Easy Semi-Handmade Nap Mat

Are you going to need a nap mat for the upcoming school year? I thought I would share what I ended up doing last year when my daughter needed one. Instead of buying an expensive one or ordering a fancy custom-made one, I thought I would try to throw one together cheaply and easily. I am by no means a seamstress, but I can sew a straight line with my machine. And that's all you need to be able to do for this project. And honestly, you could probably do it without a sewing machine! 

I realized that I had a roll of 19" x 36" foam that I had bought from Joann's for another project that never happened. I thought about sewing a cover for it but while I was at Kmart one day I saw that the zip on body pillow covers were the same width and had extra length that would allow me to stuff a travel-size pillow in the top. My girly girl really wanted a frozen themed mat, so I used some fleece that I already had to make a pillow cover and attached it with my machine to the top of the body pillow cover. That left some extra fabric that had to be cut off, but like I said, you don't have to make the pillow cover, you could just stuff the pillow inside the body pillow cover. And, voila! It rolls up easily, and another bonus is that the body pillow cover has a zipper on it so you can easily take it off and throw it in the washing machine.

Needed supplies: 

approximately 19 x 36" foam about 2 inches thick.

Body pillow cover (found mine at Kmart)

Travel sized pillow (found mine at Kmart)

Themed fabric if you want to make a cute pillow cover (not necessary)

Pursuit of "Perfect"

I read a book with this title about two years ago. It meant a lot to me then, but it's starting to mean even more to me now. 

I don't know about you, but I feel that the pressure for perfection is greater now than ever. Maybe it's just the phase of life that I'm in- or maybe it's the over-exposure to other people's lives via social media. 

It's such a conundrum. I love social media; I hate social media. I get to see my friends and their families most fun and cute moments on Facebook and Instagram; I get great decorating ideas from crafty friends and bloggers; I see beautiful scripture art that reminds me of my Great God & Father; I save tons of yummy and healthy recipes on Pinterest. On the flip-side I see families who seem perfectly happy and look as if Mommy never yells, and the kids are always perfectly dressed with clean faces and hair and trimmed fingernails; I see homes that are staged for "Fixer Upper" with no piles of misplaced items on the stairs and no dirty dishes or toilets- ever! I see cutesy scripture journals and snapshots of other more Godly women's journaling Bibles with their "doodles" that prove they've just had a perfectly silent and meaningful quiet time with the Lord and that it happens for them every. day. With coffee. 

Do you feel this way ever???

Like I said, I really enjoy all of these things... So why, sometimes, does my mind turn to comparisons and discontentment with my own circumstances when I see it? Obviously, the main reason is because I desire for my family to be happy, healthy, and fulfilled- and if I'm being honest, I desire this for myself as well. But where I am deceiving myself in all this is in the concern for what others perceive about me and my family. And I am also hugely mistaken in believing the lie that I will be content and fulfilled if all of these things are "perfect" in my life. I AM A CHILD OF GOD! I ONLY NEED A PASSIONATE PURSUIT OF HIM TO FEEL "PERFECT!" This has been a struggle for me my entire life! That's probably why my favorite Bible verse is 2 Timothy 2:22 which says, "So flee youthful passions and PURSUE RIGHTEOUSNESS, FAITH, LOVE, AND PEACE along with those who call on the Lord with a pure heart."

Oh that I may look at social media posts with a pure heart! And may my pursuit in life be ONLY that of righteousness, faith, love, and peace. Then will my life be picture perfect when I reach the end.