Thankful30 || Day Three: Ideas

The third thing I am thankful for is ideas. I love it when I read, hear, or see something that gives me an idea, that inspires me to do or create, to read or to write something that pulls me outside of myself. I long for that intellectual stimulation and it is so seldom that I find it.

This blog was actually created to be a place for me to do a sort of “brain dump” when I have something to work through. It hasn’t really been that, because I tend to forget that I even have it, and everyday life takes over and I get overwhelmed so easily. But also, these thoughts, these challenges for my mind are so few and far between. When I come across one it’s like a treasure and I want to cherish it and polish it and really get everything I can from it.

On Friday (November 3) I was reading for a class I’m currently taking, about culturally aware curriculum and instruction, and I came across this fantastic metaphor for culture:  a tree. It resonated with me because I am obsessed with trees, but it also began to awaken something in me that has been dormant for a few years – thinking about the “culture of Autism” and how I experience that. It is something I have been processing for a long time, deep down and sometimes in the front of my mind, and I want to explore it further. Stay tuned….

Thankful30 || Day Two: Bible Study

The second thing I am thankful for this month is the Bible study I attend at my church (Trinity Baptist) on Thursday nights. It is a college group, but I am still welcome there, and I have really enjoyed it! Pastor Dan leads the discussion most nights, and cooks dinner; there is always leftover food that is sent home with whomever wants some, which is also nice, and always delicious. And the discussion is often interesting and relevant.

When I started attending last year, it was because the study was centered on a book by Timothy Keller called The Reason for God. I had listened to several of Keller’s podcasts and was interested in reading the book, so I asked if I could join the study. It turns out it’s not strictly limited to college students [smile]. This year we are reading a book called The Mind of Christ by T.W. Hunt. It’s not as interesting as I had hoped it would be, but I am still enjoying the discussion and fellowship of the group.

I am very thankful to have a place to go and study the Bible, as well as to practice being social, and get myself out of my apartment for something other than just going to work. And I am looking forward to the next study, whatever it happens to be, which will start in the new year!

Thankful30 || Day One: Seasons

Yesterday brought the first of November and with it a reminder that the season of Thanksgiving is upon us once more. So I have decided, once again, to attempt to write about something I am thankful for each day. Of course, I already missed the first day, and almost missed this second, but I here I am to catch up.

The first thing I am thankful for is the seasons. I love that I live in the Inland Northwest where we have four distinct seasons each year. Right now Autumn is waning and Winter is quickly approaching – a heard a rumor that snow is expected tomorrow! I love this time of year, when the days are pleasant and cool, the leaves turn colors and fall from the trees, and I am blessed to work with students who aren’t ashamed to jump into a leaf pile and make “angels”!

I also think about the seasons of life, and find that I am thankful for those as well. Right now my life seems to be in a bit of a Winter, a time of stress and ill health, of searching for respect and appreciation, a way to use my gifts and fulfill some greater purpose. It is a season of struggle to be sure, but I am in the midst of it knowing that I am not alone; God always has a Spring, a rebirth, a new beginning waiting for me on the other side and I am so looking forward to this one!

The Boxcar Children 1942 by Gertrude Chandler Warner

This year I made a goal to read 100 books; I am tracking this as part of a Goodreads Challenge, as well as a board on Pinterest. So far I have a total of 61, which today (September 3) places six books behind schedule. (I am currently reading eight books, so if I manage to finish them all this week I’ll be back on track!)

The first book I finished, way back in January, was The Boxcar Children. This was the first in a series of the same name that I originally read as a child. There are nineteen total in the original series, and I am happy to say I now own all of them. I have decided I would like to read thru all nineteen this year, but haven’t really put much effort into it, so I’m only on number seven currently. Anyway, I chose this as my first book for the year because I found another reading list (along with the Time 100 list I’ve been reading through). This one is from Pinterest, and it has 26 suggestions for 2017, which comes out to one book every two weeks.

