Blessing #25

The following fabric squares were sent all the way from Santiago, Chile, and were designed by dear Chilean friends of ours, July and Tito. I will translate what they say below each one.

On this square is a photo of the national flower of Chile, the copihue. On it July writes...

"For you this beautiful promise: Then he taught me and said to me, 'Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments and live.' Proverbs 4:4

With love, Tito, July and children"

On this square is the Chilean coat of arms. On the coat of arms it says, "By Reason or Strength" which is part of the Chilean national anthem, as well. On this square July wrote the words from Psalm 4:8:

"In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in safety."

These are beautiful reminders of my childhood in Chile. One day we hope to take Sophia to visit!

Blessing #24

This adorable penguin fabric is from Sophia's grandmother, Gail Christian, who has collected penguins for as long as I can remember (she's my mom!). Here is what she writes:

"My Special Blessing for Sophia -

Sophia, my blessing for you is based on a special blessing in the Bible (Numbers 6:24-26)...

'The Lord bless you and keep you' (in the womb and throughout your life).

'The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you' (The Lord knows you before you are born and knows your every need.)

'The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace' (We want you to be part of the 'godly seed' that our daughter and her husband seek to raise for the Lord.) (Malachi 2:15)"

Blessing #23

This whimsical fabric piece is from another one of Grandma Leah's church friends in Ohio. It was accompanied by a really lovely note to Sophia:

"Dearest Sophia,

My wish for you is that so far in your life you have known much happiness, love and joy. My wish for your future is that you continue to know these things, along with the knowledge that with God's love anything is possible. Also having faith and hope in your heart, will help you to better understand and accept God's plans for you.

The square I gave you is red and has teapots with the saying, 'Cup of Kindness' on it. I've always enjoyed tea and I also collect teapots. I find that in my quiet moments alone, sipping my tea, I feel much closer to God. I like to take this time to listen to what He has planned for me. Sophia, make sure you take time. Have faith and hope; He'll always be there.

Blessings,
Mary A. Willaughley"

Blessing #22

This bright and bold piece of fabric is from a gentleman who attends Dave's Grandma's church in Ohio. Grandma Leah said this dear widower wanted in on the act as well...he didn't want the ladies to have all the fun, I guess! Here is Lloyd's message to Sophia:

"May God bless you. Have a good life.

Lloyd G. Egbert"

Thanks, Lloyd, for joining us on this endeavor! Blessings to you, too!

Blessing #21

This beautiful, feminine piece of fabric comes from the daughters of one of my former undergrad and current grad school students. Actually, I taught both parents at one time or another! It is such a blessing to see how God is working in the lives of my former students, and in turn, they are blessing others...including us! That's the way it is meant to be...pass on the blessings!

Here is the note that accompanied the fabric:

"God made you special, Sophia! You are unique, just like the bees and flowers. Our fabric is some from our great-grandma. Maybe someday we can play together.

Love,
Emma & Rebekah Sweger

Psalm 139"

Thank you Emma and Rebekah (and Mom and Dad!) for such a special blessing for Sophia...I'm sure she will love to get together for play dates with you!

Blessing #20

Teaching runs in my family! This special piece of fabric comes from my Aunt Debbie who lives in NJ. It is special not only because it is from my Aunt, but also because it represents her valiant battle against cancer...it is a remnant from one of her many head scarves she is using as she continues to teach her school children during her cancer treatment. I am so very proud of my Aunt and her godly attitude during this trial she is enduring! Here is her note to Sophia:


"Sophia,

The piece of material I chose for your quilt has pictures of many things you will be using in school. I am a teacher, and I wish for you many successful years of studying in school so you can learn more about God from His Word, the Bible. May you come to know Him personally at a very early age. Keep trusting in Him for everything.

Love, Aunt Debbie (Lincoln)"

We love you, Aunt Debbie!

