My Quilt

Today, while looking for something else, I came across an email I had printed off on March 19, 2002.  I don't know who originally wrote this, but I want to dedicate it to my Mom.  In the last several weeks my mom has progressively deteriorated.  She still seems to knows who my Dad is and recently told him, "This is not how we planned it."  So with this on my mind, I share.

                                       "My Quilt"

     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 was 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 everyday 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 death, and false accusations that took from me my world, as I knew it.  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 the Father 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 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."
   

 Mom, your quilt is threadbare and worn; Jesus has shone out through your life to your family and to all those who know you.

  May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing Christ to shine through.

Posted by Sarah

 

May 1952---Caring for piglets--From Mom's Journal

May 14, 1952---One of the young sows had a litter of eight pigs.  George put a gate in front of the hog coop to keep out the rest of the pigs.  Late in the day he opened the coop and while the sow was drinking, kidnapped the pigs.  We put them in a brooder coop.   Fred had to get the stuff we plan to feed them.   So about ten o'clock George came home with a hundred lb. bag of pig milk replacer.  At midnight we still hadn't had much success getting the pigs to eat.  So we decided to get up a 5am and try again.  About every 3 1/2 hours we mixed up milk and took it to them.  I drew the late (11pm) feeding and George crawled out at 5am. 
   Two more litters arrived on Thursday.  There were eight pigs in one and ten in the other.  The larger litter was from the older sow.  We used the same process to remove the pigs from the sows.  However, the 10 pigs stayed with their mother over night.  George notched the left ears of the last litter.  There was one runt pig in the 10 pig litter.

May 28, 1952--Wednesday   The oldest litter of pigs are two weeks old today.  To date we have lost one pig from the lot; that was one which had been on a bottle.  We finally managed to get it to drink from the pans but the other pigs must have rooted it out of the way too much.  It was very weak one evening.  By the 11:00pm feeding it was dead.

 Posted by Sarah
 

From Mom's Journal--March 6 1952

   I feel like a child with a box of new toys!  George took me along to Lottie Hutchinson's sale and we came home with some real "treasures."  There are three 2 gallon crocks @ 10 cents each, two old butter bowls, some drapery material ($2.00), an old folding table ($.40), and a little footstool ($.70).  In addition, we bought 2 cups of coffee and two wiener sandwiches.  We really threw our money around!  The Hutchison place is situated high on a windy hill and it got might cold.  
   Martha and Mary stayed at Mom's.  When we arrived back there again, Mary promptly picked up her coat and was ready to head for the house.  
   Mother marked a hem in my yellow dress with the tulips.  A bit more stitching will finish it.  The one like the girls is done.
   Martha thinks the "new" footstool is just right.  She 's been carrying it all around the house so she can have it handy when she needs to sit down.

Posted by Sarah
(I think those 2 gallon crocks are still around someplace!)