Joy - Creating in Faith

After all that we have been through, I still have joy.....

I have been reflecting back over my life as another year slowly comes to an end.  As I look to the year to come and wonder if the decisions I made this year will bear fruit in the coming year.  Not one for making New Year’s resolutions I plan from around November the things I want to do or changes that I want to make, that way I am not setting myself up for a fall when you hit the second week in January and all your promises to yourself have been swept to the wayside.

Back to joy... there are many scriptures and references that talk about 'shouts of joy', 'singing songs of joy', 'being joyful', and it would seem as if it were a state of being.  When you look at the glass with water in it, is it half full or half empty?  I have always been a half full type of girl and tried to go into every situation trying to look at the positives that can be seen, and this I guess calls for a particular state of mind, but I think you also have to make a decision with the way you choose to see things.

My mother had a mini stroke twice this year, and after we came back from holiday and she had been in respite care she was in a really bad way and couldn't stand up straight and had difficulty walking, she also couldn't feed herself and wasn't really eating.  It was suggested by some that she go into a permanent home, but this is something that I have always fought against, for whatever reason the ‘residential home’ environment doesn't seem to extend life but I could guarantee that within 6 months she would have passed.  What was important for me in getting her back to some form of health, thee one to one interaction, the encouragement to walk even if she said she didn’t want to and for me the creativity, the laughter and joy would be the thing that would facilitate improvement.  I knew that if I was sitting down all day in a circular formation with other people who didn’t really speak and other people making you do things at set times then I would find it difficult and wouldn’t want to get up or function.  We know that if you have ever suffered from any form of depression, the last thing you want to do is mix with other people and you don’t want to get up and walk but cover your head under the covers, even though the walk will do you mood some good.  It would seem that there is no joy in this situation.  

What we had to look at was not what mum couldn’t do, but what she could, how could we support her where she was but to also retain and build on the strength that she had.  We had to encourage her to see that there was still something worth fighting for – to try and straighten her back, lift up her head, hold the spoon, walk up those stairs with encouragement all the way - to find those pockets of joy, sing a song, dance even though there is no music and as I found joy in the simple things she was able to find the joy within what she had, see the sun shining and get excited.

When we choose to be joyful it lifts or spirits, and brings about a sense of contentment and peace, opening up new insight and views to life.  Wherever you are in the world when you look at your current situation where can you see the pockets of joy?  Sometimes it is in the least expected places, but it is worth taking the time to discover.  Blessings

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you... and I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes... Ezekiel 36:26-27

  

 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. John 16:20

 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters whenever you face trials of many kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4

Recycled Projects - Directories Journal

Every now and again we get a new directory of local services in our area pushed through our door.  They used to be big and bulky and around A4 in size and about 2 inches thick, they have now been reduced to a more efficient A5 size.

I would normally recycle the old ones but decided that I would come up with a creative solution.  The pages in this directory needed to be glued together as the pages were very thin. On Tuesday I will share the process of making one of them.  

I came up with not one but 3 varieties, each with a different theme and use

I really like the size of these journals, which are A5 and can have as many pages as you require.

My Grace Journal had the theme of 'letters' and was about writing encouraging notes to myself, not being afraid to explore my creativity and having the patient and grace with myself.  The cover was made using tissue paper and then decorated with embellishments and paint.

The Miracles Journal was made using fabric, lace and ribbon.  There is room for me to write my own thoughts as well  

On the inside there are a lot of quotes and tags giving encouraging words.

The third journal called the Love Journal is covered with recycled sari material which has been painted.  In this journal I plan to house experimental ideas and is still a work in progress.

I hope you have a blessed weekend, and allow your creativity to push back the boundaries in order to allow yourself to really soar! 

Come back on Tuesday to see how I made them in Tutorial Tuesday. Do share creative ways in which you have used recycled materials and leave a comment below.

Gratitude's and Celebrations - Week 16 - Choices

Gratitude's and Celebrations - Choices

Keeping in line with last weeks page on, understanding that we are able to choose how to respond to certain situations.

I have to continue to remind myself that my art journals are also places that I can spend time in to play, or celebrate as well as to work through anything that might be troubling me, I don't always have to have a 'set in stone idea' of what I am going to do.  My page today reminds me that it is quite easy to lock our creativity away in a cage and just look at it, feeling scared to make a decision... 

