Calvary Life CalvaryLife-Spring2018-FINALweb | Page 7

the
serendipity
hat
Last June, I stopped at the Meijer at Knapp's Corner for a few
items. Often my feet find the way through the yarn aisle. If
you're a knitter and are into stashing yarn, you understand!
One never knows what one will find.
Well, this time my perusal led to some excitement. They were
cleaning out their supply and had several different yarn types
on sale. Of course, I scooped up what looked good to me –
enough to make at least several prayer shawls.
I found what I really came for plus my yarn bargains and
made my way to the register with great joy and put all my
things on the belt. “John,” my cashier, saw all the skeins of
yarn and asked me about them.
“What do you do with all this?” Perhaps he had never seen
someone purchase that much yarn?
“I am a part of a ministry in my church and we knit prayer
shawls for people who are very ill, are in some kind of crisis,
face death or have lost someone.”
“Ah, that's very nice!” he responded, “You make me a hat?”
(His English was a bit broken, he appeared to be Sudanese.)
I was a bit dumbfounded and didn't know what to say, so I
just giggled a bit and said, “I'm not sure.”
He packed up my stuff, I paid and left, thinking about what
he had asked, in my mind going through my yarn stash at
home to think if I had something fitting but not at all motivat-
ed to accommodate his request. I got home, put my things
away and forgot about it all.
Several days later, while reorganizing a yarn basket, I found
to my surprise a mostly finished gray knit hat! I had planned
it for my daughter the previous fall but not finished it because
she had changed her mind on the color! Of course, you can
imagine the first thing that was brought to my memory: John
Ephesians 2:10 - For we are God's
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to
do good works, which God prepared in
advance for us to do.
and his request. I just laughed with amazement and delight,
thinking of how God had gone before me in having the hat
almost done already, just lying there waiting to be finished
for someone. His perfect timing and knowledge truly are im-
peccable. He knew that I wasn't motivated to start a winter
hat fresh from the start, had too many other projects that
were more important to me, but He also knew John and his
desire/need. I had heard that people from those hot, tropical
climates often get very cold up here in Michigan. So – with
new motivation and joy I finished the hat. It didn't take long.
Now the next step – to get it to John. How would I do that?
I didn't know his schedule at Meijer and I couldn't really go
there every day. Again God came through by giving me an
idea: Next time I went to Meijer I had something to return and
I asked the young woman behind the Courtesy Desk if she
could tell me when I would be able to catch John at work.
She was not helpful: “We are not permitted to give out this
kind of information.” I understood but went on to explain why
I wanted to know. She excused herself, asking me to wait.
When she returned she gave me the day of John's next shift.
I made sure that I was at the store on that day and at the time
his shift started with my eight-year-old granddaughter in tow.
I walked up to John and asked if he remembered me. He
just smiled but didn't say anything. I gave him the hat and
he stood there, mouth agape for a few minutes before a huge
smile brightened his face. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
I've gone back to Meijer repeatedly after that day, of course.
Every time John is there and sees me, he smiles at me and
thanks me again. I feel small and overwhelmed by his grat-
itude, but very grateful that I was God's instrument for his
blessing!
I'm reminded of Mother Teresa's words: We can do no great
thing, only small things with great love. Thank you, Lord, for
going before me and preparing this good work for me to do.
By Angel DeHaan
Prayer Shawl Ministry Participant
Calvary’s Prayer Shawl Ministry knits shawls for those struggling with chronic illness, receiving medical
treatment, suffering trauma or grieving a loss. These items are a wonderful comfort, and a reminder that
many voices are lifting that person up in prayer. For more information on this ministry, see page 22.
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