Homeless Mats

Our life group took this on as a project.  As we began to work on the first first mat, several observations emerged.  First, it is a slow process that can be organized in an assembly line fashion.  Folding and smoothing takes quite a bit of time.  The time to make a ball of plarn (plastic yarn) 6 inches in diameter is about 2-3 hours.  Second, we discovered having our folks smooth bags at home to bring in and then taking strips home to assemble helped make our time cutting much more efficient. Finally, it is surprising how soft the fnished mat feels.  It is not a mattress, but then it was never designed to be.  Having worked through one complete mat, our expections have adjusted to what we can really accomplish and we're excited to be working on them.

The directions we started with follow, but there are several video examples on YouTube that explain the process thoroughly.

Materials
Plastic Bags (clean - grocery store type - need 500 - 700 per mat)
Scissors or rotary cutter
8 mm or size "P" crochet hook

Preparation
Place bag in a lengthwise position
Fold in half lengthwise, then fold in half again
Cut off the bottom seams and top handles
Cut the bags into 2-2.5 inch strips
Interweave the loops by placing one end through the other
Roll the strips into a ball

Crochet Directions
Using a size "P" crochet hook, make a chain 36 inches long
Make loops loose with space between each loop
Crochet one extra loop at the end of the chain for a turning point
Return to the 3rd loop to make row two
Continue until the mat is 6 feet long
Crochet from front to back to avoid puckering
A finished mat is 3 x 6 feet
For a tie, crochet 2 rows of single loops to make an 80 inch string
Connect the tie to the middle top, this allows the mat to be rolled up for transporting.

A great video is available at the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TGTX1ZpUzQ

Stopped Just to Catch My Breath

The combination of an exisiting respiratory problem coupled with the effects of high altitude in the mountains and a beautiful day on which to ski set the stage for God to present a unique life lesson.

Looking for something to fill the 24 hour bus ride from my home to the ski resort in Crested Butte, CO, by change I picked up a copy of John Ortber's book, Everybody's Normal Till You Get to Know Them. The book turned out to be quite interesting as it explored the idea of community from a Godly perspective and how the idea of normal is little more than a metaphorical mask we used to keep people at a distance. The fact that we are all flawed is a problem we share and one we could do a much better job of managing through a little less"normal" and a little more acceptance of people "as is". Admittedly, I have often been hesitant to express my truest feelings even with people that know me pretty well opting instead for the facade of "normal". For a myriad of reasons ranging from "they have enough of their own stuff to deal with" to "they really don't care", I keep my problems to myself. It could be argued that I was the character described in the book - stoic and detached.

After what was a brisk 2 1/2 hours of skiing in truly pristine conditions in the morning, I found myself short of breath and seeemed unable to take in a full breath. Even taking a break for lunch at the Labrador and trying to force extra fluids, my body was not able to recover from the physical demands of the skiing. With a history of asthma making things even harder, breathing became so labored, the only option at my disposal was to sit down and try to wait things out. Even that didn't help. For one of the very few times in my life, my Albuteraol rescue inhaler seemed to be needed for a rescue and even that didn't work.

As I sat there gasping for air, the life lesson from the random book emerged as clearly as if the choice of the book was not really a random event at all. Starved for oxygen in the thin atmosphere and too weak to walk, I realized that I was in trouble and needed help. Seemingly from nowhere, people very dear to me took me by the arms and helped me to the hospital. They took care of storing my skis and then waited with me while I recovered at the hospital. Had they gone one about their own personal activites, I would have thought nothing less of them, this was my problem. Yet they didn't . They saw beyond my private facade of "normal" and for one of the few times in my life, I let them see and they helped. In so doing, they not only affirmed the value of their friendship, but they also helped live out the idea of a Godly community where we help, love, share, care, and give to each other.

Although tethered to this oxygen tank for the day and evening as my body recovers, it seems a very small price to pay to know just how much people really care about a person who is just "normal". A reminder that when we do things to the least of His children, we have done it unto Him. Thanks to you all.