Quilt of Holes

This is beautiful...Enjoy.

The images above are amazing but the print is sometimes difficult to read.

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 every day 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 wealth, 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 God 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!

God determines who walks into your life....it's up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go.

This is Pete

This is the story of Pete by Chris Elrod

This is Pete

Pete has smoked since he was teenager.

Pete struggled most of his life with alcohol.

Pete used to shoot people when he’d get angry.

Pete spent 15 years behind bars.

Pete has cancer…a bunch of cancer.

Pete has been given only a few months to live.

Pete has a tattoo on his leg that says “Hell Bound”.

Pete won’t be going there.

Pete came to know Jesus two weeks ago.

Pete was baptized today.

Matthew 18:12-24
"What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.

Today God is happy that Pete has been found. Today I thank God for Pete.

The Ultimate Gift...a must see movie

This is an incredible movie. It is so amazing when someone realizes the true meaning up life, love and happiness.

Something different was something amazing!

Our "getting back to the basics" evening was amazing. Wow, what a difference to be without t.v., computer, telephone and lights. Although we were in the same city, same community and same home, I felt completely disconnected from the world around us...and it was a welcomed change. Although I spend the majority of my days intentionally trying to connect with others on any level, I find it funny that when I do the exact opposite, it brings me just as much joy. Life is all about balance. There is a time and place for everything.

The very early morning is "my" time for me. I love getting up early and either working out, reading my Bible or both. From the time I leave the house in the morning, I am continuously interacting with others and I love it. But at the end of my work day, it's time for my family. From the time we have dinner together, do homework etc, and until we go to bed, this is "our" time. Sometimes depending on our life circumstances, we may need more of one thing and less of another. Last Thursday evening I felt as though I needed something more than just being with my girls...I needed to really be with them. As soon as we elminated the "stuff" around us, there was more focus on just "us". And time really slowed down. I absolutely loved it. I could have an evening like this a few times a week.

"Don't say you don't have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.”... H. Jackson Brown

Intersting quote...It's not how much or how little time we have...but what we choose to do with it. Time is a fragile gift.

Trying something different

Some of my favorite memories as a child was when we lost electricity during a snow storm. We would light my great grandmother's old oil lamps and some candles. My mother would take out a puzzle and we would sit around the table doing a puzzle by the light of the oil lamp. Time seemed to slow down and everything was so quiet. So this week my girls and I are going to try something different. On Thursday we are not going to have any t.v., computer, telephone, or even lights on. The girls will do homework either by candle light or lamp light. We will have dinner by candle light and we will spend the evening reading or playing board games. I am so excited that I feel like I'm getting ready for a mini vacation. And I am so happy that my girls agreed to try it, especially my teenage daughter...ok, well maybe I had to bribe her just a little bit :)

With the days passing so quickly, there are times when you just need to get back to the basics. I'll let you know how it goes!

Letters To God

I was watching a t.v. show early this morning. One I hadn't seen before. It was called Letters To God.

The host brings children into the studio to read the letters they have written to God voicing their questions, hopes, dreams, and concerns. Today they were talking about being rich and being poor. It's so interesting to see that children have some of the same concerns that we do. It was wonderful to listen to their thoughts and ideas but one little boy's response was simply wonderful. They were talking about how some people have so much and then some have so little. His response to this was... "God created everything...then people made it uneven."

Wow...how true

Being Obedient

It's so important to be obedient and the more you listen, the easier it is to hear Him. I think it's easy to question what we feel God is telling us to do. Partly because we try to understand why and we try to see our role in particular situations. But I believe that so many times when God has a purpose for using us, it has absolutely nothing to do with us but everything to do with the person or people on the receiving end. It's kind of selfish of us to think that we can "choose" not be obedient, especially when it involves others.

We shouldn’t be obedient because we see it as a "good deed" or because we will worry about what God will think of us. If we choose not to listen to God and not be obedient, we might miss out on planting a seed in someone’s life or extending the fruit of the Spirit. We might miss out on an opportunity to extend to others what Jesus so graciously and unconditionally extends to us.

We need to be obedient always and we don’t need to understand why or what God calls us to do. We are not skilled to understand. And many times we will never see the outcome or end result but after our part is complete, it just doesn't matter...we did what God called us to do and that is all that matters.

We need to trust and have faith in God's perfect plan and know that if He has chosen us, it’s because He knows that we are perfect and capable for what He’s called us to do.

He is the truth and the way and we need to be obedient simply because God has spoken.