Lead All Souls to Heaven

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

I'm not sure what kind of bird it was--I'm not really up on my bird identification skills.  It was smaller than my palm, with a narrow beak, a stripe of yellow below its eyes, and a swab of red above its breast.  Smaller than a robin, larger than a sparrow; it hopped along the top of my curtain rod in my living room.

I wondered how in the world it got in.  Then I wondered how it was going to get out.  I turned off the ceiling fan and watched as it hopped from my curtain rods to my cabinet and then to the slowed blades of the fan.

I opened the top window in my front door and went back into the living room.  I think it was attracted by that hint of fresh air.  The bird flew past me, through the front hall, and into my study.  By now it had the undivided attention of Moonbeam and Daisy.  Moonbeam --I tossed into my bedroom and shut the door.  Daisy, adorable Lab that she is, quickly lost interest.

I wanted to rescue this bird and set him free.  I turned off the ceiling fan in my study and watched as the tiny bird explored the room.  If I swooped on him, he would panic.  If I tried to capture him, he might be injured.  I tried warbling to him, but I'm not very good at bird-talk.

I retreated into the living room.  The March breeze from the hallway window was strong enough to be felt in the study.  It attracted the bird.  He flew into the hall and perched on the wicker shelves filled with African violet pots.  I closed the door to the study and stood in the doorway to the living room, effectively blocking those two exits.  Slowly, calmly, the bird explored the pots on the wicker shelves.  It was two feet away from the open window.  If I startled it now, it might fly away from the opening, and I would have accomplished nothing.

The wind gusted into the house, promising a month that would go out like a lamb.  The bird flew toward me, pin-wheeled, and soared out the window.  I cheered, Daisy barked, and Moonbeam got let out of the bedroom: the bird was free.

Sometimes, the urge to help people find salvation is so great; I have to hold myself back.  I want to shout, "This way!"  I want to swoop down and drag them toward salvation.  Sometimes, I hope they can be scared into finding salvation.

None of these strategies should ever be employed by prayer shawl ministries.  The best way to help someone find salvation is to remove what might endanger them, make the way to salvation obvious, and remove any obstacles in the way.  Gradually help the person recognize spiritual dead ends.  And pray, “Lord, let your will be done in this person’s life.”

I believe I have the responsibility to open the window.  The bird was the only one who could fly through. The wind blows.  The bird recognizes its true environment.  The bird finds his way home.

Lord, let your will be done.  Amen.

Hoarding Supplies

Matthew 6: 19-21

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

My Prayer Shawl Ministry has Yarn Angels who spend their Saturday mornings -- and their money -- gleaning boxes of yarn from garage sales.  Along with the brand-new and used skeins of yarn are half finished projects: baby blankets, dozens of tiny granny squares, armless sweaters and sweater-less arms.  It's so sad.

My spare bedroom is packed full of bags of yarn and unfinished projects and pattern books.  One whole drawer is filled with crocheted flowers. I work diligently to turn every skein of yarn into something useful.  I scold myself when I buy yarn for a new project when I have so many skeins already.  But I buy it anyway.

It's so sad.

Yarn is unfulfilled potential when it is in a spare room or set aside for a rainy day. 

I have put an addendum in my will -- all yarn, hooks, needles, and craft books will be given to my Prayer Shawl Ministry at my death.  I like that idea, but I would rather give away completed shawls during my lifetime.

Sometimes I wonder what spiritual resources I am hoarding.  Did I refrain from sharing a smile because I myself was grumpy?  Did I forget to pray for someone because I was too wrapped up in something else?  Did I wear out my voice hollering when I should have been singing?  And comfort, did I save it for loved ones and deny strangers?

When I go to heaven, I hope to leave behind finished projects, not unused supplies.

Jesus, let me be generous with the things You give me.  Love, hope, joy, understanding, compassion, wisdom, faith:  help me share these things.  Help me use these things to further your kingdom.  In your name I pray.  Amen.

Hanging Your Wash on the Line

John 15: 1-4

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.  You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.  Remain in me, and I will remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

            A few years ago, I made a decision to be more productive but less busy.  I had filled my life up with busy and found myself not completing many of my plans.  Plus, I was forty-seven years old!

So I started hanging my clothes out to dry.  Yes, you read that correctly.  Instead of dashing into my laundry room to toss a soggy load of clothes into my dryer, pushing a button, and dashing away to the next project, I took the clothes outside and hung them on the line.

