The Big Reveal

You might have noticed the button on the right that I am a blessed member of the CAST Etsy team.  When I joined this team, I was looking for fellowship and encouragement.  I have found these and so much more.

We had the opportunity to exchange gifts in a Secret Santa exchange.  While I fretted over what to give to the stranger whose name I was given, a box arrived in the mail from LittleElfsToyshop.  What fun!  I opened the box, thinking I'd find a wrapped gift inside that I'd put under the tree.  Inside was a beautiful organza gift bag with a little treasure inside.  I saw it, but resisted the urge to take it out.  I returned it to the shipping box and put it under the tree.

What was it?!  Just be patient.  It wasn't what was inside that was the true gift.  I received an Etsy conversation from Julia of CardsbyJeweleighaB explaining that there was more to come, but that she (Julia) was not my Secret Santa.  Hmmm.  A mystery.

Well, Christmas Day came and went with nothing new from my Secret Santa.  I received another convo from Julia explaining that when names were drawn, the person who was supposed to give me my gift never responded to the convos, despite expressing interest in the exchange (we signed up for this, after all).  So Julia, out of the goodness of her heart, took it upon herself to make sure I had a gift, even though she had someone else to give to already.

To me, THAT, is the true gift.  But I won't be returning this little cutie any time soon! (Sorry, I'm trying to learn how to insert photos.  No luck.)  http://www.flickr.com/photos/bibs_bows_n_more/6592366833/

Be Still and Know

The hustle and bustle of Christmas is upon us.  We look so forward to Christmas that we find stores decorated in October, hear yuletide songs in November and start our Christmas shopping 364 days before Christmas at the after-Christmas sales.  We are in such a hurry for Christmas to get here - making cookies, writing cards, wrapping gifts, going on visits - that even though our intentions are good, we forget the meaning behind it all.  We fail to reflect on a baby - a baby! - born for us, so that we might find rest in the rush.

And so I've had a song lyric or two running through my head.  The first one, I don't even know the whole song, but remember the line straight from Matthew 11:28 - "Come unto me, all who are weary, and I will give you rest."

And the other one is a favorite  - "Word of God speak" -you know the one.  It says:

Word of God speak
Would you pour down like rain
Washing my eyes to see your majesty
TO BE STILL AND KNOW
THAT YOU'RE IN THIS PLACE
Please let me stay and rest in your holiness

It wasn't all that long ago that I wasn't familiar with Psalm 46:10, but now, I feel it speaking to me.  "Be still and know I am God." 

So, this Christmas, while you're hurrying around and worried that you've forgotten something, please, just take a moment.  Be still and know.

so you want to be a blogger...

After I opened my Etsy shop, I thought I'd write a blog.  Well, imagine my surprise when I discovered EverSewSweet was not available.  What was even worse was that the "blogger" wrote one entry and that was it.  To this day, there are no more entries.  Who knows? This could be my first and last entry.
You can see that nearly two years later (and 12 sales) I became The REAL EverSewSweet and here I am!