Yesterday I had a day out with a very long-standing friend, including a wander along a canal where we passed these ducks who, until I got out my phone to snap their photo, were very much in a row.

Apparently the origin of the phrase about getting one's ducks in a row is something of a mystery.  My sense is that, in life, approximate alignment is about as good as it ever gets... just when I might think my ducks are in a row, one of them moves or something disturbs them.

This summer has been characterised by much that's unexpected, so if my metaphorical mallards are as well aligned as the ducks in the photo, I reckon I'm doing okay! 

This week has been one of those where "life is what happens whilst you are making other plans" and/or "ministry is the interruptions" or something along those lines.  I did have two lovely days out with two different friends, but beyond that it was definitely the enacted parable of the knitting, or something like that.

I began this knitting project in May, with a deadline of mid-August, but since then lots of 'life' has meant it kept getting put aside.  This week I knew that I had to get it done... and then lots of life happened, not to me, but in ways that meant I set it aside to do/be who God has called/made me to be for others (no major tragedies, but some people facing significant challenges).  Last night, I finally completed the knitting and began the 'making up'.  The photo above shows it looking like some sort of mutant knitted creature, with lots of twists and turns (okay, ribs, cables and reversed stocking stitch), a few errors that I've largely worked in to the design,  (gotta love a Persian carpet) and much careful easing of edges to match things up.  Today, I completed the project and I am well pleased with the result, a cabled hoody ready to gift to a couple expecting their first child (although it will be a few months before the child is large enough to wear it).

I think my week - and that of many others - has been a lot like this project, and we still have a lot of work to do to knit something beautiful from the 'yarn' we've been given... there will be twists and turns, things to tweak and rework, maybe even a few elements of Persian carpet, but we will, and in its own unique way it will be beautiful.