Autumn Light

It is hard to describe the special quality of the sunlight in autumn.  Sometime in August, though we are still experiencing hot temperatures, I can usually sense as the sun moves south when it changes from the hot summer light to the warm glow of the coming autumn.  Then I start to anticipate the cool mornings and warm comfort of the sun as the season shifts.  

The sun's light, especially in the mornings and evenings draws me to the window to see it make the leaves and flowers glow.  Partly cloudy days make for lovely sunrises and sunsets.  Though I couldn't really catch the loveliness of the light, I wanted to take a picture to remind me of how much I love the fall.

Music to Quilt by

Music.  It uplifts, calms, energizes.  It sets toes to tapping, feet to dancing.  It soothes the soul and makes the spirit laugh.  I don't know of anyone who doesn't have music he loves.

For me that is instrumental--jazz, bluegrass, Latin, Celtic and a new one for me--classical crossover. I have wondered if my preference for instrumental is tied to my being an introvert.  Song lyrics don't particularly interest me, but I love rhythm.  Singing, even someone with a lovely voice, clutters up the music--please, just give me the notes.  

My favorite times to listen to music are either when I clean or when I quilt.  Nothing like a good beat to get Mr. J and I dancing together.  

Enter Pandora.  I create a station with a favorite piece and from there I find songs I like.  I write down the artist and song, and off I head to iTunes to create my own playlists.  Once I sync those playlist on my iPod/iPhone, I set it to shuffle and off I go. 

Here are some my favorite songs I used to create my Pandora stations:

Latin:  Cafe Mocha by Jesse Cook

Bluegrass: Dawg's Breath by Ricky Scaggs

Celtic/bluegrass:  Crossing the Briney by Ricky Scaggs

Celtic:  Dawn Dance by Alasdair Fraser

Jazz:  The Wave by Kirk Whalum

Soft electronic:  Summer Groove by Jesus Tamames

Classical crossover: Rolling in the Deep by The Piano Guys

Very rarely do I buy whole albums, preferring to create my own mixes, but one artist stood out to me as I listened to my classical crossover station on Pandora:  Lindsey Stirling.  Much of the music on that station tends to be on the quieter side, but she creates a wonderful blend of dance/electronic with classical violin. I bought her first album (the second was a little too heavy on the electronic for me). Her music puts a smile on my face and makes me want to dance. :-)

Here's to good listening!

Dreams

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." 1 Peter 4:10

With social justice being so much a part of the conversation of ministry these days, I have wrestled with the feeling that all or most ministry should serve the disadvantaged.  I have come to see, though, that there are other issues of concern that people deal with--illness, injury, grief. Here is where my gift of quilting can be of service, and it is what I am passionate about doing.  

Beyond receiving a thank you note, my quilt group doesn't often hear about the impact our quilts make.  Every once in a while, though, we do, and that is what encourages me in this ministry.  With our quilts we can offer warmth, color, and prayers.  

As I have been doing the commissioned quilts, I have given this idea some thought and realized that there are three areas I would like to focus on in quilting.  First, our Tuesday quilts.  I love working with this group of ladies, and that says a lot, being the introvert that I am.  Secondly, I would love to be able to make quilts for something like the Linus project locally.  And thirdly, I would like to create wall art that we would display in our home for a while and then donate as fundraisers.  

Right now, once I finish some current obligations, I could manage two of the three, which would be the Tuesday quilts and the wall art.  Perhaps I can work in a few kid quilts along the way as well. 

What does this mean for doing commissioned quilts?  I am not yet sure.  While I enjoy quilting for people, I do know that I don't want this to be my focus.  And I have learned that dreams are not just for the young.  

Haiku Happiness

I am not a poet (nor the daughter of a poet).  In fact, words can be a struggle for me, which is why I often need time to put my thoughts together.  There is a type of poetry I love, though, and that is haiku.  I love that it has a framework the words must fit in.  I love that it is a very short poem so words must be chosen carefully in order to have the impact the poet desires.  They are often playful, but can be very serious and beautiful.  As an expression of my appreciation for haiku, I decided to write a haiku in its honor:

Five, seven, five--form

Musings--beauty, joy, sorrow

Create word pictures. 

Seeking Simplicity: Fashion

The seasons have finally shifted from cold to warm (soon to be hot), so in bringing out the warm weather clothes, I did a bit of evaluating my dress style.  Thinking back, I realize that my style of fashion has generally been rather odd.  In high school, while all the other girls were wearing mini-skirts, I was wearing skirts to my ankles.  It took me a long time to embrace capris.  Platform shoes? No thanks.

