{Wow, it's really hard to take pictures of brown knitting.}
I think you were along with me for that ride I go on — you know, the one where I find yarn on sale, buy it, choose a pattern, change things like needle size, and then end up with too little yarn. I keep doing that.
As usual, a super nice Ravelry lady sold me her yarn that was in her stash, clearly labeled as “not for sale.”
I will try to reform, but the outlook is dim, matching my brain.
This yarn, Hillside Linen, which is a lovely, soft blend of alpaca and linen, and how appealing is that, called out to me: “Deirdre needs a shawl for when she's too big for a sweater, and also for when she's nursing the baby!” That voice doesn't seem to realize that Deirdre lives in DC, where you don't need any extra layers from March until October, but still. Had to be done!
{I will get my notes on Ravelry very soon! Promise! Ravelry notes posted!}
Completely unrelatedly, as Pentecost has arrived, I've been thinking about the four cardinal virtues.
Have you ever thought about them? These virtues identified by the ancients as necessary for human development?
They are Prudence, Temperance, Fortitude, and Justice.
Yesterday was Pentecost, of course, and I was thinking about how fully four of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (enumerated in Isaiah, Chapter 11, 2-3) revolve around the virtue of prudence.
That goes to show you that dear Aristotle was so right in calling this the Queen of Virtues, the one without which you can't grow in the others.
For you must see reality as it is in order to act upon it. No good forging off in the wrong direction, however hard you are trying. If you find yourself on the wrong path, better to know it's the wrong one so that you can correct.
Once I saw a banner across a storefront Bible church on Connecticut Avenue in D.C. It gave a somewhat unorthodox translation of John 1:14 as follows:
The glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and reality.
I do think that the Holy Spirit was speaking in that particular choice of words for me at that particular time.
Reality — the existence of something objective outside of ourselves — this is what is trying to break through to us.
soul of my soul
I adore you.
Enlighten,
guide,
strengthen and console me.
Tell me what I ought to do
and command me to do it.
I promise to submit to everything
that you ask of me
and to accept all
that you allow to happen to me.
Just show me what is your will.”
If you do this, your life will be happy and serene. Even in the midst of troubles you will experience great consolation, for grace will be given to strengthen and help you to cope with every difficulty.
Stacy says
The shawl is just lovely. Wishing I could be your adopted daughter! 😉 Thank you for your posts and inspiration, you're the Catholic mama I didn't have. God bless you, Leila!
kimberlee says
What an astonishingly wonderful prayer. Thank you!
And your shawl is simply beautiful – the brown is luscious. It's so lovely that you can knit and do so for your daughters. God bless!
Kate says
Thank you for posting the beautiful prayer. I've been feeling dissatisfied with myself in the virtue and personal development department lately – which cause is either menopause or a real need to “step it up” spiritually. I think this prayer will at least help with attitude adjustment.
Cristina says
Thank you for this wonderful prayer….now I think the Holy Spirit is speaking in this particular choice of words for me at this particular time 🙂
Amy says
You totally crack me up. This reminds me of my mom. She sewed for ever. I never think of mom without thinking about sewing. When we went to the fabric store she would always round up. If she needed 2 aand a half yards she would get 3. I have several quilts with pieces of those extras.
Lisa says
So beautiful, the shawl and the prayer. As a former dancer, I have an old ballet sweater that I just loved when I was pregnant .Also for those post delivery chills and what not afterwards. I'm sure Deidre will just love it.
Mrs. Pickles says
Love that the last shot of the shawl looks like a wing of the Holy Spirit. 🙂 (It's beautiful — I'm sure Deirdre will appreciate the shawl when she goes into an air-conditioned building!)
Briana says
I keep looking for a pattern link?
_Leila says
Hi Briana, I posted on Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/leilamarie/oaklet…
Sheryl Finley says
Love this post, shawl, prayer. I agree with Mrs Pickles, Deirdre will have many occasions to love this shawl, even in DC. Can't wait to see pictures of her wearing it! Always enjoy all your pictures. Also, could you update us on Rosie and family regarding their safety in today's tornadoes, please. Rosie was kind enough to answer my post on Facebook yesterday but today is another day and not everyone is on Facebook. You all feel like family to us readers. In our prayers, as usual. Sheryl
_Rosie says
Thank you, Sheryl – we are fine. It's a little hard to believe that there can be such devastation so close to us, and sunny skies all day here, but it looks like this severe weather has passed us by. We are praying for everyone who was not so fortunate!
