Value

July 6th is a special day. My Gramma’s birthday, were she still living, it’d be her 101st. I miss having Gramma around. Today is also my high school bestie’s birthday. Happy Birthday Beth!
The other day while at the quilt shop I had the opportunity to talk about different types of friendship with a 10-year-old quilter. She and her mom were in the shop where I work and mom commented that she needed to share something with her best friend. The daughter commented that she thought so & so was mom’s best friend. Sometimes we can have more than one best friend, in different parts of our lives. Her best quilting friend is her mom. Awww. I loved mom’s eye roll when sharing how her daughter raids her stash, there was no secret, she loves that her daughter pics the good stuff and uses it in her quilts.
Beth is my best friend from high school, we’ve known each other for at least 30 years. My best friend from when I was a kid, and are still in touch with each other. And now I have two women who I share a deep friendship with. Each one of these friendships are precious. And this prompts me to think about some of the women I work with, how much I appreciate the gift of those relationships. I’m so grateful for the friends I’m privileged to have in the quilting community whether for a time or much longer lasting, they are precious.

As I alluded to in my last post being ready to leave quilting by the wayside, these friendships will keep me there. You see, feelings aside, quilting is relational. The art of quilt making is made of relationships. When we’re at a quilt shop although alone, there is always someone who will chat with us, to bolster and encourage. To help us see the possibilities, and potential. To help us see things differently or perhaps the same. To help us see that our gut is right, that the fabric and quilting pattern is true. Then perhaps there is that one friend who will freak you out saying, you got this. You can do this. I trust you to make this choice, the right choice for your quilt. She might ask you the end goal of the quilt and what’s this obsession with perfection?

I know we’re to be “perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect”. Our heavenly Father is perfect in LOVE. Friendship, true, honest friendship helps us to attain that loving spirit.

Our quilt making need not be perfect. Not now, not ever. What it needs is to be made in love, with love, for love. Nothing more. We give quilts in love. We make quilts to wrap our families in love. We make quilts to wrap our families, friends, and neighbors in love. To let them know that we will be here for them. We make quilts to say things that live deep in our hearts. We make quilts to express something deep in the human soul. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.

And one day I’ll be really good at being a friend. And being a quilter. I’ll be perfect in LOVE. Until that moment I’m okay with having room for improvement in both areas.

God bless!

Teri