As I have gotten older, though, my style has settled down into what I will call classic comfort. While I have firm admiration for a well put together outfit, it is not something I want to spend time on myself. Just give me a few basics in a few colors, and I am good.

So, what do I like to wear for the warm season?  

At home: yoga capris, t-shirts, and bare feet.  

Casual:  Capris or light weight pants, knit shirts, sandals (one pair of black and one pair of brown), and a light weight cardigan to fend off the air conditioning. (I do love cardigans!)

Dress:  Nice skirt or pants, nice knit top, nice sandals (two pair again-see above), and a shawl.  (Love those shawls, too!)

Accessories:  Earrings and necklaces that complement each other, but don't match exactly.  One small cross body purse and a tote.  Now I do find that totes call to me, but I try to resist their allure.  

My youngest majored in fashion design and really knows how to put together a nice outfit--classy, but up to date.  Hmmm, if she got that from my side at all, that gene must have skipped me.  

Keeping it simple…..

In Like A….

March lion, bold--fierce,

Pounces with frosty breath and

Leaves a crystal world.

Image Bearer

Sculptor's tools in hand

Love mingling sorrow, joy

Reflecting His heart

Summer's Grace

Summer light
Hazy skies
Heat waves start their dance

Cicada songs
Fireflies flash
June bug's aimless flight

Bluejays splash
Robins seek
Earthworms for their feast

Cotton balls
Growing tall
Passing showers bring

Honey bees
Sip the sage
Crepes don jaunty dress

Eyes to see
Ears to hear
The gift of summer's grace

The Prayer Project

Prayer:  a time of conversation with God.  Involves both listening and speaking.  Its subject may be worship, petition, intercession, repentance, or musings.  

My desire:  to be in continual communion with the Lord as I go about the day.

This desire has also been my struggle ever since I have come into this season of having a lot of solitude to my days.  There has been the issue of my motivations--how well my day goes with prayer being a measure of my worth.  That tanked very quickly.  Then there is the frustration of structure.  I have tried both a structured prayer list and being spontaneous to no avail.  Between the two, though, I know I need a measure of structure--a rhythm of prayer to the day.  The biggest struggle is the lack of words.  Sometimes prayer flows so effortlessly but, more often than not, I just don't have the words to pray.  It makes sense that since my talkativeness tends comes in bursts with much silence in between, that it would also be the case for me in prayer.  Expressing myself in words can be challenge in general, so it shouldn't surprise me that it is the same with prayer.

Recently I learned about a daily devotional geared towards urban professionals:  843 Acres  I like the way it is thoughtful, short, and to the point; and I found myself drawn to some of the prayers at the end.  They reminded me of the Common Book of Prayer we were introduced to during our time at a local liturgical church, and some of the wonderful prayers it contains.  

Those times when I find prayer the easiest are often prompted by something I have seen or read that echoes in my heart.  The devotional inspired the idea of compiling prayers from readings and Scripture to use as jumping off points during my times of prayer during the day.    
So I have a new adventure before me:  The Prayer Project.  

And the journey continues....

Intentional Introvertedness

Recently I did a search on Christian introvert, just to see what would come up. It was mostly blog posts, and it was interesting to see what a few had to say. Here are some thoughts on the subject spurred by my reading.

Being an introvert may determine how you prefer to use your time--for example, staying home to reading a book rather than going to a party.  However, it does not determine what you do with that time.  Extrovert or introvert, we can use our time well or waste it.  

Also, being an extrovert doesn't necessarily mean that you have more meaningful relationships.  Nor does being an introvert mean that you are a hermit.  Rather, it just means we relate to people differently.  And just like using time well or not, we can spend our energy meaningfully in relationships or not.

Introverts and extroverts can be good balances for each other.  Introverts can help ground extroverts, and extroverts can help us introverts not to be too serious.  I enjoy being around someone who is outgoing, who makes me laugh, who has the energy and inclination to create enjoyable gatherings.  I also enjoy quiet and intimate time with those I love, having deeper conversations and heart sharing.  

Rather than using our make-up to excuse our shortcomings, as is so easy for all of us to do, let us allow this knowledge of ourselves help us to serve and invest in the lives of others.  For me it means learning how to reach out from a place of solitude, balancing social and quiet time so that I am making time for relationships in my life.  It also means paying attention to people who cross my path to see where God is opening a door for relationships; and for those who just pass by, how even those momentary contacts can be substantive.  May God give me grace to be an intentional introvert.   






  

Holiday Musings 2012

This is a holiday of transitions--grandparents growing older, children getting married, grandchildren arriving.  As the seasons of life bring change, there is comfort in the traditions that continue and enjoyment of the beginning of new traditions.

