By Ginny (MAD21)
A long time ago while visiting a friend at her house, I saw a really interesting and pretty quilt she had hanging in her room. It wasn't just any kind of quilt where all the colors matched perfectly, although somehow everything still looked beautiful together. It was obvious someone had spent a lot of time creating it. But there was something that seemed different. I couldn't figure out what it was, so I asked my friend where it came from.
It turns out that quilt was a story, Her Story. My friend explained that it was a quilt her mother had made for her. Every single piece of fabric came from a favorite item of clothing she had worn when she was a baby and young child. Somewhere in the midst of our conversation, her mother came into the room. She grinned, and joined our conversation. She began telling me about all the different pieces of fabric... and the memories that went along with them. I remember there were pieces from the outfit my friend had worn home from the hospital when she was born, pajamas, fancy dresses, and parts of t-shirts from places they liked to visit, among others. There were a few that had stains on them, but they were part of the quilt's design, too. They were part of the memories as much as any other part of the quilt. It was so beautifully made.
Many pieces part of one whole.
It's a fairly easy analogy to compare our lives to a quilt, I believe. We have many, many individual experiences, but they are all still part of one whole. As I've gotten older, I have found myself thinking of experiences I've had in my life and feeling like I had lived it in another lifetime. Things like running into an old friend or co-worker you haven't seen in years, or visiting places from your childhood. So many things have happened, so much time has passed.
My family and I recently went on a trip to Idaho (aka, my "home" or "where I grew up") to visit family, have some fun and for my niece's wedding. The trip as a whole was amazing in many ways, but one thing that was fun for me was the ability to show my girls where I grew up. At seven and five, they have a greater chance of having memories of our long journey across the country than they did the last time we went (when they were two and five months). This was my first real opportunity to share with them a piece of my life history.
I think that sometimes it's good to visit your past (note: visit, not dwell). It's one of the best ways to see how far you've come... or not. It's a good way to measure if you've grown emotionally, spiritually and physically. Taking others with you into your past can also help them better understand what makes you who you are. For me, being able to share some of my history with my kids, even though they are so little, meant a lot. I honestly didn't realize how much until we were there. I was amazed at how many little things I saw them experiencing and expressing that really touched my heart. One day, I hope it means as much to them.
Who He needs me to be.
Like most people, I have had a lot of trials in my life. I have suffered from depression, health issues and general life failures. I have been deeply hurt by other people, and suffered from difficult situations and consequences... some that were my own fault. It's true when they say that God can use all things for his glory, for his good. I have personally seen through my own life how he has used my experiences to mold me into who he needs me to be, so I'm ready when the time comes, to either help someone else, or be strong enough to endure another situation. It's easy to fly when good things happen to us. Good things fill us up. I'm sure I don't have to explain what happens when bad things happen, simply to say that it can suck the life right out of us. But one thing we always need to remember:
For every battle there is a victory.
It's okay to retreat for a little while when we are experiencing challenges in our lives. But eventually we need to decide that it's time to grow and move on, and allow God to do his work in and through us. Sometimes it can take years to grow past things, but as long as there is progress, that is all that matters. Because take it from me, it's worth the perseverance. The bigger the battle, the bigger the victory. Once you reach that point of genuine forgiveness, that time of revelation when you can see how much you've grown or changed, true healing can begin.
Take time every once in awhile to look at the quilt God has made for you. Look at all the pieces that make up the story of your life. The landmarks, the favorites, the fun and the challenging times. The pretty, colorful pieces and the stained and dirty ones, all of them are important. It all makes you who you are.
When the battle of this life is finally over, we will surely see a magnificent victory. I am certain it will be the most beautiful piece of fabric on our quilts.
This post is a participant in a blog carnival over at Peter Pollock's place.
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