A lotus grows in the mud...

A few years ago I listened to Goldie's Hawns audiobook, A Lotus Grows in the Mud. This story highlighted the good and bad parts of her life. She wrote her memoir to remind us that each of us goes through transitions and transformations and the important thing is that we acknowledge them and learn from them. The title came from a spiritual quote that a Nechung Oracle gave her. This is the quote.

The lotus is the most beautiful flower, whose petals open one by one. But it will only grow in the mud. In order to grow and gain wisdom, first you must have the mud --- the obstacles of life and its suffering. ... The mud speaks of the common ground that humans share, no matter what our stations in life. ... Whether we have it all or we have nothing, we are all faced with the same obstacles: sadness, loss, illness, dying and death. If we are to strive as human beings to gain more wisdom, more kindness and more compassion, we must have the intention to grow as a lotus and open each petal one by one".

I think this is beautiful and true. May we always remember what has brought us to now and be thankful to God for bringing us through it. I found these pretty earrings on Etsy that reminds me that the messy parts of life bring us to the most beautiful

Have a blessed weekend everyone!

I've got a question for you....

We ate at Zoe's kitchen last nite and I heard this awesome song playing on the radio and fell in love with it. I hit Shazaam on my Iphone and found out that it was the song "Question" by the Old 97's.

I like this song for a few different reasons....

1. I like the words

2. The beat just made me happy

3. I love how their voices sound!!

It reminded me of all the questions I have answered in life that have brought me to "now"

I've said yes to moving to NC. I've said yes to a job at Rankin. I've said yes to going on a date with Daniel. And I said yes to the question "Will you Marry Me?'

It's crazy to think that if I would have said no to any of those, I would not be sitting right here right now.

On that note....what have you said "yes" to that has brought you to now?

Listen to this sweet song and remember to scroll to the bottom of the my page to pause my media player.

Enjoy!

Home Sweet Home

My husband and I are in the process of selling our first home. We are praying daily that the right person will come along! We are also looking to build in a neighborhood right next to ours. Of course our minds go a mile a minute about what we want in our new home. One small request I put in was for a Bedroom Makeup Vanity. I had a brass vanity when I was in Middle School and High School and absolutely loved it! Although I am not a fan of brass anymore, I am still on the lookout for a contemporary style vanity. Here are a couple of pictures I have found that I am considering.

Vanity tables date back to the early 1900's. The vanity become a focal point in bedrooms of Hollywood movie sets.Because of this, maybe I need to be sure to add a little vintage tough to the vanity. Cute perfume bottle or powder shaker. I remember my granny had a vanity and would sit and do her makeup. She always put on so much blush. She liked it. My granny always reminded the ladies of the family that "Pretty is as Pretty Does" So true sweet Granny!

Anyways: Here's to the Vanity!

Take a Walk....

I reference Dr. Oz's book You on Diet frequently. It always reminds me of the value of walking. He believes that walking everyday is essential and is as important as daily sleep. How many of us would ever give up a night of sleep. Yeah right! Setting a goal of 30 minutes a day will give your body just that amount of exercise it needs.

I started a little walking plan with a friend and I am hoping it can become a habit in my life. It always helps to have someone right beside you, pushing you to keep going.

Here are some small steps to help stick to your BIG goals....

1. Make a reasonable/doable goal

2. Get in your face-- write yourself notes to remind you to work hard!

3. Seek out positive people

4. Aim for "No Slips" for 4 weeks. This will help establish a pattern.

Below is my FAVORITE SONG to run and walk to. The beat is perfect!

What is it? Where does it come from? Most importantly, How do we KEEP it?

I have no problem getting motivated. Staying that way is the struggle. For instance, let's consider getting healthy. For me, I will work so hard for 2-3 weeks and then bam... something happens and motivation goes on vacation!

According to Lifehack.com it is important to make the motivation processfun!

