A friend brought this to me at work on Saturday; she had printed it out from an email. I had received this as a forward in the past and was touched that when she read it, she immediately thought of me. Even if you have seen this one before, it is well worth reading.

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 was. 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 every day 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 love in my life, and
laughter. But there had also been
trials of illness, and wealth, 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 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, and 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.’

May all our quilts be threadbare and worn, allowing
Christ to shine through!

God determines who walks into your life….it’s up to

you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and
who you refuse to
let go.

When there is nothing left but God that is when
you find out that God is all you need.

Lord, I thank you for friends that think of me even when I am not in their presence. Thank you for the person who wrote this poem, so eloquently, sharing wisdom and love with the rest of us.