I’m convinced tables in the living room are meant for cutting open little boys’ faces, no matter how rounded the corners are or how chubby the little boys’ faces!

All in a day’s time, we might see a cut by the eye, a pitcher of sweet tea spilled in the fridge, an unhealthy lunch of PB&J, Fritos and root beer, a hefty library fine, too much t.v. and to top it all off, a sincere moment of creative energy while making snowball cookies.  (Yes, this is from experience.)

Actually, the day wasn’t all bad; it just fell during a busy time of year.  But when do we not have all sorts of projects running, ideas brimming and multiple things to be doing?  What I sense, though, is that if we pause and feel deeply (even with hands covered in oily cookie dough), we can give sincere acknowledgment to the kids, answer a question politely and laugh heartily at any given moment.

Children are wonderful reflections of ourselves.  Mine have done a great job of showing me how short I’ve been when talking with them.  How many weeks will it take to undo that example?

In the midst of near chaos, why sudden creative inspiration?  Perhaps it’s my idea that’s relevant to my current situation, but I do believe that it is a divine message to enjoy where I am right now as a mother.  While doing so, I should have fun, set a good, positive example for my kids and possibly a good example for other mothers, too.

You just never know what’s going to come your way, whether it be seen as good or bad.  No matter what it is, if you’re a parent, there are little eyes watching you to see how they should react when it’s their turn.

I need more practice.

I got inspired a year or so ago to try my hand at apron-making.  I truly enjoyed the process and the result.  One I gave to my sister-in-law, and the other I gave to my cherished art/soul companion.  I’ll be working again here soon on a couple of others that I’ll share after they are gifted.

The thing about aprons is that they are classic, and they seem to be making a comeback.  Just search for apron patterns, and the result returns thousands of links.

After I made my first apron, my husband picked up a magazine at our co-op.  I hadn’t before read MaryJanesFarm, but I was hooked.  Though I haven’t treated myself to a subscription (though I plan to soon!), I cherish the magazine I have like a book; it was the Artists in Aprons special stitchery issue, and there was a particular article about MaryJane’s mother.  Helen was the type of mother I only aspire to be.  (Browse around the site.  You’ll probably fall in love like I did!)


In the magazine, it said that when you’re wearing an apron,
people know you’re up to something.  So whether you’re in the garden, kitchen, craft room or garage, tie around an apron of your choice and let your creativity soar.

Do I know if spiritfully is a word?  Not really.  For my purposes it works, and I think you understand what it means, too.

This past weekend was the women’s retreat I’ve raved about before, and as ever, it was delightful, ethereal and truly blessed.  The retreat takes place up on a mountain, right on the edge.  You feel like you’re on top of the world.  You feel the natural high coming as soon as you start the drive up the mountain at the first curve.

Then, you have to come back down.  As a retreatant, you have to go back home and see how you can integrate your insight into daily life.  As someone working at the retreat, you have not only to integrate your insights but also manage the lack of adrenaline that has fueled you for the past four days, if not longer.

The book that was the springboard for discussion over the weekend, Take Time for Your Life, mentions that adrenaline is one of those things you can get in the habit of using as fuel, rather than all the healthy things that you should use, like sleep, a healthy diet and exercise.  I realize I’m just as guilty as many others at neglecting what is natural and healthy in favor of a quick fix or a bigger rush.  I mean, of course, that I’ll use a mid-day or late night coffee or soda for a pick-me-up or procrastinate and count on adrenaline to get me through.

As I make it through this day that is already filled to the brim, I realize that I have another option for fuel.  If I can take care of myself physically, then it will be easier to let Spirit take care of me mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  The creativity will flow, the channel will be open, and I will be a good example for our children.  I took time this morning to sit for just under ten minutes.  That’s a start.

I make stupid choices, though.  (I use the word stupid intentionally.  In our house it’s a very bad word, one I don’t let the kids use habitually.)  I let my “things to do” get in the way of being truly present in the moment.  How often do we let the small stuff prevent us from living into our full potential?

During the homily at the retreat’s service, the weekend’s speaker asked us to take a moment to be still and think about what we wanted to ask the Spirit for.  I feel like the request is sacred, like a child making a wish, and if I tell you, I take away the magic.  Let’s just say that I hope to live every moment spiritfully.  I can use all the help I can get.

May you have a blessed day.

(The photo is from the Camp Mitchell website; a view from the grounds.)

