Be A Blessing

I love Autumn. It is, without a doubt, my favorite time of year. The weather, the colors, the food, the idea of thankfullness for "the harvest" and being able to gather the bounty that God has blessed us with... all of it culminates into a season that I adore, and always have.

After I discovered the joys of knitting and crochet, I began to love Autumn for another reason... handmade gifts. As most crafters/fiber artists know, late summer and Fall is the season to start making handmade gifts for the Holidays. And while it can sometimes be stressful trying to complete all the projects we'd like to get done, I love the way it feels to make loving, handmade gifts for my friends and family.

Lately, it's really been on my heart to find ways to be a blessing to at least 1 person each day. Whether in a big or small way, it's so important to find a way to give something (either your time, your resources, your skills, your love, your knowledge, your shoulder, etc...) to others each day. It's been my experience that it blesses the giver just as much as the recipient.

 Crafting, especially needle crafts, is a special gift that God blesses us with. It allows us to express a very tender love that can be expressed in few other ways. Repeatedly the Word talks about how God "knit us together" in our mother's womb. That is a powerful analogy. God took the time and the love to handcraft us each, individually, with specific traits, talents, likes, dislikes, and purpose.

When we take the time to knit, crochet, needlepoint, sew, weave, cross stitch, embroider, craft (etc) handmade gifts for those we love (and even, sometimes, for those we have a hard time loving), it communicates that we took the time to hand craft a gift with specific intentions for that specific recipient. What a powerful statement of love!

So I encourage each of you to find a way to be a blessing to someone each day, especially moving into the Holiday seasons. Express how much you love your friends and family with your time and tender care in the handmade gifts you give. It will bless you as well.