That Thing I Do Now - Vol 50

Hey there!  Here we are again... the weekend at our feet and so many options to grab our attention and dive right in! I pray you have a refreshing, relaxing (yes - you can have both!) weekend ahead! I pray that if you are needing a bit of inspiration, or find yourself with a little down time, that these links below will feed your soul, so you can - you know - feed the rest of you with all sorts of Summer goodness!

The Semi-Bloggy Break continues, but I am here... just a little less often... and I love to hook you up! So without further ado (because I totally talk like that in real life!) - here we go!

Lost in a Crowd... but Seen all the same.

So I skipped out on the #fmfparty tonight.  It's not that I am taking a break (...wait - what?) or that I didn't want to hang out with you - my people... it's just that there was this Project Light Gallery opening and paired photography and poetry and well - how could I not go?

So - here goes: Five Minute Friday - The Word Prompt is: LOST

{GO}

I decided to try something new tonight... something that God has been stirring in me and calling me to but I have been -- hesitant. Reluctant, maybe. (No maybe.)

So I skipped out on you, my people... where I have Community and support and encouragement, and I go down the road with a friend and we enter in to a realm of Artists and Poets... all local... all strangers.  And I am battling intimidation and comparison (even though I haven't heard or read them yet...)  I feel lost in a crowd, invisible and unsure. 

This far and no further... A Guest Post

I have written about it countless times, I know: My love and 'need' for the oceans' shore.  The vastness of the sea... or even just a large body of water that visually reminds me that I am oh so small, as He continually whispers to me over the salty breeze that I am still someone oh so significant!

I breathe easier.  My shoulders relax. 

I remember.

I remember that He is truly in charge. He is the One who tells the waves how far to come, and the wind and the sea obey Him...

No Words Are Needed... a Link up

I have this amazing friend... super sweet and just so full of encouragement and inspiration!  She sent me an invite to link up with her over on her blog, Scribbling Fresh Words... and I wasn't going to do it because - well... you know, I'm on a break! But then I realized the title and the purpose and while I am savoring words a bit closer to my sleeve right now, I always love to share His Beauty and Grace...

That Thing I Do Now - Vol 49

Happy Saturday, everyone!

I snapped the above photo last weekend when I was at my sister's house.  I took a day trip that turned into an overnighter and it was so nice to spend some time with my Sissy - also a Mama to an Only Girlie and a brand new Gramma too! So - she feels my pain and has lived through it with, well, a grandbaby to show for it now! A visual reminder that life goes on and we will get through this and transition into whatever God has next!

Also - I went to a Love of Junk Vintage Antique show... out on a farm... it was GORGEOUS!

I gave myself permission to not keep my Bossy schedule for Blogging which of course means that not only am I lacking posts to choose from from right here, but I haven't spent my excessive normal amount of time across the Interwebs... still - I am here to help, so this is my offering of Awesome reads this week! Here we go...

Release - Five Minute Friday

So the mini (?) Blog Breaky continues... but here I am! Prepping for the weekend, fighting a little headache, and still finding myself over on Twitter because, #gah... I love this Community! #fmfparty is AMAZING, ya'll! (Seriously... you should join us!)

So - here goes: Five Minute Friday - The Word Prompt is: RELEASE

{GO}

Release! Really?  Is that supposed to be funny because honestly, this little breaky is (so far) leaving me exhausted from all the releasing and yet, I have found none. Release, that is.  

I feel cloudy and a little stormy underneath... all this pressure on my heart and on my head and behind my eyes as I battle another headache and I am tired... but I am determined to release.

From the Archives... Cherished

It's my birthday.  

So, of course this little Bloggy Break is still on, but I wanted to take a moment and reflect... repost, if you will, a post (Pt 1&2) that stemmed from a Five Minute Friday that stirred up the story of my birth.  And, of course, because it is better to give than to receive, I am also including a link at the end with an invitation to join me in letting our sisters in Africa know that they, too, are so very Cherished!

That Thing I Do Now - Vol 48

Hey Ya'll!  How are you? I pray your weekend is off to a great start!