As you’re getting this, I am off amidst a group of wonderful women at our annual Time for JOY retreat.  You needn’t envy me.  Just visit our site and plan on coming next year . . . if you’re a woman, of course!

Since the first year of the retreat here in Arkansas, I’ve been hooked.  This is what living spiritually as a woman is all about — Jesus (or insert your religious inspiration here), Others (because we all serve each other and receive great rewards in giving) and Yourself (because a Self properly nurtured has a quality of life inspiring to others, fulfilling to the self and beneficial to all).  You can’t truly put it into words, however.

At our weekend retreat, we try to emphasize the presence of the Spirit, making it obvious in all you do so that when you go home, you are better able to recognize it in your daily round.

Many feel like they can’t get away for a weekend.  Trust me.  I know!  But it’s like putting premium fuel in your car, which you probably don’t do until you start hearing the knocking.  It’s like getting the flu when you need to slow down.  Rather than waiting for something bad to happen, give yourself a little preventative medicine, the sort that nourishes you mind, body and soul.

If you’re not here with me at the retreat, I hope to see you next year.  If you can’t make it at all, is there something similar near you?  Can you make a weekend retreat for yourself?  Do something to recharge your batteries, your spirit.  Get a good night’s sleep.  Eat some good food.  Pamper yourself.  Stimulate your intellect.  Evaluate your life.  Imagine your life as you hope it can be, and do something to make it happen now.  Yes, you can, and I give you permission.

Live every day simply with great joy, and join me Monday with a renewed Spirit.

With Mother’s Day coming up, this might be a nice way you can honor the special women at your table for special luncheons or dinners.  My daughter had me make a place card for her last year that she liked to put on her desk or nightstand — any place to mark as her own in a pretty way.

It’s quite simple.

• Printable place cards (look in the wedding stationary — or you could just cut some cardstock into 3×4 inch rectangles, scoring along the horizontal center on the up-side)

The fun part is decorating them to go along with your meal-time theme.  I need them to be feminine and springy (like the season, not the frog!)

• Stamps (for names and a consistent font; you could write them or use your printer if using the printable place cards)
• Embellishments, like flowers, brads and glitter.  Ribbon would be nice, too.  It’s best to stock up on things like this when they’re on sale or you have a friend cleaning out her craft supplies; otherwise, they get expensive!
• Punches, like my butterfly pop-up punch I just knew would come in handy.

The skies just darkened and the rain’s pouring down.  It’s a day to do some indoor craft-time but not ideal for being on the computer.  I have what feels like a billion cards to make, giving thanks and birthday wishes to many, so I’m going to do that in just a bit.

Share in the creative energy and spirit of getting things done.  I’ll post photos when they’re finished.  (Apparently my son feels it’s a good idea to seek shelter with the cat . . . on my leg.)

Spring awakens my senses, surging through my veins a desire to grow towards the sun, all the while digging my fingers deeper into the soil.  ‘Tis the season when the blossoming, growth and fertility all around us reflects the same within most of us, and it is a wonderful time to be alive.

Thinking of all the beauty around me, from rich earth to new green to smiling children, as I look out the door, a web of worms grows on our aging cherry tree.  The dialogue ensues.  This is a reflection of the beauty of nature, likening that to our own true selves.  Ugly worms don’t belong here.

Ah, maybe that’s why they’re in my line of sight today.

Left to its own devices, our earth has its own system of checks and balances.  There is no third party evaluation to discuss the ethics, and the consequences are known, precipitating the action.  Nature lives in balance

However, we as humans have the unique gift of free will.  We get to choose our way and find our own balance.  Where have your choices led you?  Where you are now, is all thriving?  Is there balance?  Or do you need a disaster to restore you closer to where you should be?

We receive signs, if we pay attention.  We receive assurance.  Like it or not, we are part of this “nature” around us, and I feel that if we pay attention to it, Nature will offer suggestions on how we should live, maybe even how we can make improvements.

The worms outside.  I will have to cut off that part of the branch and kill the worms to keep them from spreading before they outgrow their current nest of sorts, if they haven’t already.  I don’t like having to do that.  I apologize to the plants as I prune them back and wish insects light and love and a good next life before I squish them, apologizing after.  But I do what I feel I must to keep a balance, prevent an infestation that could further destroy the good thing I hope I have going.

