Honor

So a lot has been happening this past few weeks.  It is stuff that isn't all good and I can't go into it here for privacy reasons.  In the midst of it all though I am remaining peaceful.  I can't tell you how good of a feeling that is, to just be peaceful.  I feel like I can breathe, that I'm not being suffocated.  I know it is hard to understand if you don't know what is going on but before Soul Restoration something like this would have just sent me into a tail spin.  I would have dwelled on it and it would have broken me.  However, I am whole and it feels wonderful!

My daughter has a school project that is coming up. She has a question she needs to answer in a form that would be visible to the public. She will be doing some mixed media, making them into She Art girls.  Her question is what does it means to live with honor?  We would be interested to hear your answers in forms of favorite quotes, scriptures and whatever else you would like.  Who knows, my daughter may just decide to give one of you a special present after her project is finished at the end of May.

hon·or [on-er] –noun

honesty, fairness, or integrity in one's beliefs and actions

“Integrity is doing the right thing, even if nobody is watching.” – author unknown

Routines

I didn't really know until today how much of a routine person I have become.  There is that saying "When Momma ain't happy, no body's happy".  Yep, that would be me when it comes to my routine.(Thank you Flylady!)  Mess with how I like to do things and you may just have one angry Momma on your hands.  Now, don't get me wrong over the years I have learned to make adjustments and not be so controlling about said routines.  I am happy to bend when necessary for company, days of illness or just spontaneous fun. 

However, at this point in time I have a problem.........We moved here 3 years ago, this upcoming June and the only routine this Momma has is avoiding the things that need to be done.  I haven't been able to find what works for me now.  You would think I could keep it the same as before but it just isn't working.  A few years ago I was at a very special friends house and I noticed her to do list on her refrigerator.  It said "Love the House Day"(at least I think I am remembering it right) and I asked her what that meant.  She told me that her house needed to be loved just as much as her family.  So just like she set aside time to be with family, she set aside time to take care of the house.  For some reason what had always seemed like chores to me became something I did out love.  What a change that was! 

Today was a breakthrough day and I am on my way to finding my happy routine.  At this point in time.....Wednesday's mark my "Love the House Day", which includes the things I don't really like to do but need to be done.  Dusting, vaccuming corners and cleaning my bathroom.  Thursday's mark starting laundry and which gets finished up on Friday.  The whole goal of my happy routine is to be able to free up our weekends as the warmer weather approaches.   So looking forward to the evenings after dinner in the garden!!  

So please share with me, do you have a rountine?  What do you do that just makes your home happy?

And so it begins

A LONG weekend.  My two teenagers have been madly practicing for a high school play, Fiddler on the Roof since they returned from Christmas break.  Practices 5 days a week and a couple of weekends thrown in there have proven to weigh heavily on this family.(especially when 3 out of 4 of us was sick for 6 weeks)  We are a family that gets cranky when we don't get to spend a lot of time together and I've been known to get the jealous mommies.  Example of the jealous mommies.....when teenage daughter wants to have a friend over because she misses said friend, then I feel left out.  I would rather just spend time creating art with her instead of sharing her.  I realize she has to have time with her friends outside of school so I suck it up and play nice.(at least I try)

So the last nights of the play started yesterday and go through Saturday.  Did a mention that it will be late nights until 11pm?  Ya, I know I am getting older because I can't stay up that late to many days in a row.  I am looking forward to Sunday, the day after the last performance.  We just might end up sleeping in.....right like that ever happens with me.  I am lucky to sleep in past 7am!  Oh well, such is life and it goes on. 

My parents are coming in for a few days so that will be fun.  I am also putting together a Brave Girl apron and trying my best to find motivation to make some art.  I am LOVING the She Art class!  I haven't created any girls yet but my ideas are brewing so that makes me happy.

The winner is........

BUT first I need to let you all know how much I appreciated each one of your comments and have read them all.  They were all so touching.  Welcome to all my new followers.  I hope you will enjoy the journey I share here.

I believe that there is a God that knows what each and everyone of us needs to continue on our own journey.  He puts things in our paths that can result into beautiful things.  When I went to the Random generator I plugged in the numbers, then went back to my list of comments.  I counted and then relized that one of the most touching comments for me was the person who received the blog gift.  This is so like God to provide something special to help someone along their way. 

So to number 35, Kristy you are the winner!!       
Kristy said, "I am so loving this BG blog hop ! Being able to read your stories and sing praises for SR at BGC is wonderful .I am so excited to say I am signed up for the April session. IS it April yet ? I have been so touched by your story and for being brave enough to post it. I am happy to add you to my following list. I would just die to win this amazing gift. I am on a journey to heal after the death of my dear husband in July 2010. On a journey of discovery and being Brave in my new "Widow" walk. I am over the top with joy that you girls put this together. What a wonderful gift to all of us !! Hugs.. KRisty ...Krissi57 at BGC...You can reach me at my blog...http://myhealingthroughartstory.blogspot.com/ "

I linked Kristy's blog so you lovelies can go leave her some sisterly love.  Her artwork through healing is amazing, which makes God pretty amazing!!  Blessing to you my new Brave Girl Sister!!

