think about it .... you take your time to find the perfect yarn in the perfect color that compliments the perfect pattern that conveys the perfect sentiment for that perfect occasion ..... THEN you sit and knit and dwell on the recipient, you sit and knit and dwell on the reason for knitting at this particular time, you even sit and knit and dwell on the response once you share what you've created.
anyone could run to the mall and grab something off a rack, wrap it up and call it a day. but knitting has become such a personal investment for me ... it's an extension of my very heart when i share something with you .... it's a gift that has consumed my time and attention by choice as i, in some small and tangible way, try to express the love/appreciation/prayers i share with and for you.
however, one of the hardest ... and humblest .... lessons i have learned is not to judge how ... or even IF ... the gift is used. one of my favorite[NOT] comments came when i knit a sweater and mailed it ... and was then asked "did you mean for the sleeves to be that tight' ? [YES! I was hoping to cut your circulation off and make life completely uncomfortable when you wore this - - and thought of me!] or i shared a spa basket once filled with some knitted cotton/linen knitted washcloths, homemade soaps, candles and a knitted pair of footies .... the question for THAT day was "oh! did rachael knit those socks?" [rachael was probably 14 at the time... really?]
sigh ...... deep breath ...... hold your tongue and your heart ..... and return to the very reason and essence you started this creation process to begin with ...... to express a small part of who you are and how you feel ... so i wonder if that's the battle that the Lord fights every day when i fail to recognize all that He's done for me?
*Lord, did you mean to make my day so hard?
*Really, Lord? - - did one of your new angels pick this one out for me?
*No thanks, Lord ... i think i want to be friends with the new lady "Lisa" because she's
so nice-pretty-rich-fun .... not that lady "Virginia" because she's
mean-ugly-needy-poor-mean-hard-to-love-negative-mean
*Oh, thanks Lord! i'll get back to You in a minute; i've got a few more important 'issues' right
now to handle on my own. but i'll call you real soon, i promise!
How grateful i am to know that He had me specifically in mind when He created me ...... as He continues to invest in me ...... and that He's not easily insulted or hurt by my foolish choices when i don't respond with a heart of gratitude for the gifts He has knit for me each and every day .. and continues to shower on me so lavishly.
For You created by inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise You because i iam fearfully and wonderfully made: Your works are wonderful, i know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from You when i was made in the secret place.
When i was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes say my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in Your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God.
How vast is the sum of the them!
Were i to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When i awake, i am still with You. (emphasis mine)
ps. 139:13-19
an old saying i found years ago and often attach to my gifts goes like this:
When i give you what i make with my hands, i give you my heart.
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