Knitting 2014

I knit
Hours and hours I sit knitting
Almost compelled to sit, and knit.

I drive far and wide seeking yarns,
Colors and textures, wools and silks and cottons,
Thin yarn, fat yarn and all in between.
I stash the yarn, hoard the yarns
In my grandmother's cedar chest.

I take pride in the finished piece, briefly
Before moving on to the next, starting anew
Casting on with new yarn, a new color, a new pattern.
The finished project matters little compared to a 
New beginning.

My need is not to pile up knitted pieces, but
To knit with the deep and secret desire that
I too am being knitted,
With the prayer that if I diligently sit and knit
It will knit me, fashion me, adding colors and textures.

My longing is not to become a finished piece,
Rather I fervently hope that my, our, Knitter 
Will not give up on me, as I have often done, 
Leaving me half knitted, still on the needles 
In a basket gathering dust.


An aside:
I have never knitted anything that did not contain flaws, mistakes, imperfections.  I have yet to knit a perfect piece.  Sometimes the flaw is so glaring that to continue on without going back and repairing it  would be too disheartening, and so the tedious task of backtracking and reworking becomes the work.  Other times the mistake, in context of the entire piece, is minimal and not worth ripping out and starting over...I continue on, leaving the flaw in place, or patched.  

Likewise, the Knitter has on occasion taking me apart and started over, but usually She says learn from this mistake and carry on.

Meditation/Prayer Class

I am offering the meditation/prayer course in Paris for the first time.  If you took the course in Austin and found it helpful feel free to comment.  I, for one, am so grateful I learned these practices!

MEDITATION/CENTERING PRAYER CLASS

Instruction and Practice

Robyn Whyte

The purpose of this six-week class is to learn and practice the most common forms of meditation and introduce participants to the Centering Prayer method of silent prayer as promoted by Thomas Keating.  The course provides a gentle, positive approach to meditative practice.

Week 1                Introduction and breath meditation

Week 2                Mantra meditation

Week 3                Guided meditation

Weeks 4-6           Introduction and practice of Centering Prayer

Each class will include discussion of the prior week’s practice. It’ll be fun!

Who                     Robyn Whyte has taught this course

                           numerous times and practiced Centering

                           Prayer for many years.  Robyn received certification

                           from Contemplative Outreach to teach Centering Prayer

                           in 2001

When                   Tuesday evenings at 7:00, beginning Jan 15

Where                           519 CR 32505—4 miles from the loop off Hwy 79

Cost                     $50 at first class, or $10 per class, OR whatever

you feel you can comfortably afford.  Please do not allow cost to prevent you from participating!

RSVP                    Please call for more information and to register at 903-782-1240, or email to robyn0623@gmail.com.

                           PLEASE SHARE WITH ANYONE YOU THINK MIGHT WANT TO JOIN US!