Blessing #19

This happy piece of fabric (the photo doesn't do it justice!) is from a family at our church. They have also been blessed through adoption. Karen loves to scrapbook, so her note to Sophia is ready to put right into the quilt album when I get around to it! Here is what the note says:

"Dear Sophia,

May you be blessed with a long, and happy life...full of love from your family and friends, but most importantly the love of Jesus. We pray that you will grow to serve the Lord with all your heart!

Love,
Andy, Karen, Rachel, and Molli Colver

'The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.' (Numbers 6:24-26)"

Blessing #18

This adorable farmyard fabric came all the way from Montana! That is really neat, because my brother-in-law is from Montana, and even though I've never visited, I feel a little connection to that beautiful state. Now, Sophia will have her own connection as well! Here is the accompanying note:

"Dear Sophia,

I chose this fabric for your quilt because it reminded me of visiting my Grandpa's farm when I was a little girl. I liked to watch him milk the cows the old fashioned way and then I'd help him gather the eggs the chickens laid. I also saw sheep and ducks on his farm. Maybe you will visit many farms some day.

Psalm 27:4: Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a real blessing.

Patricia from Montana"

Thank you so much Patricia, for joining with us in this endeavor. Blessings to you in Montana!

Blessing #17

This beautiful quilt square came from a family in Colorado who found our blog while surfing the internet. I'm very grateful for the new friends I am meeting on this adoption journey...thanks for participating in this endeavor with us! Here is the accompanying note:

"Dear Sophia:

This blessing comes all the way from Colorado! We have beautiful mountains and wildlife here that I hope someday you will be able to see. I hope as you grow older you will learn to appreciate nature and all the beauty God has gifted to us

I chose this quilt piece especially for you. If you look close, you will see many nursery rhymes depicted. There is The Cat and the Fiddle, Little Boy Blue, The Old Woman in a Shoe, Mother Goose, Humpty Dumpty, Hey Diddle Diddle, Jack and Jill and Rock a Bye Baby.

Nursery rhymes are fun because they help us to imagine and dream. They provoke creativity and teach us to have fun and enjoy life, and to always be a child at heart. I hope as you spend time reading with your parents, you will always treasure that special time with them.

Jodi, Alan and Leah
COLORADO"

Blessing #16

I love the picture on this fabric square...a mom and her little girl looking out the window--how appropriate! This was sent to us by Rev. Maureen Webber, who leads the congregation at First Christian Church in Brunswick, Ohio, where our Grandma Leah is a long-time member. Thank you so much!

Blessing #15

This unique patterned fabric came from another lady from Grandma Leah's church in Brunswick, Ohio. Here is her blessing for Sophia,

"Dear Sophia,

Welcome to God's country of great resources and opportunities. I pray that, as you grow, you will love and serve God. Walk with God, trust in Him and He will show you the way, the truth and the life.

Love,

Sandy Farrenholz"

Blessing #14

I just love this whimsical fabric piece! It is from yet another one of the ladies from First Christian Church in Brunswick, Ohio, where our Grandma Leah is a member. Carole writes,

"Dear Sophia,

Your blessings began when you were chosen to be part of this wonderful family. May God continue to bless you with good health, happiness and many talents. May you always use the wisdom given to you by our Father to honor His name.

Carole Cassell"

Blessing #13

This is another piece of fabric from one of the ladies at Grandma Leah's church. She writes,

"Welcome Sophia Elizabeth.

I pray that our good and gracious Lord God bless you all of your years and you will be a blessing to Him in return. God is good.

My prayers,

Jayce Lemley"

Thank you so much for your beautiful blessing!

Blessing #12

This piece of fabric came from Shirley Tomer, one of the ladies at Grandma Leah's church in Ohio. Shirley's note says,

"Sophia,

I wish you blessings to be strong and healthy.

In Christian Love,

Shirley Tomer - FCC"

First Christian Church (FCC) is Grandma Leah's church in Ohio. Thank you so much for your gift to Sophia!

Blessing #11

This fabric piece came from Sophia's Great-Grandmother, Grandma Leah, who lives in Ohio. Grandma Leah also got some of her friends from church to participate in our little endeavor...thanks Grandma! Here is her message to Sophia:

"Sophia,

It's loving and giving that make life worth living.

