Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Psalm 51 is used in the Ash Wednesday liturgy. The story goes that King David wrote it after he got another man’s wife pregnant. He saw her and took her against her will. When she discovered she wasContinue reading “Ash Wednesday”
Tag Archives: Contemplative
Greeting
Greetings can range from a casual “hi” to a desperate embrace by a father just back from a long deployment. We learn at an early age how to say hi, how are you? It’s one of the first words we memorize when we study a foreign language. Hi, my name is Julie. How are you?Continue reading “Greeting”
Stir
Stephen and Penelope’s in Amersterdam stirs my creativity. Their use of yarn in different ways pokes at the imagination and the incredible choices they offer make anything seem possible. In 2Timothy 1:6 Paul tells Timothy to stir up his gift from the Holy Spirit. The Greek word invokes the idea of a bellows sparking embersContinue reading “Stir”
Repent
Some biblical translations of the Bible translate the Greek word “metanoia” into repent. Metanoia means a transformative change in one’s life, a turning back to God. When I think about repenting, I think about starting over, turning back, and resuming my spiritual practice. Of course, I think about the sins I committed and the regretContinue reading “Repent”
Splendor
In the past, splendor made me think of the gilded age, the ostentatious houses erected by the Vanderbilts and Astors. I remember touring the Biltmore in Asheville, North Carolina in December. There were decorated Christmas trees in every room on the tour. Imagine a 250 room house gilded with gold leaf and other trimmings. SplendorContinue reading “Splendor”
Spiritual Guides
How do you decide what you’re going to make next? Years ago, knitting patterns were available in magazines, books, or pamphlets found at the local yarn store. I can remember spending hours looking through multiple three ring binders for a pattern that I liked. It was not an enjoyable experience. Most stores had multiple pagesContinue reading “Spiritual Guides”
Finding the Holes, by Br. Aidan
The moths got to my handknits this year. Every sweater had at least one hole in it. And not just my sweaters, but those I’ve given away, too. The holes were small enough that they were easy to miss. Sickened by spotting one of them, I went on a hole hunt. There were a dozenContinue reading “Finding the Holes, by Br. Aidan”
The Power of Language
I love the names of colorways. I was perusing the Magpie Fiber website recently in hot pursuit of the yarn “London Rain” that Joji Locatelli used to make her Lightweight Hipster shawl and then I saw “Paris Train” and “Wood Smoke” and “Smoke on the Water.” I noticed how the names of the yarn causedContinue reading “The Power of Language”
Some Guidelines for Contemplative Knitting
How much do knitters talk about swatching? For some of us, it’s like cleaning and sanding an old surface before applying a new coat of paint. It’s necessary but not fun. For others, swatching is their play time. Trying out new yarn, seeing how it behaves, and figuring out how to make it work inContinue reading “Some Guidelines for Contemplative Knitting”
Sustaining Your Knitting Practice
In order to commit to a contemplative knitting practice for the long term, before we even start, we need to develop a plan for when we get off track. In the beginning we might feel excited about starting a spiritual discipline that involves knitting and praying but eventually that enthusiasm will wear off. Then we’llContinue reading “Sustaining Your Knitting Practice”
Contemplative Knitting 