So... I have to say right up front here, I read an entire book in a day this week, which sort of stirred up a thirst for fiction again and I just so happened to have another book that I started right after finishing The Fault In Our Stars.  I read that one in a day because, well - the movie! I wanted to see it but I can't bring myself to watch a movie without first reading the book! Now... hours after reading it, I am wondering why I am not sitting in a movie theater Right. This. Moment. watching it!  So, needless to say, as summer gloriously unfolds and finds me, for the first time in nineteen years, with an empty house All. Day. Long. ...well, I am feeling like I will indulge in more and more days like today! Still - you know how I love to hook you up, so below you will find a Random Gathering of Awesome... posts I have found across the Interwebs this week! (You know... when I managed to get my nose out of an actual old school real live BOOK!?)

If You Have a Message, Be a Messenger - Five Minute Friday

It's time... I know I just posted about backing off and taking a break, but of course I meant it as in - just in case I want to, or whenever I feel like it, or you're (this blog) not the boss of me! So, of course - it's Thursday night and where else would I be? It serves me right that the word prompt is live and I have NO THOUGHTS... so, this should be interesting...

So - here goes: Five Minute Friday - The Word Prompt is: MESSENGER

{GO}

It comes to me first off... as soon as the Prompt is revealed. I immediately think of these bees... how they were so focused and so in their element.  

When you just have to take some time...

Taking a little Bloggy break --it seems to be a trend as of late. Maybe it's just that we need to remember that we need to remember to breathe --that some days are too crammed full, even with good things, that we quite literally forget to inhale deep and feel, well, any of the things... or perhaps all of this access to all of our lives is more weighty and wearisome than we think... or maybe we're all just tired and all the Bossy Lists just need to be banished every once in awhile?

Maybe we simply forget that in all of our offering out grace, we must also offer it inward, to ourselves.  We must give ourselves permission to not always DO... but sometimes, whether it be for an hour or a day... a week or a month... sometimes we just need to be reminded to just BE.

My Non-Bossy Monday... aka I'll Write Tomorrow!

So, normally Monday mornings are all about sitting back in this chair and tapping out words to fill this space... words that will hopefully touch your heart while speaking His.

However, today... well, today I penciled in a Non-Bossy Schedule so my day pretty much consisted of this:

As in... Literally!

That Thing I Do Now - Vol 47

Happy Weekend, everyone! I trust your June is starting off well and pray you are able to breathe in deep and catch the fragrance of Spring turning to Summertime with all it's late night sunsets, starry nights, and less Bossy day planners!

Here is our weekly Gathering of Awesome found across the Interwebs... you know how I love to hook you up! I must say - one would think I would have more time, as we became Empty Nesters last week - but I found myself not sitting here, but aimlessly roaming the house not knowing what to do with myself... so there is that.  This simply means that the list is shorter, but I am pretty sure I will find solace here in this chair next week, while looking for a new routine! Until then... this is what I found:

Happy Reading!

Hands... Five Minute Friday

Well that was a different Thursday night! I missed my #fmfparty crew, but I got a last minute call to sub for my old Bunco group and was promised I would for SURE win a prize... so, you know... how could I not? Besides, I had been pretty much in this empty quiet house all week long and this Mama needed a night out with some girlfriends!

Oh but - first - the fine print: if you don't know what FMF is!  Five Minute Fridays are hosted by Lisa Jo Baker.  It is open to anyone, so to learn more about it - and to jump in yourself (the more the merrier!) or just to find a linky to see what everyone is writing about today - click HERE!  The idea is to simply write... for Five Minutes flat... no editing, no deep thinking - or at least REthinking, no spell check - just write! Let it flow! We all write using a prompt that Lisa posts at 10pm Thursday night (EST.)  I'm loving the community of amazing bloggers and the creativity that flows from these magical Five Minutes!

So - here goes: Five Minute Friday - The Word Prompt is: HANDS

{GO}

It's been his hands all along...

It was his hands that first held me... that first cupped my face and caressed my shoulders... it was his hands that first loved me.