The first entry on the list is to read “a book you read in school,” which I started at the same time as The Boxcar Children, which was the second entry, “a book from your childhood.” (The book I read in school will be in another blog post.) This was in fact one of my favorites from childhood, and although it has never been a challenge to read, it has always managed to capture my imagination.

This book is about four siblings – Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden – whom we meet as orphans, running away so they don’t have to live with their grandfather, whom is supposedly mean. They end up in an old, abandoned boxcar in the middle of a forest, with grass growing over tracks. They find an orphan dog with a hurt paw, and nurse him back to health, calling him “Watch.” They also find, nearby, an old dump full of “treasures” – broken but useable dishes, a board to make a shelf, some pots and pans, etc. Henry goes into town to do some odd jobs and buy food. By the end of the story they are discovered and reunited with their grandfather, who it turns out is a very kind old man. The rest of the series is more of their fun adventures.

Now, a little about why I enjoyed it so much. Just before starting third grade, we moved across town to a double wide trailer in a campground. About 50-60 yards or so behind our trailer was a set of railroad tracks, and next to them a dirt path leading out of town. I used to wander along that path exploring nature and the things man left behind, and one day I discovered my very own treasure. It was a dump, abandoned, probably long forgotten by the city, or whomever happened to own the land. It was much like I imagined the one in the story to be! I didn’t bring home anything to use, but I did spend countless hours exploring it and pretending to be like the four Alden children.

Reading it again, as an adult, I still had that fascination with the adventure of living alone in the boxcar, finding things to make a “home,” and a sense of purpose and accomplishment. It was a good first pick for this year, and it set the stage for many more great reading adventures. I hope to write about them all (all 100!) before the year closes, so stay tuned.

The Lord of the Rings 1954 by J.R.R. Tolkien

“Three Rings for the Elven-Kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in halls of stone,
Nine for mortal men, doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
in the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them.
In the land of Mordor where the shadows lie.”

The third book on the TIME Top 100 list is The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. It was originally written as one book in three parts, so it’s included as one book on the list, although I read the three separately (and it took me about seven months to get through them, as they weren’t as interesting as I had hoped).

I had been putting off reading this book for years, so when it came up on the list I was reluctant to start.; I’m not sure why exactly, I really enjoyed The Hobbit both times I read it (in fact, I hope to read it again this year). I wish I could say that finally reading it made my reluctance seem silly, but honestly, I didn’t really enjoy the story very much. There wasn’t enough plot to keep my attention for long periods, and Tolkien writes with a lot of description. Sometimes I enjoy that, but as this was written about someplace I couldn’t picture in my mind, with creatures that I had no experience with, I found it difficult to follow.

There are a few themes that I remember that gave the story some redeeming quality in my mind – the idea of a true leader vs. a temporary fill-in; the idea that a group is not always the best approach to an epic adventure; and the idea of home not always being a place of innocence and contentment. Let me explain.

First of all, there were a couple of examples of lands or countries in Middle Earth that were being ruled by men who weren’t the “true” rulers. I don’t really remember specifics, I just remember this coming up a few times. And in each case, it was made clear that the people and land suffered under this temporary or, in some instances, “fake” leadership. This was made plain when the true leaders returned and took over, and life began to be prosperous again.

This stood out to me because I have worked under many types of leadership in my adult life, both in education positions and in retail, and one thing that has always remained true is that if someone is just a “pretender to the throne,” the business or classroom fails. It takes a special kind of person to really take charge and make things work and grow the way they are intended to work and grow; to stop surviving and start thriving.

Next is the idea that groups aren’t always the best option; or in this case, fellowships. When the “fellowship of the ring” was established, it was intended to be protection and guidance for Frodo, who was tasked with returning the ring to the mountains of Mordor (specifically Mount Doom). However, as the journey progresses, we learn that this task is really something only Frodo, and his best friend Sam, can accomplish. The others are more like moral support, or background noise.