I love being outdoors, but I never seemed to take time to go outside.  I was so busy I couldn't find the time to think.  So I started hanging my clothes out and discovered some wonderful things.  I love being outside again, and my clothes smell of the outdoors even when I put them away.  Hanging up clothes gives me the time to think simple thoughts and to ponder large mysteries.  Plus, I realize how the previous week has gone.  I first realized this when I glanced out my kitchen window, wondering if the wash was dry, and saw a field of red.  Almost everything on the line was red.  I had been fighting several battles that week; I guess I had dressed accordingly.  The next week--disaster after disaster--the clothes pinned to my lines were black, gray, and brown.

I made a concerted effort to vary my hues.  If my emotions influence my color choice, perhaps the opposite would work, too.  This morning, I hung out florals, stripes, and solids in every color.  It had been a terrible week, but I don't think any but my closest friends noticed, and I feel wonderful today.

At the beginning of every prayer shawl meeting, I write in a ledger the name and prayer need for each shawl recipient.  This book stays with me and is not for public display.  But, like clothes on the line, it shows me what needs are being acknowledged by my group.  It also shows me when there are glaring gaps in some areas.  If one week is full of widows and the next is full of grieving daughters, we have done a good job comforting those who mourn, but what of the others?  The abused woman in the shelter?  The cancer patient?  The woman whose career is in jeopardy?

A mentally healthy week is reflected by various colors on my clothes line.

A spiritually healthy ministry is reflected by the varied needs which are being met.

Oh Gardener of my soul,

I don’t want to be so busy that I stop being productive.  In my productivity, let me be well-rounded.  Let me be a vine which bears fruit that meets the many different needs of those around me.  When You prune me, let me accept the need for rest and restoration, so that I can bear fruit again.  Amen.

Beginnings and Endings

Ecclesiastes 7:8-9

The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.

            I have a bed covering that I absolutely love but it is not usable.  I began each medallion with a colorful flower and centered each flower inside a white triangle.  I then arranged the triangles in circles and bound them with green stitches like leaves.  However, I miscalculated either the number of flowers or the geometry of the triangles, so I filled in some areas with white patches.  The border had to be elaborate, so I ruffled pink and rose to match the flowers, and then ribbed light and dark green for the leaves, and of course I had to add another frilly edge of white.  I have a queen-size bed.  The bed coverlet swallowed the bed and dragged along the floor for several feet.

            I was having so much fun with the pattern, I didn't know when to stop.

            Sometimes, I get so tired of the color or the pattern I'm doing, I quit working on it before it is finished.  I hope those people who received child-size shawls and twin bed-size afghans will forgive me; I just didn't know when to keep going.

Beginning a project is so much more exciting than finishing one.  But there is nothing useful about an unfinished shawl or an incorrectly sized afghan.

Sometimes, we need to just stop.  We need to know when something -- even a good thing -- is over.  Don't waste time longing for something that's done.  Think about the joy of beginning something new.  You only have one pair of hands.  You can't work on two projects at the same time.  End one so you can begin anew.

My God,

You know how stubborn I am.  You know how engrossed I can become in something.  Help me to understand that it is time to go on to something new.  Don’t let me fear new beginnings.  Don’t let me fear endings, either.  I have all of eternity ahead of me.  Teach me to let go and go on.  Amen.

Opportunities

Matthew 7:7

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”

I carry my crochet bag with me everywhere I go.  I crochet while watching TV, while visiting with friends, while waiting for appointments, and while being driven places (not while I myself am driving).  People watch my fingers in fascination and we begin to talk.

I tell them what I'm making and let them feel the material.  I tell them about the Prayer Shawl Ministry and the Teen Parent Centers and the Prayer Shawls for Fallen Soldiers’ Families.  Then I offer them an extra crochet hook and a spare ball of yarn and ask them if they would like to learn.

What a wonderful way to open doors!  By telling them about what I'm doing, I help revive the dying art of crochet.  By letting them feel the project, I make a connection between concept and reality.  Touching the material also links the stranger to good childhood memories of beloved mothers and grandmothers who crocheted or knitted.  By telling them about the Prayer Shawl Ministry, the infants and adjudicated youths we help, and the Prayer Shawls for Fallen Soldiers’ Families, I open two doors: one of participation by way of membership or donations, the other of possible new recipients of prayers and shawls.  Finally, by handing them the tools, I offer them an opportunity to begin a new journey.

            I take my Master with me everywhere I go, too.  I live my religion, opening opportunities for people to ask me questions and reconnect with Jesus.  I talk about my beliefs, opening opportunities for participation and receiving prayer.  I share my faith, offering prayer, scripture, and songs as tools to help others begin a new journey to salvation.

