Hello friends, my hands have been busy this month, just not necessarily with embroidery. Earlier this month I happened upon weaving when trying to come up with a craft for teens when helping my sister with Vacation Bible School.
It was a fortuitous discovery, as I had a death in my extended family- we lost my aunt, and spending time with my huge family from Texas and Mexico was wonderful and overwhelming. I took my rudimentary weaving with me and it helped calm me.
That same weekend, the shooting in El Paso occurred- Texas is big, but anything that happens on the border or in my state feels close to home. My heart had been heavy for some time with what was happening at the border, the detained families and children.
The pain of the shooting in El Paso flooded my heart with sadness. Texas is my home. I am Mexican American. This man wasn't killing indiscriminately. This man was hunting people who looked like me and my family.
Posting anything this month, just didn't feel right. I had one scheduled post, featuring Tamar, and I left it at that. I've spent the rest of this month praying, thinking, and mourning. And weaving. It has been calming and therapeutic in a time where everything feels so unhinged.
I know there is hope, and I know we as a country can do better. But this month, I am quiet, at a loss for words, and deep in thought.
I grew up in my father's church, a small one room sanctuary with a handful of wooden pews, with everything sung and spoken in Spanish.
The last video is a song I remember from that time, sung at my aunt's funeral - the piano is played by my cousin and the lovely soprano you can hear is my mom's voice:
"Maravilloso es, maravilloso es, cuando pienso que Dios me ama a mi."
"How marvelous it is, how marvelous it is, when I think of how God loves me."
Listening to this song has provided me with comfort and healing in these confusing times.
I hope to resume my Project a Month posts next month.
