wordpaintervs

Its I who should thank you. Keep watch and one of these days you'll see that long green trim around the bottom of a skirt or the top of a bonnet on a doll. Hope your hubby enjoyed seeing the dolls with your trim. I just know the little girls eyes will grow large and her small fingers will rove lovingly around the hat, sleeves, etc. Your thank you card should get there soon.

Now when you go to bed, you can imagine the child who will hug the doll closely to her and become her friend.

Thanks again. I am sending you a story I wrote late this morning. I hope you enjoy it.

Vickey

MAKING A DIFFERENCE
© Vickey Stamps 8-7-10

The old woman sat in her home thinking things out. She’d been right busy feeling sorry for herself. Life had become downright boring and she couldn’t quite figure on just how that had come about. Everything was so much the same. There was the getting up and getting down morning and night, the ritual of the housework, and the every Wednesday shopping day that had become routine. Life had become a mundane state of affairs, and she thought herself the biggest part of it all.

Last week had been a doctor visit. At least the outcome wasn’t boring. Seemed they had found out her lungs weren’t acting so good and told her she had to start using Oxygen. If that wasn’t the strangest thing she’d ever heard, but she reckoned she didn’t know what was the strangest thing anyway. It was bad enough having a hitch in her get-a-long, and needing a walker, but now this had come along to trouble her. She knew she’d been getting out of breath a lot more then usual lately, but she would just sit a spell, take some deeper breaths, rest some more, and then get up and do what she wanted to do anyway. It just took a little more energy these days, anyway, that seemed to be working fine for now.

The doctor had explained that without the help of extra air, her whole body would be affected and her health would become much worse. It would add quality to her life. He made arrangements,
that included a small container she could carry with her when she needed to be doing things. So, life changed, and she changed with it. She had been on the oxygen a few days now, and the tone
of her skin had become better and her breathing and energy improved. “It made a difference” she had to admit.
Now she thought to herself, of her life. “Am I making a difference?” "Well, it's high time I did!" she said to herself. "Today I'll let the house be cluttered. Tomorrow will come soon enough." She grabbed an envelope and wrote a letter to a friend she’d been neglecting. She lived far away but it didn’t have to change the friendship. Now she got a card from a box of assorted
cards she’d bought on sale last month, and began to write a cheerful note inside three or four of them. There’d be no name on the front, she'd just go down to the mall, even if it was only Tuesday, and hand them out in a random manner whenever the notion struck her.

Inside the card, she’d penned the words, "Just in case you think you don’t make a difference in the world, I’m here to say that you do. God bless you and yours. You are loved." She’d signed
her name below. Maybe she’d make up six cards. Surely there were six people out of all those she’d be around that could use a card.

Now she’d go out and dig up part of her Viola plants, put them into small canvas bags, and give them with the cards. Yes indeed she would do that right away. She’d put the cards and plants
in the little purse that was hooked to the side of her walker. She put the letter to her friend into her mailbox and put the flag up, so the mailman would be sure to take it. Off she went, and
indeed, in the next hour she would make a difference.

The young teenager, pimply of face, perhaps a few pounds heavier then she ought to be, and unappreciative of herself in her current role, as she saw herself in life, strolled listlessly down the Malls walkway. Her shoulders were slumped and head bent in a sort of sadness. It was Tuesday, but school was out for some meeting the district needed to have. She didn’t have many friends and none had bothered to ask her to spend the day with them. Of course, she hadn’t asked them to spend it with her either. Why hadn’t she?, she wondered. The old lady came up to her, haltingly and with a gentle smile on her face. She was wearing one of those face masks that gave her extra air. “Hello” the woman spoke. “You are supposed to get this!” Having said so, the old woman handed over the canvas bagged plant of Viola’s, and put the card into the young ladies hands, and moved away. The girl immediately turned her steps to home. She’d get this in the ground right away. It was new life and ought not to be wasted. She read the card and it lifted her mood. She wished the old woman was there, so she could give her a hug. Little did she know the difference the card and plant were going to make in her life. Such a small thing, but she would grow for the better, because of the kindness of an old woman who took the time to show she cared.

And so it went, as the day passed, that the old woman and her plants became a needed difference as she and The Lord, walked together in the small shopping mall, giving out samples of love.

There was the man with the sad eyes, whose marriage was falling apart. The card and the plant turned his steps to home, where he talked to his wife of it all, where they would work harder to make a difference. Together they went to a spare bit of ground and planted the small plant.

There was the woman who seemed to be so distracted in the grocery store. She’d gotten a plant and card, and halted the old woman, who with her walker, would have left right away. She’d told her that she had just left the funeral services for a dear friend who’d passed away unexpectedly. Her life had felt suddenly a bit more empty. She’d go home and put the little plant into the
ground. She knew it would grow and spread quickly. She’d remember the old woman and the friend she lost. She’d put the card on her mantle and leave it there. It had made a difference.

There had been the little girl with her small handful of coins looking for a gift for her mother’s birthday. She’d been having a hard time with so big a wish and so little money to buy it with.
She had thought she might go home with no gift. The old woman had watched her as she searched and counted her money. She had an idea of what she might be going through. Now the little girl
was home, hands full with the little plant and card. “Happy Birthday Mama. Here’s a plant and a card. I love you so much.” She had scratched her mother’s name upon the card. She would tell her mother how she’d come upon the gift.

