June 5, 2013

Thus begins my summer of 2013 knitting.   This is the 1st full week of summer vacation for school kids… I wonder what they will be doing to fill their days.  I can’t say ‘hot, steamy day’s yet as we’re still having cooler than normal temps and continuing rain causing flooding statewide.  Lower City Park is under water as is Dubuque St. by the Mayflower Apts.  It will be another summer of tenseness, waiting, and cleanup like the Flood of ‘08 and ’93. 
          
     I have quietly celebrated 1 year of St. Mary’s Prayer Shawl Ministry! It passed quietly in May without any ‘hoopla’!  That’s ok, as I am a quiet, simple person who does not like to be the center of attention.  Behind the scenes is my comfort zone! I have received so much love, thanks, appreciation and  new friendships through this ministry that it has brought to light my love of God in wanting to help others.  What better way for me, an obsessive knitter, to occupy my retirement time??!!  It has been a ‘God-send’ to keep my hands busy creating!  Deep down, I am an artist, though not an obsessive perfectionist, who loves to make and give gifts of my handwork to others.  This, to me, is far more satisfying than my music teaching career of 33 years, although it sustained me through my earning years so I can enjoy this ministry now.  I like the concrete ‘thing’ I create now, a prayer shawl, baby blanket, baby sweater, socks, etc, to show for my creative time…not a musical event with sound that happens once and is gone (unless it has been video/taped).  Only memories remain from that fleeting moment in time and space.  And with time, some memories begin to fade in my mind. 
          
Thus, I am considering reviving my Simple Gifts blog and putting in more actual personal writings instead of just pics of prayer shawls.   Now I have something more to say.  I don’t know how many people will actually read it, but I need to be unafraid to express my feelings in the written word.  I have something to say.  Nothing political, critical, or complaining.   Only POSITIVES!!!   That’s really who I try to be.  I followed Dr. Robert Schuller of the Crystal Cathedral years ago and he made a great impression on me!  The Power of Positive Thinking!!
        
I’m working on 2 cotton knits right now:  a natural prayer shawl called ‘Mystery of the Trinity’ which I really love!  I plan to give it to a St.Mary’s church member who came to my start-up meeting but cannot knit due to recurring cancer and failing eyesight.  She is allergic to acrylic yarn so knitting our shawls was going to be a problem.  I want to give her this ‘trinity’ shawl because she has been so nice to me when I see/visit her at Mass. 
          The 2nd cotton is blue for a baby blanket for St.Mary’s Baptism classes. Sister Agnes wanted to be able to give the families a little gift so what better thing than a carseat-size blankie!! 

She has been passing on the accolades of both the prayer shawls and baptism blankies to me in an excited manner so I KNOW she appreciates our efforts!!  Some prayer shawl ladies have ‘never taken their shawl off’, ‘had their nails painted to match their shawl’, ‘been buried with their shawl’… those are so me of the precious thoughts and memories that I have forever in my heart of my love of knitting for others!!  How rewarding God has been to me to instill in me this desire to make and give to others to comfort them. 

I also have some new friends who have the same love of knitting!  My oldest (new) knitting friend, Cindy, has so many of the same character traits as me… maybe that’s why we love to get together to knit and catch up on each other’s lives each week.  Wed was our ‘knit today?’ day!!  Now, this summer it may be Fridays since a friend of ours is baking for Saturday Knitter’s Breakfasts this summer at our favorite knit shop, Home Ec Workshop!!   We have been friends for 5+ years… she found me on Ravelry!

I still remember when we met for the 1st time… I couldn’t find her office and was driving around downtown IC, which showed I didn’t know downtown that well!!  We went to the coffee shop on the corner of Linn/Market and got acquainted.  I value her friendship so much!!!

Ok, that could do for this 1st entry.  Will write again soon…
God Bless.
^)^ linda



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