Because of all your support, (my quilting family)… and the support from my husband, employees, family and friends, you all gave me the strength to stand up at Lance’s Memorial service and read this…
“Hello…I am Lisa…Lance’s Mom
I want to stand up here and tell you about my son Lance and how much he meant to me….but I know that is not possible without breaking down…so instead I want to share this with you…
As some of you know….. I am a Quiltmaker…and a lot of you think you know what quilts are…but maybe not like I am going to explain them…
Quilts are LOVE you can touch…it takes a lot of time to stitch a quilt…. and time is one of our most precious assets……giving a quilt is like giving a piece of yourself to that special person. This is why quilt making is so popular and why our family can make a living doing this…we provide the means for quiltmakers to share their love with their families and friends.
Now the reason I am telling you about quilts is this…
Only last night while snuggling on the couch…I discovered that the one quilt I kept for myself from Lance’s house out of the three he had, had a little poem on the back that I had attached on to the quilt when I had given it to him at Christmas time in the year 2000…13 years ago…Lance was 16
I am not the author….but here is what that poem read..
THIS QUILT WITH STITCHES STRONG AND TRUE.
HOLDS ALL THE LOVE I HAVE FOR YOU
NO ANTIQUE THREASURE OR WORK OF ART
JUST A SIMPLE GIFT OF A MOTHER HEART
BRIGHT PATCHES WITH SOME DARK MIXED IN
THE WAY MY LOVE FOR YOU HAS BEEN
JOY AND PRIDE AND WORRY TOO
EVENINGS WAITING UP FOR YOU
AS I PLACED EACH STITCH WITH PATIENT CARE
I THOUGHT OF YOU AND BREATHED A PRAYER
THAT GOD WOULD KEEP YOU SAFE TONIGHT
AND SHOW ME THE WAY TO GUIDE YOU RIGHT
NOW YOU ARE GROWN, MY JOB ALMOST THROUGH
AS THE QUILT IS BOUND AND FINISHED TOO.
IT HOLDS MY LOVE AND FAITH AND CARE
TO TRAVEL WITH YOU EVERYWHERE
IT MAY NOT BE IMPORTANT NOW
BUT KEEP IT SAFE ANYHOW
AND WHEN THERES NO ONE ELSE TO CARE
YOU’LL FIND MY LOVE STILL WAITING THERE.
TO HOLD YOU WARMLY FOR AWHILE
AND SEE YOU THROUGH TIMES OF TRIAL
NO ANTIQUE TREASURE OR WORK OF ART
JUST A SIMPLE GIFT FROM A MOTHERS HEART
I LOVE YOU, LOVE MOM
Christmas 2000
Lance worked for our family business and his job was to dye fabric. I used this fabric to design and make quilts that would become patterns and kits for someone to buy and make a quilt. Our company sells these patterns and quilt kits everywhere, from here at our store in town on the corner, or over the internet shipped throughout the country and across the world….So him and his work will “live on” through us… the people he touched and quilters across the world still making quilts with something he made with his hands…
We welcome you to attend a dinner tonight that his Grandma Teri has made in honor of him… for you his family and friends…and you will see some of the things we’ve made with his dyed wool fabrics.
Thank you all for coming tonight…and please promise not forget my son. Keep him alive in your heart and talk about him and the good times. Good Night…”
I am sharing this personal thing with you all because you shared your pain, your prayers and your advice with me at probably the most difficult time I will ever have in my life…and I am forever grateful to have you all and to be apart of the quilting world. All your blog comments, Facebook comments and texts, kept me going during sleepless nights and painful days…I know that the hardest days still lie ahead and I just ask to keep me in mind when you are praying for your family and friends…
There was great comfort in knowing my son had this flannel quilt with him when he went out on his own…and it was clearly worn and loved but the greatest gift that I have because of this quilt is that he always knew that I loved him and It feels good to snuggle with it when I need to feel close to him, I would not have this if I was not a quilt maker.
Again…thank you….Lisa
I cannot imagine the strength and composure it must have taken for you to read your eulogy. It is truly beautiful, Lisa! You can be proud of him as a wonderful son and yourself as a wonderful Mom! Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers…
Patty
Your post is so beautifully written Lisa…and I so admire you for being able to speak at Lance’s memorial service. My heart goes out to you and your family for your loss. What a beautiful spirit he must have been. Hugs and love
Beautiful tribute..thank you for sharing! Keeping you and your family in my prayers. XOXO
You are in my heart Lisa! I will continue to pray that the quilting community will bring the support you need in the days and months ahead. You are an amazing woman and are so blessed to have such a strong support community. Nothing can take away your memories.
Lisa and family – we’ve never met, but thank you so much for sharing that with all of us – your quilting family. Such a beautiful poem for your beautiful son. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you.
I admire your strength. Thanks so much in this very difficult time for sharing this with all of us. I am praying for you and your family. Marge West
Lisa, As I sit here with tears I write this little note. I just read your poem and it is exactly how I feel when I make a quilt for one of my family members but I could never have put it down on paper. When an acquaintance says “I love that quilt – could you make me one like it?” I can’t get inspired because, unless that person is a quilter or stitcher, they don’t understand what goes into the process and they will never appreciate what it is they are getting. Every quilt I make is made for someone, or for me, with a reason behind it and lots of love – love for the fabric I buy, appreciation for the machine I’m using and the pattern someone designed to share with me, and for the knowledge that the person receiving it will get joy and warmth out of it and possibly consolation when they are hurting or sick, as they use it. So – what you made clear to me today – is what quilt making is really all about and has been since the beginning of quilting. God has clearly blessed me to know you and be part of your quilting family. Thank you for being a part of all of our lives. I know that I speak for many when I say you are an inspiration and a priviledge in our lives. God is walking with you and so are we. Marlene
Your strength is unbelievable. My prayers and thoughts continue for you entire family. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful tribute to your son.