This also brought up something else that I found interesting:  although this fellowship was sent out as one unit, each individual had to take a personal journey as well, unique to himself, a sort of spiritual quest as he faced the challenges of battle and the evil power temptation of the Ring. So on this one long, epic journey, we are presented with several smaller journeys that help to shape the bigger picture. I thought that was another fitting form of “fellowship” – each of the smaller parts served to strengthen the whole of the story.

Finally, the idea of home, specifically the Shire (where the hobbits lived) was intriguing to me. At the beginning of the story it’s presented as an idyllic place, where innocence and ignorance live, a place none want to leave, and if they must do so, will be looked back on with fond memories. And yet by the end of the story, when the hobbits finally return, this vision of innocence and perfection has been shattered by all that they have seen and done, and for Frodo, it no longer feels quite like home. Even the happy ending wasn’t quite happy after all. I liked that. It reminded me of my own life, when something major or even traumatic happens and my perceptions of my surroundings, my safe places, shifts, and I feel somehow lost or displaced.

I don’t know that I will read this book again, although I know there are symbols and depths that I have yet to explore within its pages. Perhaps I will simply read the SparkNotes for it and find my fulfillment there. For now, I will leave you with one of my favorite photos, which includes this epic adventure, billed with the ability to piss off four groups of “geeks” in one shot:

Nineteen Eighty-Four 1949 by George Orwell

“Power is not a means, it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes a revolution in order to establish a dictatorship.”

In November of 2014, I began reading through a list of 100 novels created by Time Magazine in 2005. The first one on the list was To Kill A Mockingbird, and I wrote a blog post about it here. The next book was 1984, by George Orwell, which I had never read before. It was interesting, though a bit disturbing.

The premise of the novel is a description of the world in 1984 (thirty-five years in the future at the time it was written), a post-nuclear war world ruled by only three superstates:  Oceana, Eastasia, and Eurasia. At that time, the world was in a constant state of war, although it wasn’t always clear who was at war with whom, and the battleground is always somewhere far away from the home and life of the main character, Winston.

Another piece of this society is one of the most commonly known today, the surveillance system known only as “Big Brother”. In the book, there are tele-screens that are actually dual-purpose devices, playing a steady stream of propaganda while simultaneously recording everything that is going on.

A few other interesting aspects of this future world are “newspeak”  and “doublethink”. “Newspeak” is a truncated version of English in which words are strung together and abbreviated to create new words, similar to text language today. It was deliberately limiting, intended to make revolutionary thought impossible because the words were literally gone from the common vocabulary.

“Doublethink” was also meant to squash independent thought. It was “to know and not to know, to be conscious of complete truthfulness while telling carefully constructed lies, to hold simultaneously two opinions which cancelled out, knowing them to be contradictory and believing in both of them, to use logic against logic, to repudiate morality while laying claim to it.”

Upon finishing the novel, I was left with a feeling of sadness when Winston was finally “assimilated” into society; it’s not often I’ve come across a novel without a happy ending. It was also quite disturbing to compare the events and suppositions of the story to society today. How many citizens of the world are being forced to think a certain way or speak with limited vocabulary without even knowing it? How much of our lives is actually our own, and how much is being watched in one way or another?

I know with the recent election of Trump as President, many people have been comparing the world to Orwell’s imagined future. I’m not saying I agree with that, but I do believe that words are a very powerful thing, and that if we aren’t careful, “dystopian” will become more than just a genre of literature.

Just One Word

“Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind” – Rudyard Kipling

Today is the ninth annual “Spread the Word to End the Word” day, a worldwide event to spread information and awareness regarding special needs and the use of one very destructive word:  retarded. You can find information regarding it’s focus and goals by checking out the spread the word website.

The idea that “one little word can be a powerful thing” is another popular trend over the past decade or so. In fact, there’s a whole online, global community dedicated to choosing one word and “making it visible” in your life throughout a calendar year. I’ve even joined an online class and Facebook group born from this concept (my “one little word” for 2017 is “explore”), with monthly prompts and all sorts of fun art supplies to purchase and projects to complete.

