(more at Jen's)

1. Directionally Challenged

It is possible to get through the majority of your day wearing your black stretchy yoga pants backwards.   Like, you could be standing in an itty bitty craft store basement trying to find a glue gun stick, reach around to rub your back,  and suddenly feel a string and go "Wha…?"  and then it dawns on you.  Its the drawstring.  Mmm hmmm.  

My Gram used to say you had days when you didn't know if you were coming or going. Apparently pants can have those days too.  Then you need some chocolate. And maybe some Motrin.  And a maybe a quick run into the grocery store ladies room to set things right.  That all helps. Hypothetically speaking. 

2. True story - 

While driving big kids around  there are preschoolers bickering in the back seat, prompting an exchange like this:

"He hurt my book!"

the other:

"Did not!"

the first:

"Did too!"

Me:

"Apologize to the book please." 

This actually made them all happy.

3. Bad hair dogs day

We somehow have dogs again.  I am not responsible for this decision but have been coming around.  At least until we got them groomed.  They have been bounced around in 3 other homes in as many years and haven't been groomed in many moons.  They needed name tags when we picked them up. : o  Wow.  We now have THE ugliest little bald dogs on the planet, God bless 'em.  Seriously. I need to take a picture of these ears – assuming they don't catch a strong breeze and float away before I get to them.  Stay tuned.  You gotta see these. 

4. All tied up

Dh decided to wash his  running clothes before he left for his trip.  I was heading out to run an errand but said I would run down to throw them in.  No, no, he assured me.  He could do it himself.  Just could I show him where the buttons should be set on the machines?  That is never a good sign. Still, I showed him.  He kissed me goodbye with that very confident look that made me just a smidge uneasy.

When I came home I heard a knocking sound in the laundry room.  I asked if someone was in the laundry room?  "Nope" he says.  "I washed my clothes and they are drying now."  I asked if he threw his running shoes in too?  Nope.  Probably was my cue to explore further but I didnt.  He called from the laundry room a while later.  "You've gotta see this!" he tells me.  There he stands with the entire contents of the dryer in one tight wad, completely tied together with string.  Apparently a spool of thread was near the dryer (I had some sewing supplies in the room when pressing some seams I think) and one landed in the dryer with his load where the whole thing unraveled winding round and round and round every piece of clothing.  I am not sure you could repeat the result if you tried lol!

We are easily amused. But you knew that, didn't you. 

5. I Heart Edu-Software

I picked up a SchoolZone kindergarten cdrom  set for the littles  this week and we are LOVING it. For $20 it replaced all the workbooks they had – save for some printing prctice  we are still working on, which is huge when the paper man comes only once a month. They are much happier and more productive during the big kids' school time now when not playing with the giant wooden train set and the play kitchen.  They are so excited to 'do school' when the rest of them are. Please don't turn me in to the twaddle police 'k?  This is between us. ; )   

6. The Fog is Lifting

Had a little happy realization today.  I didn't have the GPS on,  and haven't most of the week.  And my image editing software textbook didn't make my eyes cross. As we finish our second quarter I can say that I feel fairly up to speed with our correspondence school program and testing/grading/reporting system. And I can now open my PO Box in front of strangers because there are no more expletives nor vocal prayer to the patron saint of combination locks.  Woo Hoo!

When we moved this time I was prepared. I knew that as exhilarating as this would be, there would be months of haze where my brain would be like a sponge so saturated with data that it would be leaking all over. (Granted #1 take may contradict my feeling that it is wringing out some lol) I didn't fret too much but it IS disconcerting when every. single. thing. is well, foreign.  Different sounds, different smells, different signs, different procedures.  New. New. New. Everything New.  Today was a blessing. We are finally at the point that it isn't ALL new now.  And the new information I do take in is sinking in versus overflowing into a big puddle. 

7. Lovely links:

Becky inspiration – easy transformations with patterned paper and a freebie to frame for February.

Picture a day fun from this family

Been all over A Lemon Squeezy Home blog.  Check out the tutes.   I feel I must make this now. You know, after I get my own clothing situated on myself correctly and all. <g>

I am pleased to announce that the first fine art prints are uploaded to the gallery and ready to order.  There are a variety of layered digital paintings, architectural and inspirational prints available. Bear with us as we work out any shopping cart kinks. Thank you so much for your encouragement and your patience.  Both are greatly appreciated!  

