Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Sewing (02/22/07)
-
TITLE: "Stitched In Love" | Previous Challenge Entry
By Frank Salerni
02/28/07 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
The unexpected ringing of the phone startled her to the point of dropping her tedious sewing project. She reached for the phone and hesitated momentarily discerning bad news. As she picked up the receiver her hand shook and her body quaked as if the Holy Spirit was letting her know, “You are not alone.”
When she brought the receiver to her ear the silence was broken by someone’s voice coming over an intercom.
“Doctor Cannon to emergency… Doctor Cannon to emergency please.”
Her eyes widened with the anticipated fear. The fabric within the wooden hoops came to rest upon her knees as her knuckles became white from her death grip upon them.
With a dry throat followed a hard swallow her voice cracked uttering a single word.
“Yes?”
“Misses Dolton?”
“Yes, this is she.”
“This is Derek Paulson, Kenny’s ridding partner.”
“What’s wrong Derek? Is Kenny with you?”
After a short pause Derek spoke gently, but direct. “I’m sorry to have to tell you that Kenny has been in an accident.”
Misses Dolton, Peggy that is, clutched her needlework, and asked Derek slowly, “How bad is he?”
“I was there when it happened. He is alive. That’s all I know for sure. We are at Seal Point Emergency Hospital. Are you able to come right down?”
She hung up the phone without saying a word. Peggy was not being rude at all, but was being held speechless in the grip of shock.
This was her worst nightmare. She had anticipated that some day she would receive a call exactly like the one she answered today. Other patients in the waiting room as she entered the Emergency Unit could almost overhear her thoughts.
“I’ve always hated his motorcycle!”
Tears filled her eyes when she was told to have a seat, and wait for the doctor.
Minutes seemed like endless portions of time, but she was able to vaguely comprehend eternity, as well as any human being is able.
“God, help me to pray.”
She would never know if that simple prayer were spoken out loud, or was screaming deep within her own soul. At that moment in time she realized that her sewing project was still in her hand as God spoke to her heart and brought comfort as only God can in these times. He said, “Sew, and let each stitch become a prayer as you wait for his return.”
Derek came in and sat beside her, but they never spoke a word. He instinctively knew that she needed the quietness of her faith with the support of a friend.
Hours later after major surgery, the doctor told Peggy her husband would need to stay in the hospital for rehabilitation, but with proper care he would be perfectly fine, and able to return home in a few weeks.
It was nine weeks and three days when Kenny came home. In that time Peggy had come to the understanding that her blaming the motorcycle for the accident would be a lot like someone blaming his or her fork for being overweight.
Accidents are just that, accidents.
Upon their arrival home she stopped to show Kenny the sewing project that carried her in faith the entire time. Each stitch was a prayer; fourteen thousand and twenty-two stitches later her love was captured, and framed. Her sewing project turned out to be a beautiful bouquet of flowers that had completely encompassed the “Twenty-Third Psalm.”
As she held her husband in her arms, she quietly thanked Jesus for never leaving her side.
Kenny questioned her about the sewing, “It’s a beautiful work of art Peggy, but what is the discoloration on the material from?”
As they sat on the couch together Peggy rested her head on his shoulder, “Just watering the flowers with my tears, and loving God in the process dear.”
Kenny winced as she gave him a big hug, and he said with a crooked smile, “Love hurts, doesn’t it?”
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.