I love that these two sites exist. I have always been fascinated by and, let’s be honest, a bit obsessed with, words. I learned to read very early, and I remember writing my first story when I was in daycare as a first grader. Although I struggle to express myself verbally at times (part of my superpowers of autism), words are my happy place, my safe place, how I see the world and best understand it. I have learned how powerful they can be, a catalyst for change in both positive and negative ways.

I would like you to answer something for me, perhaps out loud, or to a friend, or maybe just to yourself right now as you read this:  How often have you taken time to think about what you say? Are there words that you’ve used so often and in so many different contexts that they no longer mean anything (the word “cool” comes to mind)? Is there a word that you heard maybe once, a long time ago, that still hurts every time you think about it? Is there a word that motivates or encourages you every time you hear it, say it, or think it? What words are forbidden in your house? Why are they forbidden? What power are we giving to our words?

I remember reading a short story/essay in University called “Bitch.” (I apologize if this word is offensive to you; it was the actual title of the piece, and I will explain why if you keep reading). It was written by a young woman in her early twenties who had been called that name by others trying to put her down. One day, her and a few close friends started calling each other that word. It wasn’t to demean or hurt, but to do something radical – by using the word regularly, as a nickname for close friends, the negative power that word had over her was stripped away. Suddenly it was “just another word” and meant nothing.

While I think it’s great to have a designated day to raise awareness for something, I think it would be so much more powerful if we each took on the challenge of allowing “one little word” to show up in our daily lives, to be a strong, positive influence over our decisions and actions. Or if we acknowledged the power one word or many words have been granted in our lives to cause pain, and think of ways to strip that power and replace those words with more positive ones.

I don’t want us to just “spread the word to end the word”; let’s “spread the word to choose a word” that will make a profound difference, right now, today. I’ve committed to it for this year, at least, and I will hopefully be sharing, from time to time, how it shows up in my life. So. What will your word be?

Setting SMART Goals

“A goal is not always meant to be reached,
it often serves simply as something to aim at.”
~ Bruce Lee

Another quote that I’ve always liked, which has a similar sentiment is this:  “Shoot for the moon and even if you miss, you’ll still be among the stars.” Both are true. However, the topic of this post is a different truth – that setting a goal is more than just deciding to do something.

If you’re going to set a goal, be SMART about it:  be Specifc, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This has become a common acronym for goal-setting, but let’s take a few minutes to really analyze what each component entails. First, we’ll turn to a favorite resource of mine – the dictionary.

specific:  having a special appreciation, bearing, or reference; specifying, explicit, or definite; to state one’s specific purpose.

measurable:  capable of being measured

attainable:  capable of being attained

relevant:  bearing upon or connected with the matter in hand; pertinent

time-bound:  bound by time (this one wasn’t in the dictionary)

Now we’ll circle back to setting goals. First of all, when you decide on a goal, be specific. Right down exactly what you hope to accomplish in explicit terms. Use details. Try different ways of explaining and expressing your thoughts and then choose one, the most precise, and that will be your starting point.

Next, to make sure your goal is measurable and attainable, create for yourself a series of steps you will follow to reach the goal. Then, spend some time examining the relevance of your goal to your life. Does it lead to positive changes? Will it help you grow, or benefit someone close to you?

Finally, it’s very important to put the steps on a timeline. There are different types of goals – short-term and long-term. It won’t be helpful to try reaching a long-term goal in a short period of time, so be reasonable when setting dates and times for each step. And don’t forget to be flexible!

Reflecting on a Realization

I had the privilege of spending about 10 days over Christmas in Ketchikan, Alaska (more on that in future posts), and at the Sunday night service at Gateway Baptist Church, I had a realization about 2015.

