Happy Easter!

Going for the Spring Green here, because there is icky white stuff on the ground. *Shudder!* As I glanced out my window into my front yard, there, rising from the snow covered ground is a hyacinth, brightly purple against the white snow.

During the Triduum (Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday) I read a piece on a nuance translation of Jesus’ final words on the cross, “It is consummated”, slightly different than “It is finished” both holding passionate meaning in the expression of God’s abiding love for His creations. “It is consummated” expresses a marital relationship in which we, the Church, become in that one moment the Beautiful Bride of Christ. The potential for a relationship of fidelity, sacrifice, mutual love, mutual respect, nurturing hangs right there. I say potential as our Lord gave us free will, each moment brings an opportunity to turn away from Him, accepting some other thing, some Idol, taking the place of Jesus in my, in our life.

Here’s the article written by The Anchoress Elizabeth Scalia.

“It is consummated” directs us to the intimacy that God longs for in our relationship with Him. Intimacy is difficult as we bare our souls to the one who loves us so much that Good Friday is possible. We bare our souls, our lives and as Adam and Eve showed us in the Garden after the Fall that this intimate act is often experienced as overwhelming shame for we know of our imperfections. And yet, it is those very imperfections that offer the greatest opportunity for us to be united to the Lord, it is these imperfections that are offered up on the Cross, that this bloody sacrifice repairs and we in Christ have new life.

Words. Oh words fail to express the depth of this, though “It is consummated” plumbs that depth in a clearer way. It is this consummation that drives Saint Paul to say to husbands, “love your wives as Christ loved the Church.” Oh how we would experience freedom, grace, mercy, LOVE, passion, compassion if we loved in this way. Oh how we would live in peace if we trusted this love. I fail to trust not because God has withheld this Passionate Love but because I am a human with the free will given us in the moment of Creation. There are moments when I say, “YES” without reservation, and moments when doubts and fears creep in and my, “yes” is weak.

Sometimes I just want to:

and I do. Sometimes there is a need to look at the passion, the difficult stuff and own it. And in the passion, in the consummation trust that in spite of what things look like right now all will be well.

I’ve never wanted to be Pollyanna on this blog. Sometimes living a life of faith, sometimes quilting is damn hard work. Just before my Sweetie and I married I chatted with my Dad (d. April 1, 2007), who wanted life to be less hard, less of a struggle for each of his kids. Sometimes we seem to struggle so hard in whatever we’re doing. To quote Brene Brown, “we’re hardwired for struggle”. God is there with us along the way, and we can turn to him in any and every moment. God gives us people in our lives who walk beside us, and share in that struggle – spouses, friends, siblings.

As a quilting teacher my one goal is to walk with you in that struggle and help you come out on the other side ready to tackle bigger struggles because you’ve made it through this one. I want you to know that I’ve walked some of that path, and am happy to walk with you, because I get that struggle, and you are not alone. Our struggle in quilting may not be in the quilting or with the quilting, it may be in the moment, season of life we’re in. You’re still not alone. (I am reminding myself of this as well.)

As quilt makers we are in relationship with our Divine Creator, a relationship that requires giving, and receiving. WE give our time, our desire, our willingness to enter into a Creative relationship. Creativity is hard work. It is work that, sometimes – if that’s what we’re called to do, requires us to be exposed in something of an uncomfortable way – if we choose to put our quilts/work on display for others to see. This might invite comments that can be unkind, uncharitable, and downright mean. We also invite comments of encouragement, support, love, correction and ones that help us explore Creativity deeply, intimately. It is a relationship where we grow over time, that is sometimes deeply challenging, sometimes deeply fulfilling. The work, the quilting is worth every stitch, every fabric purchase, every quilt on display – not a complete list by any stretch.

It’s time to grow and nourish each relationship mentioned here: with God, with my Sweetie, with quilting and with you my dear ones.

May Easter bring new Life in you.

Teri