Thanks for sharing this. I love the peom and it really spoke to me. I have 2 quilts pieced for my boys that I will be finishing so they can be wrapped in love. I am going to start my daughter’s quilt too. Thanks for sharing this very private pain and loss with us your quilting family. You will be in my prayers.
Lisa, I don’t think I can adequately explain how your words moved me. I cried when I read them….I felt your love and your pain. What a beautiful tribute not only as a mother, but as a quilt maker. Many people ask me why I make quilts…I will be sharing what you wrote today. It summed up everything. I will be praying for you during the next days, weeks to come. I lost my dear brother two years ago while I was still in Germany, and the last thing I gave him was a quilt to comfort him. I know it will be hard…I will be thinking of you and him as I work on my projects from your wonderful shop. God bless you, dear Lisa. Rachel
Wow! The poem brought tears to my eyes. What a great choice to read at your son’s funeral. I still have a lump in my throat, as my heart goes out to you! Sending love and hugs your way…
Lisa, again you touch my heart! Being a Mom brings so much joy and sometimes heartache and worry. I have 2 grown sons and they are the world to me! My prayers have been with you daily and will continue as I know you have a long hard road to travel. The live that has been sent through all of your quilting community has been a tribute to what you have given so many of us. I have several of your kits and have had such a need to be stitching. I don’t know Lance dyed the fabric. Maybe that’s why u felt so strongly about it. I like to think so.
I have a quilt that my grandmother made. It is probably 60 years old. I tries for years to get one of her quilts as I remembered sleeping under them when we went to visit once a year. No one else in my family quilts and I know this love of sewing came from her. It is my snuggle up feel good quilt and I cherish it.y Dad presented it to me over 10 years ago and he had such joy in his eyes. I lost him in April so the quilt means even more to me now. Lance us probably in heaven thanking God for giving him his own special angel named Mom. What a gift you were to him and him to you also. You and everyone who loves Lance are in my heart and prayers.
Jo
Lisa, thank you for sharing this with all of us. It’s beautiful. You are a strong person and this quilt will help you in the tough times to come. So so sorry for your loss.
God bless you and your family. May the days ahead bring peace and comfort for you all. He will not be forgotten.
Lisa I know you via the internet and the AQS show in Paducah. I am having trouble right now, because I am in a restaurant, but want to cry after reading you lovely poem. You may never know the whys of the reasons he is now gone, but I am sure it is not from lack of love from you. Be strong, but allow yourself to break down occasionally. May God grace you with the wisdom to accept and carry on without Lance.
Thank you for sharing this. You have been in my thoughts and prayers daily.
I read your lovely poem on your quilt and wept. The words meant so much. We lost our youngest grand daughter just a little over 10 years ago also very unexpectedly. She was just 5. Quilts are such a comfort. That is why some us do quilt. My heart and prayers go out to you. Thank you for sharing.
Lisa, thank you so much for sharing this poem and your thoughts with all of us in the quilting world who really care for you and your family. What endurance you have shown since this tragedy and thank you from all of us who are not in Wisconsin to help you and your family during this horrific time. How brave you were to be able to speak at Lance’s memorial and as I am crying reading your post and the poem, it is so true to all of us mothers who have a son we adore…know you and your family will be continually in our thoughts and prayers as you try to live without your beloved Lance…keep remembering the good times and know he is always with you.
Thanks for sharing this with us. What a beautiful and touching poem celebrating the bond between Lance and you. It is so wonderful that a piece of him will be shared with so many through his fabric dying. You and Lance have touched the lives of so many. I know it must be comforting to have little pieces of him traveling the world making people smile and feel loved. What a blessing he is to all he touches. Think of all the wonderful times you shared and remember his laughter and the joy he brought to so many. May God help you through this difficult time. My prayers are with you, your family and all those who loved Lance. God Bless them all.
Lisa,
You have been in my thoughts and when I read your latest post it brought tears to my eyes and heart. I too have read at my love ones funeral and while it was very hard I thought it was the last great tribute I could do. I also knew how proud they would be that I stood up in my grief and spoke from my heart. Always know that you have many friends who care about you and your family all over the country. I am sure Lance is in heaven and saying YEP that’s my MOM!!!
What a loving tribute to your son. A mother’s love is never ending!
I will think of Lance whenever I pull a piece of your wool out of my wool basket. Thanks for sharing this piece of your heart, and continued hugs and prayer………………..
Dearest Lisa, your post has touched me more than you could ever know. I have lived this situation, this pain, this path for the last two years. When my 33 year old Son passed away two years ago I had just replaced his favorite thread bare quilt (actually two thread bare quilts he would not throw away) with a new one. To warm him. I had even said to him that he was to remember that it was to be “like a hug” from me when times were good and when not so good.
There is nothing to prepare a Mother for such a loss. Just last night I spent time sorting through some kits and wools purchased at your booth at the Pittsburgh Sewing Expo last summer. To know that your Dear Son dyed those fabrics warms my heart. A legacy for all who use them.
May the following months be filled with love and support from family and friends. I I know others have expressed their willingness to help, I cannot read all these posts, wonderful people all, too difficult for me, But, please remember that another Mother shares your pain and is out here, if you need to chat, long distance but sincere and understanding none-the-less. Bless you and your family.
What a beautiful tribute to your son to share with the quilting world…Thank you. Sending prayers to your family.
So beautiful. So much love.
Lisa and family,
My heart and prayers to you and your family. The loss of a child no matter what the age is always difficult. It will be 6 years in February that my son, Timothy, passed he was 33. Like you it has been my family, friends, and my quilting friends who have held my hand, have prayed with me, and have at times just let me be. Take all the time you need to grieve, don’t rush it. In the meantime life will go on and you will hold him in your heart forever.