Mrs. B. says
Beautiful – both the shawl (yes, perfect for crazy DC a/c!!), and the prayer practice.
I read about the tornadoes in OK – I hope Rosie's family is all right…
Lisa G. says
I've seen that prayer, too! Have it somewhere about.
The shawl is just beautiful.
Margaret Kelly says
Yes! There is beauty in the world! It is here, and it is growing.
Virginia says
A shawl for nursing! Brilliant! Why have I never thought of that? Thank you for the prayer, it's beautiful. On your recommendation I recently read Joseph Pieper's “Four Cardinal Virtues” and loved it. It's so true that you have to quiet all of those interior voices and lies in order to truly see the world as it is and act. Sometimes I deny my own agency and make a show of “coping” (which, conveniently, excuses all kinds of sins) but that's really sinning against the Holy Spirit, isn't it. I've found that having a good father confessor is very helpful with this…
Robin says
Thank you for that prayer, Auntie Leila, it's the “quieting all the outside voices” that I struggle with, and trusting that once I've asked God to nudge me throughout the day, that it's Him doing it and not me. Le Sigh.
Also, a mundane question: could you give us a little overview of Ravelry? I'm a (very) beginning knitter who, after a few forced projects, is “in” to knitting, but I struggle with what to do next. I confess to seeing your original shawl after finishing my first successful project and thinking, “I'll do that next” while my 15 yo expert knitting daughter gently steered me away to an easier project. I would love to get on Ravelry, since I hear it referred to often among knitters, but exactly how does it serve you?
_Leila says
Robin, basically Ravelry is a very searchable site for keeping track of your own projects and finding new ones. Knitting is amazingly complicated, what with needle size, yarn differences, gauge, etc. It's hard to remember what you did! You think you will, and then…
So it keeps things straight for you.
And then if you want to search for a pattern, it's very handy. The search abilities are great. You can enter a kind of yarn, or weight of yarn, and search for projects that people have made. Lots of photos. Basically, you should just poke around on there and see what you can see!
I am “leilamarie” and you can see my projects there.
Robin says
Thanks! I'll have to give it a try!
DeirdreLMLD says
I love the shawl! It's so beautiful. To me it seems a little more “heathery” in real life, rather than the brown that you see here. I look forward to using it in various ways and I think it will be lovely for nursing. (Although I had to laugh at my mom when she kept insisting that it might get chilly around July when I was getting too big for sweaters… as if I've used ANYthing woolen since Feb at the latest… 🙂 )
magistratrium says
What a lovely shawl! I would like to find time for knitting again soon. Perhaps this summer. Thank you for your thoughts on prudence, temperance, fortitude, and justice and for that lovely prayer. I'm going to use that prayer in my devotional time to try to quiet my heart in the midst of my busy days.
Erica says
You prayer was very timely for me! I'm reading He Leadeth Me, a book by a priest who spent 23 years in Soviet prisons and work camps. The principle message I've gotten from the book is that to find God's will, you don't have to look “out there;” rather, you should look at the situations God presents to you in your daily life. It seems like your prayer really dovetails with that idea. Thanks!
armyofseven says
That prayer was one we recited each week at the beginning of a bible study we just finished up. Can't remember which one. The Renew Why Catholic program, perhaps, that many parishes are using.
Anne-Marie says
The pamphlet text reminds me of a book on prayer whose whole first chapter was devoted to spending five minutes a day in silence. The author quite rightly said that few of us can manage even that; but until we can be quiet for five minutes, no instructions or guidance in prayer can help us.
Anna R says
Gorgeous shawl! Do you accept commissions for knitting ? 🙂
Joy in Alabama says
Thank you for the prayer. Life is almost overwhelming as I struggle with packing to move to a new community 2 hours away as the pastor's wife in a church where the former pastor's wife did everything, help 2 daughters move into an apt. here, help one daughter move an hour in the other direction, and help yet another daughter prepare for her first baby, which we will be 3 hours away from, and console 3 children who do not want to move away from our homeschool group or their friends. I'm going to begin praying this today!
NY Mom says
I am praying that your daughter and son-in-law are ok – didn't they just move to Oklahoma? Please let us know if there are any special prayer needs they may have or know of relative to the tornado. Hope all is well with them. God bless.
Jaime says
Thank you – that prayer is now tucked away in a book I am reading right now about parenting. It deals with a certain fear I struggle with and immediately after praying the prayer and then reading the book, I felt a wave of peace rush over me.