Life is a Tapestry
Hello from the west coast, friends!
I hope you had a great week! Jonathan and I haven’t had much to do this weekend, so we have been enjoying some down time.
I wanted to share with you something I have been thinking a lot about lately. Mostly because we came home before Christmas without our girl.
I’ve been thinking about how many times our lives make no sense what-so-ever! Just when we think we’ve got things figured out, we get the breath knocked out of us. Have you ever been there? Or are you there right now?
When we were overseas, and we knew we were going home without our girl, it was super hard to make sense of anything. I know I haven’t shared the full story here on the blog, but I do feel like you need to know that it was our decision to leave, not the governments. We cannot fully explain the circumstances, but please know that we prayed and cried out to the Lord for direction, and we felt him leading us back home. There were situations and circumstances that we were not aware of or prepared for, and maybe someday, I will be able to share more.
Our last day over there, I cried until I couldn’t cry anymore. I was speaking with our lawyer over there, who was a beautiful Christian young women, and she was trying to comfort me with the story of “the tapestry.” I knew I had heard that story before, but I couldn’t remember when.
This week, I was reminded of where I had heard it before when I was reading “Reflections of God’s Glory” by the precious Corrie ten Boom in my hotel room. (I don’t think it was a coincidence that God brought this story to me again shortly after hearing it from our lawyer.) :)
Cornelia “Corrie” ten Boom was a Dutch Christian who, along with her father and other family members, helped many Jews escape the Nazi Holocaust during World War II. She was imprisoned for her actions. –wikipedia
She is most well known for her book “The Hiding Place” that was made into a movie, and she traveled the world telling others about the love of God. Corrie passed away in 1983.
Here is what I read in the book, and the pictures are the actual tapestry that Corrie held as she told this story….
As she spoke, she slowly unfolded the purple cloth in her hands and revealed hundreds of strings tied in knots and pulled through the cloth. It all looked so random. She showed the children how the strings didn’t seem to make sense from where they sat at her feet on the floor in the living room.
“That’s the whole point,” she exclaimed. She said it was because of our limited vision, our limited perspective of what God is doing in our lives, that we question Him.
At that point Tante (aunt) Corrie slowly turned the purple tangled mess around to reveal a beautiful tapestry: a crown of gold with multicolored jewels.
“This” she said, “is what God sees….from His perspective….a masterpiece!”
-Reflections of God’s Glory, Corrie ten Boom
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I believe this illustration is something everyone of us can relate to. Life just doesn’t make sense most of the time, does it?!
Well, truthfully, I don’t know if it is supposed to? I think it is in the “messiness” of life that we are to trust in God. If our lives were perfect, would we have need of Him? I doubt it. I know that in the darkest times of my life, I have felt the presence of God the most. And I love knowing that God is weaving a beautiful tapestry of my life even when it looks like a bunch of mixed up knots!
Grant Colfax Tullar wrote this poem about the tapestry, actually called “The Weaver,” and I wanted to share it with you…
Notice that it says that the dark threads are as needful as the threads of gold and silver. The Master Weaver needs them both to create a masterpiece.
Right now, I feel that God is weaving threads of black and gold/silver in my life. I have the dark threads of confusion and sadness over our adoption, and yet I have the bright shiny colors of gold and silver as I celebrate this special time in Jonathan’s life. And from my perspective, I don’t know what in the world God is doing?!! But I find comfort knowing that He knows EXACTLY what he is doing. He is using all of the colors of my life to weave something beautiful. And I am forever grateful.
Friends, you may be living on that messy side of the tapestry right now, and you have NO idea how God is going to weave something beautiful on the other side. But trust me, He is. He loves you and desires His best for you.
Keep on trusting. Keep on believing. He is weaving your life into a masterpiece as we speak. :)
Traci,this post is very timely. Helps put some things in perspective for us. I know we want in our timeframe,and not in God’s timeframe. Still praying for a miracle.
You will never know how much I needed this post today. I had a job that I was thrilled with. It met ALL my needs and I was convinced it was a blessing from God. Then I got sick and was unable to go to work. They fired me from the job with which God blessed me. Yes, I am confused. I KNOW He has a plan and it’s my job to find it. Confused? Yes, I am
Oh my gosh. That was beautiful Traci!! What an excellent post. Thank you. I am currently reading the book, One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voscamp. It’s a great read. http://www.onethousandgifts.com
Thank you so much for sharing this today! Lately I’ve been doubting that there is much good, or any coming in the near future. This helped to clear all that from my mind and trust in His plan, I don’t need all the answers. And I agree that I feel Him with me most when things are the darkest and most confusing.
Beautifully written . Still praying for you and your family.
Oh my, Tracy, here I am commenting again!! This post was so beautifully written. I have heard the analogy of the tapestry before…and have “seen it in action” in my life and the lives of family members. The Jeremiah passage you shared is one of my favorites. God will heal your heart and bring something good (and probably unexpected) out of what now seems so devestating. May God bless you and your family.