Three or four years ago, beginning the weekend after Thanksgiving, I started reading through The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.  I have fond, though faded, memories of watching the Mr. Magoo cartoon version as a child.  Last year I read it out loud to my husband at meal times on the weekends, one stave per weekend.  We are repeating that tradition this year and find it to be a enjoyable and thoughtful part of the season.  

Our little tree is up, though it owes being decorated to my husband.  I just didn't have the enthusiasm for it this year.  I placed the ornaments on their hooks, and he put them on the tree, and it was a little task made pleasant by his company. 

The creche is arranged on our new fireplace mantle, and it was a lovely surprise to see how the colors in the creche matched the colors in the new fireplace. 

All that is left of the decorating is adding our bit of lights to the front porch.  Sending out the Christmas cards, wrapping packages, and holiday baking should finish up the preparations. 
Family will gather together, and I am anticipating a time of lots of laughter, bustle, and love. Afterwards I may curl up in a comfortable place somewhere with maybe a book, some knitting, or a movie and enjoy a bit of solitude.  

Fall Color

I love the colors of fall.....

Blossoming

Winter art transformed

Glorious summer color

Crowning graceful stems

Manna

Well, it has taken about two years and three months, but I have finally determined my diet parameters, and am approximately 98.5 percent issue free.  A very, very good feeling in many ways.  


There have been points in this process where I have chaffed against the limitations my body has imposed upon me.  In my angst and frustration, the thought came to mind that the blind man also wishes he could see the sunrise, and the deaf man wishes he could hear the symphony, but the reality is that they can't.  No amount of anger or anguish is going to change that fact.  


Now I face, at least for a season and maybe permanently, the understanding that my meals will be nourishing, but not greatly varied.  The story of the Israelites and the manna from heaven came to mind.  Manna was tasty, like cakes made with honey, but I don't imagine there were many ways to fix it.  After a while, the Israelites decided they were tired of eating manna every day, and began to complain.  The Scripture then describes the manna as tasting like cakes cooked in oil.  The Israelites had lost the seasoning of thankfulness.  

So the blind man can spend his time angry that he can't see the sunrise or he can be thankful he can hear the symphony.  The deaf man can focus on the frustration of not being able to hear the music or he can be thankful to be able to see the beauty of the morning.  And   I, as I sit down to my meals, will thank the Lord for my manna.  

Understand the Whys

TED Talk: Susan Cain--The Power of Introverts


Now I understand.....


why I always only had one best friend at a time growing up.


why sending me to my room was never an effective punishment.


why I didn't enjoy VBS as a child, or day camps, or Girl Scouts.


why I have no interest in helping or even going to the ladies Christmas celebration at church or volunteering for VBS, or doing group Bible studies. 


why quilt group works for me.


why I both enjoy and get frustrated with talkative people.


why the idea of community both draws and repels me.


why few people really get to know me.


I knew I was an introvert, but now I am making the full connection.  With that understanding, I find it is easier to deflect the pressure to fit into a world geared towards extroverts and to accept that I can add to the world in quietness and solitude.  


Introverts and extroverts--we were made for each other. :-)  

A Lovely Way to End the Day

Enough said. :-)

Winter Crepe

Gray leaf-barren arms

Graceful shapes with berry tips

Bring art to the cold

Creativity

It is sunny today, so this morning I sat on my back step with my mid-morning tea to do a little vitamin D generating.  (It is amusing to me that I am getting back to basic sources, not because of any fad or trend, but just because it is safe for me.)  Anyway, as I was enjoying the lovely morning, my thoughts centered again on God's amazing creativity.  There is variety, but unity and inter-connectivity.  It is fine tuned, but also durable.  There is beauty in the broad sweep of it all and in the details.  Both the ordinary and the unusual are so interesting.  And best of all, He shared that part of his character with us and invites us to participate in His world. 

Creativity finds so many different forms.  There is what we typically think of in the arts, but we use it in so much of our day to day lives--planning, designing, arranging.  We just don't think of it as creativity.  I love seeing this part of God's character expressed in other people--inspiring, fun, delightful, comforting.  He is wonderful!

P.S.  Recipe gathering is going well, so I can move away from such a tight menu plan.  Yesterday I had a quick and rather strong reaction to something at lunchtime--usual Rudolf nose effect and stomach cramps.  Decided to test out my new coconut milk beverage.  Sure enough--cramps went away almost immediately, though my nose stayed rather pink for the rest of the day.  I was tired by evening since the reaction is physically stressful, but it was much more manageable.  It is nice to know that I have a resource when I need it.