A Little White Dress
Our ties to our past are precious. For me, the art of creating beautiful handsewn clothing go back three generations of watching my great grandmother, Nancy Elizabeth Balthrop Murphy, sit at her sewing machine or in her chair, sewing beautiful garments for others. Now in my life, I realize that God did indeed allow me a special gift of spending a great deal of time with her. She kept me for two years when I was three and again from four until I was ready to begin school. I attended kindergarten in the morning and in the afternoon stayed with her and my great grand father, John Joseph Murphy. She would make wonderful meals at noon and I enjoyed the love that they gave to me. I also watched her sew. She was an exquisite seamstress of handsewn clothing. She worked with extra fine thread and tiny needles to create the delicate clothing for babies and children and truly her work was art. I am so thankful that I have inherited just a little of her talent.
French handsewing brings to mind a picture of a little girl in a beautiful dress and the softness and sweetness of a baby's face is only enhanced by these garments. Only the finest materials are used such as batiste, lawn, and organdy with lace found only abroad or in speciality shops here in the United States.
I made this little white dress over the past two weeks for one of my granddaughters who will wear it on the wedding day in May of our daughter, Kara, to her sweetheart, Philip. The little dress is made of white swiss batiste, tulle, French lace beading, entredeux beading, and the sleeves are organdy. It is still actually in process because I still have to travel to New Orleans to purchase the ribbon at a shop there and I plan to close the back with old fashioned antique beauty bars. Of course the greatest stitch I am putting in this is my love. The love that a mother, grandmother, or a great grand mother shares with a child is dramatically different from all other kinds of love. It is a miracle working kind of love.....to have a love given so purely, freely, and unconditionally is the way God loves us. He gave Himself totally to and for us. His love is the kind of love that radiates upon the face and in the heart of someone who possesses it. He used HIS finest materials in making you and then created you in HIS own image so that you could shine like a star in the universe......and all for HIS GLORY!!!!. Do not be afraid to share HIS love because just like the story in the Old Testament where the children of Israel went out each morning to gather manna for the day according to the people within their own tent, His provision of love for you is similar. The love you give away will indeed be returned to you in a bountiful way and it is new every morning. "And in the morning, you shall see the glory of the Lord!" Exodus 16:7 Give your love, talents, and resources that you have been blessed to recieve and it will be given unto you my friend!
His love for you is beyond your understanding. He longs to show you His majesty. Turn your eyes to see the beauty and glory of His creation. Ponder the vastness of HIS abilities. It is when we use those abilities, no matter how small, that a masterpiece is created and I might add one defined by LOVE!
