When I was a kid, I loved double dutch jump rope. I remember being fairly decent at it too. But I was reminded of this playground game today on the way to take the kids to school. Emily was driving and my mind was wandering a little. I was thinking about how I need to be eating a little healthier and had already decided that after our show tomorrow, I would start walking or going to the gym more regularly (like more than one time a week)....not the day after the show, mind you...but,on MONDAY.
This is the way my life tends to go. I will wait until the perfect circumstances are in place, and then I will do whatever it is that needs to be done. This is a lie. There are no perfect circumstances. Monday comes and too often goes without real committed starting of anything. Something comes up and throws a wrench in the mix. A kid is sick. An errand needs to be done. My eyebrows need waxing. My gray hair is showing. It's that time of the month. I need to do the dishes or the laundry or check Facebook. Whatever it is, it messes up my perfect circumstances and time keeps on marching by...without me reaching any of my goals.
In double dutch, two girls twirl the jump ropes in opposite directions and you wait for the just the right time to jump in. You wait just long enough to seem cool, but if you wait too long, the people in line behind you get annoyed or the bell rings and your fun never even begins. Sometimes you get to jump a long time. Sometimes your foot hits the rope and your turn is over. Either way you did your best, you got to jump and it was AWESOME!! AND, you got to go back to the end of the line and wait to take another turn. No matter how your jump went, you got to take another turn!!
Starting today, I will not wait for the perfect circumstances. I will stop being so hard on myself. I don't want to miss anything and I don't want to reach another season with the realization that the perfect "Monday" never rolled around. I am getting back in line to take another turn. I won't wait. I will just jump in and do whatever my very best is every day. Even if it isn't perfect.
Wanna jump with me?
Friday, March 30, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Happy Accidents
One Sunday afternoon, way back in September, the kids and I were on our way back to Carlisle after meeting a friend in Shippensburg. Before our outing Jode handed me some sort of lottery ticket and asked me to cash it in while we were out. He explained how the guy at the gas station messed up an order and asked if he wanted to buy it. He said sure and spent the 2 bucks. So we stopped to claim our $12 winning ticket only to find that it was really worth $100. Awesome!
We decided to take a back road and stumbled upon this great little farm with a small market stand. I had been wanting some pumpkins and corn shocks for my fall decorating so naturally, we stopped. The farmer was super nice. We bought all sorts of gourds and elements to dress our home up for fall.
One of those elements was this bale of hay.
That bale of hay stayed through Halloween, and Thanksgiving, and I even used it at Christmas to prop something up. I have been meaning to throw it out but it is H-E-A-V-Y and bulk trash only comes once a month. When that particular Monday rolls around I usually forget about the hay. Jode has even asked me if I wanted him to put it out there and I have said no, just leave it for now. It has been a hassle for me and when I think about it, I don't want to deal with it so I ignore that it is there.
But the weather is nicer, and we are using our front door more and more instead of going through the garage. I like order in my life and that means that I want things put away where they belong. I have been scolding myself for not throwing it away. I have been upset with myself for not remembering it when bulk trash rolls around.
And then I saw something on Pinterest! Someone was actually using hay to garden in!! For reals!! What?!? One of the things I am looking forward to the most when we retire is having our own yard and a BIG GARDEN!!! Living on post in the military life has its perks, but gardening is not one of them. Not the way I want to garden. We have container gardens and plant a few things here and there, but it is not our yard and we don't want to invest money on something that just isn't worth it. I grew up with gardeners and love being outside and digging in the dirt. I dream of creating gardens with my family. I pin things that inspire me and things I want to remember. (seriously, if you don't know what I am talking about, you need to check out pinterest.com! It is life changing!)
ANYWAY...I thought, "I sure am glad I hung onto that bale of hay!" because when I am ready to start planting some things I might try that. And I quit beating myself up about it. Guess what?!? It started itself for me. I dropped that bale of hay right on the ground where I planted some spring bulbs a few years back, never imagining it would be there in the spring. Happy Accident!
I can't wait to see what blooms...tulips, daffodils, hyacinths! I really am thrilled!!
I believe we are all artists. There is something within us that craves creation. We were made to create. We cook or sew or garden or paint or decorate or sing or write or whatever we do, because we have to. My Mia sings constantly, sometimes I think without even realizing it, because she has to. My Emily bakes beautiful things because sometimes she just has to. There is art in the way Garrison plays, almost a choreography. Ace is our youngest and the only one of our kids who has written and colored on the walls. He cuts and glues and glitters and paints because he has to. I feel that way sometimes when I just have to cook up some fabulous southern lovin for my people.
We express ourselves by creating. And when we create, we may plan things out. Our creations may turn out like our original vision, but so much of the time we change the plan right in the middle. We throw out the recipe and in the zone, feel our way through. We embrace our "mistakes" and change them into a wonderful element. It is through these happy accidents that we are blessed. And through these, we can be sure that the original Creator is smiling at us.
