Untie the Ribbons

Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons. 

                                                                  ~Ruth Ann Schabacker

Mom with our Ethan 

Rev. Duncan, a former pastor of my mother’s, shared these words at the funeral, November 4, 2014:

When I think of Dottie Cessna, I think of this..."She lived in the moment." She took each day, each moment as God gave it to her and she packed into it all of the prayer, encouragement, fun, excitement, creativity and love that she possibly could. She lived in these moments with a purpose - to live to the fullest the life that God had given to her. Hers was not a mundane day-to-day existence. She kept up with the best of them, only slowing down a little when her physical demanded it.

A special day was not just merely a happening, it was an event. Whether she was going to visit family, or receiving a visit from family, she was excited and ready for the adventure. What was she doing? She was taking the ordinary and turning it into something special.

One year for their anniversary I had made Brother and Sister Cessna a cake, and my family and I made a pastoral call to drop it off. Of course she offered for us to share it with them. I had used a piece of yellow gingham ribbon to add some color to the cake which had to be removed before the cake could be cut. I didn't think any more about that ribbon, but I was to see it again. Shortly after that visit a card was given to us - handmade of course. Guess what was on it? A short piece of yellow gingham ribbon. She had taken the ordinary and made something special from it.

When we think of Dottie Cessna, I believe we would have to admit the same about her life. She took what each one of us has today, those seemingly ordinary days of life, and used them for God's glory and the encouragement of others. So today, we can take those beautiful memories, tuck them into our ordinary lives, and turn them into something special.

Pattern found here

One of Mom’s favorite maxims was, “Sometimes you have to

 make your own sunshine.” One way she answered the sunshine call was to encourage someone. Almost every one of our shopping days included Mom buying something for her “drawer” – small gifts to have available when it was time to encourage others. 

Decorative file folders, note cards, books, a linen hand towel, or food gifts in unique containers – she loved gifting. The young, the elderly, and everyone in-between were encouraged when she changed their ordinary days to “something special.” 

Even the smallest of gifts were wrapped with ribbon. Mom shared my delight of ribbon. Often when shopping together, we’d each buy a spool, and share. The artist in her loved the healthy colors, and the last time we shopped for ribbons, she bought the new two-sided rolls. She was excited about a new project I’m working on that involved ribbon, and told me I could inherit her ribbon collection when she died. Neither of us knew that in four months, that would be our reality.

I’m picking up her mantle. I’m determined to take my ordinary days and use them for God’s glory and the encouragement of others. Ordinary days tied with ribbons of joy and grace.

Kid's craft with ribbon

Ladybug ribbon