When we moved into this house I splurged and bought a new bedspread, curtains, and rug for my bedroom. We'd had the same set I made for our wedding, and I was ready for something new.
About 6 months later, Dallin's grandma died and we were invited to go through her unclaimed belongings and take anything that we thought we could use.
My favorite find was a beautiful hand-quilted bedspread. It was a completely different color scheme than my room, but reflected the changes I felt my spirit had gone through during those past 6 months. I felt sad that this could not be my new bedspread. I considered if there was anywhere else in my house I could use it. As it was springtime, the bright green, orange and yellow flowers were so cheery. I put it on my bed for awhile anyway, just because it made me happy! But I realized I didn't want to wear it out. I put it away, hoping for a day I could make matching curtains and find the perfect rug and have a spring and summer ensemble to pull out for my bedroom every year.
Over the next 3 years, I looked for rugs and hoped for a few extra dollars from a tax return or something to make the cheery makeover possible, but no such luck. I was visiting my mom and we went to a discount store to look around. Just before we left, I decided to look at the rugs and just see if there was something that would work. There was a beautiful rug, with bright, cheery flowers on it! I fell in love with it more than I had the quilt. It was so perfect. But it was $150, and I was not prepared to spend that kind of money on something that was not a necessity.
When I got home, I thought a lot about the rug. I yearned for it. I was worried that if I tried to save the money it would not be there. I felt silly about how much I wanted it. I wasn't even sure that the colors were a good match, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. I talked to Dallin about it. He felt like $150 was a great price for a rug, and realizing how infrequently I long for anything, he told me to send my mom some money and have her buy it. I was so touched by his generosity, but knew I needed to take a look at the finances before I sent any money anywhere. When I checked the finances, there was for sure no money anywhere for such a frill. I was disappointed. More disappointed than I should have been, and I knew it. I got on my knees and talked to the Lord about it for awhile. I asked him to show me a way to make it possible or to please take this ridiculous desire away.
The desire went away. I was so thankful and loved my room more than ever with the colors I had originally chosen and the beautifully framed painting of the Savior that I had purchased for Dallin's birthday earlier in the year.
The next time I went to my mom's, we realized late in the evening that there were a few groceries needed for the next day. I offered to go with Dallin and pick them up for my mom. She told me to take her car, and to take a look in the back because there was something in there for me. She watched from the window as I opened the hatch and saw the rug rolled up. She had just had a feeling that I ought to have it since I loved it so much!
When we got home, I bought some inexpensive fabrics to tie everything in the room together. Dallin stayed up one night, helping me sew curtains! It was such a happy transformation!
I didn't need that rug.
But sometimes a rug can be just the thing to help a person feel loved and cared for by her Lord, by her mother and her husband.
I am grateful to have felt that love and to have the rug that will always remind me of it.
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