Welcome to the Monday Mailing Vol 2, Ed 16 –
Then a Miracle Occurs
I made reference to this cartoon sometime in the last week or two. . .I don’t really recall when, but I remember talking about it.
Then A Miracle Occurs.
I participated in a miracle yesterday, and it unfolded right before my very eyes (my very nap-deprived eyes). Knit for Food Knit-a-thon was a 12-hour knitting (and crocheting) marathon to raise funds and awareness for food insecurity. The money raised will be equally divided between Feeding America, World Central Kitchen, No Kid Hungry, and Meals on Wheels.
I joined a crew of knitters and weavers at Cece’s Wool Farm Store Workshop (several doors to the east and north of the actually Yarn Shop) for several hours yesterday afternoon. Several members stopped by to see what was going on. We were busy working on our projects, and watching some Zoom “classes” offered by the organizers of the event. There were people from across the nation participating! (There may have even been international participants, I do not know.)
One of our members raised nearly $1000 for the event, by inviting others to sponsor her. The event itself raised nearly $275,000 nationwide. The Feeding America website tells us that for every dollar donated, 10 meals can be provided. Do the math. Yesterday a bunch of crafters made sure that 2.7 MILLION meals were made available to those who are food insecure. 2.7 MILLION! (I had to use my calculator, as I find it hard to wrap my mind around such figures)
Then a miracle occurs! Indeed!
This is what happens when we tap into things that matter in the world, and we talk about it. I am certain that the bulk of the money raised came from the family and friends of the crafters who participated. It was raised when the crafters talked with other people about the project, and when they did things like. . .craft in public! (There were even a couple of men – oh my – who dared to wander in and ask about what we were doing!)
Imagine what might begin to happen in the world if we began engaging the social issues of the world with the imagination with which the crafters did yesterday. Imagine what we, as the church might begin to change in our world if we talked about the things which weigh heavy on our hearts. Imagine if we talked not only about providing food and meals to the food insecure, but working to change systems which place people into such categories.
Imagine!
Imagine a miracle occurring here.
It really doesn’t take much. A heart, a brain, the nerve – to quote the Scarecrow, Tin-Man and Lion in the Wizard of Oz. Or, faith, hope and love. A miracle can occur every single day . . .if we dare to change the world!
Continuing to celebrate Easter Joy!
Pastor Janice