Also Post Here

Friday, May 24, 2024

"Make Something You Can Give Away"




"Make something you can give away."
SUSAN BRANCH


There is something delightsome about making something you can give away. Do you find it so? Whether it's baking muffins, writing a little note and decorating the envelope, crocheting a little ornament to hang on a door knob, designing handmade cards, sketching a quick scene, creating haiku poems, making tiny posies from spring flowers in the garden, we do whatever strikes our fancy, because the child inside still loves making things with her hands. 

I first saw that little quote of Susan Branch's early in the new year. It was included in a short hand-painted list which described little things a person could do to make life sweet. I don't recall what else was on the list, but I do remember the suggestion to make something you can give away. I liked the creative element of it. I wrote it down in my journal, underlining it several times. It was something I wanted to focus on in 2024. I used to do this a lot but kind of lost the habit... and here it's nearly June and I haven't done much to change it.

Before I go further, I must tell you that over the years, I have come to recognize little nudges—like taps on a shoulder—that come when something or Someone is trying to get my attention. For me, so often these nudges will come in threes. I think it takes me that long to realize something is up. Thankfully the One who is nudging extends much grace in giving me many hints. On the first go around, something catches my attention but it often flits by like a feather thought; it scarcely registers sometimes, it's like seeing it from the corner of your eye. Then the same thought or idea will show up elsewhere and I think, oh, I just saw that. When it crosses my path a third or fourth time, that's when the penny drops, as the saying goes, and I realize I should pay attention to this idea. Maybe I'm supposed to do something with it.

Often at the start of a new year, many of us look for something new for our lives. A new affirmation, a new project, a new word. So when I ran into Susan's quote in January, I wasn't surprised to see the same idea showing up in other places. I think this was going to be my new thing for the new year.

Let me share how it came to me:
 
1. Little Women was the first book I read in January. I found myself especially drawn to young Beth March. You will recall she got gravely ill, recovered somewhat, but languished until there was nothing more to be done to make her well. In the midst of this suffering time, Beth continued to be sweet as was her nature and, as much as she could, she continued to make little things for others. Instead of turning her eyes inward to her own suffering, she turned her eyes outward to others—I came to love and appreciate that gift in her: 
". . . even while preparing to leave life, she tried to make it happier for those who should remain behind. The feeble fingers were never idle, and one of her pleasures was to make little things for the school children daily passing to and fro. To drop a pair of mittens from her window for a pair of purple hands, a needle-book for some small mother of many dolls, pen-wipers for young penmen, toiling through forests of pot-hooks, scrap-books for picture-loving eyes, and all manner of pleasant devices, till the reluctant climbers up the ladder of learning found their way strewn with flowers, as it were, and came to regard the gentle giver as a sort of fairy god-mother, who set above there, and showered down gifts miraculously suited to their tastes and needs." Chapter 40, The Valley of the Shadow, p. 391
2. I found the second example in the Winter 2023 issue of Where Women Create. One article was by Carmen Daumer, an amazing creator from Colorado, who spends nearly every waking moment creating new things in her workshop. Her mind is always dreaming up new ideas, so much so that she began to feel she needed to share these 'overflow' ideas with others. I was fascinated by this and by this woman's generosity of spirit. She wrote, "Four years ago, I was praying, and I felt strongly that I wanted to give back for all the blessings, ideas, inspiration and energy to accomplish the projects I dream up. God has given me a mind that can look at something and see 20 things I could do with it. If I didn't share it with others, why would he give me more ideas?" (p. 92). As I see it, Carmen took to heart words that Jesus once spoke, as recorded in Matthew, "Freely you have received, freely give."

3. In March I wrote about Emily Dickinson, a literary hero (post link HERE). She was certainly someone who made something and gave it away. I thought of how Emily often baked cookies and sent down basketsful from the upper window to the neighbourhood children below. She also made little handmade books in which she wrote her poems out for her friends. 


I haven't done a lot of creating with my hands lately; other needful things pressed in. But I keep remembering how young Beth and these creative women have demonstrated such a generous way to live life more beautifully. I'm glad for their examples crossing my path at the start of the new year reminding me to 'make something to give away'. In writing this post, I intend to pick this up and bring it with me into the next half of the year.
 
 

Wishing you a wonderful weekend,
Brenda


Photo credit:
Top Image by eniast from pixabay






18 comments:

  1. That's a lovely post and idea, Brenda-----to make something to give to someone else, with no expectations of the favor being returned. That makes it even sweeter. I have to chuckle that I read your sweet post right before I am ready to make cookies for a mechanic who is fixing my car. I HOPE he will call to say the car is ready and I will bring him money to pay the bill as well as some home baked cookies! That's my hope, anyway. Thanks for the picker-upper post! Sincerely, Susan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love that you were already baking cookies to give your mechanic when you paid the bill. Thanks, Susan, your words are my picker-upper this morning. Happy Weekend!

      Delete
  2. Love the quotes and sweet thoughts on giving, Brenda. I know that whenever I receive a little gift, it means so much to me and inspires me to do the same. I used to make little gifts for my Mom, who lived right down the street from me. I loved to walk down the lane to her little house with something home-made to eat, a bunch of flowers from the garden and maybe a little something I crafted. The joy in her eyes was worth the effort. I miss those little visits so much. Hope you have a lovely weekend. Hugs xo Karen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What a special thing - making little gifts for your Mom who happened to live just down the street from you. I love it - that fills me with joy to imagine it. Special for both of you, I'm sure!

