Yarn Along

I’ve actually made huge progress in my shawl for a friend.  The old Sandbank is ripped back to a large ball, and the new pattern I’m using now is Nuvem which is a very, very simple shawl that I’ve had in my queue for quite awhile now.  It’s the simplicity I’ve really been craving now, and though it’s large, it’s going surprisingly fast as you can see I’m near the end of the first ball.  This shawl will make me dig into my second skein of this yarn, that I was hoping to save for another “someday” but I think it’s for the best.  I just need to figure out how big exactly I want this to get at this point.  The yarn is Madelinetosh Prairie in “fragrant.”  I love it, (even the 2nd time around after frogging a whole project) and would highly recommend it.

I’m reading Parenting is Heart Work, which may be one of the best books on parenting I have read to date.  It’s very simple, not extremely profound, but has been an enormous encouragement.  I love how it offers no quick fixes to parenting.  No “have a perfect child in 5 days” approach.  It acknowledges that this parenting thing is hard work, so roll up your sleeves.  It doesn’t dismiss discipline and trying to get your kids to obey, but it says that is only one part of the equation.  The more significant part, and the more significant calling, is reaching your child’s heart.  That should be the focus, and how you discipline, and how you orchestrate your schedule and move forward in life with your child should be with this goal in mind directing everything else.

I love books that focus on eternity, rather then getting through our days as comfortably as possible.  I feel like this book walks step in step with Luther’s theology of vocation, but in reference to the vocation of mother.  It doesn’t water down or simplify parenting.  It encourages and brainstorms practical ideas to reach your child’s heart, with Scripture throughout to point back to that goal.  The chapters are relatively short, and it’s very simply written.

I guess it’s encouraging to hear: Yes it is hard.  That doesn’t mean you are doing it wrong.  It means it’s that important.  It’s honest, and practical for the stage of parenting I am in.  I’ve been adjusting and reframing how I deal with my kids already, and already I see fruit in my kids with this gear shift.

What are knitting or reading these days?