Found: If a thing is worth doing...

Sarah says it well.

Getting Me Through My Day...

Waterdeep's Psalm 131

Love is patient, love is patient, love is patient

Hot oatmeal, fresh peaches, coffee and more coffee

A Centering Prayer

Traveling to the ends of the earth (or at least to the Pacific)

Dreaming about this knitting project

Early Morning

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love...
Psalm 143:8

Love showed up at 5am. With a cough like a bark, a runny nose, a fat lip (clumsy and tired met up with the dining room table the night before) and a body that could not keep still. Love came as a tiny three-year-old who just didn't know what she wanted but desperately wanting something.

The early morning presenting Love in this gift of a child.

And from out of nowhere (trust me), Love found its way into this groggy, slightly frustrated, just-wanted-to-sleep-for-30-more-minutes mother. Quieting her plaintive cries, wrapping her up in blankets, bringing a glass of water and then a tissue and then Doggy.

Love given, unfailingly, even if just for a moment. Not of my own volition.

I tuck this morning close, bringing it out often as a reminder. A reminder of Love given to me and Love that I ought to give.

A pre-dawn display to carry me through the day.

Mr Tzu, does a nap count as letting go?

This morning, I woke at 6am ready to have a great day. By 9am, I had scrapped the great day and found myself muttering, "let it go. let it go. let it go."

Let it go. Today's mantra.

By letting it go it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try. The world is beyond the winning. - Lao Tzu

Forget winning the world - I just want to complete my to-do list without being interrupted. However, in the spirit of letting go and due to the exhaustion I'm beginning to feel, I'm going to take a nap. Perhaps during my nap, It will all get done (I can't help but wonder, who's going to do It??).

Oh well. Here's to a sink full of dirty dishes, a show-and-tell box that still needs to be put together, dress patterns that need to be cut out, and...

Let it go.

The War of Art

Most of us have two lives. The life we live and the unlived life within us.

I've started reading a thought-provoking book: Steven Pressfield's The War of Art. Short chapters, in-your-face truths, and inspiration on every page. Don gave this book to Mike (years ago) and after seeing it laying around for ages, I finally picked it up and started to flip through it. I can't put it down.

Pressfield talks about Resistance being the force that keeps us from creating (in his case, Resistance keeps him from writing. In my case, Resistance keeps me from participating in the local craft fair or pursuing an interest in writing restaurant reviews).

Its aim is to shove us away, distract us, prevent us from doing our work.

Here is one of my favorite portions (so far) from his book.

Resistance and Procrastination, Part Two
The most pernicious aspect of procrastination is that it can become a habit. We don't just put off our lives today; we put them off till our deathbed.

Never forget: This very moment, we can change our lives. There never was a moment, and never will be, when we are without the power to alter our destiny. This second, we can turn the tables on Resistance.

This second, we can sit down and do our work.

For any of you that need an emotional pick-me-up or a jump-start to your motivation, this is the book.

Anybody Out There?

It's been over a month since I've last posted. Ouch!

I've been...
Supporting the budding artist by providing free wall space...

Taking evening walks with my girls...

Catching the local sunsets...

Waking up most nights with this sweetheart, trying to remember that once she starts sleeping well, I really will miss the 2 am's and 3 am's and 4am's with her...

Providing the local climber/jumper with free climbing space and plenty of cushions to jump onto...

Trying to remain calm amidst the days where everyone is in a bad mood, when meals still need to be made, laundry still needs to be rotated, and "Speaking Peace" becomes one of the hardest things to do...

"Sewing" with Kaia (one of my favorite things to do)...

Celebrating birthdays...

And more birthdays...

And more birthdays (I turned 30!!).

It's been a great summer and I am excited for the pace to slow down. Hope to see you more often!

Hopefully Wednesday: Choosing

And again, I direct you to the opening quote found in the August 3rd post of this blog. Ann Voskamp of Holy Experience shares truths that I often immediately connect with and this is one of them.

Blessings to you on this brand new day.