WORK WITH YOUR HANDS

Are you teaching your kids skills with their hands?

My Mother made many things with her hands…she sewed beautiful, long curtains for our living room and made several silky, white wedding gowns for local brides…She cooked special treats for us each week (this was before fast food and drive-through), and one of my favorites was: peanut butter on saltine crackers, marshmallow on top, browned in the oven…and she crocheted (little gifts, doilies, trim on pillow cases, and many afghans).

She taught me throughout my childhood; but I didn’t appreciate what I had learned until I became a Mommy and discovered how difficult and nerve-racking it can be to try to teach a child. God was busy teaching skills back in Old Testament days with the Hebrews, too. Exodus 35:34-35 “and he has given…the ability to teach others. He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen…”

While my Mother was teaching me the various crafts, she would sing hymns or talk about life lessons—telling me Jesus would always be with me. Our household was simple and middle class…I very rarely got ANYTHING with a brand name on it. To this day I enjoy making things with my hands--and even draw every now and then, which Mother didn’t teach me. I guess God just gave me that one as a bonus. We enjoyed a quiet, happy life even if we didn’t have THE BEST of everything. 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we
told you, so your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so you will not be dependent on anybody.

Recently I started crocheting with a group of ladies at our church one evening each week for a couple of hours…we make prayer blankets and shawls/stoles to give to anyone in need of prayer or support while going through a difficult time. As we’re working there is sweet talk…we share ideas about colors, patterns, and techniques…and we even share needles if someone walks out of the house without the one they NEED. Husbands and kids drop in and out so we get to catch up with them, too. Prayers go into every thread as it slips through our fingers off each skein and into the final shawl or blanket.

I’ve used one skein of yarn on my first shawl and have just worked in the beginning thread of the second skein…this shawl will take three or four skeins, I believe. Anyway, I’m excited and wanted to show you what it looks like so far. I also got the idea to put it up on my website and ask for your prayers to cover it…that will make it even more “prayed over” and you will be helping us in our mission work : )

This is a pattern by Shirley Evers and it’s easy; so if anyone would like it, I’ll be glad to share it. It only involves chain stitch, single crochets and double crochets, there’s not a lot of fancy counting or special turning techniques…I like ‘em simple. I should finish it within the next week to 10 days, if I stay diligent at night while I’m watching TV or listening to the radio.

So we’ll commit this one to the Lord for His Use…one day a stranger or church member will get it and I pray it will soothe them in a very warm, God-encompassing way. I wonder how long it took to make the curtains for Solomon’s temple?…it was the same colors (kinda) as the shawl I’m doing… 2 Chronicles 3:14 He made the curtain of blue, purple and crimson yarn and fine linen, with cherubim worked into it.