“…That their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love…” (Colossians 2:2a)

If you’ve read this blog for any length of time, you know that I am an avid knitter. My oldest son, at nine years of age, is a knitting veteran, having learned the craft in our homeschool Kindergarten. My six-year-old daughter learned to knit within weeks of her arrival here. My youngest son, though only four, was successfully taught to finger knit last week. Yes, even my husband kits – my youngest taught him so that he could participate in a charity craft project as part of homeschool.

Faithful readers will also know that I am very big on traditions and rituals. This week, it would appear that we have a new daytime ritual. Each afternoon, right after lunch, the children bring in their various knitting projects and climb onto the bed and knit with me.

As these projects begin to take shape, so do our relationships with each other. The knitting is important – we’re making things for each other, and other significant people in our lives – but we also talk, giggle, and share our lives with each other. We talk about what’s going on in our day. We talk about the various things that are happening in our family and in our week. We encourage each other, and praise each others knitting efforts. You can see the visible change in each child as he or she is told how well they are doing.

If the reasons above weren’t enough, our new ritual has an additional benefit: the kids have also verbalized how relaxing they find knitting to be. My daughter, in particular, has issues with stress and trauma. Knitting provides a way for her to get some down time during the day, and allows her body and mind to achieve a calmer state. The hand motions associated with knitting are rhythmic and relaxing. This sensation naturally tends to lead to a quieter state of mind. I’m thankful my daughter has found something that she loves that can lead to this higher state of relaxation and that she is able to articulate it.

Each day God’s wisdom is made clearer and clearer to me. As a knitter, I understand Colossians 2:2 in a whole new way. But now, with this new ritual as a family, it’s amazing to see how God designed our hearts to be like that yarn used to make interlocking loops that create the fabric of our lives.

Photo credit: Marie Stroughter