Laura finished the final stitch and held up the quilt. It had turned out better than she’d hoped. She only prayed Noah would appreciate it. The last few weeks he’d been increasingly agitated. He’d never admit it, but it was clear he was nervous about leaving home for college.
She folded the quilt and tucked it into a large gift bag. She’d know when the time was right. After stowing the bag in the back of the closet, she headed to the kitchen to make dinner.
An hour later, the family gathered around the table. Megan, as usual, chattered away, but Noah picked at his food. Laura studied her son, but didn’t mention his lack of appetite. He’d eat when he was hungry. She turned to Megan, who was asking when they would go back-to-school shopping.
“What’s wrong with the clothes we bought you last year?” Brian asked. “We certainly spent enough money on them.”
Laura turned to Brian. “She’s grown two inches over the summer. I, for one, don’t think her skirts need to be any shorter.”
Megan flashed her mom a smile. “Everyone is wearing pants this year, anyway. There’s no way I can wear last year’s clothes. I’m a junior now. I’d hate for people to think I was a sophomore.”
Brian rolled his eyes. “Oh, silly me. That would be terrible.” He stuffed a forkful of mashed potatoes into his mouth. After swallowing, he pointed his fork at Megan. “You can replace anything that is too small. But anything that’s perfectly good, you’re wearing it again, junior or not.”
“But Dad…”
The look Brian shot her was enough to cut off whatever she was about to say next.
Laura tried to salvage the conversation. “Don’t worry, honey. We can take some of the things from last year and mix and match. And you know, I’m a whiz with the sewing machine. I can make some of your old things look brand new.”
At that, Noah joined the conversation. “Yeah, watch out, Meg. Mom’s likely to bring out one of your shirts from second grade and alter it so you can wear it as a vest.”
Laura put her hands on her hips. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Noah groaned. “Come on, Mom. You have to admit, you are a bit of a hoarder.”
“I am not. This house is plenty clean.”
This time, Brian tried to play the role of peacemaker. “You keep a lovely house, dear. But you do tend to hold onto sentimental items.”
Laura stared at her husband. “That’s the point. They’re sentimental. Someday you might be glad.”
Two weeks later, the night before Noah was to leave for college, he approached Laura in the living room. He slumped on the sofa, eyes downcast.
“Are you OK?”
Noah sighed. “I’m just worried about college. I know who I am here. I’ve grown up with the same kids my entire life and I know what’s expected of me. It won’t be like that there. What if I don’t really know who I am when I get there?”
Laura’s heartbeat quickened. Was her 18-year-old son actually sharing his feelings with her? “Honey, you will always be a part of this family, and you’ll always be a child of God. No matter where you’re living, we’ll always love you, and God will always be with you.”
Noah shrugged. “I guess.”
“I made something for you. I wasn’t sure if you’d want it, but I think now it might help. Hold on.” She made her way to the closet and pulled out the bag.
Noah took the bag from her and unwrapped the quilt. His eyes widened as he studied it. “I can’t believe you did this!”
He ran his hands over each scrap of fabric, from his baby blanket to his first soccer jersey, his favorite T-shirt from middle school, his favorite sports team, patches from his Boy Scout uniform, an outgrown T-shirt from his favorite Christian band, and, in the center, the emblem of the college he was about to attend.
Laura studied his face. His eyes were wide and a smile curved his lips. “This represents my entire life.” He brought the quilt up to his face. “And it’s so soft.” He shook his head. “This is amazing, Mom.”
Laura’s eyes burned with hot tears. “After what you said about me being a hoarder, I wasn’t sure you’d appreciate it.”
Noah wrapped Laura in a hug. “I didn’t mean it. This is the nicest gift I’ve ever gotten. I’ll put it on my dorm bed, and every time I see it, I’ll remember who I am, and how much you love me.”
1 John 3:1
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!
God, our lives are made up of so many different pieces and many different seasons. Help us keep our eyes fixed on what’s important. We’re not defined by where we live, what we’re doing, or who our friends are. We’re defined by being Your children. Help us always remember that. And God, thank You for the special people You place in our lives to love us and guide us and help us remember our precious identity. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Recent Comments