Still here, still scheming

In winter, a woman's thoughts turn to keeping warm and dreaming about the spring.  At least, mine do.  In my case, that means a mixture of making things (be it crocheted granny squares or fig and almond biscotti...), and trying to think how they might be used in a more public sense once we've all come out of our shells.

I've been inspired by three things lately, which have fed into my scheming.

The first is coming across the founder of the Craftivist Collective and taking a workshop with her to learn about more the craftivist idea (the melding of craft and activism) and to explore my own "footprint" as I dream about a more equal world (and my place in it).

The second was a Christmas gift from a friend -- the River Cottage Veg cookbook.  While you would often find me in the kitchen anyway, I go through long phases of cooking where I don't use recipes, and frankly, it makes the menu-planning process so much easier when you've got a book in front of you with convincing photos.  It's been a great resource for cooking for potlucks, cooking for when we have guests, cooking for others with new babies, etc.  It's inspired me/us to be even more excited about extending hospitality!

The third relates a little to the first: the aforementioned granny squares.  The truth is that I taught myself (thanks to the internet) last week how to crochet granny squares.  Ever since, I can't stop...Well, except yesterday when I didn't do any, but did manage to place an order for 2.2kg/nearly 5lbs worth of yarn.  This craftivism talk has gotten my mind thinking again to yarn bombing and thinking specifically of how to use yarn bombing to engage a little bit more in community, in addition to thinking about considering particular events to plan a yarn bombing around.  (I'm more than open to ideas and suggestions.)

Baby Investment.

Well, we've been on the MMN payroll for over a year now, and are just a few weeks short of a year on the ground in Hackney.  In typical bureaucratic fashion, that means we're starting (well, finishing, really) our annual reports, both reflecting back on 2013 and making (hopefully) reasonably-sized dreams for 2014.  Writing these is both easier and harder than what I imagined...But regardless, it helps to set the tone for a new year with a plan for a few new dreams.

Meanwhile, we remain very aware of our financial and prayer supporters back home...and not because they're peering over our shoulders, checking our receipts for how we're spending their generous donations. :)  Rather the opposite, really.

Many of you will know that this past Monday was Epiphany -- the day Christians celebrate the journey, visit, and gift of the three wise men to Jesus and his family.  Sunday evening, at our contemplative service at church, we took time to meditate on the extraordinary gifts the wise men brought, and the ordinary ways (the adult) Jesus gave to those around him.

A particular piece of the story of the wise men struck me.  One could surmise that this was a trip of a lifetime for the wise men.  There's no other mention of them in the New Testament, returning to meet the grown Jesus.  No, these men came when Jesus was very little, gave gifts of astounding financial worth, and then left for Joseph, Mary, and Jesus to get on with what they all needed to do.  The wise men invested in a baby.  (I'm guessing most financial advisers today would think this a preposterous idea.)

In a very similar way, we feel like there's a parallel here between Jesus' story and our own.  We have churches who have met us once, before we even left for England, and supported us willingly and generously.  People who barely know us invested in us and our work before we'd even proven we'd get a reasonable return.

Like Mary, we are humbled by that, and we treasure the gifts and prayers immensely.  And we hope we end up giving back even a smidgen of what we feel Jesus gave to the world when he was about our age, walking through the Middle East.

Thanks again for your support this last year!  We cannot say it enough.