June Vandenberg
Piece by Piece Quilt Shop
Amazing and so beautiful!
I’m so sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing this poem and for reminding us, yet again, of the power of quiltmaking in our lives. Peace,
Sharon
Sharon Yurkanin 348 North 8th Street Allentown, PA 18102
Date: Wed, 8 Jan 2014 12:11:55 +0000 To: yurkanin.sharon@live.com
Lisa, All I can say is “Wow” Such a beautiful Tribute to Lance. Very Hard to hold back the tears. You may never have all the answers you need with Lance but you have all your memories to hold on too. I have a lot of wool from Primitive Gatherings and now when I use a piece of wool I will think of Lance. You have let us in your home by sharing your pictures and what is going on, so it is hard not to care about you and your whole family. I met one of your sons this past year at the Worcester, Ma show and he was Such a Delight, so I am sure Lance was a joy to be around too. I am sure Lance treasure the quilts you made for him.
Denise
That was beautiful. You are a string woman and as hard as this is you will make it. Take it one moment at a time.
I dont know how your son died but we lost our 28 year- old son-in-law 8 years ago to a brain tumor. It has been very difficult to understand but we have slowly healed- one day at a time.
What a beautiful tribute…………..mt heart just aches for you. My prayers are with you during this very difficult time in your life. Lance will be forever in your heart.
Lisa,
Such a beautiful tribute to Lance. May God give you the strength to carry on and give you peace. I live in the upper peninsula of MI and was in your shop on Saturday. I’ve kept you and your family in my prayers every day but especially thought of you while visiting your shop. And now that I know Lance dyed the wool you offer I will think of him when I use the pieces I have in my collection. Take care and may all of your happy memories with Lance bring you comfort. Big healing hugs, Lori Rippey
Loving thoughts and prayers from our family to yours. God be with you and may His grace and mercy comfort you during this difficult time.
Thank-you for sharing this heartfelt tribute to Lance, Lisa. Continuing to pray for you and your family at this difficult time. Quilting is so powerful in terms of family love!
I have been praying for you and your family. The poem was beautiful and I know that the Lord has given you strength to be able to share it with your quilting family at this. Thank you.
Simply beautiful. You and your family are in my thoughts and in my prayers. God bless.
Lisa….you have been in my thoughts and prayers daily. You don’t know me, but I enjoy your blog every morning with my coffee. My heart aches for you…..because, you see, I, too, have that awful heartache that no mother should feel. I lost our only son November 23rd to a sudden heart attack. Whether 29 or 50, is not important. As a mother, our feelings are the same. Our sons were our gift to this world….and the next. We can be comforted with the wonderful heart warming memories that will mean even more in time. Please know that I am there with you in spirit and sending a hug. Thank you for sharing your beautiful eulogy….Betty
Sent from my iPad….If you go the extra mile, it is never crowded!
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Lisa, you will remain in our hearts and prayers as you move forward…one hour, and then one day, at a time. Lance will be in your heart and memory forever. His spirit will live through you. We pray that the peace that passes all understanding will be with your family in the days, weeks and months ahead.
Lisa, thank you for sharing this beautiful tribute to your son Lance. My heart just breaks for you and your family. I will keep you in my prayers and that God’s peace that passes all understanding will bring comfort to your heart and mind.
Lisa that is truly a precious post and I’m sure difficult for you at the same time. Thank you for having the strength to share it. I’ve had you all on my mind and in my prayers you are truly amazing. The things you all have shared what you have done to embrace his memory have been so touching and I’m sure Lance knows how much you all love him. Hugs to miss Teri too.
Stacey from NC
I am not there
Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain
I am the gentle autumn’s rain.
when you awaken in the morning’s hush.
I am the swift uplifting rush of birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry
I am not there, I did not die.
Blessings and prayers
That is a lovely, beautiful tribute in more ways than one. Living in The Netherlands, I never met your son. I have however met you and Nick a few times at the Houston Quilt Festival, your booth is always the first I visit on Preview Night and every day after that I line up again and again to pay for my goodies. I am sure Lance was a lovely person and how wonderful you all got to work together to create beautiful things. Things that we quilters, whom you do not know, use to make special things of for people we love, we care about and with which we can create memories and bring comfort. Your tribute was not only a tribute to your son but a tribute to quilts and quilting and I thank you for sharing this with us, because it may help to explain the importance of quilting to those who think is is just a hobby, just a way of passing the time. Since reading about Lance’s passing, I have thought of you and your family daily, I cannot imagine what you are going through. I wish you all the strength in the world to come to terms with this loss.
What a beautiful tribute to your precious son. I can’t imagine your pain! I will print this poem and keep it to put on quilts to my loved ones. May God give you & your family strength and comfort this year.
I would also like to thank you for your wonderful blog post on Dec 15th regarding The Strip Stick. We were blown away, not only for your gracious post, but also by the incredible response to my invention. What a boost of encouragement to keep on making our product!
Beautiful, Lisa. Just beautiful. Thank you for sharing with us.
Baby steps … just take little, tiny baby steps … one baby step at a time. My sister and friend said the people that I give my quilts to must be quilt worthy. Lance was quilt worthy.
Thank you for sharing such a private family time with all of us who care so deeply for you.
Redhead
Lisa, That was such a beautiful and loving tribute to Lance. My heart goes out to you. Keeping your and your family in my prayers.
Bless you,
Leanne
I’ve just finished reading all the comments and every one of them touched my heart.
