The Fourth Week of Advent

Today began the fourth week of Advent.  It is the last week in preparation for the celebration of Christ's birth.  It's the week that so many rush around and try to get everything perfect and all of the last minute things done.  In this time of too much to do, I like to share these verses that were published in First UMC of Collingswood's bulletin this week.

Sunday   Isaiah 11:1-10

Monday   Zephaniah 3:14-17

Tuesday   Matthew 1:18-25

Wednesday   Luke 2:8-20

Thursday   Matthew 4:14-16

Friday   Isaiah 2:1-5

Saturday   Luke 2:25-33

This year I'm trying to slow down.  Enjoy myself, my family, my friends in this season.

Yesterday was spent baking cookies - lavender shortbread, lime thumbprints (using lime curd from SweetNSourInFlorida), sugar cookies - both rolled & cut & decorated and using the cookie press, and pizzelles.  It was a break from the hustle and bustle, the rush that can consume.  It was a needed break from working on that last custom order.

This morning I got up a little early to package the cookies for our childrens' Sunday School teachers as a thank you for all that they do for our little ones.

After church, I finished my last custom order and will deliver it this week.  I'm glad to be done with orders for this month.  Eventhough I love my work, I can now relax into the season.  I still have a to-do list (who doesn't?), but noone -but me- will know if everything isn't just so.

Tonight I've been working on monogrammed stationary sets for friends and family.  They're turning out beautifully and I can't wait for you to see them!

Tomorrow I will share the custom items and gifts that I've been working on for the past few weeks.  I have been enjoying myself in making these items.  Some are quick to put together, others were a labor of love.  I truly enjoyed each moment in designing and creating these items.  I feel blessed to be able to share my talents beyond my immediate family and friends!

This week I will be busy... packing up goodies for my husband's aunt and my uncle - some pepper relish and peach preserves that I made over the summer, cookies, and then other food items for my uncle and some handmade items for his aunt; picking up those last few items that I keep forgetting about; shopping for groceries; cooking in preparation for Christmas Eve with my husband's family and Christmas Day here with my family; celebrating in my younger son's preschool class; packaging cookies for my sons' teachers; baking more cookies - still haven't gotten to gingerbread!!!  Oh, and wrapping gifts - how could I forget that?

And then taking a bit of time for myself to decompress with some yoga, balancing my life, or making it not so lopsided.  Yoga is my time to silently talk with God, to listen.  Just a little bit of effort to stay focused on His word on a regular basis, taking the time to converse with Him - it makes such a difference in life - especially this time of year when it's so easy to get lost in the list of to-dos.

Thank you for reading and have a blessed week!