Stitcher:

Designer:

Stitcher's comments:

In December of 2002 I was attending a church service in the hometown church I have been a member of since childhood. The sermon was about each of us receiving gifts to serve God, and I felt very thankful for my God-given gift and love of needlework. In appreciation of my talent, I desired to stitch a metal thread cross, and so I began to sketch with a great deal of inspiration.

That evening it began to snow with no end in sight. Snowy winter nights are like a warm bowl of comfort food for me, so I was pleased at the thought of possibly being snowed in for a few days. The next morning our town was a winter wonderland that brought good news of no school, and most business were encouraged to close for the day. I was excited to give my business a rest for the day to stay home to begin my gold cross project. As I drew the design on the canvas, the elements of the cross became very clear: yet another gift! The meaning of this gift is not only the gift that God has given me, but also the gift of his Son.