Monday, January 28, 2013

A Tapestry

Think of a tapestry. Hundreds of inches of thread in many different colors woven in and out of each other until they come together to make a finished picture.  One single thread on its own is not so complex or pretty but hundreds of threads woven together creates something much more complex and usually beautiful.

I see a parallel between a tapestry and our lives.  Moments and people and celebrations and houses and locations and jobs all coming together to create memories and memories adding up to a life.  Intersections of moments that change our course of direction making different outcomes that we have no control over...yet it all seems to work out.

God showed Himself to me this weekend.  And I keep thinking of the happenings surrounding this weekend as a tapestry that God has been weaving for awhile now.

My middle daughter and I went to Scottsdale to attend a baby shower for my oldest, pregnant daughter.  My sister couldn't make this trip to Scottsdale with me, although she wanted to.  My close friend from Atlanta was there however.  So I was with my 2 daughters and my best friend. I was in a "happy place."

Thirty minutes before we were to leave for the shower...just as we were putting on our makeup...my phone rang.  My sister was calling me to tell me that my mother had just passed away.  My sister...who couldn't come to Scottsdale, was with my mother in her last peaceful moments and assured me that it was all good.  So I held back the tears and the emotions and carried forward through the next 2 days of happiness...visiting my daughter and enjoying the showering of gifts for my new grand baby.  And I was able to spend 2 great days with my best friend. 

My friend said to me, "Do you see that your sister couldn't come with you because God needed her to be with your mother?  And He sent me to be with you."

Ahhh, like a tapestry.  His great design. 

My mother has been in very ill health for a long time...and bed-ridden for the last 3 years.  She was 79 and still had all her wits about her but trapped in a body that failed her.  So there is a new peace within me knowing that she is no longer in pain or confined to a bed.  I want to believe she is reunited with my father, the love of her life.

Hindsight is 20/20 they say...and this weekend I can look back and clearly see God's handiwork in weaving all of this together in His perfect way in His perfect timing.





Dear God -
Thank You for my mother and the life You gave me through her body.  While we didn't always see eye to eye, I know she loved me and I loved her. Thank you for taking her out of this world full of physical and emotional pain and please, please, please take her to my sweet, calm Daddy.  I see clearly that You needed Catha to be here this weekend to be with my mother in her last moments and so You sent Debbie to be with me.  A perfect plan.  I mostly want to thank You for the peace I felt all weekend which I know I could not have had without Your presence around me.  Please continue to give me Your peace. 
Amen.


12 comments:

  1. Please accept my sincerest condolences to you and your family at the loss of your Mother.

    God bless ...

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  2. I'm sorry to hear about your mom. It's hard.... but how wonderful that God worked it all out for your sister to be there.... He really is Glorious!

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  3. Julia, deepest sympathies to you and your family. I lost my mother this past year and it wasn't her body but her mind. Big hugs to you.

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  4. I'm sorry about your Mom Julia but understand that mixed feeling of grief and relief. I'm glad you had your friend and girls by your side. Soon the baby will be here and you the circle of life will continue.

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  5. I'm so sorry to hear about your mom, Julia. I've been praying for you since I heard and I'm so thankful to see the ways the Lord is already caring for you in this time of grief. Love you!

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  6. Julia, I'm so sorry about your mom. I know there are also layers to this tapestry. Bless Catha's heart for going through this. Bless all y'all's hearts. Prayers for peace for all of you. All my love, Stephanie

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  7. Thinking of you and praying for you and your family, Julia. No matter what our relationship with our mother....it is still a sad day when we have to say goodbye. God takes a life and then God gives a life. I am happy you were with your daughters when you got the news. He is Good. Love,Patti

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  8. Oh Julia. I am thinking about and praying for all my favorite girl cousins as you travel this path. I love your trapestry analogy...someone once told me that the amazing thing about a tapestry is that from underneath, it isn't very pretty, just a mess of yarn...but from ABOVE, it makes perfect sense, a beautiful picture. I pray your momma and daddy are now able to view the tapestry of their lives from Heaven and see how beautiful it was.
    Much love to all of my Langley cousins and kids.
    Carolyn

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  9. Such a beautiful yet heartbreaking post, Julia. Once again, my heart has been touched to its very core. My heart breaks for your loss, but I do love that your sweet daddy and momma are once again together again. God bless you, and may His peace surround you and your family.

    Linda CCCCCCCCCC

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  10. So sorry to hear about this loss for you and your family. Truly the Joy of the Lord has been your strength and will continue to be so. Prayers from AZ...

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  11. Julia, I am so sorry to hear about your mom. It seems that no matter how long they are with us it is never enough time. One of our granddaughters was born 2 weeks after my mom died and I always think of mother as being her special angel. I pray that your parents are once again holding hands and talking about the legacy they left behind.

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  12. Julia, I am so sorry to hear about your mom. It seems that no matter how long they are with us it is never enough time. One of our granddaughters was born 2 weeks after my mom died and I always think of mother as being her special angel. I pray that your parents are once again holding hands and talking about the legacy they left behind. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

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