It's his hands that still... every day... gently guide me and strongly urge me on... it's his hands that help me up, pull me close, and push me on.  

His hands have held on tight... and at times, let go loosely.  His hands are rarely, rarely ever clenched... always wide open, palms up... ready to praise... ready to pray... ready to practice what he preaches every day.

It's been his hands that soothe me... that comfort me... it was his hands that reached up and over those walls being built between us... between her, and brick by brick, he tore them down. 

It's been him... all along.  

I have lived over half of my lifetime, madly in love with this man, My Honey, who lives out loud and is full of grace.  It is his mission every day to love me... to love us... and to make us laugh and always, it's his hands that protect, and provide and the more I lean in to him and let our hearts and fingers connect... it's his hands that look scarred and pierced. 

Oh I know... he and Jesus are not the same! He is not perfect but for the whole of my grown up life it's been his hands that hold me physically, when all the while, it is Gods' hands that have shaped this heart and wrapped around my soul.

...and I lean in closer in this new season of Empty Nests and too much time on my hands, and I see so clearly - that even 20 years later... I am falling in love with both of my H/husbands still --and all over again!

{STOP}

My first thoughts at the prompt was, of course, my girlie... but really - My Honey and I have been doing a lot (more) of hand holding this week... while going for a walk, or sitting outside, or relaxing in the house.  

Fingers intertwined, breathing in sync... simply reconnecting... finding a new rhythm to the way our hearts beat together, just us. 

(thump, thump.) 

Photo by Kim Deloach @Allume 2013

Just us. 




Five Minute Fridays gives us the chance to dive right in and share what He puts on our hearts! Click here to read what others have to say about "HANDS"  

Words to Build a Life On

Here we are at the beginning of June and for many, this means end of school and hello summer, graduations and parties and less bossy schedules... 

...and here I am, helping my Only Girlie pack up her room and transfer her closet to a new address... and it makes a Mama catch her breath and promise not to cry... it makes her (me) want to be strong and more than anything - want to know that she has done at least SOME of the things 'right'... whatever that is, really.

I've written about it around these parts often - of how our nearly grown girlie is almost All Growed Up and how when she was younger, we wanted her life to be perfect and safe. Then we realized that is not ever an option and it turns out, what we really want is for her life to be His... same thing, only not! 

What I learned in May... a random Gathering of Awesome

Here we are, June 3rd... JUNE THIRD, ya'll?

At the risk of sounding so - I don't know, - OLD, where has the time gone? Honestly... I blinked and May happened!

It is now the beginning of a new month, and for us around this house - a whole new season, but we'll get to that later! For now - let's just say - it's time for my favorite link up, where I share a random Gathering of Awesome... attempting to once again remember What I Learned in May... 

Here we go...

Bless the Lord... A look at Psalm 103

I have a hard time picking favorites! It really doesn't matter what we are talking about.  It is rare if I can answer any kind of "What's your favorite..." question at all.  Normally, I give you a Top Five (or Ten... you get the idea!)

But when I was asked to pick a Psalm between 100 and anything else... Ps 103 wins. 

Hands Down. 

Every. Single. Time.

That Thing I Do Now - Vol 46

Happy Saturday, everyone!  Can you even believe it is almost June? JUNE, you guys?

It's crazy to me and yet, of course, I am loving it! All this talk of loving the weather is not over, because as much as I adore Spring, Summer is where it's at! (That is, until - of course - Fall arrives and is all swoony-like and romantic! Yeah - Fall is my favorite for sure... but let's not tell Spring or Summer just yet, alright?)

I have managed to collect little bits of Awesome from across the Interwebs once again! I hope you enjoy these little Gatherings! I can't believe we have spend nearly an entire year of Saturdays together already! I suppose once we hit the official Anniversary - we should do something fun(ner) or have a giveaway or something!  I will think on that one! I have a few more weeks to plan! 

Until then, here we go... 

Happy Reading!

Enjoy!