It happened like this:  Pastor John asked us to share something about our year, some positive reflections, and as I listened to other stories I suddenly realized that my year was indeed a good one. I hadn’t thought about it being a bad year; I hadn’t really thought about it at all in fact, until that moment. Then my Aunt Becky said she was thankful that I had been able to visit and it hit me – all of the trials and difficult changes and uncertainty I faced last year made it possible for me to take that trip.

It was largely a financial issue - I took a leave of absence from my job, in January, to complete my student teaching, which meant I received a paycheck at the end of January, and some financial aid in February, and then almost nothing came in until the end of September. I lived on almost $0 for that last month, but I made it; God always provided a way and a means, sometimes at the last minute, or in a very unexpected way. Having given up my apartment, and with it the need to pay the amount of rent I owed for four years, I no longer had to pay out the same amount, so when I started getting paychecks again I had a little more money, and I was able to purchase a ticket on my own. That along with the tremendous growth over the past few years, aided greatly by taking Adderall, I was able to travel and visit with very little anxiety, and actually enjoyed myself most of the time I was there, which is something I can’t usually say when on a trip.


I hope I can remember this realization the next time a trial comes up, or I enter a season of difficulty in some way; I also hope it doesn’t take me a whole year to be able to sit back and reflect on the many ways God blesses me and the varied means He uses to do it.

Falling

“Your life isn’t falling apart, it’s falling into place.” – God

I heard a song on the radio yesterday that had this line in it, though I may not have quoted it exactly. I attribute it to God because I feel like He was speaking those words directly to my heart at that moment. There have been many times when it seemed my life was starting to fall apart, or to unravel, that my forward progress was slipping away as I slid back into whatever I had come from, or maybe into something else entirely but just as unwelcome. Now I wonder if maybe it was the beginning of something good. Did I miss out because I was too blind to see it?

I’ve never seen God as vengeful or spiteful, hurting me on purpose or deciding to take back a blessing because I was too stubborn or selfish to receive it. But I do believe that we can miss out – the result of a natural consequence of sin, or of that same stubbornness or selfishness – but not because God changes His mind. We miss out on His blessings – I miss out on His blessings – because I don’t accept them. I imagine there have been times I’ve missed them completely, other times I’ve refused to open my eyes, my heart, my mind, my life to what He’s doing in and around me until much later. I find myself thinking about “when” this or that will happen, making plans and dreaming dreams. What if the “when” is really “now” and I’m too wrapped up in my sinfulness to see it?

There are probably many little things that God wants to do in our lives that we miss and we can’t get them back; I don’t believe the big things, the important life decisions, the major miracles and blessings, are the same way. I believe that since God knows the plans He has for me, to prosper me, to give me hope and a future, He will continue to open doors. If I close them, as soon as I turn around or take a step in a different direction, He will open another, or a window perhaps. He will never give up on me, never leave or forsake me. And the more I surrender my own selfish desires and plans to Him, the more blessings I will receive. I want to make a conscious effort to keep my mind and heart focused on Him, so that when I feel like I’m falling again, I can smile and say, “My life isn’t falling apart, it’s falling into place.”

Idea Dice

 

I finished a new project this weekend and I wanted to share it with you. These are my “idea dice” for various projects (mainly my art journals). When I want to add some extra elements, or don’t know what to do, I can just roll my dice and go! There are actually four of them, the other one will be in a later photo (it’s just colors, no words). This was a very simple and inexpensive project to make, so allow me to walk you briefly through the process.

The first thing you will need are blocks – I bought four wooden blocks at Michaels, they’re approximately 1 7/8” (the sign said 2”), the other size choices being 1 1/2” and the regular game dice size.

