life stories: the knight with green socks

the young knight with green socks was on a quest. his quest led him to this spot and this moment. he needed to find something, but what? he knew he needed to keep on the move, following and leading all at once.

soon the young knight found a place to sing with friends. he then found a place to sit and eat molasses cookies & yummy treats with his costumed classmates. after singing, eating, drinking, and dancing the knight had fulfilled his quest. he enjoyed each moment and was satisfied.

the young mother found herself dressed up as well, looking something between a man-ghost, newspaper boy & golfer with amazing socks. she was pleased looking at her feet, thankful for the steps of this day.

life stories: mindful change

i'm beginning to think that if we each spent 10 minutes (or more) a day in still, mindful meditation we'll change the world. that change will begin within each of us, and the possibilities are limitless... i'm not the first to think such thoughts, but i join in the belief system that exists.

as i remove myself from social media, as i quiet our home with no sounds other than those natural "home" sounds and the sounds from outside, as i breathe deeply & sit still, there's something that takes shape from within. there's an inner stillness & awareness that wakes up within me and speaks to the world, the universe around me. there's a loss of time and space and an new creation of presence.

each moment that i spend still, quiet, focused, mindful i find myself using fewer words. i find my comprehension & thoughts focusing and i am in love with the ability to speak well. i am in love with the ability to be centered and positive.

what has surprised me are those moments of recognition where sarcasm, once practiced, is not so present. i even read & hear sarcasm in others as complaint rather than humor. [friends, i'll still love you, but i may distance myself from some of those tweets or comments on facebook.] you likely won't know. i'll just bid you blessings and peace.

when another friend called this week and spoke of my status updates & desire to be at a table with me, to sit and be in a thoughtful, well-intentioned conversation, i was humbled. during our conversation, memories of what i read that day that weren't so thoughful or well-intentioned (says the inner critic) poured into my mind. my conversation with this beloved friend wasn't as focused or centered. my mouth opened with questions and concerns. i said OUT LOUD some of my gut's instincts over recent days. i'm not sure if it "felt" good to be unburdened and share these thoughts with this kindred spirit or not. there's no guilt or regret, just questions of why so much welled up within. what i do hope is that we have the same desires each time we speak to want to be with the other person at table, sharing a meal or coffee together. to know that when we are low, there are folks who can help us to retain our balance. to know that we can first sit in a quiet stillness, listening to the sounds of our breathing, acknowledging our own thoughts that come into play as we sit and breathe.

we have so much potential inside of us. we are full of infinite possibility. (says one of my mini mixed media) while i am not attempting to share fortune cookie-like comments, i do feel full of good things. i want to express those good thoughts & share my life story. if negative thoughts or emotions come, i don't ignore them, but send them on their way. there's no room, no space left for them.

as my loving husband told me last night, "your mind is on other things." and he's right on target: my mind is on other things. mindful, thoughtful, peaceful, loving things. still in recognition of illness, death, and sorrow. much of that is spoken of in conversations with family & friends & those in the bereavement support group. i am in tune with that reality as well. awareness is so much of what brings that mindfulness through the creative spirit. then i can create & pray. i can be mindful that life is good, even when it's not.

life stories: offering thanks

for morning light gracing the kitchen window, i give thanks.

for gardenias in october, i give thanks.

for pumpkins carried to be carved or painted, i give thanks.

for imagination and excitement over the fall leaves, i give thanks.

for hands touching the water after the rain, i give thanks.

for jumps, splashes, and giggles in the puddles, i give thanks.

for the feel of the earth and the art of fingers at play, i give thanks.

for the hands that hold mine, i give thanks.

and for the hands i hold, i give thanks.

my heart is full, thankful, and warm to the light. may the light that enters your kitchen window fill your home with good energy & warmth. may the light of sweet eyes, smiles, and hearts be given to you this day, offering a moment's peace and comfort during still moments that need that touch. peace, sister. peace, brother. peace.

inspiring spaces: mama-girl folk art

folk art is sometimes simple, sometimes grand, sometimes inspiring. Meet Mama-Girl. she was a featured artisan at the Richmond Folk Festival this year and i am hooked.

i love this white house & smaller paintings. folk art has a special place in my affections. mama girl has also created a small book using newsprint + collage + paint that tells her own story. i'm in awe. i'm also inspired to create something similar. i love this process!

a friendly bird says hello and wants to tell you a bit about life. what does she tell you?

my favorite work: creation. this is one (or like) i hope to have one day in my collection.

the artist's hands displaying her work. each piece is hand crafted from newspaper into paper mache' sculptures, freestanding and hanging works. she paints each with bright, straightforward colors.

each of her two white house and first family paintings sold. when i saw her at the folk festival, nearly everything had been purchased. i was tickled pink that she was vending across from me last week, where i could walk over and admire her work at length.
here the artist places two more watermelons on the most recent purchase, customizing her work on the spot. she is delightful and i hope that you look her work up sometime soon, and tell a friend! you can reach Mama-Girl at momma-girl [at] hotmail [dot] com.

