A Tapestry of Grace: Finding Beauty in Life’s Imperfections

Grandma made a tapestry for each of her daughters. Countless hours of stitching; trusting that something beautiful was emerging — a true tapestry of grace, even if the beauty wasn’t always clear in the moment.

One of those daughters, my beloved aunt, passed away. Hers is now a treasured item which now hangs in my bedroom.

I love it not only for its handiwork or lovely scene. Not just because it was made by my Grandma’s hands…

Strive for Progress, Not Perfection

Every time I look at it, I am reminded of how my life has been made beautiful in spite of the ugly underside. Do you know what I mean?

There is always the potential of our lives as works in progress, but we can miss the beauty because we can’t see the completed work.

Our eyes are blurry when we try to focus too closely. We need to step back.

The Underside of the Tapestry

There are glimpses of color, pattern, and beauty.

But we are part of the underside, where the knots and mistakes are.

The pattern mimics the finished creation, but is marred by imperfections.

The Good News: Grace Covers the Knots

Here is the good news:

there is NO screw-up that won’t still be worked into a custom-designed, intricately gorgeous tapestry if we use those knots for good.

How?

We don’t hide them.

We can let people feel the roughness and see the reality of how difficult a masterpiece is to create.

Let each other know that we all have the skipped stitches and sloppy tie-offs.

A Tapestry of Redemption

At the end, how glorious a display of beauty an imperfect life presents when the redemption shines through. A tapestry of grace.

Want to Go Deeper?

I’ve just shared a new post on Substack that dives deeper into this topic, with practical tips and a look at how my own family traditions have shaped the life we live today. You can read it here.