God's Patchwork Quilts

[anna274]

First a quotable quote (a bit paraphrased)  mpls re: Sheila knitting together the many posts into a big beautiful quilt made up of many different pieces. (I agree, Sheila "poetically" knits  together the Scriptures)

As I was reading mpls' post my mind and heart went back to the first patchwork quilt I saw displayed on a large wall...so breath-takingly beautiful!!!  Then I learned that it was made up of many different left-over scraps of material (many different colors, many different shapes, many different textures, many ...) then I became involved in the details and looked at the individual pieces... some so beautiful, some so ugly (to my taste), some so misshaped, some ... then I stepped back and just enjoyed the finished quilt...

As I continued reflecting on mpls' post and patchwork quilts, I knew that I would start viewing Tentmaker Forum as one of God's patchwork quilts... individually we may at times annoy, irritate, -- at other times we may encourage, comfort, edify, one another... but always God is using us (scraps)  to bring light, His light to a very, very darkened world...

[redhotmagma]

That's lovely Anna 

[lomarah]

Iron sharpens iron. 

[sheila]

these posts reminded me of the aireall view from n airplane..of the land,fields,forests,bodies of water....and our

 inheritance of the land.....O'coat of many colours!!! some settled mountainous regions,some valleys,some plains

 sea areas,forests,..hilly lands etc.

[lomarah]

Aerial view... that's part of the song 'Fly' by Jason Upton. Awesome. 

[dajomaco]

Anna it is generally accepted.
That agreeing with some one and thanking them for their
input is nice.
There is also the super natural gift given to a special few.
The holy spirit in fills certain individuals with the gift of encouragement.
The person with this gift can say and write certain things that encourage people.
Anna you encourage as the spirit leads.   

[rosered]

   Lovely Anna ,
 There is nothing more beautiful and needed as a  patchwork quilt ,
 not only doe you see the beauty of each  piece as a whole , but also the warm comfort   that it gives on the cold and dreary  winter days 
 I love your concepts  Sister 
I remember admiring my grandmothers  handmaid    quilt on her  bed one visit  many years ago ,   she has long since passed over  , but its beauty with many old  pieces of grandpas shirts and her old  dresses  and finished in a lovely   shade  of red , I did go on about it  , I want you to know after a  time she called me over and said , Rose I want you to have this quilt , you  can appreciate it  ,  I still have this cherished quilt my grandmother made  , its more than just a quilt to  me now
 Thank you for the gentle and sweet reminders  of how much LOVE  IS   Found in them    quilts and  our  Tentmaker  site

[anna274]

Sheila,  re: lands, fields, forest, bodies of water    .... our inheritance of the land, coat of many colors

After my trips by plane/jet, I often remarked to my family/friends
"Oh the wonder and beauty of God's creative patchwork--

the mountains/big sky of Montana= very brown and quite blue

the mountains of Colorado= quite green

the wheat/sunflower fields of North Dakota= quite yellow, very golden

the lakes/trees of Minnesota= very green and very blue

the Atlantic Ocean (I flew from Montana to Florida to be with my oldest sister and her family for Christmas, 1970...her husband was stationed at Patrick Airforce Base...) I stood on the beach with my eyes and mouth wide open...the wonder of all that water...


Now I add meditation on God's word...spoken in many and sundry ways

Nature reveals/speaks to us of God's power and divinity (Rom 1:20)
The Scriptures/God's written word reveals/speaks to us of His everlasting love
Jesus the Word made flesh speaks to us of salvation, redemption,sanctification...

================

Rosie, the best thing about growing old are the memories of childhood...my fondest memory of my mother who had only a third-grade education (she was the oldest of 14 children and was needed at home on the farm to help care for the younger ones) were her beautiful, exquisite hand-made items--sometimes crocheted, sometimes sewn, sometimes... and all without reading directions... she could look at a finished product and reproduce the item...

[Lazarus Short]

I have mentioned this on Tentmaker before, but I once inquired of God on the subject of why He made me as I am.  His answer was a vision of a large, dark plain strewn with broken shards of pottery.  I knew that each shard represented a person, and one stood for me.  I noted that all, not just mine, were broken bits.

