Blessing

It was one of those moments when the Celtic approach of God being involved in everything wins out. I was sitting doing some extreme knitting - the knitting that precipitated our first gathering when the women wanted to see the giant needles and finger thickness wool - and wondering what to do when I finish my present rug. 

No - we're not planning to knit a bus - but I like the idea of thinking big!

It came to me to knit a rug for a local couple’s new conservatory, the knitting of it would be hallowed - a blessing to them. 

This is what we might be about - being a blessing to others in response to God’s abundant blessing of us. Perhaps we might even begin the process of viewing ourselves in this way by sharing in the knitting of the rug.

Already our jam and marmalade making has been a blessing for us and for others. Some of the women knit for charity. The group already has a longstanding commitment to support Briar House (the local residential home). And, only last week, they gave money towards the youngsters going away. 

I believe that BLESSING is the answer to what has long been bugging me..... I have known that the group is called to engage in mission to their own community, generation, and culture, but not HOW we were being called to do it.

Blessing is a way of being and doing mission that is natural to the women, and also flexible enough to give space for different degrees of health, mobility and confidence. It gives us a fresh understanding of our reason for being together - to welcome God’s blessing together and share God’s blessing with others. Through this our being and our action become worship to God.

I will use Dorcas as an example of a woman who modelled this blessing of others, and we can talk about women we have known. I suspect that the women will encourage and build each other up by sharing how each of them has blessed the other - just as the widows showed the garments Dorcas had made to Peter. 

Now I shall pray for a space to bring this word from God to the women.