                                                                                                            

The next step is to cut out your squares of paper to decorate the dice. I knew in advance that I would have three with different ideas, and one with just solid colors, so I first cut out six squares (one each of solid red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple) for the color block. I then decided to stick with this color scheme to make my selections easier – otherwise I probably would have spent much too long deciding which colors and patterns I liked best. I used scraps, which I have separated by color into ziploc bags; if you’re a paper crafter, I know you have tons of paper scraps that you insist on keeping, so this is a great way to use some of them. Each square is cut to 1 3/4” so there will be a frame around it of the natural wood. If you don’t want that border, just cut the paper to the size of your block.

After I had the squares cut out, I adhered them with mod podge (matte medium would also work, or mix glue and water, whatever you have on hand). Start with a light, thin layer across the entire square as shown above. Adhere your piece of paper and burnish gently but firmly with your finger to help it stick. If you have trouble getting the paper to stay down, you can try applying a thin layer of adhesive to the back side of the paper as well as the block, and/or letting the adhesive dry for about 10 seconds so it gets a little tacky, that will give it more tooth.

After all of my paper was glued on, I used some small alphabet stamps and archival ink to write my ideas and prompts. I had three lists worked out ahead of time, each with six things. I tried to group similar prompts so I wouldn’t end up with three of the same thing when I use the dice – for example, one block has six different technique ideas – and didn’t worry about which one went on which color. For the background I simply cut “vanilla” cardstock (from JoAnn’s) into 1/2” strips.

Here are the blocks with just the paper on them, a photo with the completed blocks is at the top of this post. (It’s hard to tell, but the color block with the three warm colors has yellow on the left, orange on the right, and the one with the cool colors has purple on the top.) The ideas and prompts I used are as follows:
            Block 1:  no stamps, stickers, punch, stencil, just paper, spray ink
            Block 2:  add dimension, exactly six words, only three colors, attach an ATC (Artist Trading Card), stitch, tear paper
            Block 3:  vintage, book paper, wooden, tissue paper, metal, ribbon

There are several ways you can modify the parameters of this project to fit your individual needs and desires. For instance, you can make your own dice out of chipboard, cardstock, really any substrate you’d like. Also, you can use the dice for all sorts of things other than art – helping your kids pick chores, deciding what to have for dinner, choosing a movie genre… the possibilities are as limitless as your imagination. Another thing I thought about while I was making these is that instead of sealing the prompts on, you can attach them with a small piece of velcro, and make several more, allowing them to be interchangeable if you want more options. I think these will be enough for me for now, and if I decide I need more, I would probably just buy more blocks.

I hope this was a fun and interesting project idea! If you decide to make some of your own, and/or use this idea to make any kind of art, I would love it if you shared it with me in the comments or on Facebook! Happy crafting!

All Cats Have Asperger’s Syndrome 2006 by Kathy Hoopmann

I have mentioned in a few posts that I am trying to read through a list of 100 novels (put together by Time Magazine writers about ten years ago), and that I’ve set a goal of 100 books in 2015 through Goodreads.com. Last November I wrote about the first book  that I read from the Time list, and in January wrote one about my first book for this year. I had hoped at the time to be able to write a post about each of the 100 books as I finished them, but as usual, life got in the way. So here I begin again.

The second book I read this year, way back on February 5th, was called All Cats Have Asperger’s Syndrome. One of the substitute teachers I worked with while doing my student teaching at Troy Jr/Sr High let me borrow it, and I must say it was a fun read! I was familiar with it from a YouTube video called Asperger's Cats, but hadn’t read the book previously. Not only were the photos cute and well related to the facts, I found the writing to be very accurate as well. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone – no matter whether you have a cat, someone you care about on the Spectrum, or just need a fun book to brighten your day! And if you have a chance, check out the video (just click on the title, it’s a link), it will no doubt make you smile.

