Second Sat. Sampler - Women of Faith and Courage

 Block 5 - Pilgrim Women

While we were contemplating whom to highlight with this block we came across an article by Sarah Ban Breathnach, a New York Times best selling author. She reminds us of the faith and courage of the pilgrim women who helped settle our great nation and some lessons we can learn from them. The following is an excerpt from her article.

"When deep discouragement comes, I comfort myself by thinking of the long line of heroic women who came before me—not only those in my family, but every woman settler, explorer, adventurer, native American mother and prairie homemaker, who tamed wild lands and wild times to make homes for those they loved.  I particularly love to meditate on the first band of Pilgrim women. 

There were 18 women on the Mayflower, and although none of them died during the crossing from England to Massachusetts; by the time of the first “Thanks Giving” meal, a year later in 1621, there were only 4 women who had survived the brutal winter, spring sowing and autumn harvest.  Four very tired women who needed to take care of 50 men and children daily.

With the men almost entirely focused on building houses and the village, the women had so many chores, they performed in shifts.  For aside from cleaning and cooking, there was plowing and planting, preserving and putting away, caring for livestock, making soap and candles from tallow (animal fat), tending the sick and creating herb medicinals.  There was so much work that they lived on one portion’s grace and if they didn’t drop down dead with their hand to the plow or wither away in a nighttime sweat from a succession of diseases contracted on the voyage, they took it as a sign that God meant for them to go on.  And you know what, they were right.

I love the bare bones simplicity of this truth.  Sometimes in life, all we can do is put one foot out of the bed and then in front of the other, literally.  I figure if you wake up in the morning, you’re meant to go on—continue at what you’re doing and ask Heaven to show you what you’re doing wrong, if you are. Ask for confirmation of what you’re doing right. Ask for what you need and want.  Ask to be taught the right questions.  Ask to be answered.  Ask for the Divine Plan of your life to unfold through joy.  Ask politely.  Ask with passion. But ask! Ask to be heard.  Ask for a blessed respite from daily crises. While you’re at it, ask for a deeply personal miracle—you know, the one you need so much you’re afraid to even pray for it?  But if we can’t learn to ask for help, we’re going to be left on our own.

What do you think the prayers of the Pilgrim women were? How about, “Please God, help me.”  Thank you that I’m here, but why?  How can four women take care of 50 men and children?”  Well, those sound like pretty good openers. 

Women are born with a blessed DNA—the genetic code of resilience, strength, ingenuity, creativity, perseverance and determination—that is what I call feminine spiritual moxie.  Our Destiny, Nature and Aspirations are Divinely endowed, so why wouldn’t we be given the wherewithal to fulfill them?

So, whenever anything happens that triggers the feeling of angst or distress, take a deep breath and silently ask yourself a few questions as I do when I’m in the midst of trying to do everything and accomplishing nothing:

Is my family safe today?

Is there a roof over our heads today?

Did I have to chop wood to keep warm today?

Tomorrow will I have to carry water from a creek 2 miles away?

Did I have to shoot the turkey for our meal today?

Women have always cared for the world, one way or another, but we still don’t know how to take care of ourselves.  If we can’t do one, then we can’t do the other.  I just love to share with you what I’m seeking:  Divine connection and the courage to go on, wherever the pioneer trails lead us.  We will not, cannot forget the legacy of loved passed down to us, our daughters, and granddaughters, from generations of beautiful, brave, and heroic women from centuries before, who reach through the portcullis of the past watching over us and encouraging us to go on, further than they could even imagine.

So come, my grateful sisters, come to gather together.  Offer grace for the bounty of goodness.  Raise the song of harvest home, the glass of good cheer, the heart overflowing with joy.  We have so much for which to be thankful, so much about which to smile, so much to share.  So much, that in this season of plenty, we can embrace the season of relinquishment.  All we have is all we need." 

For this block you will need:

2) 6" background squares
3) 3" background squares
1) 2 1/2" x 34" background strip
1) 6" brown square
2) 3" brown squares

1) 2 1/2" brown square

    (Sorry, we forgot to put this one in your packet.  Please pick it up at your convenience.) 
1) 6" pink square
1) 3" pink square

 

Draw two diagonal lines (an X) on the back of both 6" background squares.  

Place one with the 6" pink square, making sure the right sides are together and the outside edges are aligned. 

 Sew 1/4 inch on each side of the drawn lines.

Cut on the diagonal lines and through the center of the squares vertically and horizontally.  (This yields 8 triangle squares.) Trim each one to 2 1/2 inches and press toward the pink.

Repeat the process using the other 6 inch background and 6 inch brown square.

Draw a single diagonal line on the back of the 3) 3" background squares.  Place with the 3 inch brown and pink squares making sure the outside edges are aligned and the right sides are together.  

Sew 1/4 inch on each side of the drawn lines. Cut on the lines.  Trim to 2 1/2 inches and press toward the print fabrics. (Note: you will not use one of the pink and one of the brown triangle squares in the block.)

From the 2 1/2 inch strip cut:

2) 8 1/2 inch strips
1) 6 1/2 inch strip
1) 4 1/2 inch strip
2) 2 1/2 inch squares

Lay out the pieces as shown in the photo below.  

Sew together to complete the block.