* This one by Mike Foster over at Storyline on If You Turn Down Your Noise...
"But I need a way to escape the silence, so I take that risk.

I need my noise.

We’re like this with a lot of things. We get so used to the convenient, low hum of our white noises of choice that we are no longer comfortable just sitting still. Quietness and being alone with our thoughts can be scary. We need a little something extra to drown out the silence."

* This post by Jen Hatmaker on Parenting Teens...
"There is a super high chance your teen will ENORMOUSLY SELF-DESTRUCT. Need I remind you of our adolescence? They will lie, cheat, rebel, succumb, resist, disobey. They will do this, because they are no different than EVERY GENERATION THAT EVER PRECEDED THEM. But that is not the end of their story. It wasn’t the end of ours (thank you, Jesus) and their best years are ahead of them too. If they wobble, stick with those wonky kids. They will remember how their parents remained steady until they course corrected."

* This post by Sarah Bessey in which it all locks into place...
"Then there was the moment when your husband sent you home to sleep at last. You hadn’t slept in days, maybe that’s the reason why the sight of him there in that hospital bed beside the child you both love did you in. You kissed him heavily because here is someone who loves your child the way that you love your child. This is what love looks like: tired faces, relief, exhaustion, and still one foot in front of the other..."

* This post by Duane Scott over at Scribing the Journey on the Kingdom of Heaven...
"Being a Christian, I believe, is more relational than theological. Because a man can get lost within his Bible; can get lost learning and studying and then one day, he looks back at his life and realizes he never lived it, never lived discovering the power of the cross and the Man who died there.

Yes, a man should close his Bible sometimes and open his arms to life, to the hurting and lonely, to the world.
For then, and only then, is his the kingdom of heaven."

* This one by my sweet friend Ashley Larkin over at Draw Near on opening our rusty gates and why it matters...
"And when you see the rust on my gates,
and call even that beautiful,
because you understand it’s my human wear and tear,
my journey and my story,
the part of me that longs for shiny eases up a bit and exhales
because it’s good to be known."


* This over at The Huffinton Post by Emma Gray on 11 Ways Maya Angelou Taught Us To Be Better Women...  "In celebration of her incredible life, here are 11 lessons all women can learn from Maya Angelou..."  Hint: They are all great... I can't pick just one... (just click over and read them all!)

* This post by Glennon Melton on how you (we) all need to Find Yourself a Maya...
"Join the procession. Find yourself a Maya to follow and Be a Maya to the woman marching behind you. "When you learn, teach."That's how Maya taught us to keep our mighty, sacred sisterhood rolling on. And while you march, remember: "You are a child of God. Stand up straight." -- Dr. Maya Angelou

I'm sorry for your great loss, Oprah. We will miss you, Mighty Maya."

* These posts from Abiding Love, Abounding Grace wbecause I couldn't pick just one this week... 

This one HERE where I talk about Being a Bride... 
"This Stirring...  this Longing... this Pride and 'She chose me!' and Love spilling out all over the place?  This is what He sees every time He looks at us!"

... and this one  HERE  where I talk about feeling All. the. Feelings. and how Friday was Moving Day for our Only Nearly All Grown Up Girlie...
"You learn the rhythm of being a Mama by the day in, day out beating of hearts finding their own song... and just when you think you've got it down... well, a bridge. A new verse."

Finally... our video to wrap things up because that is how we do... This week... a KickStarter video, because - Reading Rainbow!

So - what did you think? Had you read these yourself already?  Did you find something that is not listed above? If so - share some Linky Love in the Comments below!

OH - and seriously... check back on Monday where I will be talking about Psalm 103 - you're not going to want to miss it!

Nothing Prepares You... Five Minute Friday

Whew - it has been a DAY, ya'll!  I was asked at the last minute (Wed night!) to paint a 'theme' piece for a Prayer Mosaic evening that I am participating in on Friday night (-that's TONIGHT!)  Sure... sure, I can paint not one but eight paintings (in one) by Friday... because, of course!  Here's the deal though - I didn't even consider saying No! You see, I am co-leading this art group and, well... it's making me actually DO stuff! So without hesitation, I said yes! Which means Thursday was spent sketching and praying and painting... (all, which helped in busying my thoughts and keeping my mind off the fact that my girlie is moving out today.  Yes, today!)