The architect Gaudi used such broken bits of pottery and crockery to decorate this:

[anna274]

I have mentioned this on Tentmaker before, but I once inquired of God on the subject of why He made me as I am.  His answer was a vision of a large, dark plain strewn with broken shards of pottery.  I knew that each shard represented a person, and one stood for me.  I noted that all, not just mine, were broken bits.

The architect Gaudi used such broken bits of pottery and crockery to decorate this:

Yes, I recall your sharing the vision of a large, dark plain strewn with broken shards of pottery.  It's amazing in how many and varied and highly descriptive ways God reveals just what we are (were)...  I almost used  the words "broken pieces" instead of "scraps" in my OP
but decided to stay a bit more consistent with the quilting motif.  I still,  after almost 35 years of being delivered of alcoholism, etc., stand in awe with what God has done with this broken piece of humanity.   

[anna274]

That's lovely Anna 

Just today, I realized that I have never thanked you for the times in the past that you supported/encouraged me... it's not like me to take kindnesses for granted... so beginning today, I want you to know that I appreciate your kind words re:  God's Patchword Quilts. 

[redhotmagma]

 

[dajomaco]

Wow Rosered
Post reply # 6 sure proves #5

Who cuts a channel for the flooding rain
or clears the way for lightning,
26 to bring rain on an uninhabited land,
on a desert with no human life,[g]
27 to satisfy the parched wasteland
and cause the grass to sprout?
28 Does the rain have a father?
Who fathered the drops of dew?
29 Whose womb did the ice come from?
Who gave birth to the frost of heaven
30 when water becomes as hard as stone,[h]
and the surface of the watery depths is frozen?

I love,that when it is cold and dark.
God has made a special blankie for me.

[marie glen]

What a great thread! Couldn't be more encouraging I don't think.. 

..from a lovely quilt remembered knit by loving hands.. to the earth as patchwork seen when traveling down a road in farm country.. or over hill and dale.. or better yet, the whole vista from the air..

To (wow!!) the vision God gave Lazaras Short of the broken pieces scattered over the field and then equating it with the beautiful work of art Cathedral.. Awesome!! I'll always remember that as I have a thing for rocks, cathedrals, etc..
I would equate the broken pieces to how w/o Him we (I) am or fall to pieces.. if gathered up would be a basket of pieces.. (a basket case)  

[anna274]

Re:  I love that  when it is cold and dark, God has made a special blankie for me.

Daj, I confess, I would never have guessed that "blankie" is on your vocabulary list.  But, it's perfect... so descriptive of God's patchwork quilts.   Using us scraps to bring His light-- warmth  to this very cold, darkened world.

Marie, it seems you need a blankie for your basket case...  :)

[rosered]

  Yes Bro daj,
  the blankie   is to comfort


But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 


 1Th 5:9   For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 1Th 5:10   Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 

 1Th 5:11   Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do. 


 1Th 5:12  And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; 


 1Th 5:13   And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. [And] be at peace among yourselves. 
 1Th 5:14   Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all [men]. 

 1Th 5:15   See that none render evil for evil unto any [man]; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all [men]. 


 1Th 5:16   Rejoice evermore. 


 1Th 5:17   Pray without ceasing. 


 1Th 5:18   In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 


 1Th 5:19   Quench not the Spirit.   our comforter


 Jhn 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Jhn 14:26 But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

comforter Strong's G3875 - paraklētos



 1) summoned, called to one's side, esp. called to one's aid

a) one who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate

b) one who pleads another's cause with one, an intercessor

1) of Christ in his exaltation at God's right hand, pleading with God the Father for the pardon of our sins

c) in the widest sense, a helper, succourer, aider, assistant

1) of the Holy Spirit destined to take the place of Christ with the apostles (after his ascension to the Father), to lead them to a deeper knowledge of the gospel truth, and give them divine strength needed to enable them to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the divine kingdom


 

[sheila]

Marie....a basket case without Him!      ....aren't we   all!!!

[marie glen]

yep! no doubt about it.. 

[anna274]

re: but always God is using us (scraps) to bring light, His light --warmth to this very cold, darkened world.

Phil 2:13 (AMP)
[Not in your own strength]for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.

Phil 2:15 (KJV)
That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.