Homegrown Hospitality

Monday & A List 2014

The holidays are officially over, back to school today and my 2014 creative life is off to a great start!  The past few weeks I have been taking a little time to just creatively play. I have been stitching in preparation for new things coming this spring/summer...(eek!)I have been doodling in preparation for a brand new doodle class debuting in just a few weeks at Right@Home Scrapbooking in Boston Feb. 8 - 9 (man, I hope it warms up before I get there!) I started working along with 2600 other friends all over the world on the Documented Life Project and a few other things...

My problem (in a sorta good way) is that plain and simple,  I LOVE to make things.  There is not just "one" specific thing I like to do.  I like to do it all BUT if there is one thing I have learned, it is the fact that I can't do it all and do it well.
In my quest to TRANSFORM in 2014, I am fine tuning what I do to do it better, for the long haul and that leads to the first Monday & A List for 2014. 

It is pretty darned self explainitory:
Here is the download: Download Jan6arrows print it out, make your notes and let's get this year started in a positive way!

Genuine Joy & A Download

" No matter what" is one of my most favorite and most used thoughts.  That no matter what happens, what doesn't happen, what might happen or what never happens, it will all be okay.  THAT is what gives me Genuine Joy.  

"Always Be Joyful" 1 Thes. 5:16

JOY is right here, right where I am at.  I do not have to go look for it, in fact, when I go "out" and look for joy, I miss it.
JOY is a journey and a process, Joy is scary and sometimes, in the midst of yuck, JOY is a difficult choice BUT if I just trust GOD instead of trusting myself, I will find peace and genuine  JOY.

Just a very simple download for you today to print out and write about what is right in front of you. Download Genuinejoy

Document December Daily

 

Happy December!!! Not that every day isn't already piled up with this, that and the other to do but now, it is December and well, it is time to start not only wrapping up the year, it is also time for wrapping and shopping and baking and planning and attending and singing and rearranging and decorating...

I am sure ya know what I mean so there is no better time for a list than now.  My plan (and invitation for you) is to print out one of these  Download Decemberdaily every day and make notes of the little things that are meaningful and festive throughout the month and yesterday was day one. Now, not only did I make a list, I took some photos to...wait for it.....scrapbook (maybe) at least doing all of this gives me a cheat sheet for when I do finally sit down and scrapbook.

For now, I am going to make notes, take pictures and Document December Daily and I invite you to come along.

Click here for the download: Download Decemberdaily

Fah Lah Lah...

Thanksgiving List

Thankful for...

• HIM.
• for my life.
• for you.
• for them.
• for us.
• for her.
• for him.
• for this time.
• for that place.
• for love.
• for forgiveness.
• for family.
• for moments.
• for light.
• for dark.
• for warmth.
• for history.
• for veterans.
• for friends.
• for relationships. 
• for failure.
• for memories. 
• for long distance.
• for emotions.
• for a clear sky.
• for a south African sunset.
• for wishes.
• for dreams.
• for defeat.
• for cozy warm sock.
• for flipflops.
• for early mornings.
• for reminders.
• for many many things...

I am grateful to all of my blog friends who continually read,comment, email & support this little Homegrown way of Life that I lead, and I appreciate all of our thoughts..always!

I hope that each and every one of you have a Happy Thanksgiving..Whatever your plans are...big, grand, lavish, comfy cozy....enjoy them. Capture them, absorb them and remember to pratice gratiude.

Monday & A List - Thankful

This past weekends message at church was about being thankful as this is Thanksgiving week here the the US, but more importantly, how to be thankful even in bad times.  Naturally, it is easy to be thankful when things are sailing smoothly, but it is more difficult to remember to be thankful then that ship seems to be sinking.

Something important to always remember is that even in the darkest days, there are things to be grateful & thankful for and so today's  Download Thankful isn't really a "list" but an open space for us to write, doodle and note the things that we are grateful for NO MATTER WHAT the circumstances are right now.  It might be hard but here is something important to remember:

"We can have joy even in our troubles because we know that these troubles produces endurance.  And endurance produces character and character produces hope." Romans 5:3-4

Happy Monday!

Ask & See

Many of you are asking for a "Christmas List" and I will get on that but this week is a list that I created based on Part 9 from the "Habit of Happiness" series at church. This week was all about the benefits of generosity and once again, I wrote notes all over the page but something jumped out at me and it was one of those "this is my list for Monday" moments. Ask.

What is it you want? Not as in Christmas list want, but what is it you really want, personally, professionally, relationally, spiritually... Download Askandsee, write down your requests, continue to pray about it and then punch some holes in it, put it in your binder and go back to it every once in awhile to see how God works in your life. (p.s. HE already knows what is in your heart and mind but He wants to hear from you!)

Hello Monday & A List

I posted a picture to Instagram & FB yesterday from church (before it started!) with the caption "I feel a lot of note taking coming on" and man, was I right.  Then I saw all of the responses to share and thought I would tie it into today's list.

The name of the sermon was called "How To Keep From Stressing Out." (part 8 of the series "The Habits of Happiness" which you can watch online here)

So, today's list.  I used one of my pads, "Just Stuff" to create my list and I have a ton of notes to go along with my list bullet points so you should get some coffee, put your phone down, grab a pen and paper and get comfortable.  oh..and it's not "Just Stuff," it is Just (really important) Stuff. 