Halfway to the Middle at the Midpoint

I have set a goal for myself, as part of the Reading Challenge on Goodreads, to read 100 books in 2015. Well, today is the midpoint of the year (182 days both have passed, and will come to pass), and I am halfway to the middle of that goal – in other words, I’ve read 25 books so far:

1. The Shack, by William Paul Young
2. All Cats Have Asperger’s Syndrome, by Kathy Hoopmann
3. 1984, by George Orwell
4. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger
5. What You Pawn, I Will Redeem, by Sherman Alexie
,
6. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain
7. Skippyjon Jones in the Dog-House, by Judy Schachner
8. The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald
9. The Lord of the Flies, by William Golding
10. The Fellowship of the Ring, by J.R.R. Tolkien

11. The Crying of Lot 49, by Thomas Pynchon
12. 11th Hour, by James Patterson
13. 12th of Never, by James Patterson
14. The Tales of Beedle the Bard, by J.K. Rowling
15. Unlucky 13, by James Patterson

16. The Casual Vacancy, by J.K. Rowling
17. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, by J.K. Rowling
18. The Magician’s Nephew, by C.S. Lewis
19. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by J.K. Rowling
20. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, by C.S. Lewis

21. The Adventures of Peter Cottontail, by Thornton W. Burgess
22. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, by J.K. Rowling
23. Grumbles from the Forest:  Fairy-Tale Voices with a Twist, by Jane Yolen
24. Little Pea, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
25. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by J.K. Rowling

Within this list are books written by 17 different authors; books from four different series (three of which all the books have been written, and two of which I will hopefully finish this year); and 19 of the 25 I read for the first time. Techincally, two books (The Fellowship of the Ring and What You Pawn, I Will Redeem) aren’t books – the former is part one of a three part book called The Lord of the Rings, but the copy I have was broken up into three separate volumes; and the latter is actually a short story, but it counts on Goodreads as a book.

Also, I have decided to read Time Magazine's Top 100 Novels, thought without a time constraint imposed, so of these 25 books, seven are on that list (including The Fellowship of the Ring, as The Lord of the Rings counts as one book out of their 100). I also read a book from this list at the end of last year (To Kill A Mockingbird), and wrote a post about it, so I’m up to 8 out of 100 on that goal. Most of the books I’ve never even heard of, so I’m interested to see how it goes! So who else has a reading goal? I’d love to hear about it!

Thankful365 – Day 12: Baby Steps

As my time in this apartment draws to an end, I find myself feeling more and more reluctant to keep packing. I’m not sure if it’s lack of energy from not sleeping, or lack of motivation from stress, or maybe it’s just too overwhelming to see all of this stuff that needs to be done and not know where to start, which detail to focus on first.

Today I am thankful that I was able to spend a few hours sorting thru and packing my art space (which isn’t finished, but I made progress), taking baby steps ever closer to this newest life adventure. And while I was working on this project, I was reminded how thankful I am that I have the gift of creativity that allows me to use all of this art “stuff”!

Thankful365 – Day 11: Teacher Clothes

Today (well, yesterday, but day 11) I went on a field trip with Fred to buy some “teacher clothes” for my upcoming student teaching experience. She gave me two pairs of dress slacks that she no longer wanted (one brown, one black), and I found two sweaters – one was black, more of a cardigan-type that stays open; the other was a light blue pullover, lightweight and soft. The latter will look nice with several of my skirts.

I also went solo and got two button-down-the-front shirts (one was a pretty blue cotton, the other an orange and tan plaid flannel), and two more pullover sweaters (dark gray, brown). They will all look nice under a vest I’m sure. I didn’t really need more clothes, but they will be helpful. Now all that’s left is my first pair of boots!

Thankful365 – Day 10: Oh Canada

I would like you to meet Uncle Forrest and Aunt Jen-naay. They are friends of mine who live in Canada. Yesterday was Uncle Forrest’s birthday, so I decided they are my thankful #10. I have been talking to Aunt Jen-naay online for about two and a half years, and I must say, it’s always nice to know someone is there, even if neither of us says anything. We also share photos, have story time, and watch movies together. And of course, their hamster baby is my niece!

