Life can be pretty simple, we I just tend to complicate things (I know we all do, but I will throw myself under the bus so you do not have to admit it out loud) so here is a little reminder (in my tiny doodle book)
and a big reminder for you to right click, copy, paste, color and do....
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You are reading this right now because you woke up (so good morning..or good afternoon to my South African friends) It is time to get up, get out and go about your day because you were given another one!
First, thank GOD, the ONE who gave you today and then go out, make it a point to be a good example and appreciate it...
It will be good for your soul and just as good for another...
Pass it on!
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We are made to work together for the better...one is no fun and two may get the job done, but when you have a bright funky bunch...that changes everything!!! "...and let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds"
Hebrews 10:24
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Today's post was inspired by the email I got from my "Daily cup of Inspiration" from the lovelies over at Internet Cafe Devotions. The quote and verse used reminded me of the term I use "Fortune Cookie Faith."
I use the term "Fortune Cookie Faith" because I know that for some, it is much easier to just read about faith than practice it, some may not know how to talk about faith, simply do not want to talk about faith or quite honestly, have an easier time reading, believing and quoting something from a fortune cookie, than from a bible.
Guess what?
It is okay by me..because I believe that I am here as one of God's creative crash test dummies to translate for you! (LUCKY YOU!)
Be of good cheer. Do not think of today’s failures, but of success that may come tomorrow. You have set yourselves a difficult task, but you will succeed if you persevere; and you will have a joy in overcoming obstacles—a delight in climbing rugged paths which you would perhaps never know if you did not sometimes slip backward, if the road were always smooth and pleasant. Remember, no effort that we make to attain something beautiful is ever lost. —Helen Keller
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9 NIV
Your welcome.
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Using my life, being honest and transparent and not "glittering & embellishing" my life is how I write, well type, on this blog, and although I would love to be able to tell you that all is ALWAYS happy, creative, clean, tidy, well and fine here at our little "home sweet home", just like your home sweet home, it has its bumps...its wonderful peaks...a few valleys with overgrown trails, walls that need to be painted, rainbows made with skittles (maybe not) BUT regardless of anything else, at the end of the day...
I know..
deep down...(sometimes deeper than others)
it will all be okay...
because God says so..
and because HE made me a mom of boys (which I realized this weekend, is what MOB stands for)
With honesty and transparency, I also have to respect the peeps and keep privacy a priority, but I will tell you that at a very late hour on Friday night, I sat on the edge of my bed, not even able to squeak out a tear, wondering what many moms wonder....."How in the world to divide myself into three"..for the peeps in the house (excluding the dang dog!), knowing what to do, where to go..when to say yes...how often to say no....enter your favorite "wonder" question here :______________________________
I share this because I KNOW...I am not alone with this.
I could not sleep, I could not laugh, I could not cry, I pretty much was like an owl, "owling" on the side of the bed..just sitting there...when Ben called my name...
"Mooooooooooooom ???????????"
Without all of the details..he could not sleep and he wanted me to lay with him. I told him that when I can not sleep, I pray (go figure, maybe the "owl" should have taken her own advice, duh!)....so I suggested that he lay there and talk to God...
That is when he asked me if I could "say our prayers out loud"
Prayers said....and 10 minutes later...sleep found...for the both of us.
The above doodle is on my "today list" because I have a lot of things to do...I am a nurse mom again.. In case you did not see my ER posts on FB yesterday, this MOB has a boy with a broken elbow..yep, another broken bone (MOESLB=mom of extreme sports loving boys) and I have made it clear that 2012 is our summer vacation year, so all broken bones need to be done and healed by July.
Oh...and in the midst of all of this life going on, I have been trying to stitch, paint, sew and figure out what the heck (would prefer to use the other "H" word) I should be doing next...praying for clarity...for a sign...for direction...for something for the love of Pete.....and I happily, right in the middle of REALLY TRYING TO FOCUS AND STAY ON TASK..was BLESSED with a "Whole New Doodle" for 2012.
Yep, a brand new doodle style for 2012...out with the old doodle...in with the new.
Prayers answered...just need to get everything else finished first.
BREATHE..FOCUS..PRAY...
Thank you God.
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You don't need a lot of supplies....
Don't think that because you do not have fancy gadgets, heavy weight card stock or even dies, you can not create something just a lovely as MS(or her assistants) could...This is where we "Trailer Park Marthas" show up, grab a Trader Joe's bag, some notebook paper and some scissors and cut our little happy hearts away...
and the same goes for Faith...
Even if you feel like you do not have enough...
I betcha you do...
"Because of your lack of faith. I tell you with certainty, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you. Matthew 17:20
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I do not know about you but I am glad it is Sunday...and the beginning of a new week because it has just been of those weeks, again.
The best thing to do is hold on tight and as Bon Jovi sings, "Keep the Faith"
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In preparation for my new classes and in order to be inspired to create new art, I need to take a deeper look at what it is that I want to inspire you, well, and myself, with.
In order to do that, I need to quiet myself and pay attention to what is written on my heart and it is REALLY really hard with the hustle & bustle of the life we live.
I am beyond anxious for this coming Monday because I am headed for a day of quiet reflection as I go to a day retreat at Rancho Capistrano with a group of girls that influence me and then in a few weeks, I am headed up the coast just a bit to a creative beach retreat that I wanted to tell you a little about it because there are a few spaces still open and even though you may be practicing how to be quiet and turn off all of the outside noise, this one just might be screaming your name...
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My faith, beliefs and everyday life of family, home, life, love, & laundry inspire and fuel my creativity. I share it here with the hope that you will be inspired to share and create for yourself and for others.
With that said, I have developed new techniques to go along with new classes based on mixing faith and creativity AND adding back in "the element of being together" Getting together with others to create is becoming a lost art and I for one do not want to sit and watch it happen.
I have taken almost an entire year off of teaching in-store, except for a few trips and I am almost ready to get out and teach again, with several changes to the way I teach.
I am hoping that you will have an open mind to my new ways and that you will consider taking some time to be together with other women to create, to experiment, to create a mess, to be inspired and to relax.
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There is this hill called Dreaded (with a name like that, enough said) on a trail we run on the weekends.
It is HARD although each week that we do it, it gets a tiny bit easier, okay, not easier...maybe I just climb it better BUT again each week that we do it, about 5 minutes into the hill I ask myself "why am I doing this??" yet I keep going back.
In order for me to get to the top of Dreaded I cannot talk, I HAVE to be aware of the surroundings (ut um...wildlife) , get into my zone, be brave and focus NOT on the top, but on the path right in front of me. Then I blast my IPOD and talk to GOD. It is exactly how I got through a marathon, exactly how I run, exactly how I get through Dreaded and always how I get through the day.
Just like in regular ol' everyday life, there is nothing easy about Dreaded, but you have to keep going, be aware, be focused, pray for perseverance, pray for NO wildlife, and just get to the top because when you do, it is all worth the struggle, the lack of breath and the sweat.
It is beautiful, amazing, breathtaking and totally worth the fight to get up there. I would take a picture to show you but there is no way in "H-E-double hockey sticks" that I am going to haul a camera up there...
I did however take a picture of the treasure that I found on Dreaded this past Sunday and I put it right on the table by our front door.
It is a reminder to love (it is a heart, duh!), to keep going (because you can't stop), that things are tough and won't ever be perfect (it has broken edges) and that HE is always right there (the Rock).
With all your heart you must trust the LORD and not your own judgment. Always let him lead you,and he will clear the road for you to follow. Proverbs 3:5-6 (CEV)
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