Measure of Love

"The measure of love is to love without measure." -- St. Augustine

I thought of this quote from St. Augustine as I contemplated the nine boxes stacked up in my dining room this afternoon -- all of which had come in this past week. I am just continually amazed at the amount of love packed into all those boxes of yarny goodness that show up at church! This week was especially great, because we have some new Angels! So let's get the parade of love gifts started -- there are a LOT of photos, so grab a cup or coffee or tea, put your feet up, and be prepared to be inspired!

First up is Angel Anita Hohenstein from Chicago. She's been recovering from back surgery, but that hasn't stopped her crafty fingers:

In the center are spa cloths, then to the right are scarves, across the top is a stole, to the left is a GORGEOUS hat and scarf set, and on top of the spa cloths is a beautiful decorative scarf. Aren't they just gorgeous? The hat, scarves, and stole will be perfect for the women we serve at the North Park Friendship Center. Thank you, Anita, for using your recovery time to make such wonderful love gifts!

Two of our new Angels are Janeece Lewis, from Adel, GA and her granddaughter. Just look at what they sent us:

Spa cloths in all sorts of interesting patterns and colors -- I really liked the ones with the knitted-in designs.

And just look at these spa accessories -- what look like mittens are bath mitts, under them are soap bags holding wonderful bars of soap, and on the right are BACK SCRUBBERS! I LOVE them! How very cool -- and how pampered the new moms at Swedish Covenant Hospital and the homeless women at Cornerstone Community Outreach's shelters will feel. Janeece said in her note that she saw the great work all of you are doing, and she and her granddaughter wanted to help. And help they did, indeed! Thank you so much for your outpouring of love!

I was just tickled to receive a box from Teen Services at the Schaumburg Township District Library in Schaumburg, IL. Look what was inside:

Warm stripey scarves for our teens, and GREAT scarves for men and boys. I don't know who made them -- whether the creators were librarians or teens -- but they are WONDERFUL! Thank you so much!

Angel Shirley Miller in Phoenix, AZ has been busy crafting love, too:

Just look at these hats for all ages, the spa cloths, and the matching hat and scarf sets! Perfect! The hats and scarves will be going to all the folks of all ages we serve at Cornerstone's shelters. Thank you, Shirley, for having such a big heart!

Angel Marya Preston from Wheaton, IL has even gotten her friends at work busy spreading love -- just look at what three of them made for us:

Our fearless supervisor Cowboy found them quite "snoozeable" (he stretched out and turned his back to the camera for a quick catnap!)-- and now I know for sure that we will probably EXCEED our goal of 1000 spa bags this year! WHOO HOO!! Thank you, Marya's friends - you are AWESOME!

Angel Debbie Anderson from Auburn, IL has been loving, too:

Just look at these fantastic afghans for our grandmas and grandpas at Friendly Towers -- and the wonderful, extra warm hats and scarves for the men we serve at the North Park Friendship Center! Thank you, Debbie, for sharing so much of your time to make these lovelies! They, and you, are wonderful!

And Angel Linda Faubel from Ladd, IL has been experimenting! Check this out:

She decided to try something different with the spa bag "innards." She purchased big bottles of shower and bath gel to fill smaller bottles, which she got from an online source specialitybottle.com. In her letter, she said she didn't know if it saved money, but she certainly had fun filling the bottle and creating special labels for them! I think they are GREAT!

She also sent these:

Lots of warm hats and scarves for the men we serve at A Just Harvest's community kitchen.

Warm hats and scarves for the teen moms we serve at Parenting ProGRESS and hats for their babies and toddlers!

And more great spa cloths! Thank you, Linda, for spending so much time, talent, and treasure on your love gifts. They are so wonderfully made - just like YOU!

Yes, indeed, my dining room glowed with all the love in this yarny goodness when I had everything unpacked. My husband Frank said he was going to have to find tiny sunglasses for Cowboy to wear for fear the glow would hurt his eyes! Cowboy just purred -- he knows love when he feels it, especially extravagant love like this.

Each of the creators here showed love without measure for people they will never even meet, and I think that is pretty darn spectacular, just like each of them!! I get shivers thinking about how that love will change the lives, and hearts, of the recipients. I can't wait to distribute these love gifts! What a blessing they will be, and what a blessing you are!