“Lydia”

Acts 16:14, 15- “One of them was Lydia from Thyatira, a merchant of expensive purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying. She was baptized along with other members of her household, and she asked us to be her guests. ‘If you agree that I am faithful to the Lord,’ she said, ‘come and stay at my home.’ And she urged us until we did.

This business has been such a neat opportunity for me to create and for me to minister. And at times, I’ve been able to be ministered to through my work. A special customer of mine, Krissy, has been one of those encouragers. And when she requested a custom colorway, in honor of her daughter, I was happy to oblige.

So in honor of Krissy’s custom, I’ve also asked her to write a “guest blog” for this entry. She did a wonderful job. Thank you Krissy!!!

She says, “My grandfather was always very good to us. My parents divorced when I was two and he and my grandmother were always there for us. My dad was absent for many years of my life, so my grandpa stepped in. He was a very kind, gracious man. He was very well known in the community and no one ever had a bad word to say about him. He struggled with Parkinson’s disease for almost 20 years, and my mom cared for him for the last 9 years of his life, after my grandma passed away. We were very close – we’d eat with him a few nights a week, and my husband stopped by the house almost every day to tell him about his work. My husband had taken over a part of my grandpa’s business a few years back, so he would always listen intently to the updates. He was also incredibly interested in my work, frequently asking me what office I’d be working at the next day and if I’d heard any cute stories from the kids I see. Needless to say, even during his later years, my grandpa remained a caring, devoted man.

Unfortunately, in September 2006, he contracted a blood infection. A week after going into the hospital, he passed. Although I knew he wasn’t suffering anymore, I was so sad that he would not be able to meet his first great-grandchild, who, we were told, was going to be a girl. We wanted so badly to remember him somehow, as he was the best man my husband and I had ever known. His name was Ivor, so we knew that name just wouldn’t work for a little girl! He joked with us when we found out we were having a girl, saying we could name her “Ivorine” or “Ivy.” But, in the end, we knew what our daughter’s name needed to be – Lydia, after his mother. His mother, Lydia, was an amazing woman. She and my great-grandfather started a plumbing business in our town. She was seen as the brains behind the operation and while she was a great businesswoman, especially in her time, she was incredibly sweet and nice as well, or so I’ve heard. She only had one child, my grandfather, and she would have loved to have had more my mom tells me. Her first name was Lydia; last name was Lee – hence, our daughter’s name! When my grandfather was in the hospital, shortly before he became unresponsive to us, my husband and I decided to tell him we would be naming our daughter Lydia. We know he understood as he was looking at us and his heart rate went up! He was the only one who knew her name before she was born.

When we decided on the name Lydia, we went to the Bible as well. I wanted to know about Lydia in the Bible, although she is only mentioned twice, both in the book of Acts (Acts 16:13-15 and 40). Apparently, she was a dealer of purple cloth. It was assumed that she was a wealthy businesswoman, as purple cloth was expensive and valuable – it was seen as a sign of nobility or royalty. As soon as Paul shared the message of Jesus Christ and she heard it, she believed. She was baptized right away, along with members of her household. Her husband was not mentioned, so it was thought she was a widow. She believed wholeheartedly and she invited Paul and his companions to stay in her home. It has been said that as soon as Lydia believed in Him, she went to work for Him.

This colorway came about after I started looking for some yarn to match some of Lydia’s clothes in her closet. They were a few of my favorite pieces, and I just could not find the color combination of navy/pink/green. Lamar and I began to correspond and thought perhaps a “Lydia” colorway was in order. However, we agreed that in order to pay homage to Lydia from the Bible, there had to be some purple in the colorway as well.

My husband and I feel that God has truly blessed us and has allowed us to have such amazing people touch our lives. My grandfather, for constantly displaying the qualities of dedication, integrity, class, and unconditional love throughout a life of gains and losses. He remained steadfast and persevered in a way that continues to leave me in awe. My great-grandmother, for starting with her husband a business that would carry on throughout the generations and provide opportunities for us all to give back to the community. Our sweet daughter, Lydia, who has been the greatest gift either one of us has ever known. We pray that she incorporates into her life the qualities of her great-grandmother, as well as Lydia in the Bible, and thanks God each and every day for the blessings he has bestowed upon her. And of course, dear Lamar. Her work has inspired a creative resurgence for me that arrived at just the perfect time in my life. I so appreciate her talents, love for the Lord, and willingness to share her devotion and vision with others. THANK YOU, LAMAR!!”