May
23
2016
The T-shirt Quilt
Posted in Evangelism 4 Comments
My younger son will be married in July.
He is marrying a sweet, Godly girl he met in college.
They both love the Lord.
They both love worship music.
I have been blessed to hear the music they make together.
My son will play his guitar, leaning over the strings with his head down.
His future wife will sing with her eyes closed, the music etched on her heart.
That is the way it is with them.
When my son was in college, he was part of a ministry.
The ministry was called, Salt n Light.
The Salt n Light mission is: Youth reaching youth with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Through worship rallies, retreats, and events they are always faithful to the mission.
The Gospel is clearly preached.
Students come from all over the area.
The worship rallies are centered on the Lord Jesus.
His name alone is lifted up.
Each summer, while my son worked for the ministry, a trip down south was planned.
Salt n Light helps a local church with service projects in the area.
They minister to the children and share the love of Jesus with everyone they meet.
It is always hard work but so incredibly rewarding.
As a summer intern, my son wore various T-shirts with the ministry logo on the front.
The shirts were all brightly colored.
Some of the shirts from the retreats had a design that depicted the theme for that year.
My son loved those shirts and wore them all the time.
When he was home for a weekend, he went through his clothes.
Most of his clothes are with him where he currently lives.
The clothes he just didn’t have room for are still in his closet here at home.
That particular weekend, he filled bags with clothes to be donated.
When I went into his room I saw piles on the floor.
This pile is to be given away, he told me pointing to the pile in front of his bed.
That pile are the things I’m bringing with me, he said pointing to the clothes on his bed.
The pile over there are the Salt n Light shirts that I want to keep, he said remembering.
I remembered, too.
I remembered the orange shirt, the pink shirt, the shirt with the chairs, and the shirt with the cross.
I remember the music he made as they led worship.
I remember him playing drums and guitar.
They were his memories.
They were my memories as I watched him grow as a man and grow in the Lord.
I remembered something he said.
He said it as a passing remark.
I wish that I could have a blanket made from my old Salt n Light shirts, he said wistfully one day.
That’s all I needed to hear.
I set out to find someone who could make a T-shirt quilt for me.
I thought I found someone who my oldest daughter knew.
However that young woman was going to have a second child.
Making a T-shirt quilt was not top priority.
I put the idea aside knowing that when the time was right, I would find the person.
One day, the time was right.
I was in my little Country Thrift and Gift Store.
This is the store with the room upstairs where the women quilt around multiple frames.
I asked at the front register if they knew of anyone who would be willing to sew for me.
On the back of one of the cards with the store’s name and hours, a name was written.
I called the number and spoke to a lovely Mennonite woman.
I told her what I would like her to do for my son.
We set a date and time to meet.
We met in the quilting room upstairs in my favorite store.
I took the thirteen shirts out of the bag.
I told her about my son and the ministry he worked for while he was in college.
I mentioned that he was getting married very soon.
I wanted to give this to him as a remembrance.
We looked at all of the shirts and set aside the seven shirts that had designs on them.
Which one would you like in the center? She asked.
I think this one, I said pointing to the one with the hands and the cross.
She agreed.
She told me how she planned to make the quilt, using flannel backing to make it cozy.
She explained the way she was going to put it all together.
Since I do not sew, much of what she tried to explain was incomprehensible to me.
I trust you, I said and meant it.
Isn’t God good? She stated as a fact more than a question.
He is, but why do you think so? I asked knowing there was more to her words.
Well, I’ve never done a T-shirt quilt before, but I will enjoy the challenge.
When I got my quilters magazine, the front cover was about making a T-Shirt quilt.
God had gone before her; God had gone before me, as well.
God made sure that she had all the information she needed.
I left all of my son’s T-shirts with this sweet woman.
I knew that the T-shirt quilt would be beautiful.
In less than a month, the woman called me to let me know that the quilt was finished.
I’m pleased with the way it turned out, she said humbly.
We set a date and time to meet in the quilting room of my favorite store.
I couldn’t wait to see it.
I arrived and the quilt was neatly folded.
She seemed excited to show me her work.
We unfolded the quilt together.
Nothing prepared me for how wonderful it really was.
This is everything I imagined and more, I told her sincerely.
Are you pleased with the way it turned out? She asked.
I couldn’t be more pleased, I told her not taking my eyes off the quilt.
I saw before me my son’s wish come to fruition.
I wish that I could have a blanket made from my old Salt n Light shirts.
Now he had one.
Now he had memories that he could wrap around him.
Now he had a tangible reminder of his Kingdom work, done all to the glory of God.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men. (Colossians 3:23)
My son worked for the Lord then and continues to work for the Lord now.
The sweet Mennonite woman stitches every stitch on her quilts for God’s glory.
Neither seek glory for themselves.
This cozy T-shirt quilt with the flannel backing will remind him.
It will remind him to press on.
It will remind him that every little bit matters.
It really matters.
Nothing we do for the Lord is ever in vain.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Galatians 6:9)
Read this to my sister and Virginia and all three of us were so touched!! You communicated this experience beautifully! I am so glad I saw the quilt in person! I wish I were in the room as you presented it to Brian so that I could see his face! Thank you for sharing the story of the T shirt quilt.
Ann,
I am so delighted that you all were blessed. It was a day for the sweet bride-to-be, but I was so happy the quilt was finished so I could give it to the future groom on the same day! Hopefully that will add to the tenderness of the memory. It was such a lovely day.
Gina
What a neat idea and lovely remembrance! I wondered before I got to the picture how she sewed the t-shirt material, which is stretchy, to get it flat but she did it! I’m sure he will love it. Isn’t it great how the Lord brings the right people into our lives just when we need them!
Sue,
She decided to do a knot quilt for that very reason. She explained about the stretchiness of the T-shirt fabric to me. The knots make it so interesting. She matched the other squares with the T-shirt colors perfectly. God is good, as she attested and as we know.
Gina