Resurrection

"I give and receive blessings through my heart and hands." -- devotional from Angel Alexis Lueth in Winter Springs, FL

It's a cold, grey, rainy Good Friday here in Chicago -- the grey color, and maybe the rain, feel right, because today is the day we remember our Lord's passion, but the cold surely does not. My friend Margo told me yesterday that she had heard that this was one of the coldest springs on record in Chicago, and I believe it! Our spring is probably a full month behind my sister's "spring" in Annapolis, MD -- and I must say was absolutely envious when she talked about all the fruit trees blooming in people's yards when I called her today.

I always eagerly look forward to Easter -- to me spring then "really" starts, and I was so hoping we could all be resurrected with a little spring weather. Alas, that probably is not to be -- more rain is forecast at this point. So I was overjoyed to open boxes of yarny goodness that had come in this past week -- I can't wait to show everything to you because the colors will bring spring to you wherever you are!

First up was a box from Angel Hazel Lindsay in Australia -- she is the queen of matinee baby jackets, and she has had the baby girls we serve at Swedish Covenant Hospital on her mind. Don't each of these sets look like precious little spring flowers?Thank you, Hazel! These are absolutely BEAUTIFUL! And the baby girls will look just beautiful coming home from the hospital for the first time!

I also received a box from Angel Shirley Miller in Phoenix, AZ. She had lots of knitting time when she was visiting her new grandson, Kellen Randal, in Boise, ID. Kellen, his mom, dad, and big sister are all doing well, and Shirley had a wonderful time. However, on the way home, her dog Olive developed a condition called bloat -- and passed away. I am imagining her playing with Cowboy up in heaven! I am so sorry for Shirley's loss. I think Olive would be pleased to see her Mom's yarny goodness here:

How wonderful! Hats and scarves for our families at the North Park Friendship Center, spa cloths for the women at Cornerstone Community Outreach's homeless shelters, and baby blankets for our newborns at Swedish Covenant Hospital. Thank you, Shirley, for caring so much for so many!

The Happy Charity Klickers from Loogootee, IN have also been very busy -- I received a BIG box from Archangel Dianna Overall. Just look at all the wonderful color that was inside:

Just look at those great hats and scarves for our families at the Friendship Center and Cornerstone, and what wonderful spa cloths! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Klickers! You are awesome!

In the spirit of Easter, I wanted to share more of the devotional that I mentioned from Angel Alexis Lueth above. She sent it with her Easter card, and it is entitled "Heart and Hands." Here it is in its entirety -- it made Alexis think of all of you:

"The heart is a universal symbol of love, perhaps because its continuous activity is essential to life, as is the activity of love. And hands are a universal symbol of that activity. God's love continually fills my heart. And the activity of my hands brings that love into expression as I go about my day. Whether I am quietly praying or busily preparing a meal, I use my hands in heartfelt demonstrations of giving and receiving. They are instruments of love that allow me to hug a loved one, create a newborn's blanket, or type a letter to a friend on a computer keyboard.

My heart and hands together are the means by which I continuously give and receive in an ongoing cycle of God's love in expression. I know -- with all my heart -- that I am blessed as I bless others."

I couldn't agree more! Here's wishing each of YOU the most blessed of Easters and a very happy Spring! Our April-May newsletter is now available, too -- you can read it by clicking the link HERE.