It Is Finished

This past winter went by quickly to me. As I’ve shared before on this blog, winter is my least favorite season. However, after our long, hot summer last year, I treasured every minute of winter this year. Truly. I seized the opportunity to not only work on many, enjoyable, indoor projects, but I also set some goals of trying to finish many projects I’ve had waiting to be completed, some of them for years. 

Our first snowfall came on December 31st which is unusually late for Colorado. We welcomed the snow as we welcomed in the new year. The day after New Years, I went to a nearby park just to see the river (that runs through our town) after our snowfall. It was breathtakingly beautiful. Winter definitely has its own beauty.

Photo taken on January 2, 2022 after our lovely snowfall.
Such a gift from God! 

Besides the beauty of the snow, another perk of winter is that I often sleep better. To me, there is nothing quite like climbing into bed on a cold, winter night, buried under warm sheets and blankets. I love it!

Looking out my bedroom window on a cozy, winter evening
in early January after another snowfall.

My first “project” this winter was practicing the harp in anticipation of a dear, local friend’s wedding. Her wedding was during the first weekend in January, and she asked, weeks before, if I would play the harp during her wedding reception. One of the songs she requested was the hymn: “His Eye Is On The Sparrow”.

Though I knew the song, it wasn’t one I’d played much on the harp before. I spent a nice amount of time practicing it. While practicing the harp, small birds fluttered around outside in the snow. So special!

“His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” 

The melody line from another small harp book of mine
helped me while I arranged this song by ear on a larger harp. The words to this song really touched me.

My friend also asked an extra special request of me a few days before her wedding.

“Erin, would you be willing to blow your shofar before I walk down the aisle?”  

I felt incredibly honored that she would ask me to do that. My friend is a Jewish Christian - Jewish by birth and a Christian by faith. 

Her request is something I’ve wanted for my own wedding someday before walking down an aisle. (I’d like my future husband, whoever he is, to blow a shofar if he is willing to do that.) The Lord Jesus will blow a trumpet, a shofar, just before He comes to get His bride. (1 Thessalonians 4:16) The idea is Biblical. Ironically, my friend and I never shared the idea with each other before. 

My shofar that I played for my friend’s wedding.

My first “project” this winter was a special one - playing harp and shofar for a wedding! My other projects this past winter can be seen and explained below in pictures. 

In January, I sewed this nightgown in a little girl’s size three. I made this in a white, cotton flannel with tiny yellow rosebuds. This nightgown completed a set of girl’s nightgowns I made years ago in different sizes. It felt good to make this one; I looked for a long time to find this print in this color.  

In February, I worked on a cross stitch project I’ve had for probably 10 years or more. Though I can’t say that cross stitch is something I’d want to do all the time,
I enjoyed doing this one. 
It felt good to finally start and finish this project!

All finished!
The mat came with the project, and I found the frame at Target. One more thing to tuck away for my own home someday, Lord willing.

I finished coloring the inside cover of a special (KJV)
Bible that someone gave me a couple years ago. 

In March, I finished crocheting a set of 4 blankets I’ve been working on for several years. I spent many winter evenings crocheting these! It felt wonderful to fold them, all completed, and tuck them away. 

This winter, I also made something new: a re-heatable rice pillow. (to heat in a microwave) I put 2 lbs. of white rice into some cotton fabric that I cut out and sewed. I made an outer cover in a soft, navy blue, cotton flannel fabric.
 (which can be washed if needed) 

All finished!
I made this one as a birthday gift for my Dad in February.
He loved it! 

My Mom loved the re-heatable rice pillow I made
for my Dad so much, she wanted one too! I surprised her and made her one as an early “Mother’s Day” gift.

These are easy to make and a fun project!

The finished one for my Mom in a soft, cotton flannel
with pink flowers and birds.
My Mom loves flowers and birds. (I do too!) 

I also enjoyed doing some “cooking projects” this winter. 
I like simple, easy to make meals; I’m no gourmet chef.
 But a friend gave me a recipe for roasted vegetables that
 I wanted to make. Even though it was simple and easy (other than time to cut up all the vegetables), the recipe made me feel like I was eating gourmet food. I enjoyed making this. So delicious and very healthy! 

I hesitated whether to share this picture or not. 
What a comparison to my last picture.
 (shows I enjoy a little sugar every now and then)
For several weeks this winter, I decided to treat myself once a week to a donut from a local grocery store.
 (easy to justify when they are only $.69 each) 
What is better than waking up on a cold, snowy, Saturday morning to hot coffee and a donut? I think I started my own Saturday tradition this winter.
I stopped doing that when spring arrived. 

The last picture in this blog post isn’t about a project I finished, but rather, something I started. I’m not sure it was the healthiest idea, but it sure was fun to purchase a donut on Friday afternoons to enjoy with coffee the next morning. (I enjoyed healthy, herbal teas with honey this winter too!) 

I enjoyed and squeezed every minute out of winter this year. The satisfaction of finishing many projects by spring felt wonderful! Everything is neatly tucked away now. 

After reflecting on my finished projects, my mind went ahead to the coming spring. Springtime makes me think about many things. Warmer weather. Rain. New life. Plants. Flowers. Birds. And the list goes on. Springtime also reminds me of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Jesus died for us in the springtime. We celebrate His resurrection in the springtime. How special that is as new life is bursting forth everywhere! 

After finishing many projects, my mind went to Jesus’ last words before He died on the cross: 

“When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” John 19:30 

Jesus’ final words on the cross were:

“It is finished!” 

The work of the Lord Jesus on the cross was unlike any other. My small projects are absolutely nothing in comparison to what Jesus finished for us on the cross. And yet, after finishing many projects, that made me think a little. When I was finished with my projects, there was nothing more to be done. They had been completed. 

That made me think of Jesus’ words. God knew, from the creation of the world, that He would one day send His only Son to die and shed His blood for the sins of all mankind. God didn’t procrastinate like I did to finish several of my projects. Rather, God planned, from the very beginning of time, the exact place, the exact day, and the exact hour, that His Son would die. And when that exact moment came, Jesus uttered these three simple, yet profound, words: 

“It is finished!” 

There was nothing more that needed to be done. When Jesus died and shed His blood, our atonement was complete.

We each make a choice whether or not we will repent of our sin and give God our life. We make choices every day whether or not we will love God and serve Him. (Joshua 24:15) 

But when it comes to the atonement for our sins, that has been paid in full by the blood of Christ. It is finished. Jesus died “once for all” the Bible says. (Hebrews 7:27) As the old hymn says:“Hallelujah for the blood!”

This year, nearly 2,000 years after His death on the cross, I’m remembering those three powerful words Jesus spoke on the cross while He was dying for my sin and yours: 

“It is finished!”