Sunday afternoon saw me heading back to the sewing machine for more Christmas gift creating. I was ready to sit still after a busy Saturday culminating in the first Christmas party of the season (Parish Council dinner… it’s an Anglican thing…).

Unfortunately, I then realised I needed to use my zipper foot; or more to the point, had to sew in a zipper. They really are irritating.

Stitch up one side of the zip….

Then the other side…

Then, inside out, sew around before turning right way out.

(NB: the actual fabric is black, not navy blue; looks a lot more striking)

The final step is the only part that’s not irritating. Zippers and I have never been great friends. I never seem to be able to easily get it completely straight the whole way along. There’s always a bit of ‘negotiating’.

However, as irritating as sewing the zipper might be, it does make for a much better cushion pouch. If I end up putting beans in there, the recipient can tip them out and put in something else, should they wish to (probably a mini cushion insert, right?).

It’s an effort with the zipper, but it’s a better gift in the long run.

God spared nothing when he gifted us at Christmas. He gave us his one and only son, as a ransom to free those captive to sin. A son, whom he loved was given, ultimately as a sacrifice.

To talk about the irritation of sewing a zipper is ludicrous when placed in comparison with the great mercy and love of God, evidenced to us in Jesus. Not to mention the irritation of heading to Bethlehem for Mary and Joseph. Or the irritation for the Magi searching out for a new king to worship; travelling far and wide to reach him.

Additionally, to talk about the steps in the process of putting a zip in, again pales in comparison with the steps involved in God’s Christmas gift. Any decent gift needs to be planned properly. Even something as small as a 20cm square* cushion needs to be measured, cut, ironed and sewn.

How much more so when you are planning on sending the Messiah? It would be a detailed, step-by-step process, for sure. Whenever a country is to host a large global event, such as the Olympics, the planning doesn’t happen overnight. The hosting rights are announced years before, and even then plans are somewhat underway. Then the anticipation builds, as signs of the approaching event begin to be seen. Yet we don’t know exactly what their Olympics will be like until it finally arrives.

My steps with a zipper are over in about 10 minutes. God’s steps with Christmas spread over centuries.

I think I’ll explore one of those earlier ‘steps’ tomorrow. Until then…

Yours in negotiation with a zipper foot,

Alison

*That’s about 8.5 inches squared for those elsewhere in the world