My Friend, Vivia...

For the Lord your God will bless you.....

in all the work of your hands
and your joy will be complete.
Deuteronomy 16

My precious friend... friend to many of us, Vivia Halbert is home with the Lord. I first got to know Vivia when she and I roomed at quilt retreat the first year I attended. She is such a warm, lovely soul. She loves the Lord, gives to others and has such a gentle spirit. She loved her husband and family so much. She cared for her friends and gave so much to our lives. We were always amazed at how much she could accomplish. She always worked on something. She told me that when she went to Disneyland or Disneyworld (can't remember) she took tatting in her pocket so she could keep busy while waiting in hour-long lines. Never idle hands. Her 'job' was as a finisher. You know how so many of us start craft projects and don't finish them or inherit finished projects that aren't framed or made into anything. Well, Vivia finished them for us. She would lovingly turn these projects into completed works of fiber art. We will miss her so much, but she is in a wonderful place waiting for us to join her. She will probably have all the Lord's UFOs finished by the time we get there.
"Tapestry of Life"

As I faced my Maker at the last judgment, I knelt before the Lord
along with all the other souls. Before each of us laid our lives like
the squares of a quilt in many piles. An angel sat before each of
us sewing our quilt squares together into a tapestry that is our life.

But as my angel took each piece of cloth off the pile, I noticed
how ragged and empty each of my squares were. They were filled
with giant holes. Each square was labeled with a part of my life
that had been difficult, the challenges and temptations I was
faced with in everyday life. I saw hardships that I endured, which
were the largest holes of all.

I glanced around me. Nobody else had such squares. Other than a
tiny hole here and there, the other tapestries were filled with rich
color and the bright hues of worldly fortune. I gazed upon my own
life and was disheartened. My Angel was sewing the ragged pieces
of cloth together, threadbare and empty, like binding air.

Finally the time came when each life was to be displayed, held up to
the light, the scrutiny of truth. The others rose, each in turn,
holding up their tapestries. So filled their lives had been. My angel
looked upon me, and nodded for me to rise. My gaze dropped to
the ground in shame. I hadn't had all the earthly fortunes. I had
had love in my life, and laughter.

But there had also been trials of illness, and death, and false
accusations that took from me my world as I knew it. I had to start
over many times. I often struggled with the temptation to quit, only
to somehow muster the strength to pick up and begin again.
I spent many nights on my knees in prayer, asking for help and
guidance. In my life I had often been held up to ridicule, which I
endured painfully, each time offering it up to the Father in
hopes that I would not melt within my skin beneath the
judgmental gaze of those who unfairly judged me.

And now, I had to face the truth. My life was what it was, and I
had to accept it for what it was. I rose and slowly lifted the
combined squares of my life to the light. An awe filled gasp filled
the air. I gazed around at the others who stared at me with
wide eyes.Then I looked upon the tapestry before me.

Light flooded through the many holes, creating an image. The face
of Christ.Then our Lord stood before me, with warmth and love in
His eyes. He said, "Every time you gave over your life to Me,it
became My life, My hardships, My struggles. Each point of light in
your life is when you stepped aside and let Me shine through, until
there was more of Me than there was of you."

"'You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be
hidden. Let your light shine before men is such a way that they
may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.'"
Matthew 5:14,16
(NASB)