My Daily Knitting Companion



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it was family weekend this past weekend at union university ... and we had a wonderful time with rachael.  we enjoyed spending time with her and seeing her 'in her element' with friends - hearing them giggle, watching them talk about classes and sorority and church and life in general.  we shared an afternoon of ballgames; we spent time shopping and sewing, we had the privilege of attending church with her and worshipping together.  it was a great family weekend and a reminder of just how quickly life changes.  seems like just yesterday she was just beginning school and it would be forEVER before i would have to think about her leaving ......
it also seems like eons ago when i 1st learned to knit in the back of the car on a trip home for christmas.  all i wanted to learn to do was knit a scarf.  that's all!  didn't really know what that meant per se, i just wanted to knit a scarf and make gifts for my friends and family .... just simple, knitted scarves.  and looking back, i do believe my 'want to' has continued to grow with each new thing i've learned and my confidence has grown - - in addition to my stash!  ;)

it started with a simple knit stitch ... and then row upon row the memory of the motion began to stick in my head AND in my fingers and the tension eased from my shoulders and actually laid rather nicely within my knitting. before long i was purling ... on purpose!  awkward at first, but i had learned that practice was the key and stitch by stitch i soon learned this next step in the progression of knitting. once the basics were grasped (though there were/are still holes and 'issues' along the way), i soon became to view yarn in a more adventuresome way .... dreaming of possibilities and actually believing that they COULD happen. before long i was pouring over patterns, adding additional needles to my collection, searching the internet for inspiration .... and making lists of projects that i wanted to do ....   all because i learned the basic knit stitch.

as a believer i have found the very same correlation of events ..... my confession of faith when i was a senior in high school was the culmination of years of knowing ABOUT the Lord but never genuinely and publicly surrendering to Him. the initial introduction was so very liberating, to realize my eternity was now secure in  Him and just being able to relax in that confidence was amazing.  however, such knowledge had now instilled a new hunger and drive for wanting to know more ... for studying His Word, for sharing with His Children, for spending more time with Him in order to get to Know Him!  How was/is that possible?  Through the precious gift of His Holy Spirit, Who has served as the Companion - Counselor - Guide with each new day i'm given.  Realizing that i am called to serve, and not just sit, requires a consistent investment and surrender to seek and find and apply the things that i am taught each day .... each minute ..... with every stitch that He is designing for me.

"The Knitter's Companion" by Vicki Square is a neat little spiral-bound book that you can drop into your kntting bag and have on hand for any knitting emergency or just generic question that may arise while you are knitting.  I have found that the gift of the Holy Spirit is even MORE of a Companion that any book i've tucked in my knitting bag.  He is immediately there ... just waiting to lend help, to intercede, to gently (or firmly) guide as my will surrenders or my stubborness flairs up!   Yet it all begins with that 1st initial knit stitch of confessing your sins before the Lord and accepting His precious and priceless gift of salvation ....

"Now I am going to Him who sent Me .... But I tell you the truth:  it is for your good that I am going away.  Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. . .  when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all truth.  He will not speak on His own; He will speak only what He hears, and He will tell you what is yet to come.  He will bring glory to Me by taking from what is Mine and making it known to you.  All that belongs to the Father is Mine.  That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is Mine and make it known to you.              John 16:5-15

gives new meaning and insight into the gift of My Knitting Daily Companion!