Comfort Zones. . .

I was invited to be part of a retreat planning committee. . . since I was interested in finding out how to plan a retreat I said yes. . . it was so much more!

I had been praying for God to let me know what he wanted me to do with my life. . . I got my Master's in Religious Education, knew alot about 'church' stuff, but nothing was obvious. . I didn't know what I was supposed to do. In the past, when I prayed for guidance I would get a big AH HA moment. . more like a hit over the head moment. . . I wasn't getting that this time. I figured that, just in case God was whispering this time (no lightening bolts) I had better say yes to every opportunity or request made because that might be the thing God wants me to do. . . logical right?

So the past 4 things I said yes to didn't pan out. . .either I was obviously not a match or I surmised they really wanted to invite my daughter and got my number instead. . . .and along comes an email from John. Would I like to be part of a retreat planning committee for the Employment Ministry at our parish? Well, I don't know much about 'employment' as I've been unemployed more than I've been employed, but I did want to know how to run a retreat. So once again I said yes. . . . .

There would be 6 sessions of planning and then a 6 hour retreat. We would be expected to give 'talks' - I was hanging back. . .I didn't have any work related event I could talk about. . .I didn't want to relay stories that were really my husband's experience (that I lived through vicariously) I didn't have anything to offer. Then the question came. . .I was asked my topic. . .I said I would register people, I would facilitate a table discussion, I would bring breakfast - but no talk. . .I had nothing - blank.

Then Julie asked me, "What about quilting?" Quilting? that's just something I do, something to keep me busy, I've always done hobbies - now it's quilting - but that's not a job!

I was then asked "Is quilting work?". . well yes - but - not like a job hard - I don't make any money. . . that was the zinger - money gives it worth? pay makes it worthwhile? I need to do some more thinking about this - I'm WAY out of my comfort zone.

So I wrote a 'talk'. . .figuring it might be unconventional, but this IS what I do. . . so here it goes. . . My Talk:

I’m one of those lucky people. I get to work at what I love. I make quilts. In 1989, while being a stay at home mom to 5 kids (and babysitting for 3 others) I took a class at a quilt shop and made 2 Christmas stockings. Two months later I made a beautiful queen size quilt…just for me! And that’s when a passion for quilting was born.

I’ve taken many other classes, expanded my skills to include hand and machine techniques, and in the past 21 years, I’ve made 22 queen size quilts (20 were gifts), I’ve made 5 Christmas wall hangings…AND those original 2 Christmas stockings have increased to 20 with 3 to be made for this Christmas for my 3 new grandchildren!

In 1998, a small group of friends who are also quilters went to Cape Cod for a Quilter’s Retreat. Over the past 10 years, we have expanded to 10 really good friends who go away for 4 day weekends twice a year. We bring our own projects (many of those gift quilts were started on these weekends.) and have lovingly been told we look like a sweat shop as we set up 9-10 sewing machines!!!

But we do more than our own quilts for our families and friends. . we make placemats for Meals on Wheels of Hunterdon County to distribute with meals. We’ve made over 30 pillowcases to donate to the Million Pillowcase challenge; they are given to sick children or children affected by tragedy. And most recently we’ve made quilts to send to Quilts of Valor where quilts are given to wounded service men and women in military hospitals around the country.

We also minister to each other – we’ve gotten through breast cancer, (twice), kids with problems, and numerous marriages and divorces. Three and a half years ago, my house burned down – well not to the ground, but the inside was gutted. We were very lucky (I still say God was watching over us – big time - that day) no one was hurt and 3 of us should have been home and we only lost ‘stuff’ (but as my brother-in-law said – it was nice stuff). We didn’t lose anything of real sentimental value as the photos were saved by being in the garage, put there when we cleaned up for Christmas. But I did lose 2 quilts (my first hand stitched quilt and the quilt I made for my husband for out 25^th wedding anniversary) I also lost my sewing supplies, fabric, sewing machine, all gone. The insurance company paid for a new sewing machine and gave me money toward fabric, but how do you start over – collecting 20 years worth of tools? On the very next quilters’ weekend away, my friends threw me a Quilting Shower! They replaced all the things I lost and then some. One of them reached out to a quilter’s blog she belongs to and I got gifts from all over the country. We are church to one another. And our love and our troubles are unconsciously sewn into each and every quilt.

When I create a quilt, I plan that quilt around the person who will receive it. While doing this more than a little piece of me goes with it. Whether I used the Marine Corps colors for the nephew who served in Dessert Storm, or added pine trees to the log cabin quilt for the nephew who loves to hike, I feel I am doing what God wants of me – I use my talents to give joy to others; for all of us quilters, this becomes a way of expressing our love. This reminds me of a passage from Colossians, “Whatever you do, do from the heart” (3:23)

I am particularly proud to be able to say that my quilts are all over the country. AND, last September my first quilts went international! I gave 3 quilts to a close friend and 2 family members in Ireland.

I have been asked if making a quilt is a lot of work. . .I’m reluctant to say yes because I love it so much. But YES…it is work…work that demands a lot of concentrated effort…from the first steps of planning a pattern and picking the fabric to the last stitch that goes into sewing the label on, takes me approximately 6 months. It takes a lot of math, a lot of color theory, a lot of elbow grease and can be a little back-breaking. (pause)….but the look on someone’s face when they receive a hand made quilt is like nothing else I’ve ever experienced. It is a labor of love. As we hear in First Corinthians, “whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God”. (10:31) And it’s the best work I’ve ever done.