Hi friends. Welcome.
How are you tonight? Anything lovely planned for the weekend?
Remember little things count and simple pleasures do too.
I hope they add up to a beautiful weekend.
First things first though – – – –
A Good Word
A Good Look
This weekend when you think of beautiful things: don’t forget to count yourself in.
Words found here. Image found here
A Good Idea
Carry On
from Emily Lex
Have you ever found yourself right in the middle of a thing you signed up for and realize you really don’t know what you’re doing?
I’m pretty much there. Actually, now that I think about it, it’s how I’ve felt since the very first days of conversation about writing a book began. I’ve never written a book. I’ve never illustrated a book. I’ve never marketed a book. I’ve never been interviewed about a book. So I guess it makes a lot of sense that I don’t know what I’m doing.
But here’s what I’m finding: even though I don’t know what I’m doing, I know I’m doing the right thing. Does that make sense?
Maybe it’s like those early days of motherhood. You don’t really know how to hold your baby or feed your baby or bathe your baby (they feel so fragile!), but this baby is yours and you are its mother and nothing feels more right than holding her close and staring at this miracle that came from you. You figure it out as you go, asking for help, watching how your friends and sisters are doing it, learning along the way and giving yourself lots of grace because of course you don’t know what you’re doing! You’ve never done it before!
It’s funny that a motherhood analogy came out because that’s what so many authors liken their books to. You grow it and labor over it for months and months (in my case, nearly 2 years!), and then it finally comes time to hold it up to the world: Look what I made! I’m so proud of this thing! I want you to love it and be moved by it and cherish it and smile every time you see it on your shelf!
It’s a weird feeling. A vulnerable feeling. A little bit anxiety-inducing, if I’m being completely honest.
Your new-to-you thing might not be launching a book, but I’m guessing there’s something you’re doing that you don’t quite know how to do. Here’s how I think we can do it well:
1. Remember that if this is what you are called to do in this season, you will have everything you need to do it (Philippians 4:13)
2. Ask for help
3. Look at how others are doing it to see what you can learn from them (apply what works, let everything else go – this is not a competition!)
4. Give yourself grace
5. Have fun
I once had a teacher tell me, “Emily, lighten up.” It stung. But he was so right. I tend to take things a little too seriously. Perhaps you do too.
Maybe today, we take a deep breath, offer gratitude for the good things we’ve been asked to do, remembering that they are just things we do, not who we are. And then keep going.
Carry on, my friend. We can do this.
A Good Read
4 Things I’ve Learned From My Daily Creative Habit
As a life-long creative, I’ve dabbled here and there with many a medium, yet I struggled with building consistency in my artistic practice for YEARS. In 2018, I began to build a daily creative practice, something sustainable and simple, knowing that every time I make space to create, my heart, brain, soul are a little lighter. A little happier. A little more me.
I borrowed an approach from Julia Cameron’s book An Artist’s Way. In her book, she teaches the value of morning pages: three longhand pages done first thing in the morning as a way to free up your creativity, unburden your mind, and push the practice of writing daily. I applied this same methodology to my artist pages, taking 10 – 15 minutes first thing in the morning to just create. No rules, no expectations. Only a dedicated time with a few simple tools and one 5” x 7″ cardstock to embellish as I wish. I started this for me to just play and make art, but am surprised by the unexpected lessons I’m learning along the way – – – – keep reading
THE UNIVERSAL PATH TO LIFE-GIVING ROUTINE
Everyone needs routine. Everyone.
(Stop throwing stuff at me, you adventurers.)
People who are beautifully grounded in their spontaneity, who are in a posture of finding the next thing to explore, discover, or eat, still do things routinely. A monthly detox. A daily centering prayer. A commitment to always choosing a menu item they’ve never had before.
Routine is repetition tied to a certain task or time of day, and we all do the same stuff under the same sun.
Your routine looks different from mine based on all the regular variables – personality, life stage, vocation, goals – but we all need the grounding power of routine for more reasons than you might think
– – – keep reading
And as always I love these reader comment posts from Cup of Jo
15 Great Reader Comments on Parenting
“I have twin nine-month-old girls who started sitting up on their own about a month ago. Even though it’s not quite as exciting as it was the first time it happened, every time one of the babies is sitting up my four-year-old daughter SCREAMS with excitement: ‘MOMMY, THE BABIES ARE SITTING UP!!! LOOOOOOOK!!! GOOD JOB, ANNIE!!! GOOD JOB, BRIDGIE!!! YOU DID IT!!!!!!’ And we can’t help but laugh because this happens at least 25 times a day now, and she’s been doing full on cheerleader status with clapping and jumping up and down for her sisters, for the last month! I mean who doesn’t love being cheered on?!” – – – keep reading
That’s it for this week friends. Hope you’ve enjoyed. Have a beautiful weekend, rest up, do something you love xx
Water Into Wine 