Oh but - first - the fine print: if you don't know what FMF is!  Five Minute Fridays are hosted by Lisa Jo Baker.  It is open to anyone, so to learn more about it - and to jump in yourself (the more the merrier!) or just to find a linky to see what everyone is writing about today - click HERE!  The idea is to simply write... for Five Minutes flat... no editing, no deep thinking - or at least REthinking, no spell check - just write! Let it flow! We all write using a prompt that Lisa posts at 10pm Thursday night (EST.)  I'm loving the community of amazing bloggers and the creativity that flows from these magical Five Minutes!

So - here goes: Five Minute Friday - The Word Prompt is: NOTHING

{GO}

So... we had our year of Lasts already... that senior year of high school is FULL of last days and last times and last evers... and sure, most Mama's have that summer and then, well - then they say goodbye and they adjust and life is different, but it's still good - or so they tell me, and life goes on. (and yes, they come home and it's still good - or so they tell me, and they go back to wherever 'home' is for college or work and life goes on...)

That was not the case for us.  No, we feel like we somehow snuck in one whole extra year!  

Last night, another 'last. night.' - and she is laying, head in my lap, as I play with her hair and tickle her back and we are watching some comedy show and both sitting there, crying. Because - of course... how can we not feel All the Feelings and try to feel Nothing at the same exact time.  

Suck it up... push it aside... life goes on (or so they say.)

And she falls asleep on the couch, again. And we go to bed, trying to get her to go to her room... and I kiss her good night and say that I will see her in the morning and my voice gets caught in my throat and the tears threaten to spill out once again and I realize that this right here? This is another end to a season and life does go on... and it will be good, but it will be different and as much as we like to talk about leaning in and embracing change, we are new to it too and it has never (so far) been easy! 

So I awake to today... moving day.  And I am determined to be strong, to celebrate the new with her because it IS good and exciting and time... and still, there is not enough coffee to shake this reality: she will come back, yes; but this is the last morning she wakes up here and 'home' is still me!

There is nothing that prepares you for Motherhood.  Not enough books and advice or knowledge to be gained ahead of time.  You learn the rhythm of being a Mama by the day in, day out beating of hearts finding their own song... and just when you think you've got it down... well, a bridge. A new verse. 

Just because they grow up and get tall and find their own way... their own dreams... their own new addresses- that doesn't mean that we ever stop feeling all the feelings; that we ever stop knowing all the words and the meaning of their chorus...

And whether they are here, safe under our own roof - right where we tucked them in, or they are out on their own, finding their way - sometimes choosing right, sometimes choosing wrong...

Nothing can ever make us stop being Mama... nothing will make me ever stop singing her song!

{STOP}

So... sigh... that was rough! And lest you think my Nearly All Grown Up Girlie is moving across the country or the world, I will reluctantly admit that she will be literally less than 5 minutes away... Still, baby steps to a whole new season!



Five Minute Fridays gives us the chance to dive right in and share what He puts on our hearts! Click here to read what others have to say about "NOTHING"  

He sees you as His Bride

It is that glorious season... the end of May and beginning of June just feels like they were made for romance and wedded bliss.  Of course, we know 'wedding season' is all year long and romance and bliss is so much more than fairytale dust and wishing wells! 

If we want it... if we really, really want it... well - we must decide ahead of time and not only be prepared to battle and fight for it, but ultimately, we must be willing to be fought for and accept the gift of already being the Bride.

These girls... 

...they have been friends for years and as life tends to do, it has thrown some curve balls and there has been all kinds of drama and their friendships have ebbed and flowed but when the first of them sent out invitations to attend her wedding, there was no doubt that they would all go and celebrate together!

When my girlie gave me a recap of the ceremony and all the beauty surrounding the day, she made a statement that was both true, and powerful. She simply said, "She looked like perfection - a gorgeous Bride... and she was so happy!"

