I have to wait just a few minutes for it to be light enough for ma e to put my boat into the water. I stand on the small dock all ready to begin my early morning row. As I look out across the lake, I feel like a young child all set for an exciting adventure. I find myself taking in a deep breath trying to capture as much of the delicious quiet and beauty as I can.
The water is so smooth, so still that when a fish jumps out and does a quick exquisite ballet, the water ripples, and I can hear the small splash. I put both oars in my left hand, gently step into my boat, sit down, and then slip my feet under the Velcro straps. I lean over just a little to push away from the dock, and then dip my oars in and begin to (skull) row. I know that my first few strokes will be a bit uneven, but within a few minutes the rhythm and touch returns, and my long oars are making full efficient strokes enabling me to glide over the water and watch the dock disappear.
I named my boat, a 23 foot Shell, “Olivette.” I have her name in large, bright red letters on the bow . Olivette was a woman I met through my church and our Prayer Shawl Ministry. Some of you may know of this wonderful ministry, but if you don’t, I invite you to check out a web site, www.shawlministry.com. We knit or crochet prayer shawls that are given not only to people who are going through some type of loss, illness, transition, but also at times of celebration. We usually have around ten to fifteen women who meet each month at our church, and there are several other women who may not attend our meetings, but contribute handmade shawls for this valuable ministry.
At the monthly gatherings, we have the opportunity to learn from each other as we share patterns, yarn, stories, and of course laughter and even tears. We begin our meetings with the lighting of a small candle and a prayer. Later during our meeting we drape the completed shawls we each have brought in, and often some unfinished shawls, over a stand. We gather around the shawls with each of us placing one hand on a shawl, and our other hand on someone’s shoulder, as we say a prayer together. Before a shawl is given to someone, we include a prayer tucked inside.
One prayer, I especially like is:
May God’s grace be upon this shawl…warming, comforting, enfolding and embracing.
May this mantle be a safe haven...
a sacred place of security and well-being,
sustaining and embracing in good times as well
as difficult ones.
May the one who receives this shawl be cradled in hope, kept in joy, graced with peace, and wrapped in love.
Blessed be!
Author: Janet Bristow
2008 All rights reserved.
I so value this display of faith and friendship. I believe that it is a visible sign of what God’s love and caring is all about. To me, it is an example of “Faith in Action.” While I work on a prayer shawl, even though I am not a master knitter, I feel good, content, and centered as I knit and pray. I feel fortunate to be a small part of a group that is serving and sharing.
My friend, Olivette, crocheted, and we teased her that she was the most prolific of our group as she would bring in at least five shawls she had made during the month. She would reply in her zesty voice telling us that, being in her 90s, she had more time to sit and crochet than most of us. I had the privilege of interviewing Olivette about her life. Our group wanted to have her story be part of the contents we were planning for our women’s time capsule at the church. I didn’t know Olivette very well before the several weeks I spent with her obtaining information about her life history. After we had completed her story, I continued my visits with her. She allowed me to bring her new yarn, and I marveled at the beautiful shawls she made. Olivette was a kind and attentive listener. I always felt she took in every word I said, and that she cared.
She was an unexpected gift to me for the few years I knew her before she died. A surprise gift from God, Olivette was an outstanding woman who had a wonderful sense of humor, a deep value of learning, and continued giving to others until the day she died at 93 years of age.
I was given one of Olivette’s shawls, and it is one of my favorite possessions. One day when I was talking with Olivette, I brought up the subject of my wanting to get my own boat, but thought I might be a bit too old to move forward with this wish. She looked at me, paused, and then said, “Connie, get your boat.”
As I row my boat I find myself always saying out loud, “Good morning, Olivette, let’s go have some fun.”
Yes, friendships and being out in God’s beautiful world is like being cradled in hope, kept in joy, graced with peace and wrapped in love.
Blessings,
Connie I. Clark
