• From The Rectory

They say a journey of a thousand miles begins
with one step. Have I mentioned my yarn vault?
In June 2018, Priscilla Sutton taught me the
basics of knitting, and I became a little
obsessed. I didn't know it at the time, but that
was the first step in what has become quite an
amazing journey for me.
We were knitting at the library every week and
often they had yarn to share. I took a few balls,
bought better needles, and purchased the
occasional skein of yarn from Walmart. I knitted
beanies to donate, I marveled at the amazing
creations the other crafters presented, and I
scoured the internet for patterns.
Cue Hobby Lobby… and I soon became the
curator of a growing fiber collection! Faster than
should have been reasonable, I achieved
SABLE* status. Then I designated our bonus
room as “The Yarn Vault.” Eventually, I learned that knitting and collecting yarn can be two
completely separate hobbies.
From early days, I tried different stitches,
various weight yarns, and eventually purchased
even better needles! But I digress…
Another milestone in my journey began in
December 2022. The Dorcas Society Crafters
group was formed and began meeting at St.
Raphael's soon afterwards. Our mission
statement is: “To clothe our community in
kindness.” To date, we have donated
HUNDREDS of items to our local hospital,
cancer center, retirement homes, Avalon Center,
emergency responders, etc. We even sent items
to an overseas orphanage.
I can't help but think of the scripture, Matthew
25:40 “And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I
tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of
these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to
me.’” This might not be in the list of
commandments, but it resonates with me; I
have been amongst “the least of these” and so
have my children. Those who reached out and
stepped up impacted our lives and our
testimonies more than they will know.
Anyway, these events were — I believe — the
Lord's way to teach me and prepare me for a
tiny mission of my own Last August, Lansden Autry Hewett, my youngest son died: in trying to make sense of a senseless tragedy, I spent weeks seeking a purpose. Eventually, I hit on the idea of knitting baby blankets.
You see, Lansden loved babies and they loved
HIM. For his first Christmas, my father gave
him a cushy, soft blanket with a rocking horse
image on it, and when Lans began to talk, he
named his blanket “Bee” so in our family, all
blankets from that point forward have been
called bees. He carried Bee everywhere for
years! He treasured it all of his life, so we buried
it with him.
that knitting and collecting yarn can be two
completely separate hobbies.
From early days, I tried different stitches,
various weight yarns, and eventually purchased
even better needles! But I digress…
Another milestone in my journey began in
December 2022. The Dorcas Society Crafters
group was formed and began meeting at St.
Raphael's soon afterwards. Our mission
statement is: “To clothe our community in
kindness.” To date, we have donated
HUNDREDS of items to our local hospital,
cancer center, retirement homes, Avalon Center,
emergency responders, etc. We even sent items
to an overseas orphanage.
I can't help but think of the scripture, Matthew
25:40 “And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I
tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of
these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to
me.’” This might not be in the list of
commandments, but it resonates with me; I
have been amongst “the least of these” and so
have my children. Those who reached out and
stepped up impacted our lives and our
testimonies more than they will know.
Anyway, these events were — I believe — the
Lord's way to teach me and prepare me for a
tiny mission of my own.
Last August, Lansden Autry Hewett, my
youngest son died: in trying to make sense of a
senseless tragedy, I spent weeks seeking a
purpose. Eventually, I hit on the idea of knitting
baby blankets.
You see, Lansden loved babies and they loved
HIM. For his first Christmas, my father gave
him a cushy, soft blanket with a rocking horse
image on it, and when Lans began to talk, he
named his blanket “Bee” so in our family, all
blankets from that point forward have been
called bees. He carried Bee everywhere for
years! He treasured it all of his life, so we buried
it with him.
Lansden’s Project evolved from my desire to
knit handmade bees for friends or family. For
me, each stitch is a prayer, a memory, and an
outpouring Project evolved from my desire to
knit handmade bees for friends or family. For
me, each stitch is a prayer, a memory, and an
outpouring outpouring of God's love to a new baby and
their parents. It's become a way for me to honor
my child's life. It's a chance for me to encourage
the adults to overlook flaws in themselves and in
others. It's a reminder that we all need to
embrace our faith and love one another. So bees
are now a part of my ministry.
As the project developed a friend of mine in
New Mexico wanted to contribute, so she paid
for a great box of yarn! Last week, one of the
Dorcas Society crafters donated a bee and
beanie set to Lansden's Project.
I'm stunned by their generosity.
I have made several bees for people I know personally who were expecting new babies or
grandbabies. Now, I have requests from other parents whom I do not know but who were acquainted with Lansden or are friends of
his friends. I'm so excited to see this project
beginning to grow — it's not just me and my
stash anymore. And as the circle of families
receiving bees widens, I hope they will find
opportunities to offer kindness, understanding,
or compassion to someone else in memory of
Lansden.
I recently had a conversation with Lansden's
father which helped me realize that our
Heavenly Father guided me to this path. It
really wasn't so random to ask Priscilla to show
me how to knit. It really was astonishing to me
that I learned the skills so quickly. It really was
a blessing to develop a passion for the art (and
for the yarn). It really was all part of His plan for
me. The months have passed and I sometimes have emotional moments: Lansden's birthday is in July, but I have a peace I never would not have imagined.  Usually, I don't hear the still, small voice leading me, but found purpose with
Lansden's Project bees and I hope this develops into a worthy legacy.
If you look back, you might recognize how some event or decision in your own past actually set you on a path to greater blessings. For some of us, we take the journey for granted, not noticing how intricately the choices we make and the opportunities presented to us are knitted together to create a fabric so much more magnificent than the meager plans we had in mind. That's exactly how Tom and I wound up in Tennessee — by letting go of our little dreams and listening to the still, small voice. Our journey here began long before Tom entered the seminary. We trusted that the doors which closed were not meant for us, and that the windows which opened allowed us to bask in the illumination of lives richly blessed. Jesus has never let us down!
Is there any doubt this is exactly where we
belong?
*(Stash acquisition
beyond life
expectancy.)
From the Rectory,
Sylvia