Our cherry tree is on its last leg.  Already I’ve chosen a couple of its off-shoots to grow in its place, several feet away from the original tree.  Eventually we’ll have to cut down the beauty to allow room for the new trees.  I suppose it’s not unlike our love for our children.  We can’t live forever, overshadowing them.  It’s best that our ego takes back seat if not disappears so that our children can grow in their own light and live the lives they were brought here to live.

It is all an intricate balance, a web of life, not without death.  Verily, there is neither beauty nor disgust; there is just what is, and that whole is . . . just is.  I want to say it’s beautiful, but that would be me adding that which is excessive, tipping the scale.

I should take these lessons and practice them, mull them over and throughout, evaluating my own environment, removing what needs to be removed, nurturing what nourishes the whole.

Happy gardening to you, and may the music of spring sing in your soul.

One thing at a time.  It’s not one day at a time.  It’s like labor.  You cannot take another ten hours of contractions, but you can take this one right now.

Perhaps it was because of my 37-week pregnant belly, my rambunctious two-year-old and my five- and seven-year old chattering at me that I got a lot of sympathetic looks and comments that basically said, “I don’t know how you manage.”  It’s not much different now that I’m not pregnant and the kids are all a couple of years older; just add an attached 18mo to the mix of older siblings!

I understand a little more when a man says he doesn’t know how I manage, but often it’s women, especially older women or those with fewer children.  To the mother of fewer, I do it the same way as you, as I mentioned above.  I just may have to take more breaths, or gasps, as the case may be.  The older women amuse me because many times they say they even had as many or more children than me but cannot recall how they made it through.

The truth is that we do what we have to do, and maybe nature plays another one of those mind tricks so we forget how difficult life, especially childrearing can be.  Undoubtedly it’s every bit as difficult as childbearing, if not more so!  Se here we go, off to do more breathing.

Storms and all, Spring is definitely here, and I guess I’d rather stay up way too late cleaning than waste precious daylight.  The kiddos and I got our jump start on gardening, getting the straw for much.  What is some straw in the garden without the strawberries?  I bought two root bundles — that means 50 plants.  Yes, we take our strawberries seriously around here, though not scientifically seriously enough.  I’m not sure about the variety we got; I need to research the Chandler kind since that’s what we brought home!

So, 25 strawberry roots are already planted.  There are two groups of three near the red raspberries and lavender (both just in their second year in our garden) in the bed by the veggie
garden (not yet planted at all this year).  I’m
curious to see how and if flavor is affected by the nearness of the plants, but that’s a long-term project.  (I was inspired by the wine conversation in French Kiss, one of my hubby’s and my favorite movies.)  The other 19 plants are filling in unused sunny space. 

Our yard was landscaped when we bought it, but it’s largely ornamental, though good for animals/insects.  There’s lots of space we foresee filling in to make it more like an “Edible Estate.”  We have a long way to go and lots of research to do to make that happen, but it’s a goal.  You gotta have goals.

We didn’t plant today since I thought it would rain.  We’ll see what it’s like tomorrow afternoon because I just can’t wait to get all those berries started.  For me there’s nothing like a good day’s work outside to revitalize the soul.  Fresh air and a boost of vitamin D does a body good.  Now if I could just get my kids to be aware of that positive energy to dilute their angst and negativity, we’d all be better off.

Happy sunny spring days to you.

Remember me sharing that we went for a hike a couple of weeks ago, stopping by the pottery shop afterwards?  It rained on that hike, especially hard when we actually got to the waterfall.  My kids are still residually snotty from their colds, but I wouldn’t trade that day with family and friends for anything.

This morning I made one of our not-too-frequent stops by our local bread shop, taking the younger two with me to pick up a breakfast sandwich, chocolate muffin,  raspberry scone (the raspberries make it healthy, right?), and bread, of course.  My four-year-old loves “the stone place” (it’s called Stonemill Bread), and I love the feeling of supporting our local business, sharing the morning with my little kids and eating some great food.

Both of these experiences remind me that I’m making memories each moment of my life.  Even as I’m here typing (after taking a break for nursing someone that needed a moment of attentive loving and then having a quick IM chat with my mom), I know I’m making a choice to nurture myself by writing and sharing with you.

The main point is that everything we do is significant, from helping the stranded guy at the post office by offering a jump since you have the cables (which happened last night) to taking the kids to school every weekday.  In every moment we have the opportunity to affirm life and love, to share in our abundance.

Do you have a gratitude journal?  Have you considered how blessed you are to have this day to make new memories?  The best way to assure you’ll continue to have abundance is to give thanks for all that you have.  So, give thanks and then make some new memories.