There was the old preacher who’d just retired. Suddenly there was time on his hands, and he no longer was feeling needed. He’d been passing the time in the mall, wondering what tomorrow
would hold. He already knew what eternity held and was secure and happy in knowing that. What he wondered about, was the tomorrows. Neither wife nor children were around to comfort
him, or to find things for him to do. Then the old woman had come, saying simply, "This is for you." and leaving as haltingly, but as surely, as she had come. It made a difference. "Thank you, for people who make a difference." he’d said to himself, having read the card.

Just as she was looking for someone who would need her last plant and card, she stumbled and would have fallen, had it not been for a not especially strong, but a sturdy hand reaching out, steadying her, and breaking the fall. Kind eyes sought her own. "Careful there, friend. We aren’t as young as we used to be!" It was her neighbor lady, who was also a widow. She’d meant to get better acquainted with her, but had been too busy staying close to home,
feeling lonely and sorry for herself. Now the neighbor reached out for the plant the old woman had been holding. What a beautiful Viola. Do you know I’ve been watching those plants of yours a long time? I’ve been trying to build up the nerve to ask if you’d share some with me for my own garden. Would you?" The old woman smiled. "Actually, I’ve been looking for someone for this one with its card, to belong to. There's a nice little table in that outdoor café over there. What do you think of having a cup of tea and a roll? We could talk a bit? Maybe tomorrow we could get together. I usually go shopping, but I changed the plan and came here today. Are we too old for a picnic in the park?" They found the empty table. The visit would become a friendship.

Such little things, the old woman thought. Maybe next week, I’ll find other ways, and the week after, and the one after that. I can make a difference. It would become a boomerang to those
folks she made the difference too. It would change lives. People would remember this fact...


LIFE WAS GOOD

[email protected]

http://www.ourchurch.com/member/w/whisperinghope/

wordpaintervs

Hello to all out there who come to look, and sometimes leave a note for me. A special thanks to those who have prayed for me and the children I sew for that have cancer., and to those who were in a position to reach out and help me in my mission to do this thing. I have been organizing fabrics and trims and cutting out doll bodies. I have 6 girl bodies and 1 for a boy doll. I will be cutting out several more, then will sew the dolls and stuff them, and cut the dresses and outfits for them, to make a kind of kit, I can easily turn too with a few hours to put into them...and complete. I think I may be looking at up to twenty more dolls in the future, and more beyond that will be hoped for. One at a time is slow, but one doll and one child with something to love, when the night is silent and the sick hours are long, are worth all my efforts. I still need a couple days to finish a project I am doing, then will be returning to the job sewing the dolls and chemo caps. Thanks again to all of you out there who take the time to visit me here and send the pm messages of encouragement and donations my way. I appreciate each and every one of you. I look forward to hearing from you.

Vickey Stamps

NCquilter

Awww, those are adorable! I'm sure who ever gets them will think so too!

wordpaintervs

Thanks for taking the time to write me a note. One does what they can, and I hope what I try to do is enough.

Thanks again.

Vickey Stamps

wordpaintervs

A quick update, for those who are wondering what is going on with the dolls for kids with cancer.

Tonight I sewed up 7 more dolls for kids with cancer. I think there are at least 13 more dolls I can get from the fabric I have on hand. Tomorrow I will stuff at least two or more of the dolls, and after that will cut out the clothing and arrange whatever trim I will be using on the clothing. Not sure in which order I shall do what. I may cut out all the doll bodies first, and get them sewed, then cut out the dresses and put the trim with them...like a pre-made kit or something, then I can stuff the dolls, sew the clothes and dress the dolls one at a time. Takes a while getting a doll together... about 12 hours each. These dolls are 21 inches high, except for the boy dolls whcih will be about 24-25 inches tall.

That took about 3 hours and will be spending another 2 or 3 ironing fabrics and sorting them out into color catagories to make it easier to find for cutting out dresses and chemo caps when the time comes. Hope tomorrow to get to stuff some dolls after church, or tomorrow evening, one of the other. It's been a busy day, but I don't mind getting tired. When I feel tired, I think of those little children with cancer and what they go through, and the adults who need the chemo caps as well. Helps me see the whole picture much better.

Anyway, I just wanted to update, and thanks all of you from the bottom of my heart that have done so much to help out.

Vickey Stamps

As more dolls 'come to life' you will see them here. I hope you enjoy the postings. Take care and God Bless you all.

CajunQuilter2

Thanks so much for the update. Am looking forward to seeing the next doll. :-)

christina bennett

You are an Angel. God Bless You for sharing you heart and talent.
Christina (Chrissy)

christina bennett

There are many charities that offer easy patterns for beginners. By helping , I have learned so many things. I find that if every one could make one item, the love could be stretched across the world. CORNY but true.
Christina (chrissy)

christina bennett

I forgot something,
I LOVE the doll!
Christina (chrissy)

grammynan

WOW!! What an awesome thing to do. So much comfort they must bring. You are an angel!!