An Unfinished Woman's Guide to Grace

Above is the title to a book that has just blown me away.  The book is written by Kristin Armstong (the former Mrs. Lance Armstrong).  I have been following Kristin for years on her Blog that she writes for Runners World on-line.  She is a woman of great faith and she has a way of writing that just speaks to me.  I wanted to share a really moving page from her book
"Work in Progress: An Unfinished Woman's Guide to Grace".

The test will come.  These are the regular days we come before God in the morning, with our bed head hair, our pj's, our cup of coffee, our Bible and our fears.

Everyone wakes up without a clue on the morning of the day it comes.  Whether or not we rise to meet the challenge will be determined on how seriously we have taken our preparation and our training up to this point.

Fitness in all areas require diligence.  We can't put off exercising and wonder why we can no longer play with our children or simple activities, without becoming breathless and tired.

We can't replace books with TV and wonder why we feel so intellectually flat and inadequate when we are suddenly called to rise to an occasion or we are invited to a dinner party with interesting guests. 

We can't say we are too busy to nourish and cultivate our friendships and then wonder why we are alone in our time of need. 

We can't put our spouse's needs last and wonder why our marriages are failing.

We can't put our own needs consistently in last place and then marvel at our nervous breakdown.

We can't say that we will pursue a spiritual path when "things slow down" and then later wonder why a crisis leaves us utterly broken.

THINGS WE CARRY MUST BE MAINTAINED.

wow....aren't those words so true and powerful!  I hope to be the kind of woman who maintains all the areas of my life as best I can so when the day comes I know I am as prepared as I could be.

Sometimes we have to be reminded to give time and attention to the things that will carry us in hard times before those hard times hit. 

Kristin is an amazing author and she is so inspiring.  Her bog on Runners World is at http://milemarkers.runnersworld.com/.

Today is absolutely BEEEUUUTIFUL!! The wind has died down. the humidity..low and the sun is shining.  It's one of those days I dream of laying in a hammock, with a book and a sonic sweet tea.  hmmm....BUT I will have to settle for a night at the ballfield watching my baby girl play softball.  I will take it.  I am enjoying this time of year so much with all of the kids sports.  The entire family usually makes the games and then we try and go eat afterwards...it's something I look forward to all week.  I will tell you one thing, I completely get how families eat out 4 nights a week.  We are not home but 2 nights a week and trying to figure out a way to eat at home and eat healthy is just as fun as it can be.  Maybe just 2 nights a week we can eat out...that's not too bad is it????

Big step...

Ok..the day is here. I have listed my first piece on ETSY today!

                                                                          image from freecodesource.com

I only have a few things ready to go but I wanted to go ahead and put something on the site.  I have a lot of things in the works.  Here are pics of 2 of the items I will have on by tonight. 

The piece below would be super cute in a little girls room or even in a hutch! 

 

I also have this Halloween one and I ended up displaying it on an iron plate holder in my kitchen. It sits on my counter and really just adds a fun whimsy flair to the Halloween decor. 

Having an Etsy store has always been one of those goals that seemed too far reaching.   My art and projects are ever evolving so I am trying to find my niche.  I am a work in progress but as the saying goes, I can't get anywhere unless I begin the journey. 

So cheers to beginnings!
You can find my shop at

jenniferwright77.etsy.com.

xxoo.

Artist Pages

For all of you creatives out there. I have to share something that I have found to be Amazeballs!! 
Over years and years of perusing wonderful blogs I have often found other brilliant artist and bloggers refer to "The Artist's Way,  A spiritual path to higher creativity" by Julia Cameron. 

 

Run...to get a copy...Run I tell you....  It has been life changing in the creative sense.  I have not even finished the book yet but let me tell you a little bit about one of the exercises that has really worked for me. 


She calls them the Artist Pages. 


She asks that you get a plain spiral notebook and write 3 pages. 3 pages of freestyle, anything goes material once a day.  Her idea is that when you begin your day this way, the mind clutter will begin to unfold and it will free your mind and allow you to focus on the things you should be focusing on.  We tend to let the noise of our lives cloud our creativity as well as our objectivity.


