Courtney's Quilt

This past week has been spent recuperating from a nasty cold that's been plaguing me.

Off and on, between commitments that call me away from home, I find myself retreating to the big comfy chair in our bedroom, with herbal tea in a insulated travel mug. (It's not very pretty, but it keeps the tea hotter, longer.) And I cover myself with a quilt, snuggle down and read/and or study and pray. Every time I cover myself with this particular quilt, my thoughts turn towards it's creator, my daughter.

Almost 10 years ago, when Courtney was 15, she took a sewing class in high school and loved it.

I had a stash of designer samples of beautiful damasks and brocades that I picked up for pennies at a thrift store. I saw in a magazine a quilt that I loved. I loved it because it was a patchwork, but not in perfect squares--it was all in different sizes. I showed Courtney the design and asked if she'd be willing to make it. She agreed and went right to work. It couldn't have been easy, as all the different sizes had to have been trickier to connect than a regular patchwork quilt, but she did it without complaint and produced this quilt in these pictures.

As in many mother/daughter relationships, ours has been rocky and tenuous as we've navigated our way--me, trying to help her avoid the mistakes I made as a teenager, the hurts and angst that went with it...trying to "train her up in the way she should go"--and she, needing to find her autonomy, didn't understand which resulted in confusion in both of us. I found myself so unsure of myself as a mother and would often retreat upstairs and cover myself with the quilt and pray. The weight of it felt like a sort of protection and brought comfort to me.

There were other times that quilt comforted me. A misunderstanding with Steve, or a betrayal of a friend that left me dazed and confused...the anniversaries of the death of my mother.

Many years have passed...Steve and I rarely have misunderstandings now. I've become more discerning when it comes to who I choose to be friends with. And Courtney is one of my best friends! She's a joyful, funny and compassionate person who I admire very much.

There are still times, as there always will be, that I grieve the loss of my mother. And I seek refuge under the covers of that quilt and allow the Lord to comfort me the only way He can, because He's the only one who knows me best.

The quilt has held up nicely--a bit frayed here and there--but has many more years left in it--kinda like Courtney and me!!

1 Peter 4:8

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.