Your eulogy was perfect and so personal…for at least to your quilting family and those of us who touched the wool that he dyed.. You have helped us all understand…it isn’t just a quilt. Wrap yourself in your quilt Lisa, in your memories with Lance.The night of the memorial, I went to my sewing room and stitched the wool, trying to visualize the service in Wisconsin, aching for your family .
continued….pushed the wrong button…anyway. We are all grieving for your loss in our own way.
By the way, what a great picture of the two of you. You’ve reminded us that photos are so important.
Thank you for sharing.
In Sympathy and in Love,
Kathy Garms
What a beautiful tribute, Lisa. I am so, so sorry for your loss and have been holding you in my thoughts and prayers while you go through this tragic time. – Colleen, Plymouth, WI
Lisa, thank you for sharing this with us. It really puts into words the reason why we quilt for our loved ones. May God bless you and walk close beside you in the coming days. God has given you a gift that multiplies through all of your quilting ‘friends’ as we share our love for others through quilts. Maybe that’s the reason we all have unfinished quilts, our work is never done.
Such a beautiful tribute to your son. You held him close as he grew, loved him always, made a quilt for him with such a touching poem, and now hold him and his love in your heart. I have two sons and I cannot imagine the heartbreak you and the rest of your family is going thru. You are in my prayers Lisa.
As I finished reading your message to Lance, my eyes are filled with tears. What a beautiful message on the back of the quilt made by you for Lance. You will remain in my thoughts and prayers during this difficult time Lisa and Family and Friends.
Every time I drink coffee from my P. G. Mug I think of you and your family and send prayers your way. I put that same poem on my kids graduation quilts. Lisa, God grant you strength for the days ahead. I have always found comfort in needle and thread and sewing machine in hard times. Thank you for sharing.
The most difficult task I have had to do was to eulogize my father … surely speaking about your son was so much more heart wrenching. Your choose the perfect words … beautiful.
I have been in Wool Club I and Wool Club III. Every month I have eagerly opened my package of beautiful fabrics and never thought about how all those little lovelies were processed. Now when I use them I will think of a lovely boy who lives in his mother’s heart. Thank you for sharing the poem. It really speaks of your love for your child.
Lisa, what a beautiful tribute to Lance and eloquent explanation of why quilting is essential to those of us who are lucky enough to have found this art form as our mode of expression. It is hard to explain to others why we spend so much time doing what we quilters do, and you did it so aptly. I met you and one of your sons briefly at the Houston International Quilt Festival some years ago and though we do not know each other, I sense a “kindred spirit”. I did not know that Lance died your wools, but now that I do, I will think of him every time I look at one of the many quilts that I have made with wools from Primitive Gatherings. I’m sure that this is true of the many other quilters who frequent your shop. Know that his legacy and work will be loved, valued and admired by many, just as surely as if he had his artwork displayed in a world class art museum such as the Louvre or the Met. Thank you to you and to Lance for fueling my creativity over the years. I send warm thoughts and good wishes to you– and big hugs. God bless you, Lolly Pasewark
How wonderful to hold this quilt around you and feel the love you created that has come back around to provide warmth to you – so special. Keeping you in thought and prayer.
What a great poem and a fitting tribute and description. May God hold you tight during the days, weeks and months ahead.
What a beautiful poem to put on the back of his quilt. I’m still crying from reading it and your post. My heart goes out to you. It’s nice to know his quilt can bring you a measure of comfort now. Keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.
Lisa,
Thank you for your beautiful message and for the moving poem about the quilt. It takes great courage to share your thoughts with others, many whom you have never met. I am so glad you found the strength to share your heart with us and tell us about Lance and his job. I have been thinking of you all week and now it makes me smile to know that the wool in many of my projects has been dyed by Lance. I dye my own wool, too, but the wool I have received from you is always very special. Now I know why. Your words about the meaning of a quilt have touched my heart. Thank you.
What a wonderful tribute to your Son. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
Your tribute to your son is beautiful and touched me beyond compare. My thoughts and prayers have been with you and your family and pray that love and time will heal your hearts. I wish you peace.
Oh Lisa, I can barely type this message to you and your family, I am so filled with emotion again over everything. What you are surviving thru is impossible, but you are going to make it. I believe the moment God learned of Lance’s passing, his was the first heart to break. With His strength you will survive too. Amanda and I have had you on our prayers since the first email, and we will keep you there.
peggy
My heart breaks for you Lisa, but I hope you’re strengthened knowing that you loved him with all your heart and that he knew that. I’ll think of you and Lance with every stitch through those beautiful dyed wools.
Thank you for thinking of all of us as a part of your family and sharing this painful chapter in your life us all. I believe that God has a plan for all of us. Some plans we can see clearly right away. Others we can not. You followed your heart and created a wonderful business with your family. Through that, your sweet son Lance has touched so many lives and helped all of us create beautiful legacies for our loved ones as well. We will all think of him as we use the beautiful fabrics that he created. My son (he is five. He loves the wool too) and I have been praying for you and your family. We pray that you will feel God’s loving arms around you and that it will help you with your sadness. You are an inspiration to me, Lisa. Not just as a businesswoman but as a mother and wife. Your grace and generosity is an example to us all. Peace be with you and your family.
May his quilt comfort you in the difficult times ahead… hugs to you and your family…
Absolutely beautiful, although I could hardly read it through the tears. I hope you don’t mind, but I will be borrowing that poem. You are a very strong women and your children are lucky to have you. I will continue to keep you and your family in my prayers.
What a wonderful tribute to your son. You and your family have been in my prayers. Love working on your wool [projects. They have a different meaning now. God bless you.
I have been thinking of your family and praying for you.
That was so perfect.
My heart has been so heavy since I first read of your deep loss. I too am a mother of 3 grown sons and my hearts breaks just thinking of what you must be going through.
