Mitten Strings for God Reflections for Mothers in a Hurry

by Kenison, Katrina

• ISBN13: 9780446676939
• ISBN10: 0446676934
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-04-01
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Summary

In an age when "keeping up with the Joneses" refers not only to material riches but also to a whirlwind of activities, author Katrina Kenison humbly asks, "Just whose standards am I living by, anyway?" Kenison, mother of two sons and former annual editor of The Best American Short Stories anthology since 1990, understands the hectic agendas, short tempers, and full-time careers today's families endure. But she has also learned to limit the chaos. The title comes from Kenison's youngest son, Jack, cuddled up with mom one quiet afternoon as she crochets mitten strings. He holds up a long piece of yarn and proclaims, "I'm knitting a mitten string for God"--a sweet phrase, but a bit misleading. Despite a sprinkling of minor religious references, the larger focus of Kenison's beautifully written first book lies in living with care and awareness. Chapters with titles like "Grace," "Healing," "Spirit," and "Breathing" offer soothing pictures of a family life that honors patience, imagination, and Sundays without plans.Kenison weaves together personal stories and wisdom from such philosophers as Thoreau and Anne Morrow Lindbergh; the graceful resulting tapestry shows how peace and simplicity can be savored in a world hell-bent on pushing people to accomplish more, own more, and do it all as quickly as possible.--Liane Thomas

Author Biography

Katrina Kenison is the author of The Gift of an Ordinary Day: A Mother's Memoir (Springboard Press, 2009). She has appeared on Oprah and other shows. Her writing has appeared in O, Real Simple, Family Circle, Redbook, Better Homes and Gardens, Health,and other publications. From 1990 until 2006, Kenison was the series editor of The Best American Short Stories, published annually by Houghton Mifflin. She co-edited, with John Updike, The Best American Short Stories of the Century (Houghton Mifflin, 2000). She wrote, with Rolf Gates, Meditations from the Mat: Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga (Random House, 2002).

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
Dailiness	p. 7
Morning	p. 15
Peace	p. 19
Quiet	p. 26
Simplicity	p. 34
TV	p. 42
Play	p. 52
Secret Places	p. 58
Wants and Needs	p. 64
Stories	p. 68
One-on-One Time	p. 78
Surrender	p. 83
Breathing	p. 95
Healing	p. 100
Listening	p. 104
Nature	p. 108
Enchantment	p. 117
Grace	p. 122
Rhythm	p. 136
Truth	p. 142
Helping	p. 146
Discipline	p. 154
Stretching	p. 162
Nurturing	p. 167
Sabbath	p. 175
Spirit	p. 180
Balance	p. 189
Choices	p. 203
Wingbeats	p. 215
A Note to Readers	p. 221
Acknowledgments	p. 223
Afterword	p. 225
About the Author	p. 228
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