Saying Good-Bye to Mandy

Mt 19:14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

Today is a momentous day in our family’s history. Our oldest daughter left today to teach high school English in Indonesia. It is a 2 year commitment. She says she’ll come home next summer. That seems like a long time.

I’ve not cried after leaving the airport. I’m not sure when it will hit me that she’s gone. I’m going to avoid looking at her computer desk and bedroom for several days. But several pieces of mail came for her today. I opened them slowly. This was not something we had remembered to discuss. We knew to talk about passwords, transfer of car keys, phone numbers, car insurance. I’m not forwarding hardly anything as I’ve been told it takes forever for mail to arrive. That makes her seem very far away, which she is.

She’s called once to say she’s already had delays in departures leaving our local airport and then in Chicago.
Her trip halfway across the world will take 2-3 days. That’s a long time to be traveling alone in a strange country. I worry about her being tired and carrying a new laptop, a passport, some cash for meals. Somebody could steal them easily when she dozes in between flights.

I know she can take care of herself, but that’s if everyone else behaves themselves. Still, I can't worry or I’ll be too upset to do anything else.

She's always been a child of God -- when we took her to church weekly all during her growing up years and now as a beautiful young woman. She has chosen to stay close to God and honor Him in her life. She believes it's His will for her to go to Indonesia. We support her in that decision.

Still, it is difficult.

We will miss you greatly, Mandy. We pray for you constantly. Love you, Mom

Create for Others

“I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise your name for your love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.”- Psalm 138:2

**
I’m involved in a new ministry and can't wait to tell about it.

This summer, my friend, Marissa Whitesell, and I have begun a fiber arts club among the women at our church. Last winter Marissa began telling me about her interest in crocheting and how much fun it was. I found a book on teaching yourself to crochet and it worked!

I’m by no means now an accomplished crocheter, but I do know the basics and am enjoying the opportunity to make something with my hands. I began knitting years ago and have resumed that also, due to another friend’s influence (see below).

Marissa has been sharing her crocheting talents via dozens of darling chemo caps for people who have lost their hair to illness.

She has also made baby blankets for friends, squares for afghans, and smaller projects for nursing home residents. Her energy and enthusiasm for helping people through this craft are limitless!

This summer we formed a group of fiber artists at our church, the First Church of Christ, in Bluffton, Indiana. Anyone who wants to crochet or knit can come together one hour a week to chat, learn new techniques, share patterns, etc. Marissa has put together packets of information to get people started. She’s so organized!

It’s been a fun way to meet people and become more familiar with ways our fingers and hearts can help others.

I took some pics of our projects to show here. Aren’t these chemo caps beautiful and professional looking? They were made by several of the ladies in our group. Marissa has sent out several caps to organizations around the country that need them for patients. We pray these will raise the spirits of those who are experiencing difficult times.

There are many national organizations that collect fiber arts items for the needy.

That leads me to pass on another inspiration for my recent interest in fiber arts. Since 1991, I’ve read novels by Debbie Macomber. She is an admitted knit-o-holic, and her passion for knitting provided the inspiration for five New York Times bestselling novels, beginning with THE SHOP ON BLOSSOM STREET in 2004.

Each book talks about knitting projects as part of the plot and each book also includes a pattern for a project mentioned in the book. In May 2008 Debbie’s newest novel in this series, 20 WISHES, lists even more projects.

As a result of her interest in knitting, Debbie has become involved with Warm Up America!, the knitting industry charity that provides homemade afghans and clothing to those in need, even joining their Board of Directors in 2005.

When the opportunity arose to lend her name, Debbie has donated all of her proceeds from a series of pattern books to charity. To date, she has personally donated more than $44,000 to various charities and she has earmarked the proceeds from 20 WISHES for three of her favorites.

Here are some of her favorite charities and ones I would recommend:

Warm Up America!: This is my personal favorite way to help because it uses leftover yarn to knit or crochet 7” x 9” squares, which can be joined into afghans and donated to men, women and children in need. For more information and complete instructions, go to http://www.warmupamerica.org/.

Project Linus (provides security through blankets): “Blanketeers” provide new, handmade, washable blankets to be given as gifts to seriously ill and traumatized children, ages 0 -18. All sizes are accepted, depending on the needs of the local chapters. For more information and suggested patterns, go to http://www.projectlinus.org/.

Guideposts Knit for Kids: A volunteer effort that connects individuals from all over the world through Guideposts Magazine. Supporters knit or crochet a Knit for Kids sweater in any color or size using one of the patterns provided online. Guideposts clothes needy children in America and around the world in places like Romania, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Kosovo. For more information and patterns, go to http://www.knitforkids.org/.


This spring I was able to meet and interview Debbie for a local book signing and it was a real thrill. She’s my favorite author, as well as my mom’s. We’ve read nearly all of her 80+ books.

I’m sharing details with you here in hopes it will encourage you to provide handmade items for needy people.

We’re inviting all who read this to become part of our goal to help others through handmade crafts. There are so many ways you can help others by creative efforts.

If quilting is your specialty, then consider donating a quilt to a fundraiser.
If you make woodcrafts, build some for kids to paint and then donate them (the birdhouses, not the kids) to a nursing home. The idea is to give of yourself through your creative talents. In doing so you will bless so many people.

If you’d like to share information about you or your group’s fiber arts projects, drop me a line or send a pic. We’re always looking for ways to encourage interest and promote generosity in the talents God has given us.

Take care,