Relaxing Christmas?

Did you have a relaxing Christmas?  Were you able to focus on Christ?

I wish I could say that I did, but that is simply not the case.  My Christmas was highly stressful!  I stayed up till 6am Christmas morning and have been trying to catch up since then!

Yesterday, during my brief quiet time, I read that I need to depend on Christ's strength and trust him in every situation.  Living this way I will do less but accomplish more! 

That was just what I needed! 

His strength is made perfect in my weakness!  So, why do I constantly try to rely on myself? 

God forgive me for relying on myself...help me to rely on your strength to get through this day....Amen.



Philippians 4:13  I can do all things through him who gives me strength.

Dining Room...All Ready for Christmas Dinner!

I finally got the dining room decorated for Christmas!

I went ahead and set up for dinner as well.  I am hosting my family this year...there will be 15 of us in all.

Here is my table all ready to go:



My epsom salt centerpiece I made:



...and the decorations on the piano





I really wanted to paint my walls red before Christmas, but I did not get to it.  Wouldn't that look good with all the white and silver decorations?  Maybe it will be done for next year!

Is Christmas coming fast for you?  Are you able to do everything you were hoping for?  Not me!  It is easy for me to get bogged down in everything that has to be done that I forget to take a moment to

PAUSE......

and remember the Reason for this Busy Season!

Baking Christmas Cookies!!!

I don't know where this Christmas season has gone...but it has gone way too fast. The kids reminded me earlier this week that we hadn't made Christmas cookies yet this year. So one night we decided to make a mess of the kitchen and bake and decorate sugar cookies - one of our favorites :)! You can see how messy this was! I still have plans for making more kinds, but since we are just a few days from Christmas, we will see. These are times when I wished I could be home with my kids, but I have to remember that God has something different for me!

Welcome!

Welcome to all my new readers from:

 

I appriciate Chrissy so much and her help in debuting my new and improved blog

 as well as the grand opening of my etsy store with my homemade bath and body products!

This is my official debut of my improved blog!

Let me introduce myself:

My name is Sarah.

I love Jesus!

           I love my husband of 13 1/2 years.

                                                        I work a full time job outside the home.

                          I work a full time job within the home.

I have four children (ages 6, 8, 11 and 12).

This is my crazy life, trying to make it beautiful within myself and my home, despite the business. 

    I love crafting and decorating...hopefully you'll see a lot of that on here!

Welcome!

Don't forget to check out my etsy store
Enter Coupon Code: grandopen
for 15% off entire order and over $10 in free product - till Dec 18
(free product will be randomly selected)

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Fun Bags!

I don't sew!
I own a sewing machine, but have never done anything more than a straight line on a curtain.  That being said, I am super proud to share with you this project that I did earlier this year!

I lead a small group of 5th grade girls at my church.  I really wanted to give them something special to carry their Bible's and journal's in.  I also wanted to attempt to make them!

Look at all the fun material:


I actually did these without a pattern.  My first ones had to be taken apart a few times before I got the hang of what I was doing.

Here is how they turned out:                                     My youngest - K-Jo modeling :)

 

Here they all all - what do you think?


All the girls actually bring their Bibles and journals EVERY week!

7th Grade Orchestra Performance

I thought I would quickly share a couple of pictures of my oldest after her orchestra concert tonight.  She sits first chair and did a wonderful job!

           

Happy Birthday!

My 2nd born is 11 today! 

Happy Birthday, sweet girl!

More Pinspiration

More Holiday Inspiration from Pinterest!

Jingle Bell Napkin Rings

My Inspiration:


http://www.thisandthatcreative.com/2010/12/jingle-bell-napkin-rings.html

Here's my project:

I couldn't find any cheap napkin rings to glue my bells on, so I just started gluing the bells to each other to make a circle.


Here's how it looks with my table placesetting:



If I had my choice, I would have all white dishes with my red chargers, but these dishes were given to me, so I will try to be content with them.  Once I get the rest of my dining room done I will show the entire table made up.


Gift tag ornaments

My inspiration:

http://www.positivelysplendid.com/2011/10/personalized-christmas-ornaments-swell.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%253A+PositivelySplendid+%2528Positively+Splendid%2529

I am using them as gift tags, so I used names on the ornaments:

I used 1/2 of the plactic ornaments available at Hobby Lobby for $.99, foamboard and letter stickers.  I also already had the smaller ribbon, so I used that.  I like the look of the large ribbon so I may replace it, but I had the small, and I think it works well as the gift tag. 

I will be making more of these for the girls in my small group! 

  

(Please excuse my pictures - I have lost my camera and these were taken from my phone.)

Kindness and Patience and Yelling, Oh my!

I consider myself a very kind and patient person.  I have a lot of patience for crazy drivers on the road, incompetent customers, friends who disappoint me.  I actually react with kindness in the most difficult situations. 

SO, why is it that I have absolutely no patience and little kindness for the four most precious and lovable people in my life?

The other day I was reading about the fruits of the spirit, and in particularly, kindness and patience.  I felt convicted that I need to apply this mostly with my children.  I went to bed in prayer that God would help me in this area of my life.

---I woke up the next morning singing and smiling, in a perfect mood, and nothing but kind words were coming out of my mouth --

OK -THAT TOTALLY DID NOT HAPPEN!!!!

I woke up late and grumpy.  I began attempting to get the kids going (which is never an easy feat in my house - they love to sleep as long as possible in the mornings), after not responding for a while the yelling begins - "Get up now!"  "You're going to be late for school!"  "You better be dressed by the time I get done putting my makeup on!" - Definitely the worse of days I had in a while.

Was God trying to test me?  Was the devil getting a foothold?

As I drove them to school that morning, I began weeping.  I told them I was sorry.  I was mostly upset with myself. 
God, please help me to be kind and patient in all areas of my life - especially with my own children!

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control...
Galatians 5:22-23