false 51647899 1696136 344719 0446676934 9780446676939 78 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173916552m/344719.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173916552s/344719.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/344719.Mitten_Strings_for_God_Reflections_for_Mothers_in_a_Hurry 4.24 215 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 ]]> 14012 3.69 3596 487 2000 5 0 false Sat Nov 29 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Sun Apr 05 21:42:40 -0700 2009 Sun Apr 05 21:56:33 -0700 2009