But we can work through our doubts and insecurities, which we may feel at the back of our minds, and keep going, using our wisdom and choosing to soar!  I am grateful that I have the ability to choose to follow the dreams of my heart!

As this week draws to a close can you think of some of the difficult choices you had to make this week and they turned out.  Do leave a comment and have a blessed weekend!

If you want to see how I made the journal (click here)

In the news - Change, Coming Soon Club and Competition winner

Welcome to another special day, for us to be able to share our gifts, connect and make a difference in whatever way possible. Even the smallest effort can make a difference.  

Change

Flowers still in bloom - in October!

Yesterday I spent time in a park close to where I grew up as a child.  It brought back memories of my adventures with my brother Robert who passed away in June.  In thinking of our loss I still have a hard time believing he is gone, I said to my son Sekani that this time last year I was sitting in my brother's kitchen over a cup of tea talking about our creative paths, without a clue of what was to come.  As children we sometimes use to go to the park after school and play because it was close to our home.  The area has changed a lot over the years.  

Outdoor Gym open to all!

The park is now also home to an outside gym to encourage the locals to get fit, and a skateboard park and basket ball pitch for the younger crowd.  The apartments that you can see in the picture above used to be a school.  As you look around the park you can see that they have really taken time to consider what facilities they provide which has made it more accessible for community that live there. 

Creativity and organisation

Over the past couple of weeks I made a conscious decision that I wanted to make several changes to my processes, organisation, output etc.  I was feeling as if the things that I really wanted to do and see come to pass were so far out of my reach.  I prayed that the changes in my life I had been working on to manifest, would start to be evident.  This is really where patience comes in, any change that will be lasting takes effort and time.  You can decide to do nothing and change will still take place, whether it will bring the results you seek is another matter.  I guess in some cases my impatient side was looking for the immediate, but also know that unless you plan and make adjustments then you won't get the results you require.  

I looked at my output in my writing and art and wanted to become more focused, sharing and interacting more.  This is one of the changes that I have made on my blog, by having specific areas that I will share each day.  The frequency of my posting has increased and I have attempted to be more consistent in sharing part of my world with those that visit and also to stretch myself. For those who haven't yet noticed I have a new blog schedule:

Mondays - Material Mondays

Fabric and Crochet

Tuesdays - Tuesday Tutorials

How to....

Wednesdays - Memories of Home

Mixed Media houses

Thursdays - In the news

What's on?

Fridays - Gratitude's and Celebrations

What are you grateful for?

Saturday - Recycled Projects

Reuse, Recycle & Up-cycle

Sunday - Creating in Faith

Creating in Faith - Discussions and more

I am trying to work across the board with all of my social media, but as you probably understand - there is only so much time in a day, but with perseverance and passion a way will be made, and I hope you continue to join me as my work and practices evolve.

Competition!

I ran a competition last week on my Capturing Moments tutorial post, the prize is the mini journal below. 

The winner is Bloomers, and I am also giving a runners up prize of a mini journal and this will go to Ann K from Cairn Cottage.  Well done to both of you, hope you enjoy your mini journals!

Hot desk at the Coming Soon Club...

An organisation called  The Coming Soon Club has set up enterprise initiatives for local people who want to test out a business idea or arts or community project in a temporary space.  They not only provide the space but mentoring advice as well.  They also provide facilities hot desk and internet connection for those who normally work from home which is great if you want to dip your feet in every now and again into the office environment without the office politics.  I used them recently when my internet connection went down, it was great to be able to get on with some focused work without the distractions of home.  It is very relaxed space, they have some exhibitions on the way and they have a small cafe serving refreshments.

Creativity and Social Work

Tomorrow I am giving a talk to a group of social workers training for their AMPH qualification.  My talk focuses on being a carer and the impact of the role on my life, I will also be able to share some creative tools and reflections that I have used.  It is my third year of presenting this talk and it is great to be able to interact with the students and see how they begin to reflect on their own roles and the impact it may have on carers.


And finally...

Katherines Corner
Today is also Thursdays Favorite Things on Katherines Corner Take a stroll over there and visit some of the inspiring blogs listed in the links, you can leave a link to your post and show some support by visiting others who have listed theirs.  

Blessings to you and yours!