That Saturday in March was cold and rainy, as Angie triumphantly displayed her colorful blanket.
“It’s finished!” she announced to her mother as she proudly held it up in the air to show off the blanket’s completion.
“And what a blanket it is too!” Faith smiled broadly. “It reminds me of the story in the Bible, of Joseph’s coat of many colors.”
“It’s my rainbow blanket,” Angie said excitedly.
“It’s your blanket of blessings,” her mother reminded her, “and it needs just one more blessing to make it truly blessed.”
Faith wrapped the blanket around Angie and said to her daughter, “May this blanket keep you forever warm.” She then kissed Angie fondly on the cheek. Angie gazed up into her mother’s face and a closeness she had never felt before flooded her heart.
The previous month, Angie’s birthday had come and gone and suddenly she felt so much older, so much more mature. And with that new birthday, came more responsibility in the house. Making beds was added to her chores, along with helping her mother with washing the linens and clothing.
Angie ran upstairs with her new blanket and laid it out over her freshly made bed.
It looks wonderful! She thought to herself, Surely, this blanket will fetch me at least a ribbon of some color! The blue one if I’m lucky!
“Will you make me one?” Billy asked as he entered her room.
“But momma already made you a blanket,” Angie said with a start.
“But I like all the colors,” Billy smiled as he stroked the blanket with his hand.
“Alright,” Angie said proudly, “I’ll earn some more money this summer and make you one for Christmas if you’d like.”
Billy smiled and hugged his sister with gratitude.
“Where is the blanket mommy made for you?” Billy asked.
“I put it in my hope chest for my little boy or girl. Someday, I’ll wrap it around them and tell them all about our mother.” Angie told Billy with a dreamy look in her eyes.
That night, as Angie climbed into bed, she carefully pulled the crocheted blanket up around her shoulders and enjoyed the warmth the blanket provided. She knew she should save her blanket for the fair, but she was too excited to wait. It will still be beautiful when the fair arrives, she reasoned.