       

(This is Kristy, Summy, and Pumpkin)

Thankful365 – Day 9: Promises

“Have you ever wanted a certain answer from God so desperately that you consciously or subconsciously tried to ‘rig’ the results? Reading things into the answer that just weren’t there? Grabbing the first thing out of someone’s mouth as your answer? I think we all have.” – Beth Moore, Portraits of Devotion

Let me start by saying, I love Beth Moore. I love the way she teaches, the way she writes; it is honestly life-changing watching her videos (she’s a very dynamic speaker!), and participating in her Bible studies! And now I have a copy of something else she wrote, Portraits of Devotion, a 366-day devotional.

The quote above is from today’s reading. The Scripture passage was 1 Samuel 6:1-12, and talks about the Philistines trying to keep the Ark of the Covenant from Israel and God winning out in the end. He not only made their idol (to some pagan god) fall down and worship Him, He literally followed them from town to town with a plague, and then ended up leading the cows they used to pull the Ark (knowing they wouldn’t actually obey of their own accord) right back to Israel.

In that quote, she goes on to say, “It’s easy to do, but it invariably leads to pain because we end up claiming a promise or position God never gave us.” How many times have I tried to “steal the Ark”, to claim something that God hasn’t really given to me? Too many to count! And it never works out in my favor! In the meantime, I’m missing out on the all the amazing promises and blessings that God actually did intend for my life. Because, as the photo illustrates, He loves me.

The Shack 2007 William P. Young

“It would be like this bird, whose nature it is to fly, choosing only to walk
and remain grounded. He doesn’t stop being a bird,
but it does alter his experience of life significantly.”

This analogy was an explanation of Jesus becoming man, fully human, while also remaining fully God. I love the simple picture it paints of such a complex concept.

This book is one I’ve heard about for several years now, and I finally took time to read it this past week. I have to admit I wasn’t convinced I would like it, even after reading well into it, although I can’t really say why. I suppose all of the stress in my life right now has taken it’s toll on my ability to enjoy things I would normally spend a great deal of time on – like reading, creating, going for walks. But I’m very pleased to say that, by the end of the story, I reached the conclusion that it really is a great story, very well written, with interesting perceptions of how God may interact with us if we were given the opportunity Mack experienced.

I was also pleased to find that the theological issues that were raised were dealt with in very logical, easy-to-understand ways, and didn’t seem to go against anything I’ve learned or come to believe from my own relationship with God. In fact, I found the author’s ideas about just that – our relationship with God – were actually along the lines of what I’ve been figuring out in my own life, which was both comforting and amusing.

Overall, I would say I recommend this book to anyone who has time to read it; it takes a tragic story of loss, anger, confusion, and ultimately forgiveness, and weaves in a relatable, endearing encounter with our triune Creator that will leave you wanting to find something similar for yourself.

Thankful365 – Day 8: Walking in Clouds

Today was a very foggy day; it didn’t burn off as I expected it to, if anything it got denser as the afternoon progressed into evening. I love fog. I love how it hides the world, revealing it piece by piece. It makes everything seem so mysterious and creepy! In the best way.

I know this photo isn’t in fog, but it reminds me of the same idea, a life lesson we can all glean from walking in the midst of a cloud – that we need to let go of the past, let it fade away, and not try to shape the future before we get to it, just live in the moment, right here and now, in what we can see, hear, feel, touch….

Thankful365 – Day 7: Goal Keeping

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”

Here is my documented life project journal for week one, at least as much as I have finished at the moment. Each black hexagon is a day of the first week of this year, just a few words about something I did (not really anything extraordinary). I also included my word for the year (explore) and my intention for January (possibilities – be a goal keeper). The next step will be to record some goals, I just haven’t quite narrowed down what they will be yet.

“Don’t tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon.”

There is much going on in my life just now, so it may be a few weeks before I really know for sure what goals I hope to plan for and tackle this year. But that’s ok with me; there are 51 weeks left to work on them. I don’t know what 2015 holds, but I know one thing for sure – it’s going to be great!