On June 17, without knowing what had happened in Charleston, South Carolina, I spoke of the kitten Bible and my reaction. Please stay with me as I work my way through this. Chuck and I walked through an English town me always looking for a church… And he said, "There is a church." I saw a church with no cross on top and broken towers, and little odd flag decorations all across the entrance. "I don’t think so." but we crossed the street and I walked up the path…I peered in the door and saw a lot of ladies as if in a meeting handing out brochures. I took a brochure thinking I would walk through the church yard as is my wont and remember the church as it was, "before Cromwell." "No I said," but I was drawn in and I saw what looked like a tea party with about 20 English ladies who drew me in, put a brochure in my hand and said, "Start there at book one." It took me a second to realize my eyes had deceived me and I saw insignificant because of my prejudice. "Knitted Bible!" Scenes from the Bible all around the church. I stopped at Zechariah in the tree and a lady next to me commented! "Even the tree is proper!" It was a traveling exhibition. The scenery and people were all knitted. From Genesis to the Resurrection. Finally a lady said, "Go up there for the Last Supper." I climbed up on the altar (communion table), and I had an engaging conversation with a lady who invited me to Catholic Mass and introduced me to the "old" Catholic priest who says Mass in two villages. Need more vocations. I had to leave and get back to the boat…I left the church wondering what made my eyes see insignificant "kitten bible"…what made me want to shun the experience, what drew me in to a truth I would have rejected if I went on my initial reaction?… I left that tiny church full of confidence that people can be wonderful and beautiful in faith. Thank God for the knitted bible! Now then, as I was standing outside a small church all concerned with our differences a wild young man was shooting people because he considered their "differences" irreconcilable. How horrible… I watched our president speak to the press saying, "…this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries." I felt like he slapped me. "We, most Americans, would not do that." I responded to the television screen from a room in England. But I am an American and I do carry a better than thou mentality. God forgive me and God bless us all. Family fills this English house full of love, and I ask God to continue to pour out his Grace. God bless you.
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