The Official Writing Challenge
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This is simply beautiful, partly because it's beautifully simple. Women need a quilt pattern; man brings picked flowers to wife; she sees Jesus picking their children like flowers and so is healed; and so the quilt pattern is to be a flower garden.
The revealing of the dresses as she reveals her feelings for the first time is very powerful, the centrepiece around which the whole story is built. And then the perfect finishing touch which brings together the quilting, the grief, the little ones and the healing, is that she is prepared to cut the dresses up to make shapes for a quilt - perhaps even to make the pattern? That is pure inspiration and lifts the story out of the ordinary in my opinion.

Quilting is a marvellous tradition and I wouldn't be surprised if 'real' cases of emotional or relationalship healing had happened in more than one session of quilting. Isn't there a book or a film with quilting as a central theme? My wife being American and her mother's ancestry being Pennsylvania Dutch, we have at home several quilts brought back from that great quilting state.
This story moved me and I thank you for it.
09/15/06
Beautiful! God's healing touch does come in His way and in His timing. You have touched my heart with this wonderful story. A master piece with the touch of the Master's hand.
09/15/06
A heart wrenching story, but with a wonderful attitude behind it. So nicely said, so nicely written...I enjoyed the read. Thank you.
09/15/06
Absolute masterful craftsmanship. You made me smile, ponder, cry, rejoice and in the end, filled me with hope. And you did it all in 750 words. Ahh...the goodness of God and his ability to redeem any situation. Plus this is down right awesome, creative writing. WOW!

I can't leave without repeating my favorite line.

Each time Hezekiah brought flowers, I was reminded my precious little girls were with Jesus … they were fragrant in their innocence, and they make Him smile every time He sees them.

Love the fragrant in their innocence phrase. Simply beautiful.
09/15/06
This is a lovely story, so beautifully written. It brought tears and smiles at the hope we all have in heaven, blooming forever. Bless you!
I loved the message behind the flower quilts. Such a sweet way to think about why the young are allowed to die.
This one should score well. :)
There are no words for this! It's simply outstanding, amazing and beautiful all at the same time.
09/20/06
Heartwarming and extremely creative. Thanks, Jan!
09/20/06
Such a touching story! It is a wonderful example of healing, and of God's comfort growing (like a garden) over the years. Thank you so much for sharing this.
09/20/06
Beautiful story, with a message gently expressed.
09/20/06
So touching and wonderful and moving. I love the analogy - it completely surprised me and touched my heart in a very special way. I cried (and I don't do that very often when reading!!).
09/20/06
oh...wow...*finds a tissue* shouldn't there be a tissue warning on here? This is simply amazing (and I didn't even see the missing word)
09/20/06
I have a quilt my grandma knitted for each of her grandkids and one my Big Momma, quilited. Neither one match anything in my house . . . and I wouldn't trade them for the world!!!! So there, Wal-mart!!! Yes, quilting can be theraputic. Now where did my tissues go? Oh, next to the peanuts. Go figure!
A beautiful story!
I actually gasped when she began to cut the fabric of those precious little dresses. How that must have hurt! Beautiful. Thank you for blessing me today.
09/21/06
Very powerful story!! I wonder what inspired Hezekiah to start bringing her flowers when he had never done so before? Powerful points when she took out the dresses and started talking, and again when she started cutting them up. Powerful!
09/21/06
Congratulations Jan! This was my favorite this week!
09/21/06
Way to go Jan!!!! Congrats. I'm glad this great story was recognized. God bless.
A lovely story, Jan. Congratulations!
09/25/06
What a heart-rending story, and how beautiful the message is. Congratulations on a job well done.