After a horrible day yesterday. (In addition to having one of my back teeth break in two (I think I swallowed the half that broke off! And of course it’s a holiday weekend so I can’t see a dentist until Tuesday) I cut my left thumb while cutting up a tomato for a sandwich and it still hurts!) I decided that making it to church had to be a top priority today. We started on our summer schedule, which is one service at 9am, which I absolutely love. I can get up for 9am. 8 not so much, and the 10 service goes on and on and I sometimes don’t leave until noon, so this 9am is great.
Unfortunately the father of our Associate Pastor/Minister of Music had a stroke this week and Pastor Pat is with her family (prayers for the Potter family please.) So we got a treat today. Our regular Pastor, Pastor Julie played the organ and her husband, also a Pastor, Pastor Hans filled in as the presiding minister. Pastor Hans delivered a great sermon on God always being there for us and that we don’t need to worry so much. I almost started to cry a couple of times, especially when he talked about being sick and worrying about getting better.
After the service, Pastor Julie said that she had something for me. My mom (who also goes to the same church as I do) and I went to Pastor Julie’s office and Pastor Julie gave me this absolutely beautiful handmade knitted shawl. We have this wonderful ministry at Immanuel. Many people get together and knit these prayer shawls for people in the church and the community who are going through tough (and also good like marriage) times. The church has been praying for me and they wanted to give me something tangible to remind me that I am not alone. I was so overwhelmed that I started to cry and was at a loss for words (which for me is a shocker!) Pastor Julie said that each shawl ends up having some special meaning between the knitters and the recipient. When I unfolded the shawl, I immediately noticed the colors, the two outer panels are gray and the middle panel is red. The colors of my hometown in Wisconsin. In high school we were the gray hounds and our colors were red and gray. I said this to Pastor Julie, and she said she was getting goosebumps, and one of the knitters who had joined us, heard this as well and Sandy got goosebumps. It’s an incredible link. No one here in Massachusetts could know the importance of red and gray in my life… except God.
For those of you who have doubts about the existence of God, this could not be a cosmic coincidence. Or luck of the draw. It is God and I am so thankful.
Here is a picture of my prayer shawl.
Here is the prayer that came with it. By Sandy Mann May 2006
“Prayer for Healing
Guided by God’s love for us, this shawl is knit for you.
Healing, strength and peace, to bless upon your spirit true.
Wrap yourself in warmth and love, entwined in every stitch.
Prayers said to God above, please heal, mend and enrich.
Father, Son, Holy Spirit, intoned throughout the shawl.
Triune blessings knit within it, best wishes from us all.”
What a wonderful gift.
Sorry to hear you’re having such a rough time – I’ve meant to get in touch but have been overwhelmed.
Anyhow, I’m thinking of you. Thank God for epipens!!!!
Karen, what a wonderful expression of God’s love! I hope you will post a picture when you can. It’s amazing how God works, isn’t it???
I just read the article about the Prayer Shawl ministry. I love it!!! I’m knitting a prayer shawl right now, in fact. . . well, i’m part way through it, but I get bored and start socks or a shirt for grace and then come back to it later. . .. . I think that ministry is such a great idea.