On The Go Monday

Yesterday was a pretty busy day for us, as J.D. restocked the firewood by the hearths (we have two) and on the porch, I was working on a new project that I started. While searching the Internet for crochet patterns, I came across more than a couple of patterns for what is called a 'Prayer Shawl'. It caught my interest and so I researched it a little more. It is a shawl that is given as a gift to someone that is in need of prayers. The object is to say prayers for that person or for a special need while crocheting it. I have finished one shawl and am nearly finished with a second one. They work up fairly quick and only takes a few skeins of yarn, so they are very inexpensive. The first one I will give to a special person tonight or I will at least give it to someone that will see to it that she gets it. I don't attend church on a regular basis. Most of my worship happens in the early morning hours as I watch God paint a beautiful sunrise in the eastern sky. Also when his wonderful critters come to visit and stop to eat a little of something growing in the yard. My ministering to others is usually through words on the computer, a hug for family or friends, and through prayer requests.

This prayer shawl stirred something inside of me that I felt the need to respond to. It could be a way of ministering to others in a way that I can identify with. When my father died I could not get warm. I felt a coldness that went all the way to my bones. This lasted from the moment I was told of his death for at least a week after. It wasn't until I prayed, that relief came. As I was on my knees asking for God's help in seeing me through this loss and helping my mother and children to deal with my father's death, that I felt His healing touch. I asked Him to please take the cold away. Almost immediately I felt warmth wash over me. It was like sunlight through a windshield on a cold winter day. I decided that I want to do this so I can help bring warmth to someone in need by actually wrapping them in a shawl made by me that has my prayers for them woven in with the yarn.

So that is what I am up to right now. Yesterday our Britt was home sick from school. Tersie's car was under the weather and had to go to the "feel better vehicle clinic". T-Bear needed a way home from school. So we left the mountain and was able to spend some enjoyable time with three of our girls. It is something we don't get to do very often any more. Tersie is very much into being an independent single mom. Which she does way too well sometimes and the girls keep very busy schedules with school activities. All of which means we appreciate any time we can get with them. Being able to be of help to her when she needed it and it felt so good. We hated that she had such an expensive repair job at this time of year though.

While we were in town I bought what supplies we will need to see us through to Christmas Day. Our family gathering will be at Chris and Melody's Christmas evening when they get back from Kentucky. We will go in a little early and get a ham started in the oven. I am making 'G'ma's Potato Salad' and all the ingredients were bought yesterday for Grandma Crace's Apple Stack Cake. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

Tonight is Riley's Christmas program. He has come a long way since last year. His performance last year was as a donkey in the stable. He did a terrific job of it too. This year though he will be Joseph. We will give you a full report with photos tomorrow.

Note to Jo: Run, run, as fast as you can..... You can't catch me I'm the 'Gingerbread Man'!