Master, don’t let me skip over an opportunity to share your kindness with strangers.  Don’t let me be too busy to comfort a friend.  Don’t let me be too tired to listen to the needs of my family.  When someone knocks, let me be the one You allow to open the door.  Amen

Why Hooks Aren't Made of Gold

Proverbs 8:17-19

I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.  With me are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.  My fruit is better than fine gold; what I yield surpasses choice silver.

            Wars have been won and lost over it.  Murders have been committed for it.  Marriages are banded in it.  Prizes are named after it.  Gold: civilization's most precious metal.

            Anthropologists claim that the first age of tools were wooden implements.  Wood is common, easy to shape, easy to replace, and from a renewable resource.  The first needles and hooks were wooden.

            Most of the hooks in my bag are aluminum or plastic.  These materials are renewable, common, sturdy, and inexpensive.  I've never had one break or bend -- when used properly -- and have given dozens away.  I can easily find them at stores, thrift shops, and garage sales.  I never worry about them being stolen.

I was surprised to learn how soft gold is.  It is described as a malleable metal.  It's not strong.  It does tarnish and eventually corrodes.  Gold is often the target of thieves, and it is very expensive.

Crochet hooks or knitting needles would not work well made of gold.  They would be very pretty, but they would bend from use.  I couldn't afford many of them, and certainly would be reluctant to give them away.  As I sat in the waiting rooms crocheting, it would be the hook not the shawl which attracted bystanders.  When offered a hook and a skein, the stranger would snatch them, but not to learn how to crochet; not to become a productive giver.

The emphasis of any project should not be on the tool, but the end result.

            I am content to be common, sturdy, and reliable.  I don't want people admiring me.  I want them to benefit from what I do.

Father, keep me common and unremarkable.  Allow me to be used for your kingdom, power, and glory, now and forever.  Amen.

Carrying Bag

1 Samuel 16:7

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him.  The Lord does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

            I found it in a thrift shop, stuffed in a box filled with worn backpacks and old purses.  It looks like it might have at one time been a chair cushion, and someone put a strap and an embroidered flap on it.  The embroidery is of Tudor roses and was obviously once part of a larger tapestry.  The zipper opens into a cavity large enough for a double-sized skein, a half-finished shawl, and several crochet hooks.  It has a front zippered pocket below the Velcro patch large enough for a small pair of scissors and half a dozen Prayer Shawl Ministry brochures.  It cost about three dollars.

              I carry it with me at all times.  It is a wonderful conversation piece.  It carries the tools I need, and I can hand out brochures for those who show interest.

            Women in my Prayer Shawl Ministry also have found ways to carry the things they need for this ministry.  One uses a plastic grocery bag.  Another carries little plastic boxes for her tools.  Earth-friendly shopping bags are also popular.  It doesn't matter what the carrying bag looks like, its worth is inside.

            I'm short, plump, and middle-aged, with an honest face and an easy laugh.  Depending on my purpose for the day, I may wear a suit with heels and hose or jeans, T, and sandals.  God gave me the brains of a genius and the body of an old maid school marm.  It doesn't matter what I look like on the outside.  What matters is what I hold inside.  I have the materials to work and share within me at all times: scriptures, personal experience, faith, songs, joy, hope, and love of Jesus.

Lord, don’t let me come up wanting in the ways that would help others find You.  Fill me with your love.  Keep me learning your word.  Sing songs within my heart that I can share with others.  If I get a little thread-bare along the way, that’s OK.  Let me always treasure the things inside my heart and mind and soul.  Allow me to see that in others, too.  Amen.

Embellishments

John 7: 24

“Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.”

            I love jangly-dangling earrings.  I also love bright swirly skirts and swoopy-cauled sweaters.  And shoes – oh my gracious -- how I love fun shoes!

            My mother says not everyone can wear the things that I do.  What she probably means is that no one would dare wear them.  That's okay -- she's right.

When I choose a shawl for myself, I go for the flowers, shells, sequins, and tiny bells.  I am not wild about fringe.  The most beautiful shawl I ever made was for my mother -- metallic gray, tiny stitches, with lots of mesh; no embellishments.  Mom hates embellishments.  Shawls are shawls though, and both of these shawls served the same purpose.

Be careful what embellishments you add to a shawl.  Shawls should reflect the recipient’s personality.  The embellishments don't change the use of this shawl, but they can detract from the shawl’s usefulness.  I would love spangly-danglies on the shawl and would wear it.  My mother would thank me graciously for a spangly-dangly shawl, and hide it forever in the back of the linen closet

            My faith has a lot of spangly-danglies attached to it: powerful prayers, enlivening songs, joyful tithes and offerings.  But it is not the spangly-danglies that are important; it is the faith itself.  I don't expect anyone to wear my faith, nor do I allow anyone to foist their faith on me.  Faith is faith.  The importance of faith is not how it looks to others, but how it is used.

