Dear Shawl Family,
'You have to look with a different set of eyes
if you want to see beyond the ordinary.' --Paula D'Arcy
A FEW RANDOM
STRANDS...
It's MARCH! This month is dedicated to St. Joseph, in addition, we celebrate
St. Patrick's Day and Easter! In the Allen family, this month is known as March
Madness in terms of college basketball...we'll be swept away into tournament
play...game after game for the next few weeks, ending with the Final Four in
April. This year the 'madness' could apply to the crazy weather... multiple
seasons... all in a 24 hour period of time! Last week's 'arctic blasts' brought
forth the most beautiful snow flakes I think I've seen since I left Kansas
twelve years ago! How lovely it was to "be still" and watch the huge flakes
fall. It was a hoot watching the neighborhood kids hurrying home from school to
make the long sought after "Texas snowman"!!! I wish I'd taken my camera out
and strolled the streets to document some of these creative designs.
Someone suggested recently on a knitting blog that, 'Lamb
is the usual thought for the Month of March, but in these times of global
weather confusion, who is to say??? Could be
'In like a lion, out like a Cashmere Goat'.
Any way you say it, I believe it's all about looking with
'new eyes' to see the beauty of God's
handiwork in the ordinary. Besides the beautiful snowfall...I'm seeing such
things through a few recent shawl stories...one very near and dear to my heart
which I hope to share with you in the near future as the Spirit leads. I've
also discovered this past weekend that after my youngest daughter flew in for
the weekend, I'm beginning look at the 'empty nest' with a 'fresh new set of
eyes', as well. I'm seeing my daughters both mature....I'm delighting in the
special time I get to share with them...it's not on a daily basis any longer but
when the visits come... I'm learning to sit back, be still in the moment and
enjoy it all from a fresh new prospective.
'...I saw that these new eyes are not merely informed by wider vision and
understanding. These new eyes are [a deeper] love.' Paula D'Archy
I mentioned earlier that the month of March is dedicated to St. Joseph...Teresa
Tomeo, writes in her monthly online column with Catholic Exchange that she
wonders... 'how the poor guy dealt with having
a divine son, a very holy wife who was born without sin, and then...him...a
normal 'JOE' like the rest of us'. She goes on to say...
'I can only wonder at his humility, love, and
obedience to God. I think about this because I often feel a bit like him. I'm
just not as good as them (Jesus, Mary, and all those saints), so where do I fit
in this group? What was God thinking? But, then again, Joseph gives me great
hope. Ultimately, God chose a regular guy to be leader and protector of Jesus
and Mary to show us that He loves and trusts us (humanity) to do great things
for God too. We all have our imperfections, bad habits, faithless ways, etc.
Yet, He gave us Jesus to show us the way to Him, as I'm sure Joseph realized
before anyone else. It's okay that we're not perfect, because we have a perfect
God who loves us anyways. And it's not about being deserving, because if it was
about that, we'd probably be gone from this earth already! No, it's about love,
and Jesus, and forgiveness...and that old wooden cross. So, during this
remaining time of Lent, remember Joseph, because you too can become something
great for God, by just being obedient, humble, and loving, as any regular 'Joe'
can be. And when Easter arrives, celebrate heartily that you too have a fresh
new start on the path to greatness.'
I love and appreciate Teresa's prospective and hope you did too! You can listen
to her host a radio news program, Catholic Connection, each morning on 910 AM.
MARCH MEETING
REMINDER...
We'd like to remind you that our next meeting is,
TUESDAY, MARCH 11 at 7 p.m. in the
Seton Faith Formation Center, room 108.
Come out and join in the wonderful fellowship and gather a few 'purls of
wisdom'. We have inspiring shawl stories to share and much to be thankful for
as we've received various donations this past month totaling, $455, to help us
continue this heartfelt ministry. The Lord continues guide and open new doors
of opportunity for our shawls. We'll have more to share about our new
joint-ventures with the NICU at Southwestern
Medical Center, Rachael's Vineyard and
Samaritan Care Hospice. These are exciting times and the Lord is working
it all through in ways unimaginable. This past month we were also invited to
set up an informational booth at the Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast. It
was a delightful experience as we enjoyed chatting up the shawl ministry.
Amazingly we received a few donations, distributed a few shawls from our display
and found ourselves signing up some new members. The Knights are hoping to
continue with this addition of a ministry fair to their pancake breakfast held
the third Sunday of each month...though they will skip the month of March.
PRAYER REQUEST...
Please pray for Anna Klimek (one of our lovely shawl makers), mother of
Wanda Klimek (another lovely shawl maker). She has an aggressive form of
lymphoma and has begun chemo. May our Lord bring His healing touch to Anna.
AT KNITS
END...
Could it be said that we are God's little 'Sowing [sewing] Circle' as He
supplies and helps to scatter the shawls abroad...we frequently see the shawls
working as little 'seeds of faith', as we hear the various shawl stories
unfold...consider this when you read the following verses from 2 Cor. 9:8-15...
'And God is able to provide you with every
blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough in every good work. As
it is written, 'He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor: his righteousness
endures forever. He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will
supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your
righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity,
which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; for the rendering of this
ministry not only supplies the need of the saints but also overflows with many
thanksgivings to God. Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by
your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity
of your sharing with them and with all others. While they long for you and pray
for you because of the surpassing grace of God that He has given you. Thanks be
to God for his indescribable gift!'
Once again, we'd like to encourage you to look with a fresh
"new set of eyes" as we continue on our
journey through Lent and the Easter season. Kathy and I wish you all a lovely
March and a blessed Easter season. Seek God in the Ordinary!
God's Grace be upon you!
tish and kathy
"...for the Lord does not see as mortal see;
they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. --1
Samuel 16:7
(Quotes from "A New Set of Eyes", by Paula D'Archy, [ ]'s added)