experiences are like the pieces that don't have any particular design, maybe even drab. Other events are brighter, happier, and with some pattern or sense. And yet, other circumstances happen beyond our control, and those feel like the fabric pieces with a print of something bigger – cut up. When we look at each situation, we sometimes wonder, ‘What is the purpose of this?’ Nevertheless, I firmly believe God uses all our situations, events, feelings, and experiences and stitches them together to make up something for which we can help others, and glorify Him, our Creator.
Some of us may ask, “What beauty is there in what I went through?” Dearest reader, if you have been hurt or are going through a difficult time right now, I am truly sad for you. I know hurt. I know loss. I know disappointment. Yet, I want to encourage you to give your pain, anger, sadness, and all your situations to the Lord Jesus, and allow Him to piece them together to create a quilt that will provide warmth for others and peace in your heart which will shine through you and glorify Him.
How do we provide warmth for others with our experiences? When we sympathize or empathize with others. Each time we comfort those who are struggling with encouraging words, we provide warmth for their soul. When we smile at someone or love others genuinely, we warm their hearts. There is something about meaningful physical touch that can brighten one’s countenance as well. A gentle touch to someone's shoulder or arm can say, “I understand." or "I am here for you.” and does wonders. I know because I've been on the receiving end of such kindness.
I want to end with a thought. As I mentioned earlier, just as there are pieces of fabric in a quilt that are plain or monotone, they serve a purpose in the overall design of the quilt. There may be patches in our lives that are like that and we wonder about the purpose. There is a purpose in God's overall design. A quilt is held together by thread carefully stitched by its creator. When we seek the Lord in all areas of our lives, He is the thread that stitches together the joyful events as well as the times of struggle, holding us together. We look at a beautiful or unique quilt and we praise the creator of the quilt – the quilter – for their work and design, not for one particular square or triangle, but for the overall quilt. We can share about the beautiful areas of our lives but also about how He helped us worked through the gray times. And this my friend, glorifies Him – our Creator.
Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.
