a beautiful, beautiful story of nature and spirituality.

so thankful today to jim for sharing this.  thank you, jim!

colors of my day: 3.16.2012.

kitchen suds. washing the dishes. a spirital act.

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soccer play. 

red sandals. 

kindness mission no. 2. 

green goodness.

life stories: bread making + rest

with my retro sunglasses on and a spring in my step, i moved through the between spaces of retreat with my sweet boy. between sharing the spirituality of bread making and baking bread for communion among these generous folks, my sweet boy and i played a bit.

i admired the landscape in it's monotone story, noting the trees, the snow, and the mountains.

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i admired my boy and his determined steps. playing on the playground in the snow in his new red boots. he's a cool one, my boy.

i played with this whole "self portrait" phase of mine while on the playground. i feel a bit like a mother bee in these sunglasses, one of my favorite shades of green. they'll do.

and my boy knows about pictures of feet. we were standing together and i couldn't resist. he became playful, placing his toes over mine. i dig it.

time in the mountains at Montreat was sacred. each experience of teaching one another through sacred practices was felt: both outwardly and within. i am amazed that even hours after leading, folks were emailing and commenting in person about how much the spirituality of bread making spoke to them and about how i spoke to them. i am so pleased to be living my call to create in these ways. i love, love the life i'm leading.

now to just get ahold of those pesky pieces of really building my own practices of saving for retirement, filling in the gaps that ministry in a structured organization "might" provide, and continue spreading the good word that i am looking for more opportunities to share (retreats, workshops, small group facilitation in the studio and on traveling). thankful to live fully, one step at a time.

the spirituality of bread making

bread making is a sacred task. you use ingredients from the spaces & soil of the earth to create something that fills your body with what it needs. you adjust to your body's needs as well: wheat, wheat-free, dairy-free, whole grain...

you use your hands and you find yourself willing to devote a small amount of time to the task. making your own bread brings a sense of warmth, smells of divine baking, and happy, happy friends & family. besides that, you're making your own bread.

you can use the time to make, bake, and share bread as a spiritual practice. i'll be sharing more on the spirituality of baking bread, but wanted to give you something to think about as i lead workshops on this topic over the next two days.

where does your daily bread come from? are you creating your bread: what you need for your daily growth in mind + body + spirit? if your soul is thirsty, are you spending time trying to give yourself the water to drink? if you crave something more, know something more is within you, are you giving the space for the creativity within to grow?

making bread is about a pursuit of presence in daily living. it's about taking something simple and seeing it's simple. knowing that you can, you can make your own bread. you can feed your soul. you can use your wisdom. you can.

if you're saying YES! to making bread, here's a place to start: Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day.

life stories: sacred spaces

the studio was blessed this week by the work of some amazing women. i'm thrilled the first creativity circle was such a good mix of creatives and such a meaningful experience. we'll enjoy the future together, certainly.

after the creativity circle, i swept. with the sun streaming on my sunny shoes, i had to capture the image of this creative act.

and the story of sweeping the day before. i do love the spirituality of sweeping, which was preached in sermon on sunday. i am pleased the topic of the sacred in the mundane resonated with so many. i'm glad there were many who said they would start the week in this way, too.

the space is looking so good. here's the table i found at class & trash (love the place!). i'll go back to see if i can get another table, as we need more room for any others to join the group. perfect for 6, but we need more table space for sure.

and another creative act shared here and on calledtocreate. a little gallery of my wears. not all are presented at once, but the gallery shop gives me a space to see what i do. i'll rotate for variety + to keep items from sun damage. for the space is bright and wonderful!

hello, autumn

happy equinox! enjoy these images just as i do of falls gone by. each has a story of our family traveling in the mountains or around our block to behold the goodness that fall brings. the

crispness in the air, of tree silhouettes.

i look forward to using the fresh apples presented to me yesterday, a true taste of what's to come when we go and pick from the tree. i look forward to lots of running and walking on this good earth. i especially look forward to the new colors and changes within our daily steps as we create new paths, new rhythms as a family.

hello, autumn. welcome.

in the studio: works in process

aah. printing a freshly completed block print.

a prayer for a fertile land. ©suzanne l. vinson, 2010.

canvases in three sizes in process. each contain a layer of acrylic paints.

atop that vintage laces & one with layered ink drawings. more to come...

two more canvases containing the base layer of acrylic paints and an additional layer of vintage lace. the lace adds such a lovely element. i could stop here and enjoy these, but they are on a journey. more to come...

on the spirituality of sweeping: a new broom

it seems last week was the week of quilts and this is the week of life stories, both of which include toes. i love feet so: where they take us, how they help us to find our balance. a daily rhythm to finding my balance involves sweeping. i like to walk barefoot on clean floors. i like the look of the wood in it's natural state (trees are better, mind you). There's something peaceful for me to have clean floors.

the very act of sweeping is a practice in spirituality and mindfulness. i am completely aware of what is beneath my feet, what we bring into the house on our boots and shoes, and how we've lived in the moments before. there may be bread crumbs from a fresh loaf that we've torn with our hands at table. there may be bits of playmobil knight's gear strewn across the floor. there may be bits of play dough or a few loose crayons.

the moments that i sweep i give thanks for what is at my feet:

for the house we live.

for the home we create.

for the love we share.

for the creativity that takes place

through our bodies, words, and dust.

for the love of our lives & the gift of food.

for all this and more, i give thanks.

the good, fresh start that sweeping provides. the instant gratification in delighting in a clean floor. i'm learning from the new broom purchased yesterday. it's bristles are different from the broom we've used for years and years. the broom whose handle falls off at least once a week, who is used outside on the walk and inside on the floors. this broom will become a porch and sidewalk broom while the new one is guided by my hands indoors. each stroke an act of gratitude. each movement a prayer of thanksgiving.

this new broom will teach me in the days ahead, as its very feel is new. as i reflected on FB this morning:

On the spirituality of sweeping: a new broom is like a new way of prayer, holding it in your hands & experiencing something previously unknown. With time in consistent practice, a new comfort & understanding can spring forth.