February 16 Martha's Musings

Like several other women in our congregation, I am learning how to crochet. These classes are the brainchild of Nancy Bewley, the chairperson for the Prayer Shawl Ministry. So not only do the participants learn a new skill, but the Prayer Shawl Ministry will also have more shawls in their coffers. It is a win-win situation for everyone. The information we are learning is new to most of the group, and one fun fact stood out for me: if you make a mistake, just pull the thread gently and the mistake goes away. You then have an opportunity to try again for the desired result. I could not help but think of just how great this fact is, because I know from personal experience that with many things in life, if you make a mistake, the best you can do is apologize. Often, you simply cannot repair the mistake. You do not get a do-over. You just feel sad/careless/stupid/ashamed, etc. Most of life’s errors cannot be repaired by simply “pulling a string”. The members of the crochet class are in a special position in this one respect. However, I know all these lovely ladies, so I know that each of them belongs to a larger group known as “mankind”. You know, the same group you are in. No magic strings in this group. And as we all know, mistakes come in varying degrees of importance. A crocheting mistake is minor, in this bigger realm of mankind. It is the major mistakes, the ones that break a commandment and are moved from the “mistake” column to the “sin” column, that are real issues for us all. While there is no little string to pull to make things right again, there is our connection with God, through prayer, that is ALWAYS available. God’s love for His children knows no bounds, and He surely loves a penitent heart.
So, when we do sin, our Heavenly Father will grant us forgiveness, just as He promised to do. What we want, and really need, is mercy, not justice. Justice can be harsh, even if well-deserved. God’s gift of merciful forgiveness, unlike crochet, has no strings attached at all. What a gift!

Blessings,
Martha Arizpe, St. John’s Prayer Team

PS: Crochet classes are held in the Horizon House from 1-2pm on Wednesdays. Contact Nancy Bewley for more information.