Tiny little pieces make a whole

Another gorgeous photo story from my college roommate, Lillian... We visited the International Quilt Study Center at the University of Nebraska over Thanksgiving. The first set of quilts were put together by a male engineer. He looked very much like a farmer in overalls behind his sewing machine. And then there was the quilt made by Bertha Neiden that won the purple ribbon at the 1914 Nebraska State Fair. It has 10,222 pieces! Talk about preparation, patience and perseverance. To me, these photos are about the unexpected. Kind of like no one really expected Jesus to be born in a manager. And just like Jesus' birth, they show incredible beauty in their simplicity.