It begins this time of year, almost like a whisper. Perhaps it is brought on by an instinctive need to nest, to create a cozy, inside alternative to the chilly and wet outside.

“Let’s move the furniture closer to the wood stove,” one of my children will suggest. Another will ask me to make an instant spiced mixture we have always called Russian tea and to haul blankets into the family room for easy access.

But when I catch the kids searching the top shelves where our favorite games are kept I know for certain the inevitable request — to set up a wobbly old game table by a picture window — will signal the start of our all-time favorite winter activity: puzzle building.

It is an activity I cherish, for there in front of my eyes is a table holding great promise: I know that I can steal away a few moments of fun and temporarily avoid boring, repetitious household chores. I also know that if I grab a cup of tea and sit down before a puzzle, I will be able to join others in a quiet conversation. I will be able to sit close to other puzzle builders and make the good connections I find harder to make when warm weather carries us outdoors and away from each other.

I also dread puzzle season, for I am, in fact, the least talented and most pitied puzzle-solver in my household. I dive in with great energy but can frequently be seen — after a few bold tries — sitting back, arms folded in frustration, to simply watch puzzle builders around me. I have learned to enjoy watching others have fun.

Their techniques interest and amaze me.

There are the sorters. The sorters in my life silently divide themselves into two groups: the shape sorters and the color sorters. Shapers always begin each project by dividing straight edges from the all-curved pieces. The color sorters group colors into piles that eventually cover the entire table.

Then there are the general contractors: the puzzle builders who study the picture on the box and direct the assembly.

“While you build the barn and take on the clouds,” they will say, “I’ll build the frame over here and set the fence in over here.”

Even the various building styles intrigue me. There are those who spend hours laboring until that puzzle is complete.

These worker bees lay claim to a chair and make frequent snack requests. They are also perfectly willing to clear a spot to accommodate their homework assignments or the phone. But ask them to step away from an incomplete puzzle and you had better watch out.

I appreciate their unwavering commitment to finish a task. I gain joy from watching their sense of satisfaction when the last piece is tapped into place.

I also marvel at the shooting stars. These puzzle builders shoot over to the table, pick up an obscure piece, set it into place at the opposite end of the table with not a miss, and quickly move on into another galaxy. They have natural talent and gain satisfaction in small doses.

The faith builders I know look a lot like the various assortments of puzzle builders who wander over to our game table all winter long.

Some are tenacious and single-minded and dive in with little abandon. They are passionate and driven and opinionated. They care until it hurts and drive you crazy at moments because you think they should have a life. They are quick to tell you, however, that they do. Their lives blend so completely with their faith it is a seemless proposition. You cannot detect where they end and God begins.

Others dabble. Some are bewildered by faith and spirituality but glean value from the people, the snacks and the conversation. They are the reluctant believers who are moral and caring, honest and good. They serve and care but would rather not dive into a deeply religious conversation.

Now is the perfect time of year to try fitting some of the pieces together. To understand style and individuality and find the best in what our faith can produce in us. It may mean attending a harvest celebration and meeting new people. Donating a bag of groceries. Reading a children’s Bible to a youngster. Making cookies for a big bunch of hungry teenagers. Picking up kids after a late-night movie in good humor. Forgiving someone for a long ago hurt. Calling a neglected friend or family member.

Pure-hearted action will make you part of a beautiful picture and enrich your faith, no matter the shape or color.