Recently, as I was processing what had been a particularly difficult week, the image of a tapestry came to mind. After prayer and a little searching I found what I was looking for – a poem by Corrie ten Boom titled Life is But a Weaving.…
”The dark threads are as needful, In the weaver’s skillful hand, As the threads of gold and silver, In the pattern He has planned.”
Time and time again, we have experienced this in our personal lives and certainly at the shelter. As we put in the work on this frayed side, we can’t always see the beauty being worked on the other. That is where trust comes in. From time to time we are given a glimpse – a ‘God wink’ I would say, as a gift of encouragement or affirmation. But over and over, it is in the hard times that we experience the goodness of the weaving, too often to be called circumstance.
We see it in a contractor prompted by a calling many weeks ahead to reach out to us, initially bringing in items from our wish list. Within a month, we found a fallen tree had damaged our back roof and water was leaking in to our recently remodeled bathroom. Although disheartened, we were grateful it was found quickly and that we had someone we could trust to repair it.
We see it in walking through the dining room as several residents fill the room with joy as they put fall scarecrows together from craft kits created by one of our staff years ago when she was a volunteer. She returned to her office uplifted and inspired with a huge smile on her face.
We see it in the encouraging words and décor purchased and placed by volunteers in a tiny bathroom – words that spoke to a hurting resident and brought her strength every time she went in.
We see it in a friend of the shelter that popped in to offer not one, but three very specific items we were in need of that day. In the past, this friend typically worked through her church group and helping us off site. It was not common for her to visit and bring items.
We see it in the way our current group of residents lift each other up – despite their own struggles with mental illness, poverty, and histories of abuse.
We see it in an unexpected visit from a former employee – a prayer warrior who showed up in the midst of spiritual battle. She lives in Georgia.
We see it in longstanding relationships with those companies that help us care for our building.
We see it in the unexpected shared testimony and affirmation from our government fund grant manager.
We see it in volunteers and staff that have stepped up and stepped in as we have faced staffing shortages due to medical issues like never before.
Through the frays and knots of this season, let us celebrate what we have. Thank you for listening, for sacrificing, for sharing your gifts and talents. Thank you for lifting up someone you may have never even met. Thank you for being part of a beautiful tapestry. Life is relational – we were never meant to do this alone. Spreading love and light is the best gift of the season. May we all enter it in joy and go out in peace!
by Brandi Schroeder