The woman God sent to me......

I sit here tonight writing my third blog post of the day, I know, I am a total overachiever.  But I wanted to share the story meeting Joyce. I make hand knitted and crocheted items and have been selling them on Etsy.com and my www.facebook.comWhoneedssleep78 (sorry shameless plug) and my mom asked me to go to a couple craft sales with her. One in New Hartford, Iowa and then another in Grundy Center, Iowa.  The Grundy craft sale was on a bitterly cold day the first weekend in December 2013.  The craft sale went like the last one, I sold a few items but business really picked up towards the end of the day when this older woman came up very interested in my cowls.  She and I chatted for awhile as she tired on this cowl and that cowl. Since I didn't have a mirror I took pictures of her on my cell phone so she could see what she looked like in the cowls at the end of the day I had met a lot of people and made some great connections for my businesses.  

Craft sale table

About a week ago my mom called me in the morning about a phone call my parents had gotten the night before from a woman looking for another infinity scarf.  My mom gave me the number and I called this woman, Joyce. She told me she wanted another cowl in a steel blue.  The conversation was brief and the next day I went to Joann's Fabric and bought some yarn for her cowl and thought nothing more of it. 

The Lord says to give and give, not what you can, not IF you can, just give. So we were called to sponsor a couple foster children who wouldn't receive gifts this year and have bought presents for them (I wouldn't have told you guys because that's not why I did it but it's important to the story) I received a phone call December 14 from Joyce asking if I found the yarn for her cowl.  I told I did but if she didn't need it by Christmas I would put it off until after then.  She told me it was fine and then asked me if I had a knitting machine. I told her I did all of my work by hand or sometimes I use a loom. Joyce proceeds to tell me about this amazing knitting machine she used a few years ago when she had cancer and couldn't leave the house.  She went on to tell me about all the things she could make with it; hats, scarves, blankets, sweaters, vest just like a sewing machine but for knitting. (Now you guys know me I was total interested in her stories and enjoyed hearing everything she had to say about this machine) then all of the sudden she tells me she thought it was something I could use and if I would like it. I said sure, I would love to look at it and asked how much she would like for it (wondering in my head oh my heavens how expensive is this going to be??) Joyce then tells me she would GIVE it to me in trade. GIVE IT TO ME!!!!  I nearly started crying right there and told her all the good we could do with a machine like that.  Hats for the Cancer Society, Foster kids, the needy the list went on and on.  Joyce told me after I shared that she was so happy to hear that and she knew she selected the right person, and how I reminded her of her younger self. We then talked about how she acquired this amazing machine and that it was a $4000.00 computerized machine! Say what?!  She had gotten it from a banker's wife who thought it was an automatic knitting machine and didn't pay nearly that much for it.

My mom LeeAnn and I at New Hartford craft sale

My friend Joyce continued to tell me how something kept nagging her to get a hold of me.  She said when her cleared check came from the bank she looked how she had written the check (which was written to my mom, LeeAnn Kleiner)  Joyce told me it took her two days to find my mom because she had written the check to LeeAnn Klein.  Finally Joyce called her bank and asked how the check was endorsed and finally found my parents. Then, after she talked to me that first day when she told me she wanted a cowl in the steel blue she went into her spare bedroom where her amazing knitting machine has been sitting unused and thought of me. We spent 40 minutes on the phone crying and talking about our walk with God and realized God and sent us to each other.  

Joyce, my angel

Joyce gave me so many ideas to take to my church to help people and this machine is going to do so much good for so many people. As I look as my low bank accounts, I realize that God will return to you what you give.  It may not come in the form of money or things.  It may come in a kind smile on an awful day.  I was fortunate to receive an expensive machine (that I haven't picked up yet but you all know I will tell you all about it) but what I from Joyce is an amazing new friend, an angel, my gift from God.