Simple gifts...Perfect imperfection

Simple gifts…Perfect imperfection…Imperfect perfection
Every time I drove by and looked up, the mistake I made pops out and I cringed. It was such a lovely idea. We would create a barn quilt based on the design of Michael’s grandmother’s friendship quilt as the finishing touch for the restored high barn. The quilt, sewn by grandmother and her friends, was given to his grandfather when they married. I was captivated by the concept of a friendship quilt so I enlisted the help of the farm family. Jim, Jay and Michael assembled the wooden framework. Jay and Jim drew off the pattern. Leisa, Diane, Jeannie, Julie, Michael and I painted the quilt but the bulk of the painting was my responsibility.
I spent hours in the barn painting the last three days before the deadline to hang the quilt. Who knew painting stripes could be so time consuming even with the help of painter’s tape? The finished piece is eight feet square so there was a lot of striping going on. The final day came. Jim came to help hang it. As the men hung the new barn doors in the morning, I was still painting. Lunchtime came and I had to wash out my brushes and let go of the work. Ready or not, it was time.
Later that evening, I went to see the quilt panel and there it was! How could I have missed painting stripes on that star point? It is so high off the ground there is no way I can remedy the situation. All my joy in the project teetered on the edge of extinction. Old voices flew to the surface of my soul. Anything worth doing is worth doing well…What a stupid mistake…What’s wrong with you…If you hadn’t waited until the last minute…
And then, David had the word of grace for me. He reminded me of the Amish tradition of on purpose imperfection. Everything they create has some “mistake”, some flaw, some visual reminder that no one among us is perfect. I heave a sigh of relief and let go of the anger at myself. I, too, am an imperfect creation. In this holy season of Advent, I will remember to extend the grace of affirmation for the imperfection in myself and others. We are all stumbling around in the darkness awaiting the Light of Love to dawn. The gift of perfect imperfection, a simple gift not a design flaw… Thanks be to God.