Late but here as promised.  I bring you, Paris by night…..

The Seine is a busy place after dark.  We boarded one of tour boats to get the riverside view of the city seen here and hereafter from the railing of our boat…

Au revoir for now! 

No time for Quick Takes this week but I wanted to pop in share some resources which have been such a blessing personally over this past year.  I found Joyce Meyers' site last spring and her motto, Do it Afraid became an anthem of sorts which has enabled me to push past fear and break into a whole new life, doing things I had long ago stopped hoping to be able to do. 

Battlefield of the Mind has been an excellent – formative even – read. Walking through the bookstore this week I saw her book Power Thoughts on the shelf which is arranged thematically to deal with meeting challenged presented by life circumstances, other people and our own negative thinking.  I snagged that too.  Similar premises – you become what you think as Prov. 23:7 says.  We program ourselves moment by moment by our self talk.  Harnessing and redirecting that flow has far reaching impact.  These titles go a long way towards empowering a person to 'take every thought captive'.  Every one. As a result whole lives can change. Mine has.

As I tell our kids, you can't control other people. You can't control all your circumstances.  The one thing you have perfect control over is your response. That determines whether you experience defeating or defining moments.  

You can read an exerpt from the Power of a Postive You chapter here. 

The Mouth Has a Mind of its Own here. 

A plethora of food for thought here. 

Wishing you an abundantly blessed weekend.  Happy thoughts, y'all! 

 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear) but of power and of love and of of calm and well-balanced mind and  discipline and self control." 

Joyce Meyers' notes on 1 Tim 1:7

Some days it seems the cat's got my tongue.  More accurately it seems that this blog has birthed many beautiful private conversations which I have come to treasure.   There is the occasional 'less than pretty' volley hurtled this way, including some recent words about frilly pictures serving no purpose and words – those of theological debate in particular – being "all that matter."  I admit I chewed over that one.  Those words stung not because I felt they were true but because they ran completely counter to what I believe about art and life and truth and how those things are so intricately connected.

 Image and silence move me in a way that clever words never can, filling me to overflowing with gratitude for the embarrassment of riches we are swimming in, even in the worst of times. The sun still rises one pink ribbon at a time, still curtsies out in flames. The forest is a riot of color and texture at this moment. And my baby's blue eyes are arresting. Everywhere I turn there is beauty, which is of course but a mirror of the One who created it all and presents this abundance to us daily. It makes me want to know Him more. 

Elisabeth Leseur shared a similar sentiment: 

"The disinterested search for beauty, the passionate concern for justice, the love of truth are so many routes that lead to God. Sometimes one makes many detours; one even gets lost a little.  And yet one always reaches the goal towards which one marches without even knowing it."

For some of us, the love of justice leads to the Supreme Judge. The philosopher often finds himself standing before the All Wise and All Knowing. And , for some, beauty points to the hands of the Creator who dreamt this all up in the first place. All those paths are valid and none to be shunned.  He is indeed the Hound of Heaven and seeks each of us out  by different means.  

Elisabeth also counsels us: 

"To carefully avoid all discussion on religious subjects.  Prayer, example, words and deeds filled with charity and intelligence – these are the elements of fruitful controversy. The combat of intellects will never open the way to God, but a ray of charity sometimes illumines the path from which some poor destressed heart is wandering and leads it to its destination."

It breaks my heart into bits, I tell you.  But there are times when it is best to walk away rather than sacrificing charity to prove a point.  The way to God is not won by a battle of words and silence is often the most charitable gift we can give.  Debate is not my mojo and leaves me exhausted and hurting rather than invigorated. I avoid it like the plague. Instead I offer what little bit of beauty I can share. I offer my sincere prayers and gratitude for same.  I also offer my humble apologies when my words fail, which is not infrequently, darn it.

Beauty and the very judicious use of words are my two trusted allies these days. 

"All I want is the wind in my hair,
To face the fear, but not feel scared,

Oh, wild horses I wanna be like you…"

– Natasha Bedingfield

Raw image captured by Moira and processed by Mom for her digital art class.  Very cool to work with my daughter.  : ) 

girls on the sidelines of their brother's game

{this moment} – A Friday ritual. A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, visit Amanda's.