About

 

I started making beaded silverware several years ago and selling them at craft shows around Birmingham during the holidays. One day, I was playing around with my wire and came upon an idea for a cross. I made a few and brought them to a friend of mine who owns a store in Birmingham called English Ivy. She had sold some of my silverware before and I asked her to display the cross to see if people liked it as much as I did. She sold one the first day! I sold more during the holidays but after that I started a new job and I didn't have time to do both. About 2 years had passed and I was in my workshop playing around again. While I was making a new cross design, a person's name came to mind and I said to myself, "I am going to give her this cross." She had been working really hard under stressful conditions and I wanted her to know that I appreciated what she was doing. I thought about Moses on top of the hill to the promised land with his arms being held up by Aaron and Hur so his people could prevail. My friend was the one holding up the arms of her leader. I saw her in passing one day and told her I had something for her. But with busy schedules, several weeks had passed before I thought about giving it to her again. One day, I just decided I was not going to be able to give it to her personally so I dropped it off at her office with a little note. I got a call from her the next day. She said to me," You have no idea how timely this gift was for me and how much it meant to me. "It turns out, on top of the stresses at work, her father in-law was very ill and was dying. She was feeling very down and overwhelmed. The gift gave her a little sense of peace. It made her smile knowing someone cared. It also let her know she was appreciated and it reminded her that God was with her during these hard times. We both felt Gods presence at that moment. It never occurred to me that one of my crosses might make a difference in someone's day. Giving someone a cross I made was about the joy I felt when I gave it to them. Sure, I thought they would like it, think it was pretty, but make a difference in their day? Change for a moment the way they look at something? Could it really be an instrument to let someone know someone really cares about them or think about God for a minute? That was just something I never thought about until I heard her words. My hope is that one of my crosses or pieces of jewelry finds its way to someone and helps them in some little way. I hope it cheers them up, prompts them to think about God for a minute, and lets them know someone is thinking about them. I include a verse on a card with every purchase that will hopefully inspire. If you ever give one of my crosses to someone and something positive happens from it, please let me know. It would make my day!