I have to admit 3 pages doesn't seem like a lot until you try to think of things to write everyday.  However, I am realizing that my mind is so much clearer when I'm done.  I think we all hold little things in our minds that stress us out and we don't even know it.  Whether it's jotting things down, random questions you need answers to, things you need to fix in the house or appointments you need to make for the kids.  Writing all of these things down really helps so much. 

I also do this with my prayer journals.  Writing all the concerns down in the morning really helps me focus my day on the right things. 


I just love to journal period.  Art Journaling is huge for me, but I'll save that for another post.  :)


Hope everyone has a great day!

Right now

A few of my favorite things right now.....

Having all of my art supplies and scrapbooking stuff out and not having to put them up for a house showing.  Knowing I can hop on over to my dining room table  art room and create any time I can squeeze in.

Just doing it...scared to do art and start and Etsy store but doing it anyway...scared to blog and wondering if anyone even cares but taking the time and doing it anyway...for me.  I've been thinking of those things for years.  I have notebooks and notebooks of ideas that have always been just that....thoughts.  I am at least setting the motion forward now.  Feels good.

Loving working out again. Getting through a really hard workout and that feeling of major accomplishment on my drive home.  It's just the best feeling.

Love the new series Heartland....my daughter tipped me off.  Love quality TV, hard to find these days

I am loving Pinterest but who isn't right?!?!  I am addicted.  I have at least 10 binders full of subjects and page dividers full of magazine pictures and articles that I have collected over the last 15 years.  That is my thing...tear out a page...slip in in a page protector and file it away, in it's appropriate category of course and have inspirtation at an arms link away anytime I want.  NOW  Pinterest has changed everything!!  A virtual like, love, I can wear that, I can make that, I want to visit there, I want my kitchen to look like this, I have to cook that right now...BOARD  right there on the puter....sigh. 
I heart this entire concept. 

www.pinterest.com

I am loving my new Flip camera. Yes I know it has been out forever but oh my heck..I had no idea.  I luuuuv being able to whip  that puppy out of my purse at any given moment and the kids LOVE it too.  wink wink.

I am loving, looking at my Uggs in the closet and knowing those babies are about to be back on my feet, the leaves falling, all of my shows season premeirs, crock pot soups, my new camera strap, cute socks that sit right above my boots, and that I have a new Anthro store opening up 10 minutes from my house.  Dangerous stuff right there. Oh and pumpkin spice lattes of course.  My new Beth Moore bible study on the book of John.  If you have never taken a Beth Moore study, you must. She is phenominal.

A day of rest

Today Sydney didn’t feel well so we had an unexpected day at home.  My Mom came and got Trevor for a few hours and Sydney truly lit up just to have some alone time with me.  She kept repeating that she loved me and then she would say “I love just being with you Mommy, by ourselves.” 

Truly precious and it really makes you realize that your kids need that individual attention.  I’ve read so many brilliant ideas to connect with your kids.  They all sound wonderful….ya know the one where each parent takes one child on a date once a month.  Also, once a month one family member gets to pick out something special to do.  I need to make an effort to actually DO all of these traditions that swarm in my head. 

Those moments are definitely what the kids remember and hold on to.  Somehow life tends to take over and all of a sudden year after year you haven't started any new traditions.  Boo hiss...... 

The kids are off of school tomorrow.  Errands, grocery shopping, maybe Halloween Costume shopping.   Halloweentown will be here before we know it. 

Have a blessed week everyone!

the lake

Sundays during summer are reserved for the lake and they have been for 3 years now. 

 I love it. 

 I am definitely someone who belongs in the water, near the water, staring at the water, smelling the water, playing in the water.  I feel at home near water like no where else. 

The kids love to spend these days with their Aunt, Uncle & cousin and of course Mimi & Papa 

There are no words to express how blessed I feel that we get to make these precious memories for them...for us. 

These sundays will forever be impressioned in my mind.

The way the sun hits our muddy lake and casts a multi-blue (Mexico) look to the lake,

the marina,

eating lunch at the marina,

 the smell of sunscreen,

some ice cold drinks with a twist of fresh limes, watermelon,

football, music blaring,

kids laughing. 

It's all priceless. 

 I feel so blessed that we get to do this every weekend.