My Lord, my Savior, my Beginning and my End,

I want to praise you every single moment of my life and keep praising You on the other side of mortality!  I want to dance and sing and laugh with You.  I want You to wrap me in your arms and hold me as I sob.  I want to be solemn and honor the sanctity of your presence, too.  Don’t let me distract others from worshiping you by my enthusiasm.  Don’t ever let me judge someone who keeps silent nor someone who makes a spectacle of themselves while praising you.  Keep my faith strong.  Amen.  

Teaching Others

Matthew 28: 18-20

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

I learned to crochet when I was about eight or nine.  I was fascinated by it.  I also learned to knit at the same age.  I learned by watching someone do this.

Over the multiple decades since then, I have been called upon many times to teach someone to crochet or knit.  There are books, videos, and DVDs that proclaim easy ways to learn these arts.  However, the best way to learn is to watch a friend – stitch by stitch -- who has become experienced in the art.

I sit the learner beside me on my right.  I twist a brand-new piece of yarn around my hook and laugh with the learner who has never seen that particular knot before.  And then we begin.

"Relax your hands.  Don't strangle the hook.  Let the yarn flow, but keep a slight tension on it.  Your left hand holds the material and guides your hook into the right spot."  All this is said before the first chain.

"Lower your shoulders, take a deep breath.  Relax.  No, no, release the death grip you have on that hook!"

And we laugh again.

Slowly, I show how to loop the hook under the yarn and swirl around and draw it through with my right hand while I pull down on the stitch between my left thumb and middle finger and adjust the tension on the yarn slipping between my left pinky and ring finger. 

“One chain!  Good job!”

Eventually, we get a long series of chains and begin the meticulous process of single crochets, advancing to double crochets, and turning the piece properly.

We laugh a lot.  We also learn how to deal with knotted yarn, dropped stitches, strangled spaces, and tying off and on new colors.

Teaching others about Jesus is very similar to teaching crochet.  You must have patience, endurance, and laughter.  You must be willing to teach someone how to deal with mistakes and unfamiliar situations.  You must encourage your students to follow directions and trust the pattern of life.  There are many books, songs, DVDs, and videos on how to live a Christian life.  But the best way to learn it is from watching a friend.

Be that friend.

Dear Lord,

Put me in a place where I can teach others about You.  Help me keep living a Godly life so I know what I’m talking about and so when others watch me, what they learn from me will be the right things.  I want to show people the difference You have made in my life.  I need to lead others to You.  Let me be that friend.  Amen.

Baby Booties

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

During the autumn of 2004, my small town was crossed by the paths of four hurricanes.  My house was without electricity about one out of every three weeks during that time.  Schools were canceled, roads were blocked.  So I crocheted.  I developed this pattern by experimentation, and when the fourth hurricane had seen the last of my small town that October, I had bags filled with over ninety pairs of booties and about three dozen baby blankets.  A year later, I gave them to the Teen Parent Center (one of my many schools that year).  I was delighted that these things which were created in such a time of despair were used to celebrate times of birth.

These are worked in two parts: the foot and the cuff.  They can be worked in any size yarn, but the smaller the hook, the smaller the bootie.  Baby yarn & size f or smaller hook makes a new-born size.  Four-ply yarn & size f hook makes a one-year size.  In general, one skein with seven ounces of yarn will make nine pairs.

Foot:

• chain 3, join in circle
• Turning chain (chain 3, turn – called the ‘turning chain’ here & through out), 17 DC in circle
• Ruffle:  Turning chain, sc to front loop of next stitch.  Chain 3.  SC in same loop. Chain 3, sc to front loop of next stitch.  Chain 3.  SC in same loop. Chain 3, sc to front loop of next stitch.  Chain 3.  SC in same loop. Chain 3, sc to front loop of next stitch.  Chain 3.  SC in same loop. Chain 3
• SC in back loop of next stitch.  In back loop of each individual stitch here and through out:   SC two times, 2 SC in next stitch.  DC two times, 2 DC in next 2 stitches, DC two times.  2 SC in next stitch.  SC three times. (This should put you at the ruffle.)
• 12 chain. Attach with slip stitch at the other side of the ruffle (where you ended the last chain and began stitching around the medallion).
• SC in each stitch around medallion. DC in each chain stitch
• Next row: SC, Reduce by one SC in two loops.  Repeat to end of row.
• Next row: Reduce by one SC in two loops to end of row.
• Next row: Reduce by one SC in three loops (three times.) Tie off.  Pull knot & yarn into the foot and weave & trim.