      Delete
  3. I do love this post, Brenda. The Spirit-led nudges are bits of lovely encouragement that God cares about the little things we do and how we can bless others. My neighbour loaned me a book and I've been planning to return it to her along with a single rose from my Boscobel rose bush. It's just beginning to bloom and has such a wonderful scent.
    Gift-giving is one of my love languages and I've learned over the years to give in to those urges to give.
    Thank you for another post to treasure and re-read. Have a wonderful weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lorrie, I love that you're planning, when you return the book, to share a single rose from your Boscobel rose bush. What a treat that will be. I'm certain the feelings from that exchange will be felt for a long time. So special!

      Delete
  4. Thank you Brenda, for another poignant post. The gift of giving isnt something that is altogether prevalent in our world today. But what a joy to make and give even a little something to a friend. I recently made a tiny lavender bag for a friend whose Mother had passed away, and in it was some of Mum's lavender. It meant a lot to her I know.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barbara, over the years my SIL who lives in BC has given me several lavender bags from her own lavender bushes. They have always been such a treat to receive from a special woman in my life. I can imagine how precious that little gift meant to your friend.

      Delete
  5. I really love this idea, and I used to do it much more often too. But then, somebody once asked me why I would make things for people because they don't know the amount of work that went into it and probably don't appreciate having another 'thing' around. It kind of took the wind out of my sails to think that nobody wants what I make.

    I've cautiously got back into creating for others, because that's how I'm wired. I love to give things, and it's okay to "give in to those urges to give," as Lorrie, above, says. For me, the joy is in the creating and the giving.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I was thinking about what you said, Joy, about some people not truly appreciating the time and effort of a handmade item as a gift. There is probably something to that - probably fellow crafters truly know the value of time and workmanship on a project, but does always matter? Your own mom's example comes to mind - when she made those beautiful dresses for her granddaughters, the joy came in the making and giving. Perhaps it wasn't vital to her sense of fulfillment whether the recipients knew the value or not, or appreciated or not. She knew it, and it was enough. // I agree, with you and Lorrie, to 'give in to those urges to give'... and not care about the outcome.

      Delete
  6. I really enjoyed this post, Brenda. You hooked me with your description of being nudged, and how true it is when an idea comes across our path, that it then repeats itself. You put that all so well. I'm happy to say I totally relate to this idea of making something I can give away. I enjoy giving token things I've made - when there's no real occasion for gift giving - with the hopes that the recipient knows the item is not meant to be considered precious, and there is no obligation to keep it, but rather it's simply a way of thinking of them. Even though that is my hope, it does strike me as a very real possibility that the unexpectedness of such a gift is precisely why someone might want to hang onto it. At least if it's small, it can be tucked in a drawer or a book to maybe be enjoyed at some later time when it's come upon again. Giving flowers and edibles is always nice, too. Hubs just got invited to the neighbor's house to watch the Indy 500 race this afternoon. It is not something I want to sit and watch on the TV, but I was so happy to have some strawberry muffins that were made yesterday that I could send along with him.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Becki, I was so excited to receive your note. You really do describe it perfectly when you talk about giving token things you've made, "with the hopes that the recipient knows the item is not meant to be considered precious, and there is no obligation to keep it, but rather it's simple a way of thinking of them". Oh yes, it's a simple way of thinking of them! I have boxes tucked full of such little things that I do keep because the little things meant more in that small gesture than could be imagined.

      Thank you so much for sharing this! I loved it. xo

      Delete
  7. yeckm@hotmail.com27 May 2024 at 09:18

    Brenda, this post really tugged at my heart. I used to sew and knit and make things just for enjoyment and to give to people I love. Of late that has not been the case, even though like you, I am being nudged by our Maker and the Holy Spirit I am sure. I need to make time for creating. I love your posts they are always so inspiring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What a joy to receive your note, yeckm@hotmail.com. Thank you so much for taking a minute to share.

      Delete
  8. When I was in high school, I created stationery (i.e., I decorated white bond paper using stickers and markers) as Christmas gifts for my friends. I think we were still writing and passing paper notes back then? LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What a lovely idea. I'm sure your friends must have enjoyed your gifts, especially useful for passing paper notes back and forth (wink)! Thanks, Margie.

      Delete
  9. It is a perfectly lovely idea to make something to give away! In the early years of our marriage, I made most of my gifts because we had very little money, but it was a joy to do so. I thought of each person and prayed for them as I planned and created his/her gift. I have gotten out of that habit now, but even hosting people or baking a little treat or taking a meal are ways to give of oneself and people appreciate that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love how you bathed your gift making with little prayers as you worked on gifts for each person. Double blessings, indeed. Thanks, Cheryl, for your note.

      Delete

To My Beautiful Readers,

Some people come into our lives, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. ~ Franz Peter Schubert

Thank you so much for leaving your 'footprint' here in my comment box. I do appreciate you taking a moment to share your thoughts today.

Brenda xo