Change of Direction

Fourteen years ago,

God changed the direction of my life.

A friend asked me to take a Community Ed class.

We went to the class preview and decided a quilting class would be fun.

If one class is good, two would be awesome.

We signed up.

We bought fabric.

We bought supplies.

What is a cutting mat?

What is a rotary cutter?

Why is this ruler so big?

A 1/4 inch piecing foot; that is not very big.

Scissors, neutral thread, needles, sewing machine.

Get up early (groan).

Go to class.

Learn how to cut fabric the quilters way.

Learn how to sew strips.

Learn how to re-cut and make the quilt blocks.

This is so exciting.

My first quilt blocks.

I was hooked.

I stayed up late at night.

I got up early, went to work and then came home.

I fed my family, put the kids to bed and then back to sewing.

All I could think about was quilting.

 

I took some fabric, cut it up, sewed it,

cut it up again, resewed it and then I had a quilt top.

I added batting, a backing and then
did the most awful job of sewing it together.
Finally I finished the first quilt. 

Oh my gosh, I made a quilt!

I laid the quilt on the floor and then rolled up in it.

I really made a quilt.

By now I really wanted to quilt all the time. 

My poor husband.

I talked to him about quitting work.

We have a huge mortgage payment.

We have a lot of bills.

Eventually we got a plan together.

We decided I would quit work.

We move move to a smaller town.

We would buy a smaller house.

We would use my retirement to pay down on the new house.

We would adjust and live on one salary.

It took us about a year.

That is another whole story!

Now how does God fit into all of this?

Well I had been searching for meaning in my life.

The quilting ignited a passion I had never felt.

I assumed this was God trying to get my attention.

We moved to Fredericksburg.

I started quilting all the time.

God again directed me to start a quilting ministry at my church.

I was really stepping out there now.

A corporate career woman starting a quilting ministry.

That was eight years ago.

Our quilt group does baptism and confirmation quilts

for our church kids.

We also make quilts for the hospital.

The hospital uses these quilts when a family loses a child.

I give God all the credit for helping me find my way.

I never expected to be able to serve God in such a way.

When I look back at my story, it reignites my passion. 

I am reminded that God can use all of us for his glory.

He can even take some fabric and thread
and turn it into something life changing.