I am just one of the hundreds that always finds something I can’t live without from your booth at the quilt shows in Southern CA. I always look forward to seeing you and your husband. You are both wonderful and always helpful and keep your cool in the madness of a busy show.
I just wanted to let you know that I too am praying for you and your whole family. That God gives you comfort and peace of heart & mind. This will not be easy an easy road and I also ask for Him to carry you through the roughest patches.
Sending you a big hug,
Debbie
Lisa, that was a beautiful eulogy for your son! I have wool projects to do and I will remember Lance while I’m working on them! May God bless you and your family and give you strength to take a day at a time!
Lisa, I have been and will continue to be a long time supporter of yours. My heart has been heavy these last several days thinking about you. What a beautiful testament to your son, the poem you included on his quilt. May God bless you and your family. You have many hundreds of people praying for you. Whenever I look at all my wool kits that I have throughout my home, I will think of your dear son.
Lisa,
That was very touching and an awesome tribute to your son – a very loving testimonial. Your quilt is
truly a treasure.
Lisa,
What a beautiful eulogy and an eloquent, heart-warming explanation of quilting. To lose a child is the greatest pain….. Prayers for you and your family. What gifts your family gives to the world! Thank you and May God bless you and your family. May you continue to feel the spirit of Lance with you everywhere.
The courage it took to speak at your own son’s memorial service is a strength I can’t even imagine and yet so admire. What an honor you paid him by doing that. My daughter already has one but because of your words, this year, my sons will have their own mother’s love quilt too. I wish you peace, Lisa. It will come again. With a hole. But it will come.
You and your family remain in my heart and prayers. You are living a mother’s worst nightmare and I am so very sorry you lost your boy. As a mother of sons, I ache for you.
Thank you for sharing your remarkable words for your son. My favorite saying about motherhood is this: ” to have a child is to forever have your heart walking around outside your body”, for although there are wonderful happy and fulfilling times as a mom, your heart can never be safely hidden from pain again…and none of us know that while expecting our first child. I pray that you feel Jesus’ arms around you and soon He can help you remember only happy times. Lance sounds like a really cool guy. I wish I had met him, but at least I have much of his wool in my house and in my quilts. They are more meaningful now…knowing that his mother loved him tremendously.
Lisa,
What a wonderful way to express your love for Lance at his memorial service. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. May God give you the strength to move forward with your lives and keep Lance’s spirit with you at all times. God Bless You All
Lisa – Thank you…..so deeply touched by you sharing your amazing love for your son with your customers……… Continue to snuggle under the quilt you made for Lance and I hope you feel comfort in knowing how much he loved you too, and may you find peace to sleep some under this quilt you made for him…… be gentle with yourself and take extra care. Debbie
Lisa , Nick and family. I cannot imagine the pain you are feeling, hold on to one another in this difficult time. Don’t be hard on your selves when the going is tough. Let it out and know your friends are there for you.
That’s a beautiful poem and he must of known how much he was loved.
Sending my prayers from the other side of the pond. I will stroke my wool with love.
Very well said Lisa! You are amazing! Thank you for sharing this personal post with all of us. You have so many people out here that maybe you don’t maybe know personally but that love you! I am so sorry for your pain and just remember to take it a day at a time! My prayers are with you and know that God is with you too! Talk to him when you are down and ask that His Spirit be with you to buoy you up….and He will send His comforting Spirit to be with you….I promise. Hugs, Lori
That was beautiful – made me cry. I don’t know how you could get up and speak at the service you are a strong woman. After meeting you and your husband at your shop last spring and at the DesMoines quilt show this fall I and I think my two friends that I came with feel like we know you a little due to your warm friendly welcome and visiting with you. You and your family will continue to be in our thoughts and prayers.
Such a beautiful tribute Lisa, I am so thankful you shared it with us. I pray you continue to be comforted and encouraged through all our prayers. How special to know Lance dyed all the wonderful wools I have coveted and enjoyed over the years. You are blessed by all you have given to others, take care and the time you need to heal in these days ahead. Hugs, Carrie
Lisa: I just read your Post! My sister Pame texted me that I needed too go to your blog. We both felt your loss, I have 2 sons who mean the world to me. What a great tribute! Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Thank you for sharing your story. I have been praying for your family as I can only imagine the tremendous loss that a child would be. I also cried when I read your poem to Lance as it so beautifully sums up the feelings of a quilter and the love of a parent. I am glad that you found this treasure to have back from Lance. May God’s love bring you and your family healing and peace. God Bless
Bless you Lisa and your family. I will continue to pray for you and family this year. Just know he will always be in your heart. I hope one day to meet you in person and give you a big hug but for now know I share your pain and care. Robin in Virginia
What a beautiful tribute to your son, Lisa and thank you for sharing it with us. I can’t even imagine the heartbreak you are feeling and I will continue to keep you in my prayers. I just gave my youngest son a flannel quilt for Christmas and wish I had added a message like yours. You are a wonderful Mom. And I have lots of the wool Lance dyed at my house.
Love, Cheri Finken – Faithful customer, fan and friend.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful tribute to your son. My heart goes out to you. I also have three grown sons , and I know the pain of not being able to help them with their struggles and keep them safe and happy. I love what you had to say about the meaning of our quilts. Also, please know what comfort I get from working on your patterns and stitching with your wool when things get tough. It brings peace to my soul. Thank you for that. I am piecing together last summers pieced BOW today, but I think I will work on finishing stitching the border for my Words to Live By tonight. That quilt means more than ever now.
Lisa what a lovely poem. Thank you for sharing. I feel like I know you even though we’ve only met a few times. As a parent I can’t imagine what you & your family are going through. I continue to keep you in my prayers.
