A Crafty Meditation: Will Your Anchor Hold

 

So… here I am back at my desk after an amazing time at the 76^th Swanwick Writers’ Summer School. My second time there. On my return home last year, flushed with newbie enthusiasm, I ticked the box on the feedback form. Yes, I’d be interested in leading an 8 a.m. Lift up Your Hearts meditation. Then promptly forgot about it. Months passed and then, suddenly, and totally unexpectedly, Maria contacted me, was I still willing and able? Well… willing yes, able… what could I talk about? 

And now I want to tell you how I found out what my theme was going to be! And a bit about how it all came together.  

I was sitting one morning, thinking of nothing in particular, when my attention was drawn to my storage stool. It hadn’t been opened for a little while. I couldn’t even properly remember what it contained. I call it ‘The Box of Lovely Things’ (ooh is that a title for something??). Special things that I have been gifted, and lovely things that I will gift when I find the right person. 

I opened the box… and I knew, just knew. Some weeks previously my crochet buddy Helen had given me a beautiful shawl she’d crocheted, along with some other items she’d made. She told me I could distribute them as I wished. Straight away I knew I needed to keep the shawl (I did confess), although I didn’t know why. 

So… it was planted in the dark of my storage box and bloomed just when it was needed. As soon as I saw it and picked it up it started to work its magic, and God’s voice came through it, loud and clear. For the rest of the day I went round singing that wonderful old hymn ‘Will your Anchor hold in the storms of life’.  And it wasn’t long before it was joined by“A ship that’s in the harbour, is still and safe from harm, but it was not built to be there, it was made for wind and storm!"  Ian White’s ‘All I know’. 

(Look these videos up if you get chance, both amazing).

I looked up Bible passages about anchors. I read stuff about anchors. I looked up crochet / knitting patterns of anchors.

I ended up with enough notes for a two hour talk. At least. Eventually  I pared my notes down and was happy that the Swanwickers would get their breakfast on time. 

After the introduction of how I found my subject and visual aid I developed my thoughts in two main areas. Firstly the handiwork itself, the skill and love that had gone into making it, what I saw in it, got from it. What others might. Moving on to Jesus as our anchor. Concluding that he doesn’t always want us to stay safe in harbour.

If we had a spare two hours I could tell you MUCH more... But I'd just like to conclude with a few things I learned from this exercise. 

1)    Trust God to lead you when you have a task to perform / a reflection to write

2)   Always listen to the still small voice that tells you something will have a purpose someday. 

3)     Pay attention to earworms

4)   Be more tech savvy ( some anxious moments till the lovely Anna came to my rescue).

5)     If some helpful person comes up to you after you've spoken and offers 3 thoughts... the first two of which are amazing and the third is promised for later, DO NOT let them escape from the room till you are in possession of ALL their pearls of wisdom.

6)   Remember not everyone knows the difference between knitting and crochet. Or cares… just wait till I get my woolly gloves on them… 

You will rarely find Liz without a crochet hook, a pen and notebook, knitting needles or squeaky dog toy in her hands. Sometimes more than one of these at a time. English literature,  Theology and Ministry graduate. Former nurse, midwife and home visitor for the visually impaired. For many years a regular speaker at clubs, churches and groups, Covid and personal circumstances led to a break.  But…. She is back.