So, now for my story: A few weeks ago I was at New Beginnings. I had brought some crochet work because often my hands are happier if they are doing something, so I figured I would keep them busy. Sometimes I end up watching educational videos or things slow down in the front office, so it works out well. Everyone asked what I was making. That particular day I was working on a glove--nothing particularly exciting or meaningful.
After that, I ended up deciding that if I brought my crochet work back to the office, I would make things for our clients--baby shoes, hats or blankets--so that my busy-work would add value even if it was just a fun hobby.
So, the next week I brought some more yarn, this time to make a pair of baby shoes (using this pattern). The pattern I chose was a very quick one, so I actually finished this pair of shoes while I was there. They were a hit! Melissa, the volunteer coordinator, made me take pictures of them for her and then leave them on the desk so she and the other ladies could admire them.
The next week I brought with me a pair of shoes I had finished over the week. (It turns out I spend enough time in one week on the phone or otherwise chatting with people to make a whole pair of baby shoes!) I worked on another pair while I was there, using this pattern. And now I am making great progress on a blanket, the first one I have made in a really long time.
I say all this because the last few weeks have shown me how important something little can be. My hobby, something that I brought just to keep my hands busy, has become a huge way to contribute to the place I am volunteering. Why is that? Because taking the time to make something with my hands shows our clients that someone loves them and cares for them. They don't have to go through one of the hardest things they will ever do alone. God is there, and so are the ladies of New Beginnings. Every time they use the shoes or the blanket they got, they can remember that someone else out there cares. And that is a beautiful thing.
Yes, little things are powerful things. I have many things that seem of little importance to the outside observer, but they have acquired a deeper significance because special friends gave them to me or told me about them or told me they liked me wearing them.
This week, don't forget the power of the little things!
P.S. On the note of crocheting, I found a new organization that does some amazing work internationally to save women from sex slavery by giving them a trade and helping them earn a living for themselves and their children. It's called Eternal Threads. A representative of the organization was visiting my school today, and she was selling some incredible crocheted bags and other handmade items.
You can't really see the beautiful detail on this bag. But to give you an idea of the complexity and beauty, take another look at the lacy baby shoes in the picture above. They probably took me three hours to do. That bag.....it would take me years! But these ladies make and sell the bags for a living to keep themselves and their children safe. Wow. (I am sure the other students in the Student Center this morning got a good laugh at me geeking out about the workmanship on the bag. I was blown away and it was probably hilarious...)
In any case, I would encourage you to check out Eternal Threads' products. They go to support a great cause, and the craftsmanship on the products is some of the best I have seen in a long time. This is another one of those little things that can do big things.
