healing quilt..... healing our broken places

The quilt in this photo is one that was made by a group of friends in my life who live in Lincoln in our faith community there..... they made this quilt lovingly by passing it around among six friends every few days and doing all the hand stitches as they shared the project. They then surprised me with this gorgeous rainbow colored quilt before moving three years ago this summer.... and what a gift it has been for me. The pattern is PICKET FENCE and it never ceases to cheer me up on rainy days, sad days and days when I need a boost pr a friend.

The last few weeks have found me in the broken places of my life again with our son-in-law preparing to leave for a second time of deployment -- for training two months and to go to IRAQ later this spring. And this is after his having been there -- in Baghdad -- one year already during the current war. We all have had a harder time with this second time of leaving on Feb 29 -- as the first time he missed his grandfather's memorial service, his first wedding anniversary, his brother's wedding and his daily living with our daughter and family, friends, classes. projects, faith groups etc.

Since Christmas this PICKET FENCE quilt made by friends has cheered me through this news of Matt's deployment again and some other heartaches..... it has helped me to get well from two weeks of being sick in January (bad sinus infection) and it had kept us warm on cold wintery nights. It normally hangs on our railing above the living room so people can see it and enjoy it; however the last two months it has come down off the railing to cover our bed quite a few nights as I search in desperation for some comfort around the house.

Friends and family are the way to heal our lives as we REACH OUT TO OTHERS and share our woes and our heartaches..... the broken places in our lives.

Thanks to my good friends rogene, marion, vicky, lynn, susan and betty who found all the time to do all those stiches of love on this healing quilt..... and this way to surprise me in leaving places, communities and people we loved. And it has done wonders for my spirit this wintertime of sad news again.

Thanks for friends like Liz today who came to visit and take in the afternoon together; and thanks to my kids for phone calls to brighten my spirits like no other --- thanks for the GREAT trip to CA for two days before matt left -- my surprise Valentine gift from my dear husband....

Thanks for friends and family who listen to my lamentations and are honest -- who share deeply and are willing to be truthtellers and not fake or in denial.....and who can make GREAT healing quilts of love by stitching and by listening.... by the warm colors and love shared.

And thanks to my spirit which allows sadness and crying in our hearts for all those who are separated from loved ones by deployment and forces beyond their control ---and even though we disagree with war and seek an ending.... and then searching to find ways to work at healing all those broken places in our lives again -- so that we can soar and live again in hope even though we still feel the sadness and pain for our loved ones.