Coat Of Many Colours

Back through the years I go wonderin’ once again
Back to the seasons of my youth
I recall a box of rags that someone gave us
And how my momma put the rags to use

Dolly Parton was one of ten children; in her family there was not always much food, clothes or money. In this old song she describes how her Mum made her a coat of old pieces of material. She was proud of her coat, because it represented her Mum’s love for her, but when she wore it to school other children made fun of her.

As she sewed, she told a story from the Bible, she had read
About a coat of many colours Joseph wore and then she said..

She links her coat to Joseph’s ‘coat of many colours’, her story to his story. Joseph was misunderstood by those around him, who went through suffering that he didn’t deserve, only to discover that God had a bigger plan for him. Dolly identified with that.

And oh I couldn’t understand it for I felt I was rich
And I told them of the love my momma sewed in every stitch

Musing on the value we place on money and possessions, the emphasis we put on our home, car, clothes, holiday… and yet they don’t bring happiness…

Muse on the love seen at Jason and Hayley’s wedding yesterday… and if that relates to their money and possessions…

Musing on ‘the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.’ …who came to ‘preach good news to the poor’ and said ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…’

Now I know we had no money but I was rich as I could be
In my coat of many colours my momma made for me