Grandma Leah"

We love you, Grandma!

Blessing #10

This blessing quilt square came from a dear friend at our former church in Manheim, PA, Kuk-Hui Barber. She sent the most lovely note along with this square. The verses she wished to dedicate to our family and little Sophia come from Psalm 144:12-15:

"May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace; may our garners be full, providing all manner of store; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields; may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mischance or failure in bearing; may there be no cry of distress in our streets! Happy the people to whom such blessings fall! Happy the people whose God is the LORD!"

Verse 15 is actually embroidered on the square, and Kuk-Hui sent along a matching pillowcase for Sophia as well. Thank you so much my dear friend!

Blessing #9

I love the purple color of this little floral piece of fabric from Uncle Matt and Aunt Ruthie (can you tell Aunt Ruthie likes to quilt?) Here is their blessing with this fabric piece:

"Sophia,

'The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.' (Psalm 121:5 NLT)

Uncle Matt and Aunt Ruthie Stephens"

Blessing #8

Here is another blessing from Uncle Matt and Aunt Ruthie:

"Sophia,

'Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found.' (Psalm 119:35)

Uncle Matt and Aunt Ruthie Stephens"

Blessing #7

This special piece of fabric is from Sophia's Uncle Matt and Aunt Ruthie Stephens...my friend from college and her husband! We love getting together with them whenever we can, and they can't wait to meet little Sophia! Here is their blessing with this fabric:

"Sophia,

'Happy is the person who finds wisdom and gains understanding. For the profit of wisdom is better than silve, and her wages are better than gold. Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.' (Proverbs 3:13-15)

Uncle Matt and Aunt Ruthie Stephens"

Blessing #6

This beautiful purple botanical fabric came from a dear friend of ours, Norma McElheny. She was one of my many "Moms" through the years when my parents were still in Chile, and I was in college here in the States. Her daughter, Ruth, and I have been close friends since our college days. Here is her blessing for Sophia:

"Matthew 19:14: Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

She also included Psalm 139, a beautiful Psalm that describes a baby in a mother's womb...what a reminder that God knit together our beautiful Sophia and knows her even as we wait to meet her! Thank you, Norma!

Blessing #5

This darling piece of fabric came from Dave's Aunt Diane, Uncle Alan, and daughter Missy, who live in the beautiful state of Tennessee. Winnie the Pooh is one of my favorite characters ever, and I hope Sophia will love him, too! Here is their note for Sophia:

"Dear Sophia,

This is a piece of material from our little girl's room. She has enriched our lives so much and I am sure you will do the same.

We wish you a life full of joy.

Love,

Aunt Diane, Uncle Alan, and Missy"

Thank you so much for such a meaningful piece of fabric and beautiful blessing for our Sophia!

Blessing #4

This fabric piece is from Sophia's (hopefully!) big brother, Nathaniel. (I say hopefully, because it could be that they are very close in age!) Of course he can't write or tell me anything, so I have made up his note to Sophia, but I imagine he would have something like this to say:

"Dear Sophia,

I like 'big trucks big trucks' (translation: monster trucks), so I chose this fabric for you. I can't wait to meet you and play with you. I hope you like cars and trucks as much as I do!

Love,

Nathaniel"

Blessing #3

This piece of fabric was chosen by Sophia's big brother, Benjamin. He can't write yet, but he told me what he would like to say to Sophia:

"Dear Sophia,

I can't wait to see you. I picked this fabric because I like bugs. Once I had a lady bug as my friend. I hope you like to play with trains and trucks and cars!

Love,

Benjamin"

Blessing #2

This piece of fabric is my addition to Sophia's blessing quilt. I found it on Etsy when searching "plum blossom" which is the national flower of Taiwan. I thought it was quite beautiful, and didn't realize until I had ordered it that it was coming to me all the way from...Taiwan! How perfect! Here is my blessing for Sophia:

"My Dearest Sophia,

My blessing for you, now and for always, is this:

May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face shine upon you and give you peace.

