God Winks for All His Children
About five years ago, I was ready to wrap up my volunteering services at a wonderful place in Steamboat Springs, Colorado and move to Maryland to caretake my two elderly parents in the final phase of their lives. At Lift-Up, an interdenominational thrift shop where I served for ten years, a rag doll and a children’s tea set was sitting on the shelf one day. For some unexplained reason, I was drawn to it although my son was not married and I had no grandchildren, I felt an urge to purchase it. Seemed strange at the time, but now I understand the nudge I was receiving.
Fast forward to today. My son is married and has a precious wife and little blonde-haired daughter Charlotte, with child #2 – a summer bambino, on the way! Today is Charlotte’s third birthday and she is now at the age where she will appreciate the rag doll. A few days ago, I said goodbye to the little doll and wrapped it up but not before making a flannel doll-sized pillow and blanket so Charlotte can put her dolly to bed to go nap-nap. Charlotte is outgrowing her afternoon nap, so I am hoping she can “pretend” with her doll friend and give her parents a little quiet time in the afternoons.
The little tea set, well, I’ve decided to hang onto it just a little bit longer so that I can deliver it to her in person when we can have a real tea party together and celebrate her “I am a big sister status.”
But the story does not end here! The God-Wink I had became even bigger. The little blonde, hand-stitched rag doll which sat for many years on my writing desk in my creativity space became one of the seeds which planted some ideas for the storylines in my Neighbor to Neighbor Series about Moxie and her creative and enterprising friends. Each book in the series builds on the first story “Sew the Heart” but the two can be read as a stand-alone, also.
And so, now Charlotte, I pass the blessings that came with the little blonde rag doll along to you! Happy Birthday. I love you and can’t wait to see you again. Perhaps you and I, (Su-Su) can have a real tea party on our next visit.
Photo: Book Signing for Book #1 in the Neighbor to Neighbor Series. The event took place at Sew Steamboat – book published in 2017. It is a fond memory of all the people who came from various community groups I’d been involved with for ten years.
