Scrap-Quilting thoughts ...

It's hard to believe that Christmas is nearly here! Time has flown so fast this year, and another year is on its way.

This week, I was pondering some quilting analogies while thinking about the busy-ness of life ...

During the past year, I've enjoyed making some real scrap-quilting projects. Out of actual scraps. Whereas many of my quilting projects have been made out of big pieces of intentionally coordinated fabrics, I've made a few things this year out of little pieces of fabric that were too small for my regular projects. Pieces of fabric that I wouldn't necessarily have thought would go well together. 

And, for me, it's a great reminder that the little things do add up. My tendency is to wait for the "perfect" timing and the "ideal" situation to work on important projects or priorities. But I'm seeing that even little bits of time spent on important things make a big difference. Little bits of effort spent on right priorities really add up. A small effort on a consistent basis goes a long way ...

Nativity Scenes ...

Christmas is coming, remarkably fast. It's so fun to see Christmas through my children's eyes, and to watch them discover more and more what Christmas is about: JESUS!

My oldest daughter, on her own initiative, updated our kitchen markerboard for us - with candy canes, Christmas trees, a list of Christmas-related events this coming week, and these two verses:

Matthew 1:21 

And she shall bring forth a son,

and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people from their sins.

Luke 2:7

And she brought forth her firstborn son,

and wrapped him in swaddling clothes,

and laid him in a manger;

because there was no room for them in the inn.

This weekend, we'll probably (finally) get our Christmas tree up; but for now, we're feeling festive (and reverent and grateful) having these out ...

The glass nativity scene from the thrift store, on my Christmas mini-quilt ...

And, my personal favorite, the cross-stitched nativity scene that my sister made for us ...

I hope that you and yours are having a memorable time getting ready for Christmas! Have a great weekend!

Advent Calendar Time ...

Last week, I mentioned some of what's been on our kitchen markerboard ...

Since we try to keep something spiritually encouraging, or at least inspirational, on our kitchen markerboard, I might write a few Saturday posts related to what's been on our kitchen markerboard lately.

Right now, our markerboard still carries a Thanksgiving theme, since an attitude of gratitude should always be in season ...

But for this month, next to the markerboard is our Advent Calendar ...

This Advent Calendar was given to us a couple years ago by a friend (Thanks, Heather!) and the kids LOVE it! 

In each pocket, I put a little piece of paper, with a couple of Christmas-related Bible verses, and the title of a Christmas carol to sing. Each day we open the one for the day (and sometimes the one for yesterday, if we forgot!) and one of the kids read the verses, and we sing the first verse of the song.

Even though it's a simple thing, it's been a great way for us to get some more Bible into our day, to keep some more Bible in our Christmas celebration, and to open some more Christ-centered discussions in our conversations.

Thanksgiving Miscellany

Here's a link for a fun, Google decoration for Thanksgiving ... Open the link, click on the turkey feathers, or better yet, the hat, the shoes, the wing ... It's one of those random, funny things your kids (or you?) could play with for a while ...
(Update: The cute Thanksgiving Google decoration is gone now. It was a cute turkey-in-the-shape-of-a-hand, with feathers, hat and shoes that would change if you clicked on them. It was fun while it lasted ...)

Our kitchen markerboard includes these right now:

"In every thing give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." I Thessalonians 5:18

"O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever," Psalm 136:1


Something to think about ... "What if you woke up today with only the things you specifically thanked God for yesterday?"

My kids and I had an interesting discussion on that quote at the end ... it makes you think about all those little things that are too easy to take for granted.

My friend Cassandra writes an eloquent and thought-provoking blog, called Moonboat Cafe. She shares some of her thoughts on Thanksgiving in her Monday post Growth and the Holidays. Definitely worth reading.

I hope you and yours have a great Thanksgiving Day. We have much to be thankful for.