Cuff:

• Attach with slip stitch directly behind first stitch of ruffle.  SC, Reduce by one SC in two loops.  Repeat until you get to the ruffle.  SC in the back (front to you now) loop of each ruffle.  Slip stitch to close.
• Turning chain.  Begin working on the outside of bootie.  DC in each stitch.  Slip stitch to close.
• Turning chain. DC in each stitch.  Slip stitch to close.
• Turning chain.  DC behind each DC column of previous row.  Last DC should be worked behind the turning chains of this and the previous row – you will have to fold down the cuff.
• Slip stitch to base of second row.  Tie off & pull yarn inside bootie.  Weave & trim

Make 2 for each pair . . .

My God,

I wasn't there when you formed the heavens or the earth.  I wasn't there when you decided to crunch up the mountains or lay the deep oceans.  I was there when you walked me through dark places and horrors and times of weeping and great sorrow.  You never left my side when I yelled and screamed at you for the things I lived through.  I'm stronger now.  I don't look at death the same way as I did.  I don't fear destruction the way I did before.  These things are a part of life.  But you place your loving arms around me and remind me that we are not of this earth; we are part of eternity.

  I love you, God.

Amen.

Who Is in Control?

Psalm 40: 4

Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.

I facilitate my writer's group, Writers for All Seasons.  I run my Prayer Shawl Ministry.  I sing soprano in my choir.  I drive my car.  I own my house.  I am a woman in charge of my life.

In every situation, there will always be someone else who tries to take over my meetings.  There will always be some piece of equipment or material which will diminish my control over my environment.  Men may have good old boy systems, but women have pecking orders.  There always seems to be someone trying to peck their way to the top and trample me on the way.

This used to bother me immensely.  I would cry.  I would get angry.  I would say vindictive things and instigate sweet revenge.  I was miserable.  I was tolerably successful but absolutely miserable.

So what happened?  I learned to trust God.  I put Him in control. 

Now I tell Writers for All Seasons that I am the facilitator, not the dictator, and we all share an equal part in the group.  I take a more pro-active role in my Prayer Shawl Ministry as an organizer, but we are equal participants.  In my educational career, I stopped putting myself in charge of my peers and now enjoy just doing my job.  I blend my voice with the choir and it sounds so much better than a bunch of soloists singing at the same time.

I am a woman in charge of my life.  I'm in charge of my life because God is in control of me.  I defer all major decisions to Him.  I discuss all situations with Him.  He is my counselor.  He unfolds the universe at my feet and shows me where to step. (I don't always follow the path He shows me, but I admit that He was right when I eventually wind my way back.)  He never leaves me.  He never forces His decisions on me; I have free will.  I choose to have God be in charge of my life.

That's the secret of a successful Prayer Shawl Ministry.  You run it, but let God be in control.

Dearest God,

Remember when I said You could guide me and guard me?  Remember when I asked you to protect and preserve me?  And about that whole direct and defend me thing – please do.  Always.  Forever.  Be in control of my life.  Thank you! Amen.

Confidential Charity

Luke 17: 2-3

It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.  So watch yourselves.

            Most of my life has been spent as an elementary teacher, so I have this face that seems to be respected and trusted by total strangers.  The fact that it also breaks cameras is fine.  I'll take trust and respect over photogenics any day.  I also hate to stand in lines, so I talk to people.  I love talking to people, and inevitably, someone bares their soul to me.

What a blessing to me, that God uses me to help open the doors to people's hearts.

            My Prayer Shawl Ministry members collect cards during the two weeks between our meetings.  These cards have the name, prayer requests and delivery instructions for those who would benefit from receiving our shawls.  Obviously, some of the difficulties these recipients go through are sensitive in nature -- or the fodder of juicy gossip!

            These women are going through the worst of times; trusting Christian women with their hurts and prayer requests.  They are as vulnerable as children during this time.  And to betray this confidence is as evil as hurting a child.

            As a teacher, I have found myself longing to see millstones miraculously appear around some parents’ necks.  I will never forget the belt buckle scars embedded in my student’s skin, the burn marks down their tiny arms, the jagged slashes down their legs from thorny switches.  I will never forget their hot tears and sorrowful sobs.  These children were victims of betrayed confidence.

            Be sure, as Prayer Shawl Ministry members and leaders, that you never betray confidences.  Treat all prayer requests as confidential.

Jesus, let your will be done in each woman’s life.  Let me treat her with respect and keep her confidences.  Let me be to her as You have been to me: a counselor, a comforter, a friend.  Amen.