A simple approach is to start working on any task from asking yourself a few questions:

• How can I enjoy this task?
• What can I do to make this task fun for myself and possibly for others?
• How can I make this work the best part of my day?

This theory seems reasonable. Worth Trying. Here is a little motivation tip for you that has worked well for me!

TRUST YOUR CRAZY IDEAS

Happy Monday.

Here I am to Worship

I love my church. Every Sunday I walk away wanting to be a better person. This past Sunday our sermon was on 1 John 3. The message was about putting your words into action and serving the Lord with all that you are. Finding ways to spread God's love it what HE expects of His world. During the week I enjoy my quiet time. Sometimes I read my Bible, other times I will do a devotion, or listen to Chip Ingram speak. Worship and Serving doesn't end on Sundays. Worship is a part of our everyday living. I saw this picture below and it reminded me of all the ways we can serve and worship our Good GOD! How do you worship?

WAYS To WORSHIP and SERVE God:

1. Pray aloud with my husband

2. Read great books like: Living on the Edge- By Chip Ingram

2. Listen to 106.9 and KLOVE while getting ready (very uplifting way to start the day)

3. Light a candle while doing the dishes and thanking God for all his blessings

4. Through showing kindness to others.

5. Singing great songs.

Have a blessed day!

Nest Pillow Remake!

My super-cool-crafty aunt has created something beautiful. We both fell in love with the "Nest" pillow that pottery barn has right now, we just didn't like the price when we turned the tag around. She decided she was going to make her own nest pillow and it turned out better than Pottery Barn. You must see this! She is making me one for Easter and I already have the perfect spot for them!

Thank you to my Aunt for her Creative and Inspiring Mind!

I dare you to make your own!

Thank you to my Aunt for her Creative and Inspiring Mind!

All You Need is Love

Discovery of a New Artist: Beth Rowley

I love finding new artists. This girl is incredible. I knew as soon as I heard the song "So Sublime" I needed her album!

It really is a wonderful life.....

I watch this movie every year. Take time to think about all of the wonderful things that this year has brought!

Imogen Heap is Uhhh-Mazing

Where will you be 5 years from now....???

Where will you be FIVE years from today?

My friend Emily recently told me about this book. It is on my Christmas list and can't wait to start reading it!

5 years seems so far away, but really it's not long at all. Check it out and Be Inspired...I was!