There was no hint of comparison or jealousy... it was a simple, true statement. And then it hit me, this is how our Bridegroom sees us... every day! Not 'then'... not in the far off future... but every single time He looks at us, He sees His Bride.  

He sees us as Beautiful. 

He sees us as His - right now, today!

There is something swoon-worthy when I hear a man refer to his wife, after years of marriage, as his Bride.  It sounds so romantic, but what it really says is that through it all... through the inevitable ups and downs of living a life together... he still treasures her and claims her as his own! He sees her as his Love... his Bride... he still chooses her and will say so in front of anyone and everyone.

I don't know about you, but whether we are talking about real life here and my own marriage, or we are talking about the Bigger Picture and the One to whom I am betrothed, I can forget that I am a Bride.  I can feel anything and everything BUT ...uh, Bridal?  Anything and everything but perfection, or beautiful, or glowing, or treasured.

But if we have learned anything, we have learned that just because we FEEL something, that doesn't make it real!  

I think we come in line with lies on a daily basis and we feel them so often that they seem normal and we believe them because of the consistent way we give them room. 

They feel true.  But they are not Truth! 

There is a difference!

We talk about being real and vulnerable, and I pray we are all risking it more often now.  We talk about silencing the negative self talk and not agreeing with the enemy, and I pray we agree, at least, with more hesitation. It's a start.

But here's the deal... on our Wedding Day?  Well... the whole day can be less than perfect (Hint: for those still unwedded ones... it will be! I promise. It will be less than perfect. This is real life!) Some thing or things can (and probably will) go wrong but the overall feeling of the day is this: You are Breathtaking... you are a Beautiful Bride! 

We expect it... we feel it... we believe it... if only for that one single day! There is something about Joy and Love and Hope all on display, wrapped in White and surrounded by Flowers... a Radiance that speaks louder than anything else and that captures the heart of your beloved.

This Stirring...  this Longing... this Pride and 'She chose me!' and Love spilling out all over the place?  This is what He sees every time He looks at us!

He sees us through the sacrifice and redemption... He sees us how He created us and as the one He intended for us to be.  When He looks at us and bids us to come... when He speaks your name, He says it with so much Love... so much passion... so much Amen!

Let's try to view ourselves and each other the way He views us.  Let's determine to silence the whispers that tell lies and sow doubt and instead, let's be brave enough to trust Him and realize that He sees us and He loves us and He is for us and standing at the altar, waiting for us to march down that aisle... longing for us to believe Him when He says that we are Beautiful!

I don't know about you, but the thought of Him, so lovingly filled with pride that I am His... well, it stirs my soul and rearranges my priorities and what I wouldn't give to spend some time with Him... and everything within me cries out:

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.”

                                                                                     Rev 22:17 NASB 

So as Summer unfolds and invitations come your way, while you are admiring the Bride, can I invite you to remember that the Lord your God... He is admiring you!

P.S.  I'm linking up with:

Jennifer Dukes Lee for #TellHisStory

Holley Gerth for #CoffeeforYourHeart

and Holly Barrett for #TestimonyTuesday

When you hear "My Bride" what vision comes to mind? Do you ever envision yourself? I pray you see now that you should... because when He looks at you, that is how He sees you! 

Radiant. Glorious. Beautiful.

His!

Art in Your Life... Just Breathe. It. Out.

What is it about titles that can have us all shying away, wringing our hands, and shaking our heads?  In our hearts, and sometimes escaping between trembling lips, we think, "Oh no... not me!"

I read about it ...how I am a writer and I knew it already but it took God and Jeff Goins and countless others along the way whispering it into and over me for all these years, before I could stand up tall in it and fully come into agreement. I am a writer.  I write because I can't not write.  I may not be trained. I may butcher the English language and pay no attention to grammar or punctuation.  These things could use some work - but with or without them, I am confident that I am a Writer. That is a title I proudly claim as part of who I am.  It took awhile... but I no longer shake my head or feel the need to over explain.