What it means to be a Brave Girl

Welcome to the Soul Restoration blog hop - if you're following from the beginning you came from Leslie's blog  to continue hopping on your way you'll visit Kai's blog.  If for any reason you get lost or a link is broken you can go here, here, here or here to get yourself back on track.  Several of the ladies are having give aways, so have fun!  That is what it's all about making special connections.

As you go along this blog hop journey you are going to see my sisters hearts, please be kind and leave lots of LOVE for them.  We would love to see you join the most powerful and fun online workshop taught by Melody Ross.  This class is being enjoyed and loved by women all over the world and the one thing in common you will see is it is all about connections.  Connections between other women who get you and to the little girl that is still inside of you waiting to be healed.  Soul Restoration online classes have now been expanded to TWO sessions:  Soul Restoration Part 1 - Finding your truth(6 weeks) starting April 5, 2011  Session $99 Registar HERE and Soul Restoation Part 2 - Living your truth(6 weeks) For graduates of Soul Restoration 1 only June 7, 2011  Session $99 Resister HERE 

You DO NOT need to be an artist to do this.  Melody is so awesome and she walks you through it all.  After watching all the technique videos if you are still having trouble, go to your sisters for support.  That is what it is all about lovelies.

I personally have been following Melody and her journey for years.  She speaks truth with her words and those words have helped me more than she will ever know.  When I heard that she was starting a Brave Girl Camp I was over the moon and back excited.  I knew with the price tag, I was going to have to wait for quite awhile for my pennies to be saved.  Then it was announced that a special Brave Girl Community would be opened and that Soul Restoration six week course would be offered.  Have you ever just been not able to get something out of your head?  That is what happened with me when I heard about it.  The decision to take this class wasn't something I took lightly.  I knew I would have a lot of soul work to do and it honestly wasn't going to be easy.  Life style changes are rarely easy but in the end rewarding.  

 

My sister died when I was nine years old, this is my favorite picture of her and I.  I loved her so very much and since then I have at times felt like I've been lost.  I only knew for a short time what it was like to have a sister and I have searched for years for that bond.  The bond of undersanding that only sisters seem to have.  A peace comes over you when you a relize you don't have to search empty faces anymore for someone who will be your sister.  That is the peace that I have received from Soul Restoration, my restless sisters heart is at peace.  I don't have to search anymore because I have hundres of sisters who get me.  They are there at a moments notice when I am having a horrible, no good, very bad day.  They center me right back to where I need to be.  I so LOVE each and everyone of you, my heart is full.

Now for the fun giveway that I have put together for you!  In this giveway you will receive the above things to start or continue you on your art journey of healing.   I will choose a winner Sunday 3/6,  9pm pacific time and post the winner by Tuesday 3/8.  Be sure I have away to contact you!! 

In class you will choose your truth teller symbol to remind you of the things you have learned.  My truth teller symbol are birds because they are what God uses to slow me down.  This little guy was found in my garden one day when I was going out to my car.  Yes, he let me get that close with the camera on my phone!  It looks like he is smiling and that is what I like to imagine God doing when he looks at me.      

Please join us in the beautiful Brave Girl community, that Melody and her sister Kathy have created for us.  If you would like to read more about the community, please click on the Brave Girl button to the left. 

A bit of Truth

I am loving surrounding myself with special truths.  This is one I made for myself and a couple of sweet Brave Girl sisters.  Be blessed and come back tomorrow for our wonderful Soul Restoration Blog Hop!!

I painted on lovely canvas paper.  The heart is modeling paste, which seems like it takes FOREVER to dry.  Little fence is a Martha Steward punch.

Doing things anyway

Somehow, somewhere I learned to do things anyway.  It has been that way for as long as I can remember.  It is strange though, when you don't remember much of your childhood to not even really know when you got to be so strong.  I am choosing however to believe it happened over a lifetime.

These are my Anyway pages from Soul Restoration.  The birds I found before Christmas and just stamped several out, cutting them out and placing them over the punched vine and flowers.  I just love how they turned out.

I am choosing to believe what Melody Ross said to us in class one day..........When you go through things you are extremely qualified to help someone where no one else would be.  You are trust worthy because you have been there.  I remember a very dear friend telling me the exact same thing about 10 years ago so what Melody said was just a wonderful reminder.  I do wish more people believed this and that there would be more trust so that people didn't think they add reinvent the wheel.

Be sure to come back this way over the weekend.  A few my new Brave Girls sisters and I have to put together a Soul Restoration Blog Hop.  I'll be doing a fun little give away.  See you soon!    

Attitude adjustment

My attitude hasn't been the best so I find myself being quiet.  I loved the Soul Restoration class and I will talk more about that later in the week, durning our blog hop this weekend.  It was everything I hoped it would be but it doesn't stop just because the class did.  It is hard work to change how you think on a daily basis, to go where the peace is when all you want to do is revert back to your old habits.  I seem to be the master of that recently, falling back into old habits, it seems easier but it sure isn't healthy.  

I just noticed this week that my vistor counter has hit over 14,000!  Totally amazing to me!  Thank you to all of you that visit.  I do believe I will be doing a special give away to celebrate soon, just have to figure out just the right special gift.