Knit and Crochet Bible Study

Category: bible study

  • Unfinished Life–Week 2

    My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. ~ Psalms 73:26, NLT

    After I committed to spend the weekend making a couple of small bears for someone and also to test a teddy bear pattern, the weather changed and my back and hips tighted up in pain and I was laid up for a few days.

    This slowed me down but I got everything done, just a couple days late.

    Panda and Teddy are approximately 6 inches tall.

    This Gift Bear holds a gift card in the front pocket.

    I worked on my daily Bible Study. I am reading 1 chapter from each of Matthew, Luke and John each day.  I got a little behind but caught up quickly.

    I looked again at the disaster that is my craft room.

    and struggled to make it look like this:

    I found a lot more unfinished items to add to my list. I also managed to fill a trash bag to dispose of and 3 bags went straight to the Goodwill before I could change my mind.

    It seems sometimes like the more I try to get ahead, the further behind I get. For example, finding more works in process. However, I also found a lot of notes I had made to go into the next Knitting and Crochet Bible Study. That was encouraging.  I can only work in short periods of time before pain plops me on my butt. That then becomes a time to sit quietly and talk to God while I work on another teddy bear.

    My unfinished life goes on.  Until next week,

  • Colors of Salvation: the ORANGE panel

    In our Colors of Salvation story we are making a project that will allow us to use panels of various colors to tell the Salvation story.

    Today we begin with the color orange. Orange in this story represents the fire of hell. Romans 3:23 tells us All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

    Born as sinners, we are condemned to life in hell. Not the physical death, but the spiritual second death life eternally separated from God.  It is  described in Revelation 21:8 But the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable and murderers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is a second death.  Sin is not measured by how big a sin it is. Sin is sin. A lie is a sin as murder is.  Sin, no matter how big or how small, separates us from God. Romans 6:23 says For the wages of sin is death.

    The stitch pattern for this part of the story are fairly easy to do. Just as it is fairly easy to sin.

    The stitch pattern in crochet is called The Alternate Stitch.  The pattern is accomplished by making a single crochet and a double crochet stitch in the same stitch. Skip a stitch and do another single and double crochet in the next stitch.

    Click here to  view a video demonstration of this stitch pattern.

    The stitch pattern in knit is called Vertical Weave

    The vertical stitch is made in a 2 row pattern.  In the first row (right side) “ K2 *slip 1 as if to purl, k1, yo, psso, K2. Repeat from * across

    Row 2 (wrong side) Purl across.

    Click here to view a video demonstration of this stitch pattern.

    You may download a PDF version of the project at: http://www.knittingbiblestudy.com/patterns/ColorsOfSalvation_patternKC.pdf

    Join us on facebook to discuss your progress.

    Next month we will work on the GOLD color

  • Knit for Your Health

    I have found for myself the benefits of knitting to help cope with pain, to relax.

    Now we have scientific proof of the health benefits knitting provides.

    This video is a CBS News Report (in time this video will not be available as other news reports are posted)

    Watch the news report at:  http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4917058n

  • Use Your Words

    I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer. (Psalms 17:6)

    During a recent visit to my daughter’s, my 4 year old granddaughter handed me some toys and stood in front of me.  ‘Tell grandma what you want with your words, dear’ my daughter told her.

    How many times do we do that to God?  I know  that God knows so I don’t say anything, waiting for Him to act.

    Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6) 

    We are to present our requests to God. We must ask Him.

    Asking Him doesn’t mean He will always say yes.

    When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. (James 4:3)  

    I remember asking my parents to let me go with a group of older kids to a club when I was just becoming a teenager. They said no.  It was not the kind of thing I should get involved in.   God, too, will not allow us to do what is not right.  And right or wrong, I could have told my granddaughter ‘no, I can’t play that game right now’.

    Asking does not always mean getting what we want.  But we cannot get anything until we ask.

    You do not have, because you do not ask God. (James 4:2)

    You might say I don’t know how to talk to God.  Here’s a way to get started.

    You enjoy your knitting and crochet gatherings. You find you can talk to your friends while your hands are busy  on your latest project. Actually, this is why the Knit and Crochet Bible Study idea works so well.  We become relaxed and open up while working on our projects.  So, to start talking with God, why not go to a quiet place, pick up your yarn and start working on your project.  Now talk to God as if He were right there beside there. He is, you know. I am with you always, to the very end of the age (Matthew 28:20).  God is listening.  He knows what is in your heart. He wants you to tell Him.   Just like I knew my granddaughter wanted to play with me.  But she needed to tell me that. 

    Quiet knitting/crochet time is a great time to talk with God.  But after you have talked awhile, listen.  God is speaking to you. Though He can create the thunder, He speaks with a still small voice. (see 1 Kings 19:11-13).

    I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer. (Psalms 17:6)

  • All Knotted Up

    I just finished crocheting a teddy bear from a skein of knotted up yarn. Why? I don’t know.

