PSM update 5-10-11

Hello to all my favorite people!  I hope this finds you well and happy.  It has been a while since my last email and I ask your forgiveness in the delay.  I have had to attend to many things in the past few weeks which has distracted me from the weekly updates, and I apologize for not getting any information out to you.  My youngest daughter, Sarah, is involved in Chorus at Collins Hill HS and the annual chorus show is this coming weekend.  I put together their program, which is a huge undertaking.  I also do road signs as well as 500 little details along the way!  If you are in need of some very good, very inexpensive fun this week, come see the show on Thurs, Fri or Sat May 12 – 14 at 7PM at the HS auditorium.  Sarah has a group act each night, but a solo on Saturday.  Proud mama will be so happy that night! 
Unfortunately, I have also had to deal with the loss of our cat Kevin.  She was the sweetest little girl and loved to be with you at all times.  She adored crochet activities from winding yarn to sitting on the project as I was creating it.  she was always so supportive of my work in the ministry!  She died suddenly last week of seizures, and I am not over that yet.  She was the cat we got from my father-in-law when he remarried.  Kevin was very special and dear to all of us, and I know she can never be replaced.  Just know that I cry easily these days so if you ask a question, I may answer it with tears in my eyes and shakiness in my voice.
The PSM is going nuts for Costa Rica!  We have finished about 60ish items towards our initial goal of 80.  I hope you can help out with either making an item or donating some yarn for others to create shawls with.  I have gotten many donations of yarn, so feel free to come by and join the fun.  if you need to work at home, I can help get you yarn and patterns (after this weekend is over though).   I make most of mine as 20-24 inch wide and 4.5 to 5.0 feet long rectangles in either V stitch or another open weave such as dc, ch1, dc repeats.  We have a deadline of 5 weeks max from now, so keep on keeping on!  It may take a village to raise a child, but it also takes an entire church to send off a mission team.  We are going on this mission without even leaving the zip code! 
Not this weekend coming, but the following one, May 22^nd, is communion Sunday again.  Time flies.  We will be putting our items on the altar rail for the congregation to bless through prayer and for them to take for themselves or for others in need.  It is a time that I can use all the help I can get.  It is difficult to put the items out as folks want to talk with you about a special request and others are wanting to get information and still others need their requests placed in the prayer book.  Please consider donating 30 minutes of your day to help make this offering to God effective in reaching His people.  Let us all chip in a little bit here and there to share the burden of work, but more importantly, to share in the glory God will receive through your love and support.  Even if you have not made any items or have not been active in many months, please consider joining in as we serve our Christian family on that day.  Help will be needed from 740 until 8am, 900 until 930, 1040 to 1100, and then briefly at noon for 15 minutes to gather any remaining items and take any names down for a waiting list (has been happening rather routinely lately!).  The expression made popular by “Field of Dreams” is “If you build it, they will come”.  I prefer to think of this ministry as “if you crochet or knit it, they will come claim it!” Email me with your schedule availability please. 
I will add to the prayer list tomorrow, but wanted to get this part to you right now.  Sorry for the late hour, but sleep has not been my friend lately.  I am sending you the list of prayer requests that came from the pink book.  I am absolutely positive that I am missing some so please let me know if you have one we need to share with the group.  I have listed them from most recent back to the last communion Sunday.  I don’t always get the privilege of knowing each person on this list, or even to deliver to these folks.  If you know any of the names below and can update our information, please do.  For those who are devoted prayer warriors….we need you!  keep praying for these recipients and for our ministry to always be under God’s watchful eye and loving heart. 
Have a great day.  I am finally cutting off for the night.  I doubt I will be at the meeting tonight, but if things go well, I might make it.  Dress rehearsal is after school and I might be one tired little girl by the end of it!
Thanks for all you do for all of God’s children. 
God is good, all the time!
Dana