By Sharon Wilson

“We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” ~ Romans 8:28

I have this old rag rug. A Chindi rug, I believe it is called.  I purchased it initially to keep in the back of my SUV to protect the back hatch area from any dust and mud (and accidents) my dogs might have when traveling with me.  After a while, I found a better solution for my dog issue, and I put the rug to good use in my kitchen on the floor next to the sink.  It did a great job there for a while until it became a tripping hazard for my increasingly ill husband.  The rug eventually made its way out to my patio, and after leaving it out all year (Yes, through a Minnesota winter), it started falling apart. 

This spring, as I was preparing to clean the patio for summer, I grabbed the rug and was about to throw it away. It had certainly given me many years of worth, but the fabric was puffed out in places, and the connecting weaving had just disintegrated in parts.  Just before I was getting ready to toss it, a Facebook post came across my feed. I follow many crafty, recycling, and thrifty people on Facebook, and in this post, someone was recycling an old rag rug by taking it apart.

I love textiles, so I thought I would give it a try.  After a thorough wash and dry, I started unraveling the rug.  Through the many years of use, weather, and sun bleaching – the rug was faded and just plain meh… so I didn’t expect much, and I also had no idea how I might use the scraps, but it was a Sunday afternoon, and rainy, so I sat in my chair and started taking the rug apart. 

Unraveling the scraps of material soon revealed the most beautiful fabric.  Each about eighteen inches long and three or four inches wide, I found beautiful floral silks, strips of sturdy cotton, stretchy lycra, and even lace.  Apart from the outside casing of each piece where the sun had done its damage, the colors were vibrant, and the entire day was filled with surprise after surprise!

Since the work of unraveling the rug was quite meditative and since it was Sunday, I found myself reflecting on my own spiritual journey. 

Lately, well, since my husband’s death, I have been having a hard time going to church.  Initially, it was just hard being there.  I just kept thinking of him and how he should be there with me.  Entering into the Mass had become hard as I was inundated with memories and thoughts of my loss.  The once vibrant Mass became meh… I also let my thoughts lead me to the many times “the church” has let me down.  I note this in a lowercase “c” because the church is made of people, and churchy people and organizations have let me down.  Whether it was being treated in a poor manner by a church organization I worked for or being ignored or left out in the past.  The past grievance that I had held on to discolored my history of the Church with a capital “C.”

Wallowing in the deficiencies of the Church led me to consider abandoning it.

As I unwound these pieces of the rug and saw the beauty in the scraps of fabric that I was planning to throw away, it occurred to me that the Church deserved a second, or even a third or fourth life. 

I started seeing people, situations, or institutions who may have hurt me or caused me to abandon the vibrant church that gave me so much life was still there.  Maybe the people that hurt me were so wound up into themselves that all that could be seen was the washed-out colors on the outside.  Their beauty was hidden.  Likewise, the situations that caused my life to unravel – like the death of my husband, were just bringing me to a new situation, not to the end of my usefulness. 

We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. – Romans 8:28

Just as I was about to throw away the rug and found a second, third, or fourth life for its usefulness, I will look at the people in my life with a new perspective. 

The church, Mass, and the people may have seemed useless and not able to serve a purpose anymore until I took a closer look.  God doesn’t have just one purpose for me – He keeps calling me to my next purpose!

I still don’t know what I will make with these beautiful scraps of fabric from the rug or what I will make with this next stage of my life, but whatever it is – it will be beautiful!

Prayer

Lord, help me see the beauty in all things and help me to look past the drab or washed-out things in my life to find You.   

Call to Action

Take a second look at something that once served or moved you and give it a second chance.  Unravel it a bit to find the beauty. 

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