Accepting Graciously

1 Thessalonians 5:16 – 18

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

            Thank you.

            These are two simple words that stumble across women's lips and mysteriously unlock a tiny drawer, or a closet, or a massive warehouse of doubt and insecurities.

In response to a complement, women say, "Thank you, it's so old."

In response to a present, women say, "Thank you.  You shouldn't have." 

In response to praise, women say, "Thank you, but I didn't really deserve this."

Is it any wonder why people shy away from giving to women?

And here Prayer Shawl Ministries across the nation are -- giving shawls to women, especially to women who are going through times of trial.

            Years ago, I learned a secret about receiving gifts (praise, complements, et cetera).  The giver is pleased when I just accept graciously.  Thank you, said with honest gratitude, is sufficient.  The gift is validated and the giver feels appreciated.

I thank God the same way I do a friend.  His gifts are overwhelming and magnificent, and I do not deserve them, but I thank Him for them every day.  I don't gush insincerities, nor do I negate His gifts by pointing out my unworthiness.  I thank Him, because I love Him.

Sweet heavenly Father,

Thank you.

Amen.

Prayer

Matthew 6: 9 – 13

“This, then, is how you should pray, ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.  Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’”

AND

Luke 11: 2 – 4

He said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.  Give us each day our daily bread.  Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.  And lead us not into temptation.”

Every night before I go to sleep, I begin my prayers, "Dear God, let your will be done in my son's life.  Let us be a family again."  People who follow Jesus don't have perfect lives or perfect families.  Don't expect a life of bliss and domestic tranquility; it's not going to happen.  Jesus doesn't smooth the road ahead; He becomes the light that guides our feet.

Jesus taught us how to pray.  Two examples are listed above. This is the pattern for the perfect prayer.  I strongly encourage you to study the Lord's Prayer.  Don't worry about the whole sinners versus debtors versus trespassers thing.  Those are just words.  Comprehend the concepts:  

God is holy. 

The fulfillment of God's will completes the master design for the universe. 

Trust that God will meet your needs. 

Ask God to forgive your sins. 

Forgive people. 

Believe that God will not leave you during times of trouble. 

Praise God.

I used to worry that I was wasting God's time.  After all, He was dealing with war, famine, pestilence, starving children, and terrorism, not to mention volcanic eruptions and hurricanes.  I just had a very quiet, mundane, small-town life.

I slipped into the habit of praying for others.  When I hear an ambulance I pray, "Lord, guard and guide."  When I see a policeman or a helmet-less biker, I pray, "God, protect and preserve."  When I see a child, I pray, "Sweet Jesus, direct and defend."  It's very simple; very easy.  It doesn't take a lot of time out of my busy schedule.  Plus, it gives me the feeling that I am praying without ceasing.

At night, in my pajamas and my nice comfortable bed, I ask God to help all the people in trouble.  I name them all and tell God about their problems.

For years, this was how I communicated with God.  It was like I was constantly forwarding e-mails to God without telling him about me: my needs, my troubles, my hopes, my joy.  I closed my prayers the way I close my e-mails, "Love you!  Evelyn"

I was a very busy prayer-er, but I ignored the fact that I was important to God.  He loves me.  He doesn’t just want to hear from me; He wants to speak with me.

I learned the hard way that I can't save anyone.  I learned the hard way that the only person I can control is myself.  I learned the hard way that I am not in charge of the universe.  Most importantly, I learned the hard way that God loves me.

I stopped forwarding prayers to God and began begging, "God, help me.  I need you."

This shift in relationship has changed my life.  I still pray for those I see around me.  I still lift the cares and burdens of friends up to God.  I always pray that God's will be done in my son's life.  But I talk to God now.

That's what prayer is meant to be; not just sending communications to the Divine God, but having conversations with my Sweet Lord.

To me, prayer is the most important part of this Prayer Shawl Ministry.  We are not just a group of people making handmade clothing.  We're not just a group of people giving away clothing.  We pray.  This defines us.  This empowers us.

As you pray over the shawls and for the recipients, don't forget to talk to God.  Ask Him to guide you and to guard you.  Ask Him to protect and preserve you.  Ask Him to direct and defend you.  You are important to Him.  He is omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, and extremely busy.  But He will always take time to listen to you.

Pray.

[Insert your prayer here.]

