Words and Wool

I finally picked my sweater back up again and have made some good progress. I'm not a big sweater knitter because it takes determination and patience to get to the end of such a project! I'm definitely more into smaller projects such as shawls or doll clothes!

I have taken to keeping a very easy shawl project by my quiet time chair and in my purse. I finished the first one this week and it is blocking. It is the perfect color for fall.

As for reading, I did finish up several good books this week:


The Life and Times of Call the Midwife: The Official Companion to Season One and Two by Heidi Thomas is a beautiful, photo-filled book about the making of the television series Call the Midwife. I find the series very gripping and emotional (in a good way) and this book added in little details and behind the scenes glimpses. I'm looking forward to Season Three!

  Uprooted: A Guide for Homesick Christians by Rebecca VanDoodewaard is an excellent little book on the subject of homesickness. Rebecca covers such topics as: What to do before you leave, What makes homesickness worse, What makes homesickness better, Homesick with kids, Homesick and single, Staying in touch, The good side of living far from home, and Helping others with homesickness.

Until reading this book I hadn't thought that much about how homesickness may have affected me over the years. Having lived in 16 different places since my birth, I never looked at myself as being homesick. In fact, as a child, I loved moving because it was a new adventure. But, I think looking back, I've struggled with this all along. Not that I want to up and leave where I am now. (Please, no more moving and saying goodbye!) But, I think there is something healthy about realizing that it is normal to have holes in your life from where your soul was torn away from people or places that you loved. For Christians, this reminds us that someday, in heaven, we will be home forever and every single ache and pain of things "left behind" will be filled with the presence of God Himself.

I'm taking away from the book a few lessons: don't deny that moving hasn't hurt but also remember the memories I have that would have never come without moving and, be aware of those around me who may also be struggling in this way. In a way, I think I'm just a bit fearful of going back to Scotland for a visit and then repeating the goodbyes and heartache of leaving all over again. I probably need to keep this book closeby!


Esther: It's Tough Being a Woman by Beth Moore is the book we used in my Bible study this spring. It couldn't have been more timely for the things going on in my own life. This book is all about God's providence -- His using the sticky, messy, ugly, seemingly random as well as the beautiful to work His purposes in our lives. So far, this is my favorite Beth Moore study.

Call the Nurse: True Stories of a Country Nurse on a Scottish Isle by Mary MacLeod is a book I just dived into. A take off of Call the Midwife, this book will be stories about life on a remote Scottish Island and Mary's work as a district nurse. I'll let you know more.....

For more ideas on knitting and reading, check out Ginny's Yarn Along.

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