Patchwork Quilt

The image that is conjured up in my mind from today’s title is me all snuggled underneath a patchwork quilt that has been lovingly homemade and is big, thick and comforting to be under… much like us being under the loving protection of our Heavenly Father!

I journal and my title page for this month was a drawing of the above image and I spent time colouring in all the different patches that made up the quilt.  Much like the complexity of an individual quilt square that is adorned with shapes, patterns and embroidery – when all of them are joined and sewn together they then represent the love of them all being connected to do the job they were created to be.

Over the past week or so I have in a way been creating a type of ‘Patchwork Quilt’ of my own… but needless to say, mine was done more out of necessity than actual love of the process!  And although each ‘square’ was lovingly placed… it was done with pure grit and determination!

Some years back, in 2020, while facilitating my parents in a nursing home, our backyard was infiltrated by ‘army worms’ that literally killed our backyard within two days and we had the laborious job of repairing it.

Five years on and not only did it happen again but it killed both our back and front lawns in the space of two days☹ 

I was not really ready physically or emotionally to take on this current task, but I knew it had to be done and I couldn’t leave it to just my husband to do on his own (even though he carried the brunt of it).

This process took us eight days from beginning to end and consisted of us;

digging up what was dead (2 skip bins and more)

eradicating roots, rocks etc

levelling

fixing broken retic in the process

praying Gods protection over what we were about to lay

spreading worm poison

rolling out new lawn

watering

Although it is now a pleasure to see it all done, I am considering the process it took and how God was with us every step of the way!

At the end of our second day in, digging up old dead lawn I found once stepping into the shower that my leg stung so noticed I had been bitten my something.  It was very irritating and sore for the next 24hrs but my devotion scripture on the day I was bitten was Psalm121:7 'the lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life' so I felt confident that all would be ok.  By the end of that 24hrs I thought best to go to chemist for something, which they recommended a numbing cream and to see a doctor the following day.  That day, again I was reading my daily devotions and the same scripture from two days earlier came up (which normally does not happen) - Psalm121:7 'the lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life' so I was beginning to think that the Lord was really trying His best to hit this one home to me!

After seeing the doctor, the following day, they were not too concerned but encouraged me to continue with what I had been doing and only come back if looked any worse.

Along with the bite, bashing my ankle (on same leg) on dishwasher door, cutting my knee (on same leg) when kneeling down to lay grass, all the aches and pains that come with shovelling, racking etc, getting burnt (too long in the sun), heat rash and lots more – I would say that I am now done with any type of gardening and think that its time in my life I move to somewhere that does not have a garden to look after.

I understand the importance of us stewarding well what the Lord puts in our hands for His purpose, but it also says in the word that "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener" John 15:1 – so leaving the gardening to our Heavenly Father sounds like a great plan!

By day five in this process, I said to my husband that I needed a ‘day off’ from all this extreme hard labour and so spent the day doing things with my sister that would restore my soul, like swimming and doing craft!

Much like the quote above, doing things that make your heart sing are the ‘bits and pieces that are stitched with love’ and mine was creating something for my grandkids for their advent calendar coming very soon! (see my creations gallery page at Christmas time).

Much like patches sewn together and coming together with those we love – communities and friends we spend time with are much like a ‘quilt’ of sorts where we are doing life with different ones that have different temperaments, tastes, life choices and more.  I personally love to come around those in my sphere of influence to help, support, pray with and help do what they are in need of for the season they are in.

Earlier this year, I attended a friends mothers funeral, and the family had decided to display their mums’ homemade quilts by laying them all across the backs of the seating in the chapel.  It was such a very special touch, helping us all to see what love their mum had put into each of these quilts during her life.  I was privileged to sit in a row with (see picture displayed) this sewn on it and while listening to my friend share about her mum, it brought a tear to my eye of what her mum may have experienced through each stitch made and I loved the moment it created within me.

No matter what season of life we are walking through, our Heavenly Father takes all we go through to his heart and only wants to be there and help us through it all.  I love that even in my hard moments, He is still interested enough to point scripture in my direction, so my heart knows and understands that He is always there and ‘Embracing’ me 😊

Dear Heavenly Father,

Help me to put you first in my life and to follow you with all my heart.  Help me to surrender my own desires and plans to your will, and to walk in the path that you have set before me.

Lord, I know that following you is not always easy. But I pray that you would help me to resist those temptations and to stay committed to you and your truth.

Give me the courage to take up my cross and follow you, even if it means sacrificing my own comfort and desires. Help me to be obedient to your commandments, to live a life of love, and to serve others with humility.

Help me to share your love and truth with those around me who do not yet know you. May my life be a testimony to your grace and may others come to know you through my actions and words.

Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness and your endless grace in my life.

Amen