A Quilt, A Dish and Questions with no Answers
Have you ever thought about all the relatives who have gone before you who at least in some small way have helped to form who you are today? Of course we can not know for sure how much impact these people have had on our lives. My maternal grandmother was dearly loved by my whole family. We knew at 93 she wouldn't live much longer. In spite of her poor hearing and frail frame she enjoyed so much being around family and friends. It was hard to imagine her no longer being with us.
On my mother's birthday in my grandmother's 93rd year Grandmom went to the hospital where she died about 2 days later. The year was 1973.
I do not remember my age when Carrie Parsons, my Grandmom ushered me into her sewing room and half apologetically shared with me the story about the worn quilt she had draped over her lap. She had been 6 years old when company was expected. In order to insure fewer complications in the preparations,my great grandmother, Matilda Bailey offered her daughter Carrie a prize for obedience and cooperation. If Carrie did what she could to help get ready for the arrival of the company, her mom promised her a new dress. Carrie got her dress. Grandmom pointed to the squares on the quilt that now were frayed but once had been part of the prize dress. Although the dress was gone, the frayed squares were still a reminder of a mother's promise that was carried out. Grandmom was almost embarrassed to offer me such a worn quilt but I knew it was a prize I could not refuse.
Once as a college student I came home for a brief stay. Grandmom promised herself that she would make me a dress before I went back to school. The time got away from us and I was to leave the next day. Grandmom was working on the dress when I went to bed and she was again at the sewing machine when I woke up. Yes, the dress was finished by the time I left.
Years passed. My grandmother and my mother are now both gone. Since the funeral I have had many opportunities to return to my mother's house. I am still amazed when I scoop out of a pitcher or a bowl a small piece of paper in my mother's handwriting sharing the history of the piece. One day I reached into a serving dish. My mother's note read "This dish belonged to Matilda Bailey, Carrie Parson's mother. It's the only thing she had of her mother's belongings"
Carrie had been only 13 when her mother died and she was left to care for her younger sister. What values had Matilda instilled in her oldest daughter? How often had she used this dish to serve Sunday dinners? Did Carrie use it also or was it a too highly treasured reminder of her mother to risk damaging it during use? How did these women deal with the frustrating moments of being mothers? There are so many questions I wish I had asked my mother as well as my grandmother. There is a lot I don't know but I must remember what I do know and what I've experienced. For all three generations their faith in Christ was a key part of their lives. Matilda was Old School Baptist. Carrie and Laura were members of the Methodist church. Although it is difficult to say how well taught they were, it's clear that God gave their lives stability as they focused on Him. It's the steadfast love of God for His people that weaves each generation to the next.
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those that keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. Psalm 103:17-18
On my mother's birthday in my grandmother's 93rd year Grandmom went to the hospital where she died about 2 days later. The year was 1973.
I do not remember my age when Carrie Parsons, my Grandmom ushered me into her sewing room and half apologetically shared with me the story about the worn quilt she had draped over her lap. She had been 6 years old when company was expected. In order to insure fewer complications in the preparations,my great grandmother, Matilda Bailey offered her daughter Carrie a prize for obedience and cooperation. If Carrie did what she could to help get ready for the arrival of the company, her mom promised her a new dress. Carrie got her dress. Grandmom pointed to the squares on the quilt that now were frayed but once had been part of the prize dress. Although the dress was gone, the frayed squares were still a reminder of a mother's promise that was carried out. Grandmom was almost embarrassed to offer me such a worn quilt but I knew it was a prize I could not refuse.
Once as a college student I came home for a brief stay. Grandmom promised herself that she would make me a dress before I went back to school. The time got away from us and I was to leave the next day. Grandmom was working on the dress when I went to bed and she was again at the sewing machine when I woke up. Yes, the dress was finished by the time I left.
Years passed. My grandmother and my mother are now both gone. Since the funeral I have had many opportunities to return to my mother's house. I am still amazed when I scoop out of a pitcher or a bowl a small piece of paper in my mother's handwriting sharing the history of the piece. One day I reached into a serving dish. My mother's note read "This dish belonged to Matilda Bailey, Carrie Parson's mother. It's the only thing she had of her mother's belongings"
Carrie had been only 13 when her mother died and she was left to care for her younger sister. What values had Matilda instilled in her oldest daughter? How often had she used this dish to serve Sunday dinners? Did Carrie use it also or was it a too highly treasured reminder of her mother to risk damaging it during use? How did these women deal with the frustrating moments of being mothers? There are so many questions I wish I had asked my mother as well as my grandmother. There is a lot I don't know but I must remember what I do know and what I've experienced. For all three generations their faith in Christ was a key part of their lives. Matilda was Old School Baptist. Carrie and Laura were members of the Methodist church. Although it is difficult to say how well taught they were, it's clear that God gave their lives stability as they focused on Him. It's the steadfast love of God for His people that weaves each generation to the next.
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, to those that keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. Psalm 103:17-18
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