Oh where am I this morning? Thinking about another special someone. Yes I know what is GOING ON? ;-)
Okay so this precious someone has been instrumental in my family's life since working together in ministry and coming to live with us at our first camp as staff together. Oh those where the days (and still are for me).
She and I were in the "old cabins" because we preferred living "out there" than inside the "retreat center" It was sweet. She had the most beautiful set up. Throw carpet on the cold cement floor, a Mobile hanging rack for the cabin girls, and the coolest towel rack to dry just outside our door! I LOVED being with her as one of the cabin moms. We stayed up late under flash light, choking from the fumes of deet filled bug spray, perfume of every array to the sent and towels hanging from the rafters. Curtains made of what ever we pulled together and FANS galore to take the edge off the heat. But what I remember so vividly where her QUILTS made with Love. The goal was to earn the Best CABIN and the Best Bunk for the day. That is when I really began to wonder who made "that quilt" on that bed when I first came in to a moved in cabin. It was a dear one that I have grown to LOVE through the years since 1988 also. But the reason I write is because I saw a quilt recently that made me smile; a love made quilt on Laurels' lap before the Lord took her home made by this beautiful woman.
Can you guess who she might be? I'll shout it out with GLEE . . . "CLAUDEEDEE". One day shortly after our first princess entered our home she was blessed with a hand made quilt from her beautiful hands. I cried (those of you who know understand these eyes tears). She pieced many squares and covered it with a rosette pattern on the other side. I didn't want to use it I wanted to do what everyone else was doing back in the day and just "display it" on a quilter rack for looks. That is when I discovered the greatest compliment is for the recipient to USE their quilt and allow it to be worn out; LITERALLY!!!!! I was Aghast to at first. "It's too beautiful to USE it." She and I giggled as we talked about quilts, Kent's gram' ma K making them like crazy, and on and on and on. Although she may not remember that, I do. So we brought Mya's quilt to camp for her bedding from then on (even in the summer camps Mya didn't come with us- which wasn't but maybe one).
Then again a couple of years later, another quilt arrived shortly after Tia's birth. Just as beautiful and again very special. I don't remember exactly when but I began asking Claudeedee (Claudia B.) about her quilts. Her time creating them, why she loved making them, along with many other questions. How many she had made and that is when I discovered she made them for her family: the boys, her nieces and nephews, siblings, parents, and Paul's' family (and Rogers are a large family). I went to bed that night with a soft tear rolling down my cheeks realizing that she made one for my girls with love like they were her family! Kent had a quilt for college and our quilt for our wedding from Gram'ma K, Mya and Tia had one now from Claudeedee (which by the way was what they named Claudia from then on that is how we know them). She loved my girls so tenderly. I knew their quilts were made with Love and it warmed my heart because she thought of them before I even realized the fullness of the gift of intent that took undivided time. Once again not once but twice Claudeedee made two other quilts: one for Faith and Emily. But the most precious quilt was the one Claudia made for me. I bawled like a baby when she brought it over. I knew I was going to use this baby for a VERY LONG TIME, and Ever year since the first quilt they have been going with us to many locations; and ALWAYS to camp at MLCC and now many others. We have loved those quilts and the hands that made them so long ago. They have been used in all four seasons, at sporting events and are worn like coats, they travels with us to many states and countries. They are used & been worn with a returned love just like one of my favorite stories: The Velveteen Rabbit.
I write about them because just two days ago I had Faith grab my quilt out from the back of the van because it was time to take it in to wash it clean. And as it was folded and I saw the iron burn, the wearing out spots and drew in a breath, I said a prayer over Claudia, her hands, her life at that very morning as Faith ran inside with it. Imploring the King for her life to be blessed and her family now grown with grandchildren of her own knowing I am unable to convey fully my love for her gifts made by her love. I know that each and every time one of us wraps up in her quilts made for us with thought, she is a servant who gave unselfishly. Now one of those precious quilts is at college with my precious princess number one. So Thank you Claudedee ~ For I Love You more than you'll ever know!!!
I'll upload a current picture of our quilts made from my special dearly loved "Claudeedee" with their owner. As well as other loved on quilts we use from other wonderful hands creations.
Princess One @ college
taken on photoshoot: copyrighted ~ BChambers Photography
