Quilts....

Quilts are special in my life.  As a child, I climbed into a quilt covered bed each night, and its heaviness comforted me, even as it warmed my cold hands and feet.  I felt safe under the old quilt, protected from the scary shadows which haunted my room at night.  It was, in a very real sense, the armor I put on each night when I went to bed, and the presence of the quilt maker brought me peace as I drifted off to sleep.

As an adult, I have a quilt rack hanging in my living room.  The quilts which hang on that rack are functional, of course, and we use them all the time to warm ourselves on a cold night.  But just the sight of them hanging there is reminder of the love that went into making each one, and a reminder of how much we are loved by those who spent the time to do that.  My sister-in-law, my mother-in-law, my mother... all have made special quilts just for us.  They warm the body, and they bring comfort to the soul when we are weary.

I feel the love of God through those whom he has sent into my life, and who gift me with their time and talents.  The gift of the quilt makers continues to be an armor against the cares of the world which would weigh me down.  The quilts remind me that God has provided loving family to sustain me in my life and faith, a shield against the arrows which Satan would fling my way.

Ephesians 6:13 says, "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."

Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of quilts.  They provide warmth and comfort for my body, and more importantly, are a tangible reminder that I am covered in love.  Thank you for the quilt makers who show me your love in their handiwork.  I am grateful for them, and for their gift they have shared with me.  Amen.