THE SPIRIT OF ST. NICHOLAS RESONATES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR – Around The Frame

The spirit of St. Nicholas was alive and well at Born Again Quilts as we celebrated the patron saint of children, merchants, repentant thieves and many other groups. It would be pretty fair to say he is the patron saint of everyone! If visitors thought they were going to meet a “St. Nicholas” they didn’t, but his spirit was in the air.

Long-time customer Marcia Neeley brought in a large box of upholstery samples the week prior hoping I’d find a new home for them. A few days later Kathryn Beauchot of the Monroeville Pieceful Quilters calls and in the course of the conversation she mentions the group is going to make walker bags for nursing home residents. I ask her if heavy upholstery squares in bright floral patterns would work and indeed they would so come Saturday sisters Willa and Corine Kline pick up the box and a boxful of sewing thread donated by BAQ so the quilters would have adequate supplies to complete them.

What happened that Saturday exemplifies the spirit of St Nicholas: People coming together to give of their resources and talents to make someone else’s life easier. By creating the walker bags, nursing home residences won’t struggle to carry items in their hands while they maneuver the halls. Chances are the residents won’t know the quilters who made them for like St. Nicholas who preferred to work in secret, the quilter’s will take delight to know their handiwork brightened someone’s day.

Walk by Born Again Quilts and you will find two storefront windows bursting with toys of by-gone days. These toys represent the earthly child in all of us who fondly remember receiving a special toy at Christmas. Step into Born Again Quilts and you will view the Holy Family all in white on top of an old sewing machine cabinet with a plain brown tablecloth underneath symbolizing the earth floor of the stable and the clay from which Adam was created. The simple figures express a heavenly spirit of peace and tranquility. St. Nicholas followed the teachings of the Babe and exemplified them throughout his life in his compassion and giving nature. May we carry his spirit into the new year as we commit ourselves anew to giving a ready smile, being less judgmental and helping a stranger in need.

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Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

Lois Levihn is the owner of Born Again Quilts located at 4005 South Wayne Ave. She can be reached at 260-515-9446 or bornagainquilts@frontier.com.