Lisa, your lovely tribute to your son said so eloquently what so many of us feel but have a hard time expressing. We quilt makers know why we make the quilts and how it makes us feel. Some of the recipients know and feel that too. One thing that makes your son’s quilt so special is the very evidence that it was well used. As a mother who lost an adult daughter, I know the pain grief brings and pray for you and your family. All of us in your quilting family know that while you are strong, it will be a difficult road ahead. But we lift you up and support you and will continue our prayers for you. May God bless . . .
I know amid my stash of PG wool I have a piece of your son….I treasure all your wools and will continue to do so even more now.
Dear Lisa, words just can’t explain the feelings I have right now for you and your family. My tears keep getting in the way. But I want to express my gratitude to you for sharing your pain in this small but important way to us, your quilting family. None of us know how long we have with a loved one so we must express the love we have for each other daily. Quilts remind our loved ones, whether near or far, how much we love them. Take you for helping us make those quilts to give to them. You and your family are in my prayers. May are Lord wrap you in His loving arms and give you His strength.
I, too, was moved to tears as I read. What a tender thing to share.
I still recall how happily you spoke of your boys when we met last year at this time. I know they mean the world to you and this has been a devastating thing. I do keep you and your family in my prayers.
My heart goes out to you. Thank you for sharing your heart with us. I’ll be keeping you in my prayers.
You and your family have been in my thoughts and prayers. Your tribute to Lance was beautiful.
I’m very sorry for your loss, a loss no mother ever wants to deal with. I will keep you and your family in my prayers.
Thank you for sharing with us. Your words for Lance have also touched so many. I am currently working on a pumpkin woot tablemat, and I like thinking that perhaps Lance dyed the wool. You all continue to be in my prayers and thoughts.
Thank you for sharing. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
What a wonderful poem and keepsake you have. The quilt has gone full circle and will comfort you always. Tragedies are hard, mine is of my 95 year old mom who died three years ago. But your love for him and his for you will always be there. Love the pic of you both. Hugs and love to you, Lisa and Nick.
Lisa, your comments are beautiful. I am so sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you and your family at this difficult time.
Your family’s talent and business has brought so much fun and joy to me and my family. I can only imagine the void that has been left in your heart and life. I will pray for you all.
Lisa, Thank you for sharing this. Please know my prayers have been with you and your family daily. I am in the process of making a quilt for my son and I am going to put this poem on the back of it. God Bless You!
Hugs… what you wrote was beautiful, and now each time I work on one of my ongoing projects that I’ve purchased as a kit from you I will wonder if it’s one of Lance’s creations. And of course your in my prayers!!!
Words can not be said to ease your heart, I have no bandaid large enough to ease your heart and time is the only healer….but you always have my love,hope and prayers….
Deedee from Quilt Cottage
That was a beautiful tribute! Thank you for sharing. My thoughts and prayers go with you still.
Thank you Lisa for sharing your heart with your family. Love and hugs to you all
Thank you for sharing the most loving, heart-felt moments of your son with all of us. My heart goes to you and your family and I will think of you and your son each time I hold a piece of fabric or wool from you Primitive Gatherings. Take care!
I have two sons (and two daughters) the girls have a million quilts but I have only made one for my eldest boy and have the fabric to make one for my 16 year old. I think I may have to borrow your beautiful poem and put it on their quilts. It brought me to tears in a lovely way. Thinking of you in Australia xo
Lisa,
What a beautiful tribute to Lance. Your strength is amazing. I’m working on a quilt now that I’m sure has a lot of Lance’s dyed wool. LIke your poem, I always say a prayer for the person who will receive it when I make a quilt. As I work on this quilt, I will say a prayer for you and your family. This quilt will be mine and I’ll think of your son and your tribute to him when I look at the quilt for years to come. May God bless you and your family at this time.
What beautiful words for your Lance.
As a mother of 2 grown daughters, my heart breaks for you and your family. You ARE a woman of strength. Quilts are truly our expression of love. The Lord and all your family and friends, and your many quilting fans will continue to embrace you and keep you in thoughts and prayer.
Lisa, Although this posting comes from sad circumstances, what a really, really great keepsake to have of Lance. It is definitely a great reminder to those (including myself) who make quilts and only want to use them to be used for décor or display or stored safely on a closet shelf so they remain as perfect as the day they were made. For me quilting teaches me patience and gives my children and family something to remember me by when I am no longer here. Your posting made me think of it from a different perspective…..it made me ask of myself, if put in this situation personally, would I rather receive a quilt I made back in the same perfect condition it was given, showing no signs of use or attention or the one that was used countless times, showing a bit of wear in spots but holds a very familiar scent? The answer doesn’t need any consideration, what does is my perspective of quilting. Thank you for that. It’s not about keeping things in perfect condition or saving them for future use, it’s about creating the memories and having them in times of need. May Lance’s quilt keep you warm and his memories strong. Please know that you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time.
I just read your blog and am sitting here with tears streaming down my face. When my 30 year old daughter passed away 6 years ago yesterday, I could barely breathe let alone speak at her memorial service. You are very stong and I admire you for that. Lance’s true friends and family will never forget the memories that they have of him. I think that this is a mothers biggest fear….that no one will remember that their son or daughter lived! I would like to send you a book that has helped me very much with the greiving process. It is called ‘Healing after Loss’. It is a daily mediatation book and I have found so much comfort in the pages. I have read it from cover to cover at least 4 times….some things pertain to you that day and othes do not. Don’t worry, when you read it again the next year, those things may seem to stand out and you say, ‘WOW, did I really read that before?’. No one can even imagine the hole that is in your heart but I know how I felt at that time and pray that you will find peace. Grief is like walking through a very thick, foggy forest….you can’t go around it and have to walk through it to get to the other side. Sometimes the journey is hard and you think that you can’t go on, yet with the love and strength of your family, you too will make it to the ‘other side’. Praying for peace for your aching heart…….