Value

Romans 8:28

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

            My favorite shawl pattern calls for fifteen ounces of four-ply yarn.  The material costs about eight dollars and I can complete one in eight hours.  Another pattern calls for forty-four ounces of two ply yarn for about thirty-two dollars and takes at least a week to make because the directions are so intricate.  Both patterns result in gorgeous shawls of the same dimensions which are received equally well.  The materials cost different amounts of money and time, but the true value is how the materials are used.  So the shawls are of equal value.

            Christian works are very much like shawls.  Some projects cost more than others in material, time, and attention to detail.  But the end result for all Christian works should be the same -- leading all souls to heaven.

            I can't sing in front of thousands -- well, I could, but the thousands wouldn't appreciate it.  I can't physically build a house or adopt orphaned refugees.  I have very little medical skills and speak only English and a grocery-store-smattering of Spanish.  But I can crochet.  And I can pray.  I pray over the things I crochet and pray for the people who receive the things I crochet.  And this helps lead people to heaven.

            Salvation is the most valuable gift in the world.

My Savior, help me accept the limitations to my talents, not by being discouraged or by giving up, but by using what I can do to further your kingdom.  Whatever I can do, let me do it so that all souls will be led to heaven.  In your name I pray, Amen.

To Crochet or to Knit

To Knitters -- Proverbs 19: 14

Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

To Crocheters -- I Corinthians 7: 8

Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: it is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am.

A knitted shawl is soft, feminine, and brings comfort to the wearer.  A crocheted shawl does exactly the same thing.

Booties protect and warm the feet of babies whether they were knitted or crocheted.

Crocheted afghans serve the same purpose as knitted ones.

I have never read a commandment anywhere that states, Thou shall knit.  Or Blessed are the crotcheters even though they are only half as good as knitters.

There are some patterns and some yarns that lend themselves better to crochet than to knit.  And definitely, there are some people who are better suited to knit than to crochet.

But the purpose of both is to create and the end result is the same.

I know how to knit; I just never caught on to knitting as well as I did to crocheting.  As a crochet artist, I invent my own patterns, teach others, and produce projects well.  As a knitter, I lost count, dropped stitches, forgot which direction I was going, and usually produced a miserable looking scarf (which the pattern described as a king-sized afghan.)

I believe God created me to crochet.  If, eventually, God wants me to knit, He will provide evenly matched needles and a pattern well suited to my talents and His ambitions. (It sure would be nice if God gave me someone who loves to sing.)

In your shawl ministries, try to include knitters and crocheters.  Some work well in pairs; others work best singly.  But if God is the Master Designer, the end results will be the same.

Jesus, never let me forget to include every woman into my circle of friends.  Don’t ever let me expect someone to spend time with me and exclude their spouse.  Don’t ever let me offer an invitation in such a way that a woman would not feel comfortable attending if she came alone.  To some people, you gave the gift of holy matrimony.  To other people, you gave the gift of being unmarried.  You chose the gift for us, not the other way around.  Don’t let me forget that.  Amen.

How to Unwind the Skein

Matthew 22: 37-38

Jesus replied:  “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’.  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

I watched with concern as a friend struggled with her yarn.  Her stitches were well-shaped, her shawls always looked beautiful, and her borders enhanced the overall flow of the pattern.  But she struggled with the yarn.  It would fray and she jabbed her hook through it rather than under it.  Pulling yarn through the loops, she would catch a few of the fibers below.  Her shoulders were tense, her expression severe.  She was not enjoying herself. 

We talked about what might be the problem.  She walked me through everything – nothing was wrong.  And then I glanced at her skein.  She was unwinding the yarn from the outside. 

(You can uncover your eyes now, that’s the worst part of this horror story!)

I don’t ever remember reading this first and foremost rule of using yarn:  Thou shalt unwind the skein from within.  I think it ought to be stamped on every skein wrapping, like the warnings of impending death on cigarette packages.  Some skeins show little pictures of the two directions you can pull the yarn:  from around the outside and from the center.  There are no written explanations on this, but I think the caption under the ‘from the outside’ picture should be ‘NEVER DO THIS.’ 

The fibers which become yarn are twined in one direction.  Honest.  Go unravel a piece of yarn and try to twist it the other way.  It won’t work.  But twist it back in the direction the machines twined it, and it will become whole again.  As you knit or crochet, you should continue working in the direction the yarn was originally twined. 

Sometimes, it is difficult to find the end piece hidden inside the skein.  Be diligent; pluck out a whole bunch of yarn and gently unravel it until you find the beginning.  You will be amazed how easily the rest of your work flows from this one commandment: Begin at the center.

In life, I can do wonderful things that look beautiful, are useful and appreciated and praised.  But if I do not have the first commandment at the center of my life (Love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, and mind) then everything I do will be difficult and unfulfilling.  Once I began loving God with everything within me, the second commandment (love my neighbor) flowed easily and filled me with grace, joy, and hope.