    One of the first posts I made and actually the first writing that led to the creation of the ‘Knit and Crochet Bible Study’ book was comparing my life to a tangled mess of yarn filled with knots.

    I laughed at myself as I realized I obviously have not learned anything because here I was, once again, working on a project and instead of untangling the strands and rolling it into a usable ball, I worked as many stitches as I could from the free yarn. Then I untangled a few more feet of yarn and worked until I ran into another tangle. I worked the entire piece like this!

    Romans 7:15 kept running though my mind: “For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7:15 NAS)   Do you find yourself doing the same thing? You know what needs to be done, you know how you should do, yet you continue in your old habits.

    I looked through my stash to start another project. I hope I have learned my lesson. You know the old saying, “The third time is the charm”. Hopefully this time I will get it right.

     

  • Daily Contact

    I recently read a post by author and speaker, Kay Arthur of Precept Ministries that reads:

    What difference does it make if you’re not in the Word of God on a daily basis? It makes a critical difference. It’s the difference between a Hi-how-are-You?-By the-way-I’ve-been-meaning-to-tell-You relationship with God and a deep intimacy with your heavenly Father. Check out Psalm 119:2, “How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart.”
    I spoke with a friend on the phone today, we discussed how difficult it is to talk and be mindful of one another when we don’t talk for a long period of time.
    I can’t imagine a day going by without speaking to my husband, our relationship is very special and constant contact with each other solidifies our commitment.
    Looking at how daily contact is so important makes me ashamed that I am so far behind in sending out the newsletter and even posting on the blogs.
    I had surgery on my back in July of 2010 and unfortunately I received no relief from the pain so I had a second surgery in March of this year. I neglected my knitting and crochet, I neglected contacting my friends, I neglected my prayer life and I neglected contact with all of you.
    While still in pain, I am taking charge to seek reconnection with all.
    I have pulled out the yarn, needles and hooks; I have started writing or calling friends, and I am writing to you now. Notice the verse in Psalm 119:2 says “those who seek him”.  Those words imply action. I must seek Him. God is always there, reaching out to me, but He will not force Himself on my life. I must in turn reach to Him.
    I must also seek contact with you. So I am starting over and will be blogging again.  I have a number of posts started waiting for me to finish.
    So grab your hooks, your needles, your yarn and your Bibles. Let’s get back together.

  • Goal Setting

    “The LORD says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.’” (Ps. 32:8 NLT)

    In January I made a list of what I want to accomplish in 2011.  I figured if I did a plan for the year instead of a “resolution” I might accomplish it more easily.

    I made three columns: (1) My Personal Life  (2) Knit and Crochet Bible Study (3) Crafting

    I considered, as many do when a new year rolls around, reading the Bible in a year. I have tried this and after a few weeks, I miss one day, then another, then I am so far behind I get frustrated and give up. I found a group on Facebook that is reading the New Testament in 2011 reading one chapter a day Monday through Friday. If you like to check it out there is the link:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Read-the-New-Testament-in-2011/185576411468685

    For Knit and Crochet Bible Study I had planned to start a once a month radio show/podcast. Perhaps I can get started in February.

    My crafting leaves a lot to be desired.  I have started quite a few projects. Every day new patterns come to me through email, online groups, facebook and twitter that I get excited and jump on in.  I hope during this upcoming blizzard (yes, they are using the word blizzard in the forecast) I can just sit down and finish a few.  Maybe by stating it here I can be accountable to you.

    There is another personal goal: draw closer to God. The verse above, Psalm 32:8 “The LORD says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.’”  He will guide, but I must follow. How many times He points me in one direction and I see pretty flowers along another path that I rush toward.  As He leads I slow down a bit, I stop awhile as He goes forward. I have to run to catch up.  I can understand the Israelites roaming in the desert. God led them, but they wandered other directions. It’s so easy to do, isn’t it?

    So, one month into the new year I have fallen behind in some areas, but I know that the Good Shepherd will not leave me behind.  He will take my hand and draw me to the still, calm waters where I can rest. And that place of rest is better than any flower patch along the road I can find. 

    So, how about you? In a few hours January 2011 will be in the past. Are you frustrated about your own goals? How are you encouraged?  Comment below and/or on the Facebook discussion tab.

  • Christmas is Coming; Patience is Tested

    “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him.”  Psalm 37:7

    Christmas is so hard.  You see wrapped gifts under the tree, and all you can do is peek at the wrapping, shake the package.

    As children, we used to sneak under the tree with a flashlight, whispering together thinking mom and dad couldn’t possibly know what we were doing (they were watching from their bedroom, unknown to us).

    The waiting is soooo hard.  Patience is a virtue that must be developed and Christmas time is not the time to pursue it.

    I get the same feeling when I am working on a large project. I recently made a SpiderWeb Afghan for my grandson for Christmas.

    The bigger it got, the more I kept repeating “is this the last round? No! Then is this the last round?”   Now that it is finished I am excited to see his reaction to it. I constantly look at the calendar and count the days until I give it to him.

