Be yourself

I like this quote. It is so true. So often we try to be like someone else, wanting their talents, their skills, their gifts. In doing that we neglect the skills, talents, and gifts that we have been blessed with. Instead we should celebrate who we are and endeavour to be the best we can be.

There is only one you.

Be the best one you can be instead of a hollow imitation of someone else.

F is for Fitness

An A to Z of Me has reached F for fitness.

Fitness is important to me. I make sure to have five sessions of at least half an hour a week where I use a mixture of weights, trampolining, and strength training. Added to that I walk, garden, and do housework :) If I miss a session I feel it and miss it.

I also feel that keeping my mind fit is important. What is the point of a fit body if my mind is atrophying? I read a lot, discuss, and teach to keep my mind fit.

But more than this I need a fit heart. Not just in the physical sense but spiritually as well. What comes out of the mouth flows from the heart, so if my heart is right then how I interact with the people around me will be healthy.

E is for Emotions

We've reached E in the An A to Z of Me challenge. E is for emotions.

Well, I have some of those :)

I find it easy to laugh and easy to cry.

Sometimes I get angry.

Sometimes I feel overwhelmingly sad.

Or homesick.

Or confused.

Through it all I endeavour to not let my emotions rule me.

Sometimes I fail.

But not quite so often as I used to.

D is for Decisions

D is for Decisions.

Prompt: How do you make decisions?  Are you ruled by your head or your heart?  Do you have trusted people you can go to for advice?  Do you take  any notice of them?

Some decisions are easy to make and don't require much thought or effort - what will I have for lunch? What should I wear today? For those that are trickier, or will have a more lasting effect, I pray. And ask trusted others. I make a decision and then sleep on it. I have found that I will then either wake up feeling peaceful, having made the right choice, or I will feel very uneasy and know that further prayer and probably a change in my decision are needed. 

I find that making a decision - whether it's right or wrong - is the important step. Decide and then sleep on it rather than dithering and making no decision at all. 

The quote, in case you can't read it, is: Never cut a tree down in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst moods. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass. The spring will come.    Robert H. Schuller

Linking with An A to Z of Me.

C is for Creative

We're up to C on An A to Z of Me. C is for creative. 

I have no problem with understanding that I am creative. I am made in the image of God and He is the Creator of all. Therefore I must be creative :)

And so are you. However that takes its form - cooking, sewing, being able to put a good outfit together, keeping a tidy house, being able to cast a story, being able to explain a concept to someone else in an understandable way. All these are creative things. 

And I am created for a reason. I am not a mistake or a random birth. I am deliberately chosen for a purpose. 

Have you found yours?

And on Artists in Blogland there is a new monthly challenge going on: Colour This Quote. 

I have to admit that the only quilting I have done has been with squares. I dyed and patterned the fabric myself but didn't go in for any of the fancy piecing that I so admire in others' work. I'm sure these patterns I've used in paper have special names but I don't know them. 

Have fun seeing what everyone else has done over at An A to Z of Me and Artists in Blogland by clicking the links above.

Look to the heavens

Sometimes I just love to gaze at the sky. The vastness of it. The wonders of the changing cloud formations (in those seasons where we have clouds). The beautiful sunsets that paint the sky in riotous colours. The changing phases of the moon. The sheer number of stars - I am so blessed to be able to travel not too far out of the city and see the Milky Way.

And I am reminded of Psalm 8:3-4

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? 

 It makes me feel very small.

And very loved.

B is for Believe

An A to Z of Me prompts for today:

B is for believe. What do you believe in? What do you put your confidence in?

When I start to look at what I believe, my mind is immediately taken to the Nicene Creed. I believe in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He is the one in whom I have confidence. I can trust what He says and because He strengthens me, I can do what He asks. Even when I don't have confidence in myself.

This faith has taken me through many things that I wouldn't have been able to do or face in my own strength.

An A to Z of Me - A is for Adventure

A new challenge! I found the 'An A to Z of Me' challenge via Valerie Sjodin's blog. It sounds like fun and I shall endeavour to post every day through February following the alphabetic prompts.

Today - A is for Adventure

I'm not really an adventurous person. I'm happy at home looking after my family and pottering about in my little studio. Having said that, God has taken me on several adventures including moving to the other side of the world! I know that some people see adventure as something big and exciting - it has to be a world trip or a dangerous sport. For me it can be an adventure just walking around the garden. There is so much for me to learn if only I will listen. There are so many wonders if only I will see. There is so much fun to be had if I will take a risk. 

I see my whole life as an adventure - the adventure of marriage, of motherhood, of faith. 

What's your 'ordinary' adventure?

Digital journalling

I've been playing with Photoshop, learning from Digital Art Wonderland by Angi Sullins and Silas Toball. It's a great book - even tech-unsavvy people like me can understand it :)

This is made of about 12 layers. The background bubblewrap prints are from some actual papers I patterned and then photographed.

I was learning how to do shadows on images and it set me thinking. If we stand in the light we're going to throw a shadow. The closer we are to the light the bigger the shadow we cast. So we have to think about what sort of shadow we want to cause - one that gives protection or one that blocks the light from someone else?

Wet

I love the joy in this picture. The concentration on the child's face. He is completely absorbed in having fun. 

How do you feel about rain? Is it something that ruins your plans? Catches you unawares and soaks you through? Wets all that washing that was almost dry? Runs down the back of your neck?

Or is it a chance to jump in puddles?