Jimmy Carter, a nice man
I have stopped going to church quite a long time ago however, since I live in the most conservative place north of the Bible Belt. I don't think like my neighbors and you cannot convince me to do so.
This doesn't prevent me from feeling all wonderful knowing that I am forgiven and have a mansion waiting for me in Heaven.
I had a miserable lost and wicked life, well, who didn't in the 70's? And then I saw the light ( believe me this is the very shortest version of this story EVER) and got religion. That was 1975, now 30 years ago. The getting religion part was all about being FORGIVEN, which is like the chief feature of Easter. So I am reminded today about how lost and miserable I used to feel and how happy my life is now.
Some churchy girls who found me when I was waitressing in a honky tonk, gave me one of those tracts and it coincided with another friend in NY state who had seen the light and whoosh! It was a brand new day all of a sudden. This was the thing that got me: Everybody kept telling me that God loved me (just as I am) and had a wonderful plan for my life.
Believe me, I needed a plan, desperately,and decided that I had nothing to lose, so I went for it.
Wanna know what thatplan turned out to be?
Meet Dave and get married again
Finish school
Meet friend who shows me her quilts
Buy a house
Start quilting
Meet Famous Quilters and get invited to join art quilt group
Meet Laura and start Artfabrik
Get scholarship to grad school and get masters
Win major awards for quilting
Make a lotta quilts, hand dyed fabric, threads and money
Start Professional Art Quilt Alliance
Teach in US and foreign countries
Make great friends that mean so much to me
When this all started I was not even aware that there was such a thing as an art quilt, or that I would ever switch from being a miserable painter to being a happy art quilter. Who could imagine such a thing? Only the Master Planner I am sure.
The universe has a plan for everybody, Melody. I always marvel at how things get pieced together. Re: going to church, my parents said that you could worship in a closet or in the bathroom or on a park bench. It didn't matter the venue. The spirituality is the point. The living of the good life. I always laugh when I meet people and they ask me if I'm a Christian and I say, "no, I don't do dogma, I piece together my practices (ooo, like quilting). They say "oh, you seem like such a nice girl to live that way" as if I'm doomed and really wicked. Have I stopped being a "nice girl" all of a sudden. The universal life force says, no, you are still a good girl, Sonji. Just keep keepin' on! Love you!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your post! You know, you have spread your light in other ways, too. Several years ago, I took a class from you in Lancaster...You told me in front of Laura (I was buying stuff in your booth)that I was in your class and was "a natural." You don't know how much that meant to me. I've been working hard ever since...and this year, I'm teaching my first classes for $$.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the inspiration, joy and knowledge.
Happy Easter, Mrs. Mel! Thanks for sharing this. I wish you could find the kind of community that I worship with - where we do not check our brains at the door and are inclusive and outreaching. And what Jo said - she's right, you have an ability to empower and validate budding artists.
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter!! What a shame that a group of strange people have made being Christian sound so bad! God, the greatest Creator, has given us gifts to use. You are using your gifts wisely and fully, just as God intends.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Gerrie...wish you could find a church like I have...we are both of the same demonimation but different churches.
God has a plan for all of us. It's up to us to pay attention and discover it. Like Sonji, some have tried to make me feel bad about not being Christian, but everyone's path to their personal spiritual fulfillment is different. I'm a good person and I know what the Creator's plan is for me. I'm getting there, you know? As for you, just from posts I've read via the AQ Ring, you have influenced so many folks with your wisdom, talent and kindness that you're definitely on the right path!
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