Remembering What my Granny Taught me~~

Embroidery Piece-done by Martha

This is the largest piece I have done~~somewhere along the line I lost count of how many hours I put in on this one piece.  It hangs on the wall of my office with Nine other Pieces of work~~I worry about running out

of space to hang them all-but something tells me I will figure New arrangements out and my hands will stay busy~~cherishing an art taught to me by my dear little Granny. 

With each stitch I took on this piece, memories came flooding back- I was a little girl, sitting quietly beside Granny~~watching her make beautiful pieces of work-and taking time to show me how each stitch was done.  Her lessons went way beyond teaching me how to make a certain stitch~~I didn't understand at the time what she meant by "Idle Hands need to stay busy-this work will take your mind away from all worries."  Now I have a full understanding of those words and I hold them deep in my heart.

I close my eyes-Granny is sitting on a old sofa, surrounded by an array of colors of Embroidery Thread, scissors, special needles to help remove a unwanted Knot from the Thread, new patterns waiting to be created by her hands, and one special item laying close beside her.  It was a very old Bible, worn by years of other hands turning pages~~ verses marked with Red ink, that held a special meaning for her.  

One day I watched her hands working on a New Piece of work~~when she paused to reach for the Bible, reading it and then taking the Pen to mark a verse.  The child in me had to ask "Granny, what made you stop working, to read your Bible?" Her eyes were fixed on me, taking a few seconds to find words a child could understand~~~~

 "Well my hands do get tired and my mind starts to worry~thats when I will turn to my Bible and by golly, the Lord will always have a message for me-one that eases my worries!"

That steady look never left me~~as if she wanted to be sure I understood her message-but I had one more question~~"Why do you mark the Bible Granny?" I can still see her smiling at me "I mark it  so I don't forget it!  This Bible-is very special to me~~~It was my Mother's Bible and I love it!" 

Many years have passed~~I still hold the lessons she taught me deep inside my heart~~and the Bible she cherished~~~now rests on my Desk, as I imagine my Great Grandmother, my Granny and my Mom all turning the pages, as they too reached for God's assuring words.

My Physical Pain doesn't go away but the blessing of Two very important lessons taught to this little girl many years ago are now a life-line I reach for on the dark days of my battle with Chronic Pain.  

Thanks for allowing me to share with you.  I keep all those who suffer with Pain in my prayers.

martha