It's a good day!!

Hi Cross Stitch Fans, wherever you may be!  Hope the sun is shining and the Christmas Carols are playing wherever you are today!  It's a pretty day here in Maryland, a good day to meet up with a friend and spend a little time stitching...and so I've done!

Astrid and I met up today for a little relaxing time of stitching and sharing our experiences lately.  Who knew, when we met in bbinteractive yahoo group a little over a year ago, that we would become such good friends?  I hope you enjoy my company as much as I enjoy yours, Astrid!

If you've ever been to Astrid's blog, you would see she's a multi-talented person.  She makes cards, stitches, and makes jewelry.  She's already made a few bracelets for me, and just last week, she made me these earrings.  I wish I had a portion of her talent!!  And, Astrid, I would love to make jewelry, so maybe after Christmas maybe we can plan a day for a lesson?  Aren't these the cutest earrings?  I LOVE them!!  Thanks so much.

AND..if you've ever been to Astrid's blog, you would see that she likes dragons.  For the PIF that she won earlier this year I stitched a dragon for her, and then the Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament issue came out and...you guessed it...there was a dragon ornament.  It had her name all over it!!  I stitched it a few weeks ago, before I lost my mojo....and ran out of time...and began to feel the pressure of Christmas drawing near at the speed of light.  So, just in case I didn't see her again before Christmas, I stayed up till the wee hours and assembled this into an ornament this morning...and gave it to her when we met up.  I THINK she liked it.  I thought it came out quite nice!

We attended our Church's annual Christmas performance last night.  It was a play/musical called "The Christmas Post".  They did a wonderful job!!  It also reminded me what Christmas is all about, a life changing experience when we get to know our Lord and Savior on a personal level.  Now if I can just keep that thought in my frontal lobe during the holidays...Peace on Earth, Good Will Towards Men...I'll have a bright and Merry Christmas.  I wanted to leave you with the words from my favorite Christmas song.  Evie had this on her Christmas Memories album back in the 80's.  I played the cassette tape so many times, it finally broke in the tape player and after many years of searching for the CD, I finally mentioned it to a coworker one year.  He found it on ebay and gave it to me for Christmas that year, it reduced me to tears, and I still play this song over and over again at Christmas time.  I just love the words...

Twas the night before Christmas,
And my only desire
Was peace among kids, and to rest by the fire.
I had just settled down in my favorite chair;
When I heard a small voice, and a cry of despair.
As I stared at the hearth I saw a strange sight!
Our nativity scene, in the flickering light
Seemed almost alive!
And how could this be!
One lonely shepherd was calling to me.


***
Move me closer, move me closer
Move me closer to the Child.
Let me see Him, let me hold His hand.
Move me closer to the Child.


***
As you can well imagine, I was a bit surprised.
So with a shake of the head and a rub of the eyes
I took another look, and what did I see,
Without a doubt he was looking at me.


It seems in the hustle and bustle of things
In the wrapping of gifts, and the building of swings,
In assembling his scene, I'd been a bit hurried,
And understandably so, He was a little bit worried.


***
Move me closer, move me closer
Move me closer to the Child.
Let me see Him, let me hold His hand.
Move me closer to the Child.


***
You see, candy canes and holly trim
Didn't mean a thing to him.
If it kept him from his post
Beside the child he loved the most.


So as strange as it must seem,
Whether it was, or wasn't, a dream.
I placed him back where he belonged
As he sang again his simple song.
And now when we at Christmas share,
We sing his song:
A Shepherd's Prayer.


***
Move me closer, move me closer
Move me closer to the Child.
Let me see Him, let me hold His hand.
Move me closer to the Child.
Move me closer to the Child.

I hope in the hustle and bustle of the season you find time to move closer to the Child.  *Hugs*