Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Shelley Schurch
Sunday, January 12, 2025
I don’t want to brag (well, maybe just a little) but my sister was Betty Crocker of Alaska. At a rather young age, too.
She was a senior in high school and gained this title by achieving the highest score of all senior home ec students in the state, on a written test that I took seven years later when I was a senior. The home ec teacher we shared had written hopeful words in my high school annual the year before, predicting that I would also become B.C. of A., but that did not happen.
In becoming Betty Crocker of Alaska, my sister, accompanied by her home ec teacher, won a trip “back east.” I remember their trip included stops in Washington, D.C.; Colonial Williamsburg; and New York City. True to her unselfish nature, my sister brought me home a dress from a New York City department store, and my fifth-grade soul was ecstatic.
There was no talent contest involved in her B.C. achievement, but if there had been, I’m sure my sister would have aced that, too. She could sew wedding dresses and men’s tailored suits, and everything in between. Through the years she has excelled in everything she’s literally put her hands to – knitting, crocheting, quilting, needlepoint, cross-stitch, as well as sewing of all kinds.
I own many of her handmade creations, including the Christmas stocking you see in my photo above. I sent her the photo a few days ago, with the caption, “The beautiful Christmas stocking you made for me many years ago!”
Her response astounded me: “I bet I was supposed to cross stitch your name at the top. Must have been clueless at the time, since it is obvious to me now.”
I turned back to my photo and I think my jaw dropped down in disbelief. Sure enough, there is a banner near the top of the stocking that is obviously empty. Obvious, except the stitcher and giver didn’t notice it, and neither did the grateful recipient. I’ve had this stocking for probably more than 35 years, and each December when I bring it out from our Christmas boxes I admire my sister’s handiwork. I never saw what I now can’t unsee!
How did we both overlook such an empty space? I don’t know about my sister, who has always been so good at detail work. For me, I think my focus has always been on the ark and the animals and my sister’s skillful stitchery. And the love she wove into it.
But it has shaken me a bit to think how I’ve overlooked that empty banner all these years. I wonder uneasily what else I’ve not noticed, maybe something or things more important than a blank banner on a Christmas stocking.
And yes, this reminds me of Jesus. Didn’t He warn about leaving something “undone”?
After brief research, I can report that, Yes, He did. Luke 11 begins with Jesus teaching His disciples how to pray, and ends with Him giving woes to the Pharisees and lawyers, including this:
“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.” (Luke 11:42 NKJV)
I fear focusing on the wrong things, leaving the most important things undone. How to remedy this? My love of list-making is not the answer, helpful as it is to keep me on track most days, accomplishing what I see is needful.
What I see . . . I think it’s my eyes that need help.
Lord, as I step into this brand-new week, please give me Your eyes with which to see my world, and Your grace to navigate well within each day. You know that without Your help, I may easily overlook the obvious. Help me to leave undone what is not worth my time and attention, and lavish Your love in faithful focus on what you show me is good.
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8 NIV)