Stations of the Cross Journal Journey #18

August 11, 2025.

Yesterday the day was intentionally designed as needed. 

I gave myself the time to exercise, journal and walk in the morning, eat well, practice (bagpipes!), do the admin bits and some sewing on stoles before my studio assistant arrived in the afternoon. We began Station number 8 and it turned out to be a great day. One of those solidly uplifting days. So here I am repeating the process today:).

Station Number 8. It was one of the last written reflections gifted to me. I invited it from Rev. Dr. Sandra Beardsall from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and she had to pause her involvement to care for her body when cancer became known. Her reflection is one of my favourites. The Station is called: Jesus Meets the Women and she writes about how weeping or wailing women have always been the witnesses of history’s violent or sorrowful moments. That in fact, they still are, as we watch the daily news. Sadly, this is no less true today than in 2015, when she wrote the words.

The design I created based on the reflection, and now begin production of in fabric (sized 40” x 36”), illustrates Jesus meeting the women on the route to Calvary. But he changes the story. He tells them he does not come for himself, but for them. He comes to bring them peace and new life, even after they feel dead of their losses. The design balances vibrant colour with much whiteness. Beau and I made the colour palette on paper yesterday.

The challenge will be depicting the faces of the women, as well as keeping the white background unsoiled through the stitching process. I think I’ll employ a new technique of covering the white with additional fabric while I sew. I’ll let you know how that goes!

What do I trust for today? That this Station, like all those before and after it, will come to life one baby step at a time. And that I will be able to make all the artistic micro-decisions needed. I don’t need to know them all at once, but one by one I will be guided through them, employing the practice of doing the one thing I know first, and then letting all the next decisions follow. This is what I trust today.