Lisa, that tribute to Lance brought tears to my eyes….I will also be using that poem and I love the title of “Quiltmaker”. You captured exactly how I feel each time I give a quilt away…they truly are a part of me. From now on I will be making labels for each one, I never thought them to be so important.
Prayers are being said for all of you…..May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
What a beautiful tribute and such a wonderful thing to have to hold on to–and to know that he knew that you loved him. The thought of losing a child is unbearable–a journey none of us ever want to go on. Please know you are in my prayers. And remember when everyone tries to tell you where you should be on your grief journey, it is your journey and no one else’s; not even the others who loved him and lost him. Each person’s journey is very individual because everyone had a different relationship with Lance. Only you can travel your path of grief. There will be hills and valleys–that is just the way it is.
How special that a piece of him went so many places and touched so many people by the work Lance did. God Bless
So very precious. Over the years going through the most difficult times. I have said I have a patchwork heart. It’s been t o r n & saddened beyond anything I can imagine. I know over time it will mend itself, but it won’t be quite the same. It will have a few stitches here and there to hold it in place because it is broken. Those stitches come loose now & then and are in need of repair, so I know my patchwork heart will always need special care. God bless you and help mend your heart…
I cried when I read this and I imagine every mother who reads this will cry too, especially those who are quilters. Lisa, we shed tears for Lance and for you, but in our hearts we know that you will be reunited with Lance one day when God calls you home. Until then, you always have our love and support. When you are down, you need only mention it and you’ll be lifted up to God in prayer~you will be strengthened by our prayers for you……
Lisa,
I met you last fall when my friends and I came to your store and warehouse from Utah. You are the epitome of kindness and grace. Lance was so cute that day and answered our questions about dying the wool. I purchased a small stack of whites, a kit and several darker colors that day and now they will be even that much more precious to me. I will pray for you and your family. And now my quilts and projects will mean even that much more to me! Thanks for sharing your thoughts you are a strong and wonderful woman and I know with all my heart that Lance is watching over you!
All my love,
Melanie
Thank you for sharing Lance’s quilt with us. It shows the amazing bond between a special young man and an extraordinary mother. Love to all
Lisa – What a beautiful and heartfelt tribute to Lance. Please know that I have been thinking about you and your family and continue to pray for you. I don’t think I will ever look at my treasures from Primitive Gatherings and not think about Lance and his mother’s love for him. Thank you for sharing with your quilting family. Hugs and prayers to you….
Lisa,
What a beautiful tribute to your child. My heart aches for you, every mothers nightmare, losing a child. I believe I met lance at the Hershey show last summer. What a lovely man. Faith and friends will light you and walk you through this terrible time. God bless you Lisa.
Christie
Thank you for opening your heart, Lisa. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Your family business has made many quilters very happy, you are all very talented. I had the pleasure of meeting Luke at the QU show at the Chantilly Expo center last June. He is delight with that twinkle in his eye. Take care of yourself, create when you are ready, that will help you heal.
There is something special about a flannel quilt. My mom made two small flannel quilts a couple of years ago-one for her and one for Dad; the quilts hung over the back of their recliners so they could pull them on when they got chilled. Mom passed away on Oct 6th-I wrap myself up in her quilt every time I go back home … It just ‘feels like her’. I hope that you are finding a similar type of comfort as you wrap yourself up in Lance’s quilt.
Peace to you and yours.
My heart breaks for you.
Thank you for sharing the poem. It is just beautiful!
Sent from my iPad
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Just as the quilt comforted Lance, it will be there for you, during the tough days ahead and a comfort for you.
Thoughts and prayers for you and your family.
Debbie
Lisa, Have a lump in my throat and tears reading your post. I’m sending hugs and prayers to you and your family at this difficult time. I hope Lance’s quilt will bring you comfort as you wrap yourself in it. Susan
Lisa, what a beautiful tribute to your Lance. We will keep you and your family in our thoughts and prayers. Sandy Pierson
Thank you, Lisa, for sharing so freely with us about your deepest feelings in this difficult time of losing your son. That is a beautiful poem and a very special tribute to Lance. You remain in my prayers as you walk through this dark valley.
Thank you Lisa . I will keep you in my prayers.
Thank you Lisa for sharing such a loving tribute to your son. Mom and I can’t seem to stop thinking about you, and Nick. Know that we love and adore you both. I love your wools, and now I’ll love them even more. Lance lives on through memories, and the beautiful fabrics he created. I hope Lance knew how much joy those lovely woolens brought to us quilters. Each piece a treasure. I’ll cherish them always. Pam
I haven’t known what to say to you and your family – I’ve been heartbroken. As a divorced mom with a single child – a son – I can only imagine what I would feel if I lost him. I’ve prayed that you and your family have the strength in the coming days to work through this pain. This was a beautiful tribute to your son and thank you for sharing it with us. Each time I go to your website or read your blog, I’ll remember your son and say an extra prayer for him and for his family.
You know…they say things happen for a reason…God has a plan for all of us… even though we DO NOT agree with his plans when tragic things happen like loosing Lance. However… I think I’ve figured out what your plan is and why you are on the earth with all of us… God has made you an angel! You know they are among us… I’m so thankful you are mine! Love and hugs to you, Nick, Terri…. friends always…Gloria
What a beautiful tribute of your love. I made my son his Tshirt quilt this year and gave it to him for Christmas. He loves it!!!
We had been saving his Tshirts from high school and college to make a quilt. This past Spring, I found the stack of shirts in the back of my closet, I said to myself, honey, he is 36 years old, don’t you think its time to make the quilt? So I started the quilt at my guilds retreat, got it quilted at my local quilt shop, and I put the last stitches in the binding on Christmas eve night!
We will both treasure this.
