doodles . . . journals . . . books . . .

I have written in a journal for years.  I started using a journal just to let everything out.  I was going through some tough times and someone suggested that it would help . . . it did.  There were times that I was amazed at how much better I felt after writing everything down.  Years later I burned all those journals.  There were things in them I didn't want anyone else to read and there were a lot of things I worked hard to let go of . . . I never wanted to read them again myself.  It actually felt great watching them grow up in smoke.  :)
I still journal . . . almost every day.  I have a personal journal, an art journal, a prayer journal . . . and various notebooks that I jot ideas down in.  Somehow it just feels right to write it all down.
I decided to use this post to list a few journal prompts that I was thinking about today.

1.  Good Things Today - just make a list . . . 

2.  What do you want your children and/or grandchildren to remember about you.

3.  What do you like most about yourself and why?  (Go for it . . . list more than one.)

4.  Write a letter to your younger self.

5.  Write about three things from your childhood that helped make you who you are.

6.  Write about three things in your life that changed you.

7.  Change . . . how do you deal with change?

GOOD THINGS TODAY . . .
a big hug and a sticky strawberry kiss from Avery Rose.  :)
Lily coming into the office today just to give me a hug
reading
talking to my Aunt Hess
watching "Bull Durham" . . .  (best baseball movie ever)
hot mint tea
folding paper cranes
dinner ready when I got home
candles and incense

"It's never too late for a new
beginning in your life."
~ Joyce Meyers

choose joy . . .

 Be joyful in hope. 

Be patient in trouble.

Be faithful in prayer.

I have been fighting something off the last few days. 

That turned into a cozy weekend at home . . . a lot of reading, a little painting in my art journal, 

and just taking time to take care of myself.  

This can be a tough time of year for me.  It doesn't help when I'm not feeling well,

but I had a reminder this morning . . . . CHOOSE JOY!

So today I will be looking for joy in the ordinary.

Have a wonderful day!

God's timing . . .

My son Luke . . . 

Sitting here looking at this picture of him I don't even know where to start and have been going back and forth on how to share this photo.  I mentioned in an earlier post that the end of last year brought some changes.  One of those changes was my son going into rehab. 
Obviously this is very personal . . . but feeling like I want to share it. 
There are of course a lot of negative perceptions commonly associated with substance abuse and addiction.  But what about when the addict is someone you love?  What about when the addict is your child?  What about when you can see past the addiction and see the hurt and pain and it nearly kills you because you can't help? 
I have spent years trying to figure out why this happened to him.  He really was not an "at risk" kid.  I have been through guilt and embarrassment.  We tried tough love . . . We enabled him (I can be very good at that.)  I have tried to figure out where love and support ends and enabling begins.  I think anyone who has been in this situation wishes they could figure that one out. 
The last few years . . . he was trying.  I could see that he was trying, but I could also see that what he was doing wasn't going to work for the long haul.  I do believe he could see that also . . . but hadn't really faced it.  Last summer he told us he was going into a rehab.  They recommended he stay 30 days . . . he told them he wanted to do 90.  He ended up staying for 60.
He is 7 months clean and sober.  I wish I could say it was easy . . . for him . . .  and for me.  There is a reason they say . . . "One day at a time." 
I will never give up hope . . . and then there is this feeling of being afraid to get my hopes up. 
What gets him through?   Prayer and surrendering his life to God.  Does he struggle?  Yes.  Is he fighting?  Yes.  Do I worry?  Yes.  Am I learning to turn it over to God?  Yes.


So about this photo . . .
Luke has always wanted to perform his music in front of people, but never was able to get the courage up to do it.  This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago at the church he attends.  He also was a part of the worship team at another church this past week where he attends Celebrate Recovery.  I thank God every day for his recovery.  I also turn my son and his journey over to God every day.  It is his journey . . . but oh what it has taught me. 

"I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart.  
And the peace I five is a gift the world cannot give.
So don't be troubled or afraid."     ~ John 14:27

painting with Charlotte . . .

"Creativity is contagious, pass it on."

~ Albert Einstein

I spent more time playing with Charlotte this weekend than I did creating, but time spent with my granddaughters is time well spent.  When I did sit down to paint . . . she had to paint also.

Then she told me she wanted to be an artist when she grew up . . . painted and drew 5 quick pictures, put prices on them ranging from $10 - $100, hung them in her room -  which she told me was her art gallery and told me I needed to buy one from her.  This little girl always has a plan.

taking care of myself . . .

I am not sure how any of these are going to turn out.  I guess it doesn't really matter . . . 

The important thing is that I started and had some fun! 

My mind is currently busy with . . . 

. . . journal ideas

. . . doll ideas

. . . wondering who my new boss will be next year.  

(I have worked with my current principal for over 20 years.  

We find out tomorrow who will be replacing him.)

. . . poems . . . and scriptures . . . and story ideas . . .
. . . and all the things my mind is full of when I am busy being me.

Create a life you love!

Be Amazing . . . .

I did what I told myself I wasn't going to do this weekend . . . spent a good part of Saturday cleaning.  My intentions were to make something, read, and relax.  I got frustrated because I couldn't find something . . . which turned into organizing my supplies and cleaning the whole house.  

I have to admit though . . . it is much easier for me to do the relaxing part

when things are in order . . . that's just the way I'm wired.  

So with that done . . . I spent some time painting and writing . . . and reading. 

I had Lily spend the night.  That involved staying up late, watching movies, having popcorn and root beer, playing with slime (her not me) . . . and face painting.  

I have so much going on with me these days . . . some good and some not so good,

but I believe it is all moving towards something amazing  - if that makes sense.  

This blog has always been a good place for me to be me and I go back and forth about sharing some of what I am going through and think that eventually I will.  I have no problem throwing my life out there for everyone to see, but for now and as I work through some things . . . 

I will spare you all the details.  LOL

Life is a gift - Each day God gives us is a gift . . . so find some JOY in today!  

No matter how serious life gets, 

you still gotta have that one person 

you can be completely stupid with. 

journal prompts . . .

 I started using these wonderful little scraps that I cut out with quotes, sayings, and ideas on them for prompts in my journal.  It's a fun way to pick something to write about.  Sometimes I find one that seems to fit my mood . . . other times I glue them in a few pages apart . . . and when I get to that page that is what I use to write about that day.  I usually try to keep them positive . . . but I also can't resist something like the one with the picture of Wednesday Addams.  :)

Happy Friday!

Happy Weekend!

Happy New Year!

The past couple of years I have chosen a word for my year.  Sort of way to get me thinking and keep me motivated in areas that I think I need take care of.

In 2017 I chose the word FAITH . . . oh how it was tested and how I grew in my faith.

Last year I chose the word CHANGE . . . with some specific things in mind.  About half way through the year I felt like I had let myself down and was not making the changes that I so wanted to and needed to make.  Life has a funny way of working out . . . and the last part of the year was filled with so many changes that started me on a journey the has changed the course of my life.

Some day I need to go into more details about that.

So this year - 2019.  

I have decided to not be quite so serious (Life is serious enough without making it more so.)  

So I have chosen the word CREATE.  

I need to create more . . . I need to get back to this blog . . . 

and I need to use creating as part of my journey.  

So this year I will write . . . and sew . . . and stitch . . . and paint . . . and take pictures . . . and doodle.

Along with that . . . I will find joy in the small stuff.

I will play and be silly.

I will LET GO AND LET GOD!

I will be messy.

I will PRAY - and enjoy this life that God has given me.

Happy New Year!