First I wrote out all of the bullet points and then as I thought about them, I doodled away on the sheet.
Then as I colored in my page, I thought about the things we learned and some key points and notes I took:

1. Refuse To Worry About Anything.

• It is NOT EASY to worry about nothing. We worry about our jobs, our money, our relationships, our diet, what the media says..on and on and on.  Here is something to remember - worry EXAGGERATES the problem and worry DOES NOT WORK.
• Worry is unreasonable, unnatural, unhelpful and simply unnecessary.

Personal Thoughts - Growing up, I worried about everything. e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g to the point that yep, I worried myself sick. I worried about being worried.  This is why I know that it is NOT EASY to not worry.  It has taken me a long time, many many years, to get to the point where I don't worry "as much."  I still worry and that is something that I am steadily working on.  I LOVE the phrase "The Peace that Passes Understanding"  for me, that is a beautiful thing, something I have felt and something I want to continue to strive for.

"Unload all of your worries on God since He is looking after you" 1 Peter 5:7

2. Talk to God About Everything

• It's called prayer. Don't panic, just pray.  Another hard one that takes discipline.  I am a terrible rambling "pray-er."  I have said a million times to my "blessed friends" that I can't pray out loud because only God understands my rambling.  The point is to do it. PUSH through...Pray Until Something Happens...and then keep praying! 

"Never worry about anything.  Instead in every situation let God know what you need in your prayers and requests" Phil 4:6

3. Thank God In All Things

• KEY POINT - Thank God IN all things,  not FOR all things.  This is where most everyone gets things mixed up. This is another phrase that I love "All Things" and quiet possibly will become a tattoo, maybe.
• Thankful hearts.  We need to change our hearts. We need to be more thankful, simple as that.

4. Think About Good Things

• The world is full of scandal, corruption, conflict, controversy, drama,  _____________, _______________ and then it is made into reality shows, written about in magazines, discussed on talk shows, reported on TMZ, etc. No wonder it is hard to stay focused on what is true...and not everything we "think" is true, I will say it again, NOT EVERYTHING "WE THINK" IS TRUE. I know, I know, everyone has their own opinions but the way opinions are "shared" is not always right either. I am going to stop here.
• Here is the most simple thing to do in a situation where you need an answer.  Ask yourself these things:  Is it good?  Is it worthy of praise? Is it true? Is it honorable? Is it right? pure? beautiful? respected?

"think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected." Phil 4:8

 5. Be Content With Anything 

Contentment is learned, which means we need to practice it. This is a big one especially when the tv is on.  Here is the key point: I must enjoy what I have NOW and stop waiting for something to happen in order to be happy.

BE HAPPY NOW..and how do you do that?

• STOP comparing.
• STOP thinking that having more will make you more important, more happy and more secure.
• Learn to ADMIRE without having to ACQUIRE.  LOVE THIS ONE!  Just because you "enjoy" something does not mean you have to have it!

• MY HAPPINESS IS NOT DEPENDANT ON MY HAPPENINGS. 

So there ya have it.  I think I worked up a nervous sweat just retyping all of this. Sorry if there are run-on sentences, misspellings and that kinda junk.  Every time I reread the draft, I start typing more.

NOTE TO SELF: This stuff needs to be applied and reapplied like sunscreen, at least every hour..continuously.

Now it is your turn. 

Either write your own list based on the things above, print out my list Download Justreallyimportantstuff and make your own notes or print out my list, doodle on it, think about it, color it and then work on it.

This isn't just stuff..it is very important stuff.

p.s. I punched holes in my list and put them in my little Marta Stewart Binder.

Monday & A List

Today is not a list that you are going to love, but in the long run, you might. It is based around yesterday's sermon at church on the Habits of Happiness.  Long story short, happiness requires letting things go.Yep...if you are harboring hurts, struggles, hangups etc. then you can't be happy you won't be happy and you can't be the best you if you are bitter and unhappy. 

Starting today and everyday afterwards you need to forget about what can't be changed and focus on the future.

I know, I betcha some of you are thinking, "Well, it's not that easy..."

HEY (in my best Uncle Si voice) nobody said it would be easy, but you need to take the first step in the right direction and that would be to make the decision to STOP letting the pain of {your, my, our} past ruin {your, my, our} happiness of the future.
That is what today's list is all about. Here is whatcha need to do:

• Download Itstime and print it out
• write out the junk that you are going to decide to let go and pray about it as you do.
• scribble it all out.  Take your pen and just scribble away...cross it all out and say farewell!
• crumble up the paper/rip it up/light it on fire (in a fireplace)
• give it to God and then PUSH..pray until something happens. 

I will pray for you in this process and I ask that you pray for me, too. We all need each others prayers and support to develop the habit of happiness.

oh p.s...if you like this kind of list, don't forget that you can get them in pads of 40 that measure 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 from A Joyful Soul...just sayin... 

Have a great Monday.

Hello Monday

Monday's are coming faster and faster and I don't wanna be the one to give you an anxiety attack but after this week, there are only 9 more Mondays in 2013. yikes.

Today Download Thingstodo  and consider printing out a few of them to organize your junk.  I made one for "things to do" before friday and then one "things to do" before December because when December hits, I want to enjoy it. I can't show you a photo of my lists today because there is junk on there you can't see quite yet and that is all I am sayin. 

Enjoy today.

Monday & A List

I am home and had an amazing time in Florida at WhimSoDoodle. I will recap my experiences and share the AWESOME colorful work created by my creative Floridian friends in the next few days but today is Monday and that means a new list for a new week.

Today, instead of grumbling about the junk ya gotta do, be grateful in all circumstances.  Pratcice a little radical gratitude that you can do them and don't forget to do things for others...
Here is your download Download Radicalgratitude1021

Happy Monday!