Footprints

"A man (or woman!) leaves all kinds of footprints when he walks through life. Some you can see...others are invisible, like the prints he leaves across other people's lives." -- Margaret Lee Runbeck

I thought of Runbeck's quote above as I contemplated 8 boxes of yarny goodness that arrived at church over the past week or so. Even in the extreme heat we've been having across the US this summer, Angels had been very busy preparing footprints to leave across other people's lives. Amazing things were inside those boxes - I can't wait to show you!!

But before I do, just a note: our fearless Supervisor Cowboy was MOST uncooperative during this photo shoot! Maybe it was the heat or the proximity to the full moon (which always effects him negatively), but he absolutely refused to have his photo taken -- even when treats were offered. You'll see a couple of shots of his tail and only one where he posed, but that's the best I could do. He's fine, just cranky. So grab an iced tea or cold soda, put your feet up, and be prepared to be impressed!

First up is Angel Alma Wamsley, one of our founding Angels from Edgebrook Covenant Church. Alma has had a very bad couple of years with signficant health problems and has had to give up her home to live in assisted living, but she still crochets the best hats whenever she is able. Just look what she handed to me at church:

Warm and wonderful hats for our families at Cornerstone Community Outreach. These will leave some nice footprints, don't you think?

We have a new Angel! I received a box full of yarny goodness from Elizabeth Carr from Atlanta, GA -- take a peek at what was inside:

Warm baby hats and baby blankets for our newborns at Swedish Covenant Hospital and some lovely scarves -- including a cool "ripple" or "potato chip" scarf for the young moms served by Parenting Progress. Just wonderful!!

Angel Jacci Canino from Round Lake, IL sent us FOUR big boxes. You might remember that Jacci likes to make toys, and THREE of those boxes were full of toys, including the bears up top for The Mother Bear Project. Just look at the creative footsteps she sent us:

Aren't these toys just the most amazing, creative things you've seen?? The children at Cornerstone's homeless shelters will be thrilled to receive them this Christmas! Her daughter Lisa Marie purchased the little lamb - isn't it adorable? And there was lots more inside those boxes:

Baby hats, booties, and blankets for our babies at Swedish Covenant Hospital, scarves and warm slippers for our grandmas at Friendly Towers, and hats for children of all ages served by Cornerstone Community Outreach.
And Jacci made spa cloths to go in our spa bags for women in homeless shelters and at Swedish Covenant Hospital. But there was still more:

Jacci and LisaMarie also purchased these great items for the families we serve -- even MORE wonderful footprints! All I can say is WOW!

Angel Linda Faubel from Ladd, IL sent us two BIG boxes of yarny goodness, just crammed full of footprints:

Hats and scarves for our young moms served by Parenting Progress and a lovely red scarf for Project Red Scarf.

Wonderfully warm hats and scarves for the men we serve at A Just Harvest (formerly the Good News Community Kitchen).

Wonderful baby blankets for the newborns at Swedish Covenant Hospital. Don't you think the circular baby blankets are fantastic? I am just continually amazed at how simply changing the colorway can change the look of a pattern. These three look so different that you'd swear that Linda used a different pattern! There is still MORE:

Precious baby hats for our newborns!

A dining room table-ful of spa cloths for our spa bags - each one different from the next!

The perfect afghan for one of our grandpas living at Friendly Towers.

And a very warm wool sweater for a young boy served by Afghans for Afghanistan. DOUBLE WOW!

I have to tell you that I was quite overcome by all the yarny goodness that I unpacked from those boxes from Alma, Elizabeth, Jacci, and Linda. I just had to sit down for a bit to take in all that love. While I was comprehending and reveling in all that love, I started to think about the people who will feel Alma's, Elizabeth's, Jacci's and Linda's footsteps in their lives in December -- and I pictured their surprise and joy when those footsteps were delivered to them. I just wish Alma, Elizabeth, Jacci, and Linda could be there to see those faces - but I know that they WILL see that joy in heaven one day. And what a day that will be!

Thank you, Alma, Elizabeth, Jacci, and Linda for caring so much for the people we serve, and for spending so much of your time, talent, treasure, and gifts on those in need. You are all, indeed, true Angels!!