Homegrown Hospitality

Mother's Day

When Lori asked me to do a doodle for Mother's Day, I waited, thought about it, drew out a few and threw out a few.  Then I asked her for a verse that she had on her heart and just at about the same time she responded,  I was rumaging through my bag for markers and came across a doodle that I had done a while back but had not finished.

I went back to read her response, took another look at the doodle and knew that it was the right one.  

Just like the different flowers above, we as mothers, no, as women, were created by God and have a reason.

We are all at different stages & different seasons, may have different lifestyles, different beliefs, some of us are still buds, some of us are in full bloom, but regardless of where we are, what we look like or what stage of life we are in, we must all remember not to compare or envy but gather around each other, lift each other up, support each other, celebrate one another...and most importantly, pray for one another.

That is one of the most valueable gifts we can give each other.

I encourage you to head over to Internet Devotions this morning to take a look at the post that goes along with the doodle and take some time to pray for one another.

Happy Mother's Day!

 

True Happiness

A few days ago BEFORE I started painting, I doodled a little doodle in my tiny doodle book (say that 5 times fast!) but left it as is because I was not sure what I want to add to it, if anything.

Then during a little break of peace & quiet last night after an extreme carpool/practice/work/laundry day, I finally picked up my February issue of Oprah Magazine.  It has a ton a great articles about being creative and as I  read a quote from Martha Beck (page41) I knew exactly where to write it...

Although at times our little ordinary life is hectic,wild, mildly complicated, it is also wonderful, fun, crazy and exciting..and I LOVE it...even when I don't.  It is all the way you look at it...so if you don't love it, you might need to tweak your focus a little (or put on your glasses, if you can find them) because you do not want to miss the beautiful moments.

Unique Contribution

Today I am sharing a new doodle with you that I am sending to all of the Scrapbook LIFE Journal 2012 class participants. It was inspired by a sentence in the book, "The Gifts of Imperfection" by Brene Brown. This month we are focussing and learning about Talents, Abilities and Creativity and here is my shameless plug..."read more about the class here"

Something that I think we all forget and need reminding of  is that we were each individually handmade which means we are unique...

and when we use our "unique" as a tool to better this place...it makes a difference. 

What is a LapDoodle?

Not to get confused with "gourmet" dog breeds, this is a "lapdoodle" which simply means I doodled' it on my lap during soccer practice yesterday.

good quote...and so true...dang it!

 

Mini Moleskin Sunday

I added a new page to my little tiny Moleskin journal this morning before I hit the trail...

and decided to make a little collage of several of the pages inside

Happy Sunday!

Doing Something

We all need to practice JOY on a daily basis, regardless of what is going on, how things might look and how we might feel and sometimes, that is difficult for me (It probably is for you to but I am going to throw myself under the bus so you do not feel like the spotlight is just on you.)

So, how does one practice joy???  First, I need to CONSTANTLY remind myself that JOY is NOT feeling (even though it is very easy to forget that) 

Joy is a choice and a gift.

Often times, we look for joy in other people in our lives, in the places we go, the possessions we have, yadda yadda yadda..when really, and you knew this was coming...the only true source of Joy is GOD...yep, only God.  Joy is not based on outward circumstance but on inward certainty and I personally anchor myself to that thought..because it is FAITH...yay!

okay, so let me interrupt myself by giving you a personal example:

Right now, I am training and on Sunday mornings, a group of girls & I get up EARLY and hit a trail called Dreaded.  Hello...with a name like that, you know it cannot be good...and regardless of how many miles I may be able to run on a flat surface, getting up this hill just WALKING is HARD. Personally, I pray, I focus and listen to music the ENTIRE way up, struggling at times to breathe, stopping for seconds to pick up heart shaped rocks and continuing to push myself...because I KNOW what is at the top.  

For me, GOD meets me there (after HE pushes me the last 1/4 mile of the hill) and it is worth every single step because the beauty I see (after wiping the sweat out of my eyes) is amazing.  

That is JOY.  It is not that I "feel" JOY because I made it to the top, but because I chose to do it based on the fact that I KNOW GOD will meet me there (even if it is socked in with fog like it was on Sunday and we could not see anything) 

Now because I am 99.9% visual and need to have a image to sometimes "get it" I doodled an example! 

You can choose to look at life like this, feel like you are a weed among the flowers and let your "outward circumstances" overshadow your decision to choose joy....

 

or you can choose to look at things differently...choose joy regardless of what is around you and know that YOU were created for a specific reason.  You may feel like you are a weed, but YOU are a weed with a purpose by-golly!

 

Doing Something...

I am going to take a few days off from the ol' blog to catch-up on some things I have been needing to do, wanting to do and have been thinking about doing..

I won't be long and will be back soon...in the meantime, is there something YOU should do or be doing?

Practicing:Business

I have a right brain...or is it a left brain??

You know, the side that is "creative" and not so "academic"...and well, because my 2012 word is PRACTICE, I am "PRACTICING" using my left brain (or my right..whatever side it is!) to build up my skills in BUSINESS.

I NEED (not just want) to be a better business person for HIM...for YOU and heck, for me, so I am working (and doodling) away at a REALLY amazing course taught by Beth Nichols and Kelly Rae Roberts and man, are we digging in deep!  Each day, I am learning more and more, not just about business, but about ME and my soul and my dreams and how is all applies to life. 

I have had several Oprah style "Ah-Ha" moments during the past 5 weeks of this class and had another one last night and doodled about it.

It is my the foundation of my business...and for life, duh. 

Sometimes I (we) think we need to "search" for some amazing life changing hidden secret that will be "the answer" when really, it is right out in front of us, just waiting patiently to be read, heard and applied.

duh.

So glad God is so patient with me (us) while I (we) complicate myself (ourselves). 

It Matters.

If you know what it is, it is your responsibility to use it.

It matters.

Two Chickens

are way better than one....