My God, fill me with your presence.  Break my heart.  Engulf my soul.  Consume my thoughts.  Let me be totally Yours.  Nothing I do will have any meaning if You are not the center of my being.  Amen.

Washing Instructions

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

            It’s going to happen.  It's going to get dirty.  Whether it is the fluffy white baby blanket or the bright yellow chemo cap or the lavender and azure prayer shawl; it is going to get dirty.

            So, wash it.

            Put it in the sink filled with cold water and gentle soap or dump it in to a washing machine with harsh detergent.  The solution to a dirty article is to wash it.

            Most articles will come out clean and whole.  Sometimes, the washing process changes the shape or size of the article, but the dirt is gone.

Make sure the recipients of your gifts understand that getting dirty is a normal part of use.  Make sure the recipients also understand that dirty things can be washed clean.

            I live in the world and often get dirty.  The Bible calls this dirt ‘sin’.  I smirk.  I complain.  I criticize.  I forget to pray.  I judge.  I covet.  I get angry.  I doubt.  I worry.  The list goes on and on.  I get spiritually dirty.

            Luckily, I can be washed clean by Jesus.  It's very simple.  I confess my sins, I apologize for doing them, I ask for guidance in avoiding them the next time, and Jesus forgives me.  Sometimes, the process changes me.  But always, I come clean.

I really goofed today, Lord!  I am so sorry!  Help me to find a better way to deal with that situation.  I know there may be repercussions for what I did; let me face those without whining. Forgive me.  Amen.

Rhythm

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

There is a time for everything,

And a season for every activity under heaven:

A time to be born and a time to die,

A time to plant and a time to uproot,

A time to kill and a time to heal,

A time to tear down and a time to build,

A time to weep and a time to laugh,

A time to mourn and a time to dance,

A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

A time to embrace and a time to refrain,

A time to search and a time to give up,

A time to keep and a time to throw away

A time to tear and a time to mend,

A time to be silent and a time to speak,

A time to love and a time to hate,

A time for war and a time for peace.

Abide with me, fast falls the evening tide, I hum softly and double crochet my way along the side of my triangular shawl.  The rhythm of the song matches the motions of my hands.  The song soothes me; the shawl grows.

Some stitches call for faster songs.  I Must Tell Jesus works well for chains and single crochets.  Deep River and Amazing Grace accompanies more intricate or elaborate stitches.

Different stitches call for different rhythms.

I crochet much faster than most people, so my rhythm is swifter than theirs.  I don't match my rhythm to anyone around me.  I have my own patterns to follow and my own ability to guide me.  Luckily I have memorized enough hymns, scriptures, and creeds to keep me going as I work through easy, difficult, and challenging stitches.  Before I know it, the project is complete.

There is a rhythm to life as well.  The rhythm flies swiftly through easy situations, steadily through harder patches, and solidly through times of turmoil and despair.  I don't expect anyone to match my rhythm for more than a short time; they have a different pattern to follow.  When one song ends, I begin another.  I sing, pray, and recite my way through life.

God, it’s really hard right now.  I don’t know that I can do this.  Please, sweet Jesus, give me the strength I need to face what lies ahead.  Everything was so easy just yesterday!  I trust that things will be easier in a little while.  Just don’t let me stop loving You.  Don’t let me stop serving You.  It is so tough right now.  But You are my strength.  I know You will see me through.  Thank you.  Amen.

Mistakes

Romans 8:18 - 21

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.  The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.  For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope, that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

It is three o'clock in the morning and my phone rings.  On the other end comes an anguished cry, "It’s ruined!   It won't work!  I don't know what to do!"

The answer flows easily from my lips, "Go back to the last correct stitch."

The listener however is usually reluctant to unravel her yarn.  She wants to redesign the pattern to incorporate the mistake.  "Maybe no one will notice."

Mistakes left to their own devices eventually ruin the entire piece.  No matter how many rows you have stitched since the mistake, it will not heal and it will not disappear.  You must go back and fix it.  Unravel beyond the mistake.  Re- read the directions.  Call a friend and ask for advice.  Sometimes you may have to cut a chunk of yarn away and reconnect to the ends.

The important thing is not to give up.  Learn from your mistakes, improve your skills, adjust your actions, re-read your directions, and go back to the point where you were on the right path.

Do the same with mistakes in your life; and in other’s.

Dear Jesus,

I’m sorry.  I don’t know how it happened, but it did.  Help me find my way back to You.  Keep my feet on your path.  Amen.