You have been longed for, prayed for, and loved for a very long time. I can't wait to meet you!

Forever,

Your Mama"

Blessing #1

Our very first piece of fabric for Sophia's blessing quilt has arrived! It came all the way from Kathy who blogs at Lizzie Jane and resides in beautiful Washington State. She also sent along a corresponding piece of fabric that has a Mary Englebriet illustration of a little girl and a bowl of cherries on it, as well as a couple of other things. It could be made into a wallhanging for Sophia's room. Here is Kathy's blessing note for Sophia:

"Dear Sweet Sophia,

I wish for you all the blessings that life has to offer. I chose this fabric for your welcoming quilt because I hope that life is like a 'bowl of cherries' for you.

Hugs,

Kathy"

Thank you so much, Kathy, for the beautiful fabric pieces and heartfelt message! You are our first blessing for Sophia!

Sophia's Blessing Quilt...An Open Invitation

January 1, 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

While we are waiting for the arrival of our daughter, Sophia Elizabeth, from Taiwan, we are working on a project that we REALLY need your help with. We are creating something called a "100 Blessings Quilt."

To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei, or "100 Good Wishes Quilt." It is a custom to invite 100 people to contribute a single square patch of cloth. The 100 patches are sewn together into a quilt that contains the luck, energy, and good wishes from all the families and friends who contributed a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation. Believing that God has called us to adopt from Taiwan, we are calling our quilt a “100 Blessings Quilt”. God, not luck, will guide Sophia’s life, so blessings are more appropriate!

We are asking you to please participate in this project. We love the idea of welcoming Sophia into our home with a quilt that represents the good wishes and blessings you are all sending her way. Here is what we would like you to do:

1. Choose ANY 100% cotton fabric that you like. It can be from clothing or from a fabric store. It just needs to be a design and color that you like.

2. Cut ONE 7" (pre-washed) or one 8" (un-washed) square from the fabric. Tip... if you have no idea how to work with fabric, ask for assistance at a fabric store and show them this letter. They will probably cut it for you.

3. Include your "good wish/blessing note" for Sophia. We will place all your notes in a scrapbook that we will give to our daughter someday. Also, please include a small piece of fabric on the note so we can always remember which fabric was yours!

Ideas for selecting fabric squares:

*Select a fabric that is meaningful to you.

*100% cotton fabric is best, as it washes and wears better.

*If there are several members in your family, please feel free to send more than 1 set of scraps. It would be so special to include good wishes/blessings from all members of your family!! In China, these quilts were originally made from garments of family and friends, which would surround the child with luck/good wishes.

Ideas for good wish/blessing note:

What would you wish for a child to have in his/her life? Some ideas that come to mind are good health, perseverance, compassion, and sense of humor. Or, what blessing do you wish to give to Sophia? Perhaps a favorite Bible verse you find meaningful, or other inspirational quote. Use that as a guide for your good wish/blessing note. Keep in mind that she will not see your note until she is older, of course. Also, you could write down why you chose the fabric that you sent, if that is especially meaningful, as well. Remember, please include a small piece of fabric on the note.

Please take a few minutes from your busy schedules to help us create this very special keepsake for our daughter. We have created a blog entitled, “Sophia’s Blessing Quilt” (http://www.blessingquilt.blogspot.com/) that will have photos of the fabric swatches as they arrive, as well as the notes. You will be able to keep tabs with us as our “blessings” pour in! There is a link to the quilt blog from both our family blog (http://www.merrilymusingmom.blogspot.com/)and our adoption blog (http://www.oursilkroad.blogspot.com/). Feel free to pass along this information to others whom you feel might want to participate with us!

Thank you for investing in our family, and especially in our new daughter’s soon arrival from Taiwan. May God bless you richly!

Sincerely,

Dave and Terri Fisher

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you would like to participate in this project, please leave a comment on this post that includes your e-mail address, and we will send you an e-mail with our physical address. I moderate my comments, so I will not include your e-mail address when/if I publish your comment. We can't wait to see what fun fabrics arrive from our blogging friends!