100 ideas

a work in progress. 1. Go for a walk. Draw or list things you find on the the sidewalk. 2. Write a letter to yourself in the future. 3. Buy something inexpensive as a symbol for your need to create, (new pen, a tea cup, journal). Use it everyday. 4. Draw your dinner. 5. Find a piece of poetry you respond to. Rewrite it and glue it into your journal. 6. Glue an envelope into your journal. For one week collect items you find on the street. 7. Expose yourself to a new artist, (go to a gallery, or in a book.) Write about what moves you about it. 8. Find a photo of a person you do not know. Write a brief bio about them. 9. Spend a day drawing only red things. 10. Draw your bike. 11. Make a list of everything you buy in the next week. 12. Make a map of everywhere you went in one day. 13. Draw a map of the creases on your hand, (knuckles, palm) 14. Trace your footsteps with chalk. 15. Record an overheard conversation. 16. Trace the path of the moon in relation to where you live. 17. Go to a paint store. Collect 'chips' of all your favorite colors. 18. Draw your favorite tree. 19. Take 15 minutes to eat an orange. 20. Write a haiku. 21. Hang upside down for five minutes. 22. Hang found objects from tree branches. 23. Make a puppet. 24. Create an outdoor room from things you find in nature. 25. Read a book in one day. 26. Illustrate your grocery list. 27. Read a story out loud to a friend. 28. Write a letter to someone you admire. 29. Study the face of someone you do not like. 30. Make a meal based on a color theme. (i.e. all white). 31. Creat a museum of very small things. 32. List the smells in your neighborhood. 33. List 100 uses for a tin can. 34. Fill an entire page in your jounral with small circles. Color them in. 35. Give away something you love. 36. Choose an object, draw the side you can't see. 37. List all of the places you've ever lived. 38. Describe your favourite room in detail. 39. Write about your relationship with your washing machine. 40. Draw all of the things in your purse/bag. 41. Make a mini book based on the theme, "my grocery list". 42. Create a character based on someone you know. Write a list of personality traits. 43. Recall your favorite childhood game. 44. Put postcards of art pieces/painting on the inside of your kitchen cupboard doors, so you can see them everyday (but not become deaf to them.) 45. Draw the same object every day for a week. 46. Write in your journal using a different medium (brush & ink, charcoal, old typewriter, crayons, fat markers. 47. Draw the individual items of your favorite outfit. 48. Make a useful item using only paper & tape. 49. Research a celebration or ritual from another culture. 50. Do a temporary art installation using a pad of post it notes & a pen. 51. Draw a map of your favorite sitting spots in your town/city. (photocopy it and give it to someone you like.) 52. Record all of the sounds you hear in the course of one hours. 53. Using a grid, collect various textures from magazine and play them off of each other. 54. Cut out all media for one day. Write about the effects. 55. Make pencil rubbings of six different surfaces. 56. Draw your garbage. 57. Do a morning collage. 58. List your ten most important things, (not including animals or people.) 59. List ten things you would like to do every day. 60. Glue a photo of yourself as a child into your journal. 61. Trasform some garbage. 62. Write an entry in your journal in really LARGE letters. 63. Collect some 'flat' things in nature (leaves, flowers). Glue or tape them into your journal. 64. Physically alter a page. (i.e. cut a hole, pour tea on it, burn it, fold it, etc.) 65. Find several color combinations you respond to in public. Document them using swatches, write where you found them. 66. Write a journal entry describing something "secret". Cut it up into several pieces and glue them back in scrambled. 67. Record descriptions or definitions of subjects or words you are interested in, found in encyclopedias or dictionaries. 68. Draw the outline of an object without looking at the page. (contour drawing). 69. What were you thinking just now? write it down. 70. Do nothing. 71. Write a list of ten things you could to do. Do the last thing on the list. 72. Create an image using dots. 73. Do 3 drawings at different speeds. 74. Put a small object in your left pocket (or in a bag), Put your left hand in the pocket. Draw it by feel. 75. Create a graph documenting or measuring something in your life. 76. Draw thesun. 77. Create instructions for a simple everyday task. 78. Make prints using food. (fruit and vegetables cut in half, fish, etc.) 79. Find a photo. Alter it by drawing over it. 80. Write a letter using an unconventional medium. 81. Draw one object for twenty minutes. 82. Combine two activities that have not been combined before. 83. Write about your day in an encyclopedic fashion. (i.e. organize by subject.) 84. Write a list of all the things you do to escape. 85. Cut a random shape out of several layers of a magazine. Make a collage out of the results. 86. Write an entry in code. 87. Make a painting using tools from the bathroom. 88. Work with a medium that is subtractive. 89. Write about or draw some of the doors in your life. 90. Make a postcard that has some kind of activity on it. 91. Divise a journal entry using "layers". 92. Divise an entry using "layers". 93. Write your own definition of one of the following concepts, sitting, waiting, sleeping (without using the actual word.) 94. List 10 of your habits. 95. Illustrate the concept of "simplicity". 100 ideas pdf

Growing Up.....

Growing Up from Jr.canest on Vimeo.

Chip Ingram

I wanted to post a short blogget about one of my favorite Christian radio speakers. His name is Chip Ingram and I have truly been blessed by his ministry. Each day you can listen to a 30 minute podcast that downloads through I-Tunes at no cost. He speaks to me every time. I love listening to him early in the morning. You can check him out at www.lote.org. Hope you are blessed, just as I have been!

Love to all!