Hope

I am novice when it comes to crocheting.  I’m making some progress in and learning new things slowly in what my daughter calls “Venture Crocheting”. That is the kind of crocheting where you don’t really follow a pattern just your instincts. Sometimes it works for simple things, sometimes it doesn’t. I am making a baby blanket for her new baby arriving sometime in February.  I got the basic pattern down for a nice little blanket for him.  The one thing I did not do, which I am learning now I should always do, is roll the yarn into a ball first.  I’ve had two incidents now where I have gotten my yarn all in knots and it has taken me much time and help to get it unravelled.

The other day we were visiting friends in their lovely mountain home.  A great time to bring out my blanket. It was cold outside, nice and warm inside, great conversation and food.  Unfortunately, I had one of those times where my yarn got all in a jumble.  It was bad. Fortunately, my friends kindly volunteered to help out.  Some of them more willing than others.  We we will not mention any names or gender here.  The interesting conversation we were having did not exactly stop. We were talking about peace and peacemaking.  How can we be peacemakers in our world filled with conflict?

As we were unravelling my knotty yarn, I thought about the knotty problems we were just talking about.  Wars, conflict, ethnic cleansing, apartheid situations that are happening today.  It was a great metaphor as we worked together and didn’t give up, hopeful that the yarn truly would be unknotted.  And finally it was.

I thought how for the sake of our children and grandchildren we must do this work and not let the world “go to hell in a handbasket.”  There are obstacles and often it seems impossible.  There are naysayers who don’t believe it is possible, just cut it off (the yarn)!  But how often do we want to cut people off?  Or worse?

What if we all were engaged in some way with bringing “peace on earth, good will towards men” and not just waiting for the angels to do it? What if we all have a part in the world we live in or we are called to serve? What if the great areas of conflict were addressed with “faith, hope and love”? What if we practiced forgiveness and truly learned how to “live in peace with each other”? I’m quoting lots of Bible verses here that some will recognize.  Sometimes we who claim to be followers of the Prince of Peace are missing a really important part of the message that He brought us.

I was encouraged in my little yarn fiasco.  I have learned a lesson about rolling my yarn ahead of time.  I also had faith and hope it could be worked out.  I had done it before. I want to have this kind of faith and hope when I approach conflict today.  “All things are possible for those who believe.”  It is hard work and takes time and perseverance.  For the sake of our children and grandchildren let us do our part, small or great in this good work of peacemaking.

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