Go make something amazing...and enjoy every step of the journey!
We decided to take a back road and stumbled upon this great little farm with a small market stand. I had been wanting some pumpkins and corn shocks for my fall decorating so naturally, we stopped. The farmer was super nice. We bought all sorts of gourds and elements to dress our home up for fall.
One of those elements was this bale of hay.
That bale of hay stayed through Halloween, and Thanksgiving, and I even used it at Christmas to prop something up. I have been meaning to throw it out but it is H-E-A-V-Y and bulk trash only comes once a month. When that particular Monday rolls around I usually forget about the hay. Jode has even asked me if I wanted him to put it out there and I have said no, just leave it for now. It has been a hassle for me and when I think about it, I don't want to deal with it so I ignore that it is there.
But the weather is nicer, and we are using our front door more and more instead of going through the garage. I like order in my life and that means that I want things put away where they belong. I have been scolding myself for not throwing it away. I have been upset with myself for not remembering it when bulk trash rolls around.
And then I saw something on Pinterest! Someone was actually using hay to garden in!! For reals!! What?!? One of the things I am looking forward to the most when we retire is having our own yard and a BIG GARDEN!!! Living on post in the military life has its perks, but gardening is not one of them. Not the way I want to garden. We have container gardens and plant a few things here and there, but it is not our yard and we don't want to invest money on something that just isn't worth it. I grew up with gardeners and love being outside and digging in the dirt. I dream of creating gardens with my family. I pin things that inspire me and things I want to remember. (seriously, if you don't know what I am talking about, you need to check out pinterest.com! It is life changing!)
ANYWAY...I thought, "I sure am glad I hung onto that bale of hay!" because when I am ready to start planting some things I might try that. And I quit beating myself up about it. Guess what?!? It started itself for me. I dropped that bale of hay right on the ground where I planted some spring bulbs a few years back, never imagining it would be there in the spring. Happy Accident!
I can't wait to see what blooms...tulips, daffodils, hyacinths! I really am thrilled!!
I believe we are all artists. There is something within us that craves creation. We were made to create. We cook or sew or garden or paint or decorate or sing or write or whatever we do, because we have to. My Mia sings constantly, sometimes I think without even realizing it, because she has to. My Emily bakes beautiful things because sometimes she just has to. There is art in the way Garrison plays, almost a choreography. Ace is our youngest and the only one of our kids who has written and colored on the walls. He cuts and glues and glitters and paints because he has to. I feel that way sometimes when I just have to cook up some fabulous southern lovin for my people.
We express ourselves by creating. And when we create, we may plan things out. Our creations may turn out like our original vision, but so much of the time we change the plan right in the middle. We throw out the recipe and in the zone, feel our way through. We embrace our "mistakes" and change them into a wonderful element. It is through these happy accidents that we are blessed. And through these, we can be sure that the original Creator is smiling at us.
Go make something amazing...and enjoy every step of the journey!
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Small Beginnings
Hi! So this is my first post ever! I am honored and humbled that you have taken the time to stop by our blog and read it!
I feel like I felt when I finally gave birth after carrying each of these precious children for 9 months. You get everything in order, plan, prepare, and then finally you deliver and life as you knew it changes. And, yes, all for the better! I have been "carrying" Gypsy Heartstrings Studio for several months now, getting everything in order, planning, preparing...and now I get to share it with you!
Would you like to see the "nursery"? It is my studio. Where I do some of my work, most of my journaling, and draw a lot of inspiration. You see, I have a very dear friend who reminds me that things don't have to be perfect and big and fabulous in the beginning. She shared Zechariah 4:10 with me. It says "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin...” I took that to heart as I prepared my creative space. Guess where it is? My laundry room! And I love it~
I feel like I felt when I finally gave birth after carrying each of these precious children for 9 months. You get everything in order, plan, prepare, and then finally you deliver and life as you knew it changes. And, yes, all for the better! I have been "carrying" Gypsy Heartstrings Studio for several months now, getting everything in order, planning, preparing...and now I get to share it with you!
Would you like to see the "nursery"? It is my studio. Where I do some of my work, most of my journaling, and draw a lot of inspiration. You see, I have a very dear friend who reminds me that things don't have to be perfect and big and fabulous in the beginning. She shared Zechariah 4:10 with me. It says "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin...” I took that to heart as I prepared my creative space. Guess where it is? My laundry room! And I love it~
This is the way I usually sit in here. With the lamp on and the sunshine only. It's not that dark and I like the coziness, but I will turn the light on for you.
Is that better? My kids pull stools or chairs in here sometimes and hang out with me. We usually listen to the Beatles or Adele or Sam Cooke or whatever we feel like. It's Amy Winehouse right now.
I made this sign for me and to take to shows. I love it! It is from the back side of a drawer and is so me. Do you like it?
I have it propped up on my purple chandelier sconce.
Journals.
Inspiration.
Supply box of paints and such.
Thanks for visiting! I love having you here!
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