This was beautifully said Traci, and such an important word to share. Every single one of us needs to be reminded of the truth of the tapestry that God is working in our lives, when, as you said, so often all we see are the knots.
When I was a kid, I came home from school one day and Corrie Ten Boom was in our den, having coffee with my parents. I had no idea what a special person she was until later, but it’s a memory I cherish. :)
Thanks for these words tonight. They are sure to strike a chord with all who read them, they did for me.
What?!! Are you kidding me?!! I would pass out if she was in my den! What an amazing story. She was truly an amazing lady. :)
I’ve read and reread your post tonight. My mom used to tell us four girls a story very close to The Tapestry, only about piecing a quilt with scraps of tattered fabric, and most precious silks and trim. I’m sure it was from her mother, and it reminded us even though we don’t always see our purpose or beauty, God always does, and life is like the stitching of all the pieces of quilt. It is wonderful you’ve had friends and family and faith to help you and your family’s healing, and I so hope your little girl has this also. How confused and broken she must be too. Having faith, family and friends is the only way we get through life’s trials…and celebrations…
Hello Traci,
I found your blog thru your sister’s blog.. This is a beautiful post! Thank you so much for sharing.
Blessings to you and your family : )
Crying all over again. You are such an inspiration, my friend. Thank you for sharing this – especially needed today. xo
You. Are. AWESOME! Love u all!
Amen. Wonderful reminder.
Awesome post!!!!
Yes,Traci, I’ve lived through those times and that story, that poem and that Scripture saw me through every time. Only in heaven will I see the finished side of the tapestry. Until then…well, I choose to appreciate the tangled threads that I can see. Hugs your way!
So beautifully said Traci… and so true!! I also am glad that God is in control, and I am NOT!! I’m so glad you have this time with Jonathan right now ;-) he will be grown and out the door before you know it!! I am still praying for God’s will with your little girl and for peace in her life as well as yours. God bless you my “friend” ;-)
Beautiful, just beautiful.
As someone else said, what a wonderful reminder. I continue to prayer for you andyour little girl.
Beautifully written, praying God’s blessings and comfort for your family.
Thank you for this great reminder!
I love this story! I’m praying for you! God bless you and your family
I so needed this today. My husband and I have gone thru a lot in our 43 1/2 years of marriage – I think our biggest hurdle is ahead – medical issues (he has pituitary adenomas inside and around his pituitary), other health issues…and this summer will be retiring due to health issues. We planned for retirement, but didn’t expect it this soon, so we are facing what we think is the unknown…but…each day is the unknown, at least to us…only God knows our future. Each day is a leap of faith isn’t it? How precious, how blessed we are, to know HIM, to have faith in HIM, in HIS grace and mercy. I love this story you shared. Bless you for sharing it. Be safe, Be well Be blessed.
I lost sight of this promise today. Thank you for the reminder.
I love this post, Traci…I chose TRUST as my Word of the Year for this very reason; things seem messy and uncomfortable and scary and joyful all at once and I’m working on TRUSTING His plan for me. Thank you for reminding me of the tapestry story!! Wishing you peace in the weaving of your story… xo Heidi
Beautifully written. Thank you. I, too, do not understand what God is doing. But it was comforting to be reminded that I don’t need to because God is at work weaving ALL things together for our good. And the dark threads are truly necessary for the tapestry of my life to be beautiful. 😉
Beautiful post Tracy and thank you for the reminder that He knows what is the best for us. In my office I have a picture on the wall with that verse Jeremiah 29:11-12. Rest in Him and He will give you the desires of your heart.
This is beautiful Traci; so eloquent. I have a suspicion as to why you and Jonathan are on the west coast and I hope I’m right :)
Thank you!!
Thank you for writing this. I just shared your post with a dear family member who just had to say goodbye to their baby boy, Hudson, who was born at 25 weeks old. He lived for 5 weeks. We were all there to kiss him goodbye, before he went to heaven on Saturday. His mom and dad need prayers, hope, and encouragement. I know this post will be a blessing to them.
Oh my. Praying for your family.
Thank you for sharing your heart with us. I have heard the story of The Tapestry before, but it is always good to be reminded that we can’t see the big picture when we are in the middle of it. It’s easy to share our heart when all is right in our world, but it takes wisdom, courage and insight to do so when we are hurting. Your wisdom, courage, insight and heart are touching and encouraging so many of us. Thank you for being transparent and allowing God to use you in the good times and in the not so good times. Praying for you, your daughter, your family and excitedly looking forward to whatever is happening on the west coast!!
wow, isn’t it something ! looking at the above comments, there are so many of us right now searching for answers, waiting for healing, praying for direction, feeling lost..so many needs and OUR GOD sees each one! Yup ! all of us have either “been there” or are there, me too, but so thankful that God knows what is best for me/us, and so glad we are not alone in the valley, we have each other, we can share right here ! Thanks Tracey for your sharing with us !
Praising the Father on your behalf; that you are resting in his knowledge, power and sovereignty. Your faith is encouraging. Press on dear sister and trust the Lord!
What a wonderful and nicely written reminder! Wish you all the best!