My patchwork Quilt

The patchwork of my life, the colours, the patterns, the textures, the y a r n s, are all part of a beautiful set of materials that God has provided. My job is simply to put it together piece by piece, square by square, thread by thread.

Some parts of the patchwork quilt which make up my life create a simple pattern. They follow a set of steps which repeat themselves over and over again like a mantra, a meditation or a prayer.

The rhythm within these patterns underpin the rhythm of life itself.

These are the day to day routines the "small things" that need to be "done with great love."

The stitches that put these pieces together are not elaborate, impressive or particularly special at first glance, but they are the strongest stitches of all, they border the whole design, they hold it all together, stop it fraying at the seams and unraveling to the centre.

Some of the pieces of fabric have great intricate tapestries woven into them.

These pieces are the ones which tell the stories, create the theme, define the colours and patterns to which everything else must match. It takes time and patience to complete these pieces properly, carelessness and haste can easily spoil their precious beauty. However once they are put into place everything starts to make sense. The narritive of the design gains coherancy and all the disparate parts start to fit together easily the way they were always meant to.

No one part of the design is greater or more important than another. Each and every piece is cut perfectly to fit around the next.

I have to remember that it is not my design though, my life's design will always belong to God. It is only my job to realise it.