    While I am excited to give my gift, he is excited to see what he will receive at Christmas. “That’s  long time grandma” is his response when we talk about that special morning.

    The 2 hardest words in the English language might be ‘just wait’.  Throughout the old and new testaments we read story after story of people’s lives and God’s promises fulfilled.  In every situation we can look back and see God’s hand at work and each blessing received at the right time. But that time is God’s timing, not our own.

    My husband and I are just coming out of a financially difficult time.  Like millions of others we felt the sting of unemployment. Medical bills continued as my pain worsened and surgery was scheduled.

    Throughout these days we trusted in God and asked ‘why Lord’. We waited on Him, I was impatient. No amount of worry, of crying, or foot stomping was going to change the situation.

    There is only one way to learn patience. Through events that cause us to wait.

    Old Testament figure, Joseph, experienced many “just wait” moments. He is sold by his brothers into slavery, is imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. He does not see his family for many years. He “waited patiently for the Lord” and became a person of authority serving Pharaoh.  ( read about Joseph starting in the 37th chapter of Genesis )

    Read the story of Mordecai in the book of Esther. He sent a warning after hearing of a plot to kill the king. It was customary to offer a token of gratitude. But none came.  “But wait patiently for God”.  On the night when Haman was plotting Mordecai’s death, the king could not sleep and read the chronicles. With God’s perfect timing he arranges for Mordecai’s public reward and discovers Haman’s wrong deeds. God put all the puzzle pieces in place and in the end His name was glorified. 

    Can you look back at your life and see incidents where no matter what you did, God’s hand was there without you knowing it.  My best personal example of this took place at the still-birth of my first grandchild.

    A package was delivered to our home. Before I could open it my daughter called to tell me the child she was carrying had died in the womb. The doctor was starting labor for her to deliver him.

    With tears running down my cheeks I rushed to be at her side. I held her hand as this lifeless child came quietly into the world, born into Jesus’ arms. I spent the night with her in the hospital. When I arrived home I opened the box that was delivered. Inside was a plaque that read “Joy Comes in the Morning. Psalm 30:5”  

    The package was from my father-in-law and his wife. I called to tell them about the baby and how timely the plaque was.  “Sherry didn’t know why, she just felt she was supposed to send it to you”.  

    God had touched her heart and prepared a special message of encouragement. If I had opened that package 24 hours earlier, the meaning would have been lost. 

    So whether it is a large knitting project, a job search, bible study or Christmas morning, we  learn to “be still and wait patiently”. All things happen at the right time and no amount of worry or impatience will change this.

    Maybe next time I  work row after repeated row after repeated row on a knit or crochet project, while my hands are moving mindlessly, I will quote Scripture and memorize passages. While I struggle to block a sweater I will pray and ask blessings on others, naming one for every straight pin I poke into place.

    Christmas is coming. So are the events of your life. Will you grab a flashlight and try to sneak a peek? Or will you wait upon the Lord, trusting all will work for good in His time?

  • FREE is One of My Favorite Words

    I am sucker for the word FREE.  I hate to admit it, but I have been enticed into many purchases because of the word FREE.

    Buy one, get one FREE.  I didn’t need the first one, but now I can get two!!  My biggest temptation comes when the offer includes a teddy bear.  I have so many teddy bears that many are still packed from our last move 3 years ago. I have no place for them. But they are teddy bears and many were offered as free with purchase or by signing up, or whatever FREE idea was popular at the time.

    My yarn and pattern stash is the same way. I have 2 rooms full of yarn and notebooks filled with patterns. More than I will ever use, but gee, lots of them were free!

    My favorite FREE offer comes from God. The gift of salvation. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.  (John 1:12 NIV)

    God’s FREE gift is offered to all. But not all will accept the gift. They will respond I don’t need that, I can do this on my own. I can get to heaven just being good.  None of this is true. Nothing you can do on your own is good enough. We are all sinners. God is God. He is perfect. He cannot abide sin and the sinful nature. So He has offered a way, a gift, to allow us to spend eternity with Him. That gift is Jesus Christ, His only Son, whom He sent as a sacrifice for my sin and for yours. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV)

    But God will not force you to accept Him. You must invite Him in. Will you?

  • But, God…..

    Two words keep coming  to my mind lately during my prayer time that I pray back “But, God”.  

    Things are distracting me from studying, But, God intervenes and opens a time.

    Health issues have taken its toll on me.  But, God sees to it His Word is proclaimed. 

    Little details draw my attention from the big picture. But, God steps up and says ‘lift up your eyes, look away from the difficulty and look at me.” 

    No matter what is happening ‘but, God” will have His way.  Many times in scripture a story is told of difficulties.  These are often followed by 2 little words; But, God.

    I pray that no matter what steps in your way as you struggle with whatever is facing you today, look away from it, lift your eyes and say “but, God” has it under control.