I pray for peace in your life, hold strong to your faith. God Bless.
Thank you so much for sharing your tribute to Lance with us, your blog followers. I have thought of you often these last several days and wished I could send you a long-distance hug. I’ll think of Lance every time I work on one of your wool kits. I have no doubt he was an outstanding young man…due in large part to the fact he had such a wonderful family who loves him. Take care.
Lisa, I want to share with you a story told to us at my very first quilting class. Our teacher was from Bayfield, WI, and she said she had just made a quilt for a friend of hers that had lost her husband. He worked in the corporate world, so his usual attire included a striped business shirt of some sort. The quilt maker made her a quilt from his shirts. She said that her friend felt “wrapped in love” when she would snuggle with the quilt. I never forgot the story, and how it made me feel. Quilting provides so much comfort, in so many ways. When I was younger, I never understood what it meant to be a “quilter”. That word means so much more to me now. God bless you Lisa, for sharing your talents, and your beautiful son with all of us.
Pam Curo
Lisa-I am so very sorry for your loss. I hope you find comfort in an all-knowing God who loves you and weeps with you.
Judi
Please accept my deepest condolences. I am truly sorry. Just found out, and am in shock. No words can relieve you pain. The wool I purchased from you for my shoppe has a whole new meaning. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. Yours in Fibre, Carole
Lisa, thank you for sharing your loving tribute to Lance with all of us. Your words were beautiful and heartfelt. Treasure all the memories you have. My thoughts and prayers are with you and Nick and your family.
Your son had so many people that loved him and will remember him always—-a loving tribute from a mother to her son—I Thank You for sharing and know his memory and the quilt you lovingly made him will be with you always—
How wonderful that you expressed your love to your son through the poem on the quilt. What a comfort to know that he always knew you loved him. And now that same quilt will bring you comfort. God bless you and your family.
Lisa you are a very special person to all of us. I am so very sorry for your loss. The poem you shared with all of us was something I will share with my sons. I will hold you and your family in my prayers. God is always with you. He will carry you through your pain one day at a time. Please know all the people you have touched are with you and are here for you.
What a wonderful tribute to your son! Thank you for sharing. It will forever change how I look at a quilt.
Lisa & Family, I am thinking of you & your family during this difficult time. I have been part or your quilting family since the beginning & treasure all the friends I’ve made at the shop. The picture of the quilt that you gave to your son at 16 & the poem written by you was so special & something you will cherish forever. I’m sure you are wrapped in it whenever possible, like his arms being around you. You & your family with be in my thoughts & prayers. Jean Rothenbach
What a lovely tribute for an awesome son by his equally awesome mom. I am privileged to have some of Lance’s dyed wools in the summer BOM, I’m sure!! I know in my heart some of his woolens are there as I stitch. Hugs and prayers to you and your family.
Thank you for sharing this. It is a beautiful tribute and an incredible explanation why we quilters do what we do. You will continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.
Lisa you are such a strong woman! Thank you for sharing this post and the incredibly beautiful poem with us. It provides a special closeness to you and Lance for your online support group and quilting community. As I work on my projects from your shop, I think of you and your family. We all continue to pray for you daily.
Thank you so much for sharing such a beautiful story and tribute. Many prayers being said for your family…
I was so sorry to read about your son’s passing. The quilt and poem are beautiful.
I lost my son in a hunting accident. I know how you feel. Just have keep their precious memories alive.
Sent from my iPad
God Bless you and your family. Thank you for sharing this from your heart.
I couldn’t even respond til now. It is such a precious poem to have put on Lance’s quilt.
It must have been of great comfort to him. I hope I am not hurting you by responding at
this late time.
God bless you again.
Jean Kuxmann
(A quilter from Crivitz, WI.)
Sent from my iPad
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Lisa, Thank you for sharing. I too know your pain. I can’t imaging your having the strength to give this tribute. Losing a child is mind numbing. My heart goes out to you and your family. Treasure all the good times and laughter.
Lisa, thank you for sharing this beautiful poem and your love for Lance. I have read this several times in the last week and it brings tears to my eyes every time. I am working on the Tavern House bom quilt and I will think of Lance and say a prayer for you while I am working on it and whenever I see it. Bless you and your family.
I was pretty pleased to discover this great site. I need to to thank you for ones time for this particularly fantastic read!!
I definitely enjoyed every bit of it and i also have you book
marked to look at new things in your web site.
Lisa, I was very touched by your beautiful tribute to your son, Lance. God bless you and your family. I will continue to keep you in my prayers. As part of your quilting family, we all have our arms around you to help give you strength.
Lisa, you and your family remain in my prayers. May you feel His presence as you navigate the new year. Your tribute to Lance touched my heart. Quilts definitely do bring comfort.
Thank you so much for sharing this sweet quilt and poem. Your tribute was touching and brought tears. You’ve been on my heart and prayers. I am so sorry for the loss and pain your family is going through. What a sweet encouragement your words are to encourage us to continue to wrap those we love with quilts. I love that you have this quilt to comfort you. Praying sweet blessings for you and much comfort as you grieve and celebrate the life of your son.
Dear Lisa, I have followed your blog,but since summertime I had problems with my computer. I just found out about your loss and I can’t imagine your pain. May God’s grace help you and your family cope with your pain and loss.
May memories comfort all of you, Felicia (Blue Earth, MN)
Thinking of you…..
Lisa–I was so so sorry to hear about your son, Lance. Somehow words seem inadequate at this time–please know that I will be keeping you and your family in prayer–and even tho, I’m at a loss of how I could be of any comfort to you–the God of the universe, who knows how deeply you hurt, knows what will help over the course of time. He moves people you don’t even know, to lift you up in prayer at your point of need and beyond. Please accept my condolences and love.
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