Love

"To say that I am made in the image of God is to say that love is the reason for my existence, for God is love. Love is my true identity. Selflessness is my true self. Love is my true character. Love is my name." -- Thomas Merton, from A Book of Hours

I've been thinking about love a lot lately -- mainly because it has been staring me in the face every time I go into our basement and walk around and through all the stacked bins of yarny goodness you Angels have sent in! I thought of the quote up top on one of those trips, and felt it truly describes the Angels -- love is indeed your name, or at least your middle name! And selflessness is definitely your character -- you can't miss that staring at all those full bins. I've read several of Merton's books, and particularly enjoyed A Book of Hours. If you are into love, it is definitely worth checking out.

More love came in the mail and arrived by personal delivery late last week. On Friday evening, Michelle Malles came by and dropped off some lovely yarny goodness that she and Angel Debbie Koubas made for us. Both Debbie and Michelle are from the Chicago area, and work where Frank used to work.

First up is Angel Debbie's loveliness. She made us two special scarves for our fundraiser, and Angel Kathy Waldsmith is modeling one of them up top (yes, it was cold enough to wear a winter coat to church here on Sunday - and because the boiler was out again at church, Kathy was really glad she had worn it!). Here's a closer look at that gorgeous scarf:

Debbie made a second version of that same pattern, but with finer yarn on smaller needles -- I'm modeling it here:

Michelle said that Debbie said the scarf was easy to make -- I'm not so sure, so I'm going to try and get the pattern from Debbie to see. I do know that it defintely takes a lot of love to make a scarf like this -- it's complicated and you would have to keep careful track of exactly where you were in the pattern. It also takes a considerable amount of selflessness to make something this lovely and then not keep it to wear yourself!

The love in this scarf caused quite a stir at church. I've been wearing a Crafty Angel shawl or scarf to church on Sunday for the past several weeks as advertising for our upcoming fundraiser -- inevitably people comment on them during coffee hour after church, and I then have a nice lead into telling them about the fundraiser! Angel Debbie -- your scarf got lots of compliments on Sunday!!

Debbie also took a class during the summer to learn how to make this stunner:

It's sort of a very narrow shawl/long scarf that drapes nicely around your neck. Take a look at the lace stitch Debbie used:

Isn't that just lovely? Michelle said that she watched Debbie work on it during lunch hours, and it was quite complicated. You can't tell from this photo, but it's made in a lovely shade of pale green in a cotton blend yarn -- just perfect for spring. Supervisor Cowboy really liked it, too! Thank you, Angel Debbie, for using your talents to make us such lovely scarves for our fundraiser -- they are gorgeous and I'm positive they will sell quickly because people can easily sense all the love stitched in with the yarn!

Angel Michelle has also been busy:

"Whoa! My paws are tingling, Mom!!! It must be all that love I'm feeling!"

Spa cloths for our challenge! Each of these scarves is different and uses a different stitch or knitting technique. Michelle said that making them has been a wonderful way to teach herself how to knit -- she is getting VERY good! These will be wonderful for our spa bags for the women in homeless shelters served by Cornerstone Community Outreach and Wellspring Center for Hope. Thank you so much, Michelle, for caring for the women we serve -- these will be a source of comfort for them during a very difficult time in their lives, and every time they use them, the women will be reminded that someone loves them -- even if they don't feel very loveable.

Angel Joyce Dattalo from Oswego, IL sent in a HUGE box full of love, too. Want to see what was inside? You know you do!

Hats for our challenge to make hats for the men served by Good News Community Kitchen! And scarves and mittens to match! The hats are just awesome -- extra thick -- and just perfect for the men who live on the streets even during the coldest part of the winter. Thank you so much, Angel Joyce -- you may just save one of these men's lives this winter with your gifts of love.

And there was one more love gift inside:

"Mom, this blanket is GREAT! What a wonderful blessing for one of our senior ladies this Christmas!"

I agree, Supervisor Cowboy. This blanket is soft and so warm, and such a lovely colorway -- it will be treasured by the homeless senior woman living at Friendly Towers who receives it. Thank you, Angel Joyce, for caring so much for so many people we serve. You are truly a blessing to all of them!

So much love, so much selflessness touching so many lives in so many ways. Yup, you Crafty Angels certainly are made in the image of God! What a blessing, and inspiration, you are!