Yarn Along

It's been a while since I linked up with Yarn Along!  A year?  Two years?  My only excuse is that it seems to take all of my full blown nesting instincts (and the mandate to sit down much more than I am really comfortable with) to instigate a regular knitting habit.  I remember knitting up a storm when I was pregnant with Hugo.  And then?  A little project here or there for a baby shower, but other than that, not much of anything.  I guess at heart I am really an occasional knitter.

Anyway, now that I have not only twice the babies to prepare for, but twice the nesting instinct, and twice the mandate to sit down, my knitting is back in full force!  I am almost done with Lily's tiny tea leaves, and probably would have finished today had I not run out of yarn for the second arm.  Why am I always so hopeful about two skeins of yarn lasting for a toddler sweater?

And I have actually been reading  a lot, but more in the homeschool research department than in the sheer pleasure reading department.  I have been reading and re-reading every homeschooling book in our library, and have settled on reading a chapter or two of Pocketful of Pinecones when I have a bit of time.  For anyone who is hesitant about homeschooling and feels overwhelmed by the mere thought of it, I recommend this book.  In the form of a story, it explores the idea of homeschooling in a Charlotte Mason style, which, so far, has worked wonderfully for us.

Oh, and I actually printed out and read the entirety of the papal interview!  I'm so glad that I did, because this guy has some really wonderful things to say.  Ben has been reading it too (warning: it's several pages long and has a lot of good material for thought, so you might want to split it into two nights).  And, as always, the parts that are most memorable and meaningful to me are parts that have been totally ignored by everyone else.

Here are some of my favorites:

On experiencing our faith as part of a community:

“The image of the church I like is that of the holy, faithful people of God. This is the definition I often use, and then there is that image from the Second Vatican Council’s ‘Dogmatic Constitution on the Church’ (No. 12). Belonging to a people has a strong theological value. In the history of salvation, God has saved a people. There is no full identity without belonging to a people. No one is saved alone, as an isolated individual, but God attracts us looking at the complex web of relationships that take place in the human community. God enters into this dynamic, this participation in the web of human relationships."

On finding a place for the unique perspective that women have to offer in the church:

"We have to work harder to develop a profound theology of the woman. Only by making this step will it be possible to better reflect on their function within the church. The feminine genius is needed wherever we make important decisions."

On the ambiguity that exists in the Christian life:

"Yes, in this quest to seek and find God in all things there is still an area of uncertainty. There must be. If a person says that he met God with total certainty and is not touched by a margin of uncertainty, then this is not good. For me, this is an important key. If one has the answers to all the questions—that is the proof that God is not with him. It means that he is a false prophet using religion for himself. The great leaders of the people of God, like Moses, have always left room for doubt. You must leave room for the Lord, not for our certainties; we must be humble. Uncertainty is in every true discernment that is open to finding confirmation in spiritual consolation."

Pardon my extensive quoting.  In my other life, I was a theology student, and I still absolutely love reading and thinking about this stuff.  Of course, the lesson of the last few weeks is that any single quote cannot sum up the entirety of what someone is trying to say, so don't trust me, read it for yourself.  But lucky for all of us, as a Catholic, even a puny lay perspective is still considered to be a part of the Church with a capital "C" (he actually talks about that in his interview, too), so there is value in us sorting through these things for ourselves.  Regardless of your background or perspective, I can honestly say there will be some wisdom to be found in the interview.  I would love to hear your thoughts!

Linking in with Ginny at Small Things, who is learning all about sitting down and resting in the final weeks of her own pregnancy.  Hang in there, sister!