His Grace.

My daughter picks up knitting again and again, trying to knit something, anything.  Her gauge much too wide, then much to tight.  Tears flow and she feels like she is the worst knitter in the world.  She is reminded that she isnt the worst, but learning, and even the best most accomplished knitters in the world started off just like that.  I remind her of the beautiful yarn she spun only a week ago, beautiful colours, the weight of the yarn, wispy then worsted, fingering to bulky.  She asks if that is okay.  It is okay because it is her expression of how that roving should spin.  People pay loads of money for yarn that is purposefully made to be a bit crazy... It doesnt have to be streamlined perfect.  Its art yarn!  Shifting our view of what she created to a different perspective from it being a bunch of mistakes to something beautiful. 

Its been warm, the kids run outside in t-shirts on the 8th November day (although a sweater would probably be better). Still tempted to run outside barefoot while laughing histarically at eachothers ideas and excitement.  Our two year old outside in winter boots, a t-shirt and a diaper...so Canadian.  These kids love to be outside. My son cries because he didnt win the one race, and there has to be a discussion on what the importance is of playing with friends. Its not about winning or loosing, its about fun and love. teamwork.  They continue on playing and for now, there has been no more tears.


Watching my chidren as they have challenges come against them reminds me more and more of how fragile our minds and hearts are... how fragile and full of pride my mind and heart can be and is a lot more than it should be.  Even when we know we are loved deeply and fully by Jesus, how His love covers all our hurts, we still get worked up and at times fall apart.  Anger can sink in and there is that "not good enough" feeling that creeps in.  Even though God's amazing Grace covers us and fills in those holes that we feel we have created. 

We are doing a book study in Life Group at our Church, by  Francis Frangipane called "Holiness, Truth and the Presence of God".   As we dig into Part Two:  The Spirit of Grace, the first paragraph on the page of Chaper Five spoke to me loud

"If you hear a teaching and feel as though it were unattainable in your condition, you have only heard half the message. you missed the grace that is always resident in the heart of God's truth.  Truth without grace is only half true.  Remember this always:  grace and truth are realized in Jesus Christ (John 1:17-For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.)  What God's truth demands, His grace will provide."

I think the past few weeks I have really been forgetting that God is full of Grace.  Loaded to the brim with it.  I have felt definatly less than worthy of God's goodness and to be in His Kingdom.  When I feel like this I feel like hiding from God.  Kinda hard when He is in my heart! I have felt inadequate and very discourraged because I have forgotten about God's Grace...I have said it again and again, and heard it but time and time again latley I never really thought it.  Really sat and reflected on it.  He is a good God and He loves me.  He provides the grace and forgiveness.  I belong to Him and I need to drawn nearer and nearer to Him when I feel inadequate because He is the only one who can make me feel adequate.  His Grace is enough. 

Have you any wool?

The past few weeks in our house we have really gotten back into the wool groove.  All my children get excited when I start getting the knitting/crochet/felting/spinning mood.  We purchased some roving and my three and a friend all got down and colourful at the kitchen table last week to dye up some of it  with food colouring and vinegar.  They had so much fun! So we decided that we would do wet felting with this as trying to get 2-6 year olds to spin and knit would probably not be the best bet.  They decided to make bracelets and headbands with their stuff (Mommy too!)
They thought it took "forreeever" to felt them.  They dont think this will be a regular craft for them! LOL

So while the kids were doing their felting projects I took advantage of the mess and did my own crafts.  I have long adored the felted purses online, but my paypal tree hated the price so I figured I'd wing it.  It took a few days to finally get it finished, but I am very very happy about the end result. It is a blend of silk and merino. I now know why they cost so much, it is a long process but very fun! I found it so relaxing to just sit there and felt, its an arm workout but its quiet.  Its really fascinating I think how wool 
 felts like this.  How our Creator made such beautiful fibers in nature that can keep us warm, look beautiful and create one of a kind peices, plus the animals are so darn cute!!!!!!!! And since I really really would like to grow my hair out, I need things to make it look somewhat decent LOL so I did a hairband, a lot less complicated than the purse, quicker and I tried a few other methods to getting the wool to felt.  It was a lot of fun, I did it in fall colours because pretty soon the leaves will be the same! Matchy matchy!

So now that I have that out of my system (for now, and felting needles and llama fleece on the way!) I have dug into a bag of goodies from a friend and this is my next woolie adventure. 

Im not sure what type of wool it is, but I am really excited to spin it.  I have started combing it and have spun a little of it.  Its more coarse than soft however.   I think I will dye it afterwards as well, everything seems to be so exciting in colour, although naturally the stuff I have spun is quite nice! Stay tuned!!