Peace! Be Still
Over the last month or so I’ve been reading Catholicism: A Journey to the Heart of Faith by Bishop Robert Barron. Savoring really, as it’s delightfully deep and rather accessible. While reading Chapter 6 A Body Both Suffering and Glorious: The Mystical Union of Christ and the Church, and reflecting on life as it is in this moment.
I don’t know if I’ve ever told you, I love thunderstorms. One of my parents said it was the angels bowling and I’ve been find ever since. Hurricanes bother me a bit because the power of the storms but I can sleep through them so, good. Way back in the day my Sweetie and I went to Martha’s Vineyard with some friends. We were keeping an eye on the weather as a hurricane wended it’s way along the north north easterly path. Eventually the ferry closed down due to the turbulence of the ocean. We went to one of the beaches and watched the double-deck bus sized waves crashing toward the shore.
This moment reminds me of those waves, over powering, destructive, and wildly beautiful. When I heard, “Peace! Be still!” at Mass to say I experienced a sense of calm in the middle of this is something of an understatement. There is enough grace for this moment. While the moment is turbulent, and difficult, God’s grace is sufficient.
Yesterday I had some time to write quilty thoughts, and the words were making their way from my head to my hand, and eventually to the document on my computer. When I sit at the computer to type the words come crashing at me like those double-deck bus sized waves. It’s so overwhelming that I end up walking away from the computer dazed, and confused. And a quite a bit pissed at myself because I enjoy writing and this is must-do work. This sometimes happens when I blog, gah!
Peace! Be Still!
Often as quilters we look at new things with this same kind of overwhelm exacerbated by the strong desire for everything we make to be perfect from the moment we choose fabrics to the moment we take those final stitches on the label and sleeve. The reality is, this doesn’t happen particularly when we’re adding a new skill, or exploring a new-to-us technique.
For a long period of time making a feathered star was a big goal. Using my dad’s ties in this way made a lot of sense as I wanted to remember and honor him in some way. While at a quilt show perusing books I picked up one of Marsha McCloskey’s books wondering if I could make this happen. The seller said something about this being hard, so the hemming and hawing began. My friend said, “Oh Teri you can do this!” I purchased the book and made the quilt. There are “issues” with the quilt however I made it, I love it, it was given in love and I’m grateful I did it. I am more grateful for my friend who reminded me that I can do these things. You see if I’d listened to the seller I would have walked away because it’s hard. Listening to my friend I stuck with it, made and gifted the quilt to someone who appreciates it so deeply.
I’m taking Peace! Be Still to heart staying with this rocking, and heaving Church until the storm calms. I’m putting pen to paper to slow down the turbulent thoughts in my head so that I can write this book. I’m slowing down to read more, quilt more, and appreciate the waves of this storm crashing, roaring.
Off to write, to quilt, to pray, to examine, to experience Peace.
God bless,
Teri
A Quilter's Heart 