Still... we all have our doubts, yes? We all have those Titles, those things that we feel called to, gifts He has poured out and pieces of us that we hesitate to let be seen.

'Artist' seems to be another tough one for many to step into and claim with confidence.  I wrote about it last week as I announced that I am co-leading a new Art group for the Summer session over at Incourage.  So it should come as no surprise that I felt all kinds of wringing hands and shaking head and lack of training or skill or the 'right' to claim Artist, and yet I did anyway... because I am (anyway!)

In preparation for this new group, I decided to try new things.  

I watched (and followed) a YouTube Tutorial on Watercoloring a Tuscan Windowbox.  Sure, why not?  I didn't have the right supplies... my paper was too thin, my color palette didn't match, I had no watercolor paint brushes... but I did it anyway! (and... bonus - I actually LOVE my painting! Who knew?)

I got out my Sketch Pad (that had long been buried beneath All. The. (other) Books.  I grabbed an iced latte and just relaxed and sketched a little... then I grabbed my poetry journal (which has one poem... that I wrote last month... before that it had been over 20 years!) and I jotted down a short whimiscal little poem.  Nothing was a 'finished' product - except maybe they are... but either way, I gave myself freedom to do it anyway!

I stopped 'researching' Art Journaling, and I just jumped right in.  I wasn't thrilled with my first pages - mostly because of all my research! (Honestly, I had been looking at pages made by long term Art Journalers... I am guessing that their first pages were less than their favorites as well!) Even as it was 'not turning out' - I did it anyway.

I grabbed my iphone instead of my camera because, as David Molnar says, it is the camera that we always have with us, and I snapped some photo's of my garden. I have a 'nicer' camera but I was sitting on the patio and loving the sunshine and noticed the beauty of all these blooms and instead of grabbing my camera and figuring out my settings, I simply snapped a handful of pictures with my phone and went back to enjoying being in the moment. I later edited them a little bit and shared the art of His hands... He is so creative! I didn't want to risk the heaviness of doing it 'right' - but I didn't risk not doing it at all either! (You know I know you know what's coming, but I can't help myself!) 

I did it anyway!

And then in the middle of last week, my Honey announced that he signed me up to do a Spoken Word at the Coffeehouse night on Friday evening. He had been asked to play a song or two and in confirming that, the guy doing the schedule mentioned that they were hoping for a variety of singers and people using their gifts and he said something about Spoken Word... which caused my husband to say something crazy like, "My wife does spoken word... put her down! She'll do something!"

Clearly - he lost his mind.  I do not do spoken word.  I have felt drawn to it. I love to listen to others do it. That is not a title or a gifting that I have stepped into, but he was right in knowing that God is making me anyway! Whether I feel ready or equipped or gifted or not.  

Sometimes we are called to make art anyway...

To open our eyes and ears and heart and see art in our lives... to realize or remember that art is not just something we do - but it really is who we are! We are works of art in progress and when I so boldly foolishly argued with God about how it's hard, or I'm not ready, or I don't know how... well - He graciously spoke truth to me by saying this:

"You won't get better until you start!"

Well... thanks for that!

And so, with only a couple of days to write, and not enough time to actually fully memorize... shaky knees and racing heart, I did it anyway... 

Here's the thing... We think 'Artist' and we immediately go to museum quality work, or skilled and trained people who have spent years learning their craft.  There is value and honor and truth to that... but we are artists because we are created by the Master Artist and we are made in His image and sometimes we just need the reminder that Art happens all around us, and comes from within us, and when we breathe Him in... Art comes out.  It comes out in how you clean and decorate your home... in how you put an outfit together or how you style your hair... in how you plate a meal or paint a picture... in how you pray or sing a song or play on the floor with your Littles... art happens...  whether you see it or not, but I pray you will see it anyway!

Art is beauty and grace and love.  It inspires and heals and gives hope.  It happens all day, every day and I pray that all week long you will train your heart and your eyes to see it... to live it... to simply breathe it out where ever you go!

How do you make art?  Where do you see it in your every day life? I'd love to hear in the comments below!