Everyone has that person.

A person who has influenced your life so much so that you will remember vividly for the rest of your life. For some it is a friend, a teacher, or a family member. My person is my grandma.

Leona Cathleen (Kate) Wiley is my person. In the short 19 years I was blessed to glean from her, I took away so many sweet life moments. She loved Jesus with all her heart. She was the ultimate crafter. She had such a beautiful skill. She loved to make and mend for her family and community. She loved to pass on her craft to others.

I have funny memories of her trying to teach me to crochet. Although now I can crochet, then…well…not so much. She would get my chain started, and show me how to do a simple single crochet stitch. I would get so frustrated with my yarn tension and fumbling fingers, that I would toss it to the side and vow never to try again. Of course, I would try again…and fail again…and try again…and fail AGAIN.

Later on, my true love of yarn evolved with knitting, which my very talented grandma couldn’t do. She was a superwoman of home arts. How could I do something she couldn’t? I mean this woman could make ANYTHING and she could fix ANYTHING!

I know it is crazy, but it took me many years later in reflecting on that emotion to see the beautiful God moment to be had. I’m just me…not that I don’t know who I am in Christ…but what makes me any different than the crafter next to me? In this crazy social media influenced world we live in today, it is easy to get sucked up in comparison and insecurity, or to devalue our own unique talents we bring to the table.

A little over 20 years after my grandma tried to teach me to crochet, I picked up one of her crochet hooks that were passed down to me (even though I couldn’t crochet…haha…she would have laughed at that one), turned on a youtube video, and plugged away until I made my first little granny square. It wasn’t much, but it is a sweet treasure I have in remembering my grandma. Her hook. Her voice playing in my heart. Her good job kid. 🙂

If you are on the struggle bus with your own gifts and talents, I pray you have a moment and reflect on your person. That person who you know would be cheering you on! Then pick up your “crochet hook” and get after it!

<3