The Darkest Hour

I just found this wonderful Persian proverb:
When it is dark enough, you can see the stars

Never Giving Up

I recently read an article from a newsletter that I regularly receive from www.crochetmagazine.com where I was reminded that when faced with the possibility of having a long term illness or disability some people might decide to give up. Here are some women that decided to not give up but to put their focus on service and finding joy in what they have.

Crocheting for the Visually Impaired

From Marie: ..... My mother is 76 and legally blind due to the wet form of macular degeneration. She loves to crochet, as do I, and she thought she would never be able to do it again after losing most of her sight, but I have found a way to help her crochet.

Mom uses a large hook, usually size N or M, and because she has trouble seeing the stitches to crochet into them, I suggested she use patterns that call for crocheting into spaces rather than stitches, since they are easier to feel. Granny patterns are perfect for this, so she has been making granny-square and granny-rectangle afghans. Mom has trouble starting them, so I do the first two rows to get her going, and then she is off.

This is great therapy for her to keep her mind and hands busy. Mom donates the afghans she makes to my church to give to those in need. She's a true believer in "where there's a will, there's a way."

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From Janet: I have a friend who has been completely blind for at least 20 years. She was an avid crocheter before she went blind, and she still is. Because it took a number of years for her to lose her sight, she was able to adapt the hooks she used and the way she crocheted to her slowly diminishing eyesight. By the time she could no longer see, she was already crocheting by feel.

..... The afghans she makes are colorful and beautiful, and they all go to several of our church's charities.

From Chani: ..... I actually rediscovered crochet because of a temporary, yet almost complete, visual impairment. In 2007 and 2008, I was undergoing treatment for diabetic retinopathy, and at one point, I was almost completely blind. Visual aids didn't even help. I was in despair, scared that I might never be able to do anything creative again.

I decided to pick up a crochet hook and some spare yarn just for something to keep my hands busy. I thought that because it's counting stitches I could do crochet by touch. My work might not be perfect, but at least I could still do it.

I would sit for hours, working and counting my stitches. It was amazing therapy! At 25, I was facing the prospect that I would be completely disabled and never able to work creatively again. But I discovered that even though I couldn't see I still had crochet. Maybe I couldn't follow a pattern, but who cared? I had never learned how to read one anyway! As long as I could feel and count, I could still crochet.

Eventually, I finished a queen-size blanket. A few weeks later, I gained vision back in one eye. I was nervous to look at the blanket and see every missed stitch and every flaw. When I finally looked at it, though, I thought it was the most beautiful project I had ever completed because I had made it when I was losing everything else that I thought was important. I never realized when I was learning how to crochet, using my fingers as hooks at age 4, that I had been learning one of the most important tools I would need later in life.

This article came from the following link http://www.crochetmagazine.com/newsletters.php?mode=article&article_id=550&key=NL00

Twitter quote by SeanMalarkey

@SeanMalarkey When a friend is in trouble, don't annoy him by asking if there is anything you can do. Think up something appropriate and do it.

Twitter Quote by Mike_Wesely

@Mike_Wesely "Only a man who has felt ultimate despair is capable of feeling ultimate bliss." Alexandre Dumas

Painful

When speaking to a woman that was going through a painful divorce. She said "when I speak with you I feel better."

I think it's important to realize that when we are going through a painful experience we don't have to go through it alone. We can find friends that are willing to listen and have compassion on us.

It's important to not think that you are alone. That is too overwhelming to think as well as incorrect. You have many resources to pull from; your family, friends, support groups, books, counselors, etc. Seek out help, don't go it alone.

****REMEMBER: YOU ARE NOT ALONE****

Struggling

When I notice some one is missing from a class that usually is there I call them and ask if they are ok...I am concerned about my friends. One woman in particular kept on telling me that she was going to come but every week was absent. I tried to meet her at her home, but something always was coming up so that she would cancel my visit. Deep inside I wondered if something was very wrong.

Finally the other day the woman showed up for class. I spoke with her to find out what was wrong. I found out that she was struggling with an addiction. She felt ashamed to show up to class due to the addiction and didn't want any one in her home while struggling. She felt that she needed to deal with it by herself.

If you are dealing with an addiction or if your friend is dealing with one, make sure you/they don't deal with it alone. Some times in our lives we need to ask for support/help from others, because we aren't strong enough. There are so many people who would like to help including friends, family, and outside resources. It would be a shame if you had to carry that burden by yourself.

There are so many times in our lives as woman that we give. We love to give and serve others. We some times have to allow others to serve us and receive the blessings. When we allow others to serve/help/support us we gain friendships that we may have never had. We find out that WE ARE NOT ALONE.

To Forgive is Divine

To truly forgive someone that has hurt you is to erase the notions that were planted in your thoughts about yourself by the person that you are forgiving.

When some one hurts us, we internalize it and analyze it. We often think that the reason that we have been hurt/abused is due to something that we did, or that we are lacking...we think to ourselves "oh I was abused because I am not worthy of love." or "I was abused because I am ugly" and "I deserve it because I am such an awful person." None of these thoughts are correct, they are not rational at all. NO ONE DESERVES TO BE ABUSED OR HURT.

The true reason that we were abused is due to the lack of something in the abusers personality. It is not our fault. We have been innocent victims, and there is nothing wrong with us nor do/did we deserve the treatment that we got.

To carry around with us a hatred toward another person, is like carrying around a big back pack full of heavy rocks. Hatred is like a disease that that teares us up from the inside, it's similar to cancer continually growing causing pain to the injured. The only way to get rid of this horrible burden/disease is to remove it.

To remove this burden is to forgive the individual that has wronged us. Forgiveness is a healing balm, that soothes the burden. When we are able to fully forgive someone, there is no burden to carry.

Forgiveness is not an easy process, nor is it something you can do over night. I know that I have done much struggling with myself and the Lord.

The Lord will assist you when you go to Him. He is waiting to heal you. He has already taken your burden upon him. In the Garden of Gethsemane as he bled from every pore he took upon Him every sin, every hurt, and every burden. I believe as he was there that he saw each one of us that has been hurt, that he felt every single pain we would ever have and because of this sacrifice and his willingness to take all that pain upon him we are able to become free, free from the burdens and pains---Who would be best to succor His people, than one who has suffered the pains and has known first hand what the suffering of his people has been---"He only one..."

He is waiting for you to come to Him, he will give you peace.

John 14: 27
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 16:33
33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Where Can I Turn for Peace?

Source: http://tinyurl.com/djhrh

1. Where can I turn for peace? Where is my solace When other sources cease to make me whole? When with a wounded heart, anger or malice, I draw myself apart, searching my soul?

2. Where, when my aching grows, Where, when I languish, Where in my need to know, where can I run? Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish? Who, who can understand? He, only One.

3. He answers privately, Reaches my reaching In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend. Gentle the peace he finds for my beseeching. Constant he is and kind, Love without end.