life stories: seeking the creative balance

new routines have become a part of my daily rhythm. lessons come, but with time between to ingest. among my favorite new routines are those from days past, now picked up again. i've come to believe that to achieve balance, you must begin with your body. both what you do with your body and what you put into your body. using concentric circle imagery, these attitudes toward balance are stacked on another, flowing together in the pursuit of wholeness and peace:

be-ing. attention is given to how breath & presence through previous posts. so, so important. to be in my own skin. to be still and aware. breathing deeply brings so much awareness to my moments. the present moment is here and i am aware.

breath work + exercise. daily pilates and/or walking. when i didn't give myself enough time to exercise before heading out to set up for an art show last thursday, my energy & attention wasn't so hot. i exercised a little later in the day, but wasn't quite myself come the evening's bereavement support group. my body's rhythm was "off". learning, i built in more time on friday morning before dashing to the show. there's new rhythm to my body's workings: my attention, my appetite, and my energy. over the last 6 weeks, exercise has said: "i'm here to stay. you've made room, and there's no turning back." while i've said for years that i couldn't run/jog because i didn't know how to breathe. now i'm learning: deep breathing in meditation plays into the way i breathe in exercise. connections.

listening to my inner wisdom. do you have those moments where you're aware, so aware of a choice you should make, or a move you should pursue? then, for some reason you don't go with that wisdom. well, each time i find that i learn to trust my inner wisdom. each chance to listen is a deepening of understanding. hopefully i'll find more balance with wisdom's call.

attending to my 'gut instincts'. while i think i was once one to say exactly what i thought, to be with those who were most in tune with me, and to attend to my own needs, i'd lost some of that over time. i think we clergy can forget ourselves in the pursuit of caring for others. in this attempt to find wholeness, i've had to strip off some of the layers of caring what others think. i've needed to move into borrowing something of Empty Space Coaching's question: "does it love me?" while heather explores this question surrounding food, i'm exploring it around people and attitudes. does everything or everyone have to love me? no. should i expect to surround myself with only love? well, given the choice i would, but is it even possible? not everything or everyone will love me. but here's the trick: i only want to hold onto the images, people, and comments that do love me. the negative thoughts, critical comments that don't produce good energy or deepening thoughts or welcomed work within shouldn't hang around. nope, nada. gone. even those comments that i may have mis-understood and held onto are getting tossed or challenged. i'll just ask that person if that's what he/she meant (something i heard as negative or uncaring) and move on.

friends. i love surrounding myself with my friends, but as friendships change and i adapt to new rhythms, i'm learning that's OK. i have not been investing as much energy into calling, scheduling, & running around. there's need for balance in relationships, and i've been noticing when it's not present. i don't mind work, but a new way of working is in order. so i'm making efforts to balance energy-giving with energy-receiving relationships. we'll see where these go.

food. i'm eating good food, but only what i need. i'm not as hungry. i'm more disciplined in the types of foods i am eating, and in the timing in which i eat. my husband and i talk about the power of a good breakfast. wow! you mean what nutritionists say is true? maybe so.

by caring for myself, giving myself time for exercise, breakfast (i skipped this most of the time), sweeping the floor (yes, it's on the list), and all the projects between i'm feeling good. i'm feeling closer to wholeness, closer to my core self. it's a good feeling.

there's a search for balance and re-balance. a search for wholeness and peace. while each day brings promise, i am aware of life's challenges, too. many of my sweet friends & clergy friends say that my facebook/twitter comments are so upbeat and cheerful. we'll see how that goes through the gray days of winter. for now, these crisp fall days bring hope. i feel good and i want to share those good feelings and energy with others.

time for self, family, and art + spirit restores me to the core of me. i'm ready for those friends who just "drop by" and brighten my day. i'm ready with tea and baked bread (some days) and mostly, i'm ready for the good times ahead. i'm getting to know myself all over again. i just hope that as you know me, well, like anyone, i hope to be accepted and loved for who i am. i will be hopeful and upbeat all the while the same truth-teller and pastoral support that i am.

a new tree

A new tree that will be available (soon) online & during the upcoming shows as mixed media. This week marks the beginning of the holiday shows. Susannah of Zou Zou's Basement and I will be busy, busy combining these shows into our lives. We're grateful for the opportunity to share our wears & art with folks as we create what inspires us. In that spirit, I'll just share a little invite with you: come. Come and see. Come and feel. Come and share a story. AND if you cannot, visit my etsy shop or Susannah's shop for your holiday treats.

THIS WEEKEND!

The Steward School's SpartaFest & Bazaar

Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009 7 - 9 p.m. Ladies Night ($10; see web for details)

Friday, Oct. 16, 2009 10 a.m. - Noon; 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

St. Christopher's School Fall Festival

Friday, Oct. 16th 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Preview Party, adults only

Saturday, Oct. 17th 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

life stories: a birth to celebrate

my one-and-only-true-love (borrowed from a dear friend) has a birthday today. i celebrate his life: stories of the days before we met, sweet memories of courting & falling in love, and the days of young adulthood, fatherhood, and responsibility. we celebrate well. we celebrate together. and we'll celebrate surrounded by family at the richmond folk festival this year. we've attended every year and truly love what this time means for our family.

traditions are so relevant and creating rituals around birthdays and significant moments in our family gushes meaning & love. memories are made, along with pies and cakes.

we focus our attention as a family to this wonderful human being. may today bring moments of truth-telling, focused attention, and presence to you and yours.