Minggu, 17 Maret 2013

Get your potbellied pig to mate

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Kamis, 24 Januari 2013

Day 14 - To Guard the Castle From Harm


It was Friday night.

After 20 years, I still remember that because we had gone over to my sister's house for a Bible study like we had every other Friday night of that year. About 15 of us would get together in their basement to sing, pray and search scripture together.

It had been a long day and our son Brendan--a baby at the time--was more than ready to grab some sleep. We all were. Turning into the driveway, I was relieved to finally be home.

Suddenly Michael stopped the car short. He fell silent before putting it back in reverse. Cranking my head to look past him, I could see that the back door was wide open. For all that we knew someone could be inside. It was safer for us to pull into a friend's driveway then phone the police from their phone, and thankfully Michael leading the way.

About thirty minutes later, the officers walked us into our little house on the corner to survey the damage and take down our statements. How long were we gone? What did they take? What did they do?

They didn't take much, since we didn't have much at the time other than a few CDs, a stereo system and a little VCR called a movie machine. But what they did take away was our sense of peace. They violated our home, and our trust.

It took weeks--maybe months until I felt safe again. I knew that they weren't watching me through the windows, but I couldn't shake that feeling of being vulnerable and exposed.

It was only after that break-in that we stepped up our security. It wasn't much really. We got ourselves a steel insulated door for the outside of the house and a pit bull-boxer cross for the inside. She was a pussy cat beneath all that muscle, but we didn't let that secret out to too many strangers. ;)

My vow today is to guard the castle from harm. When I'm talking about the castle however, I'm not talking about the little house on the corner, the DVDs or a flat screen TV. Those are material things that one can easily replace. What I am talking about here is the role of a watchman.

In Ezekiel chapter 3 we see that God had appointed Ezekiel as a watchmen.
Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. - Ezekiel 3:17
In those days towers were built so that a watchmen could stand guard to look over the fields or the gates of a city. Because of it's height one could see the enemy approaching from a distance giving them enough time to sound a warning.  He saw who came and who went through the city gates. Becoming familiar with the people therein, he witnessed the beauty of everyday life as it unfolded before him.

The Bible instructs older women to teach the younger women to be good keepers of their home. It's common sense to keep a house clean, isn't it? But wiser yet is a woman who keeps a close watch over her home.

In Titus 2:5 we find the words, "keepers at home." Looking to the Strong's concordance we see it does indeed mean domestic, and taking care of household affairs, but it also includes this meaning: "the (watch or) keeper of the house." Coming from the root word "ouros" meaning a guard.

Who's coming? Who's going? And who is talking to who? When we are involved with our children we get to know their friends. We know where they are at all times and what they are up to. I'm not talking about obsessing over our kids, because they do need some space. But I am talking about spending time with them and talking to them about the people in their life. They'll share a lot more with us when we're genuinely interested in the things that they do.

They need rules that keep them from harm. Not popular rules--good ones. Here's my rule--and I don't necessarily expect it to be yours (we're all different, right?)--my daughter is on Facebook,  I have the password, and I log into it often while she sits beside me. It's not a matter of me not trusting her--it's my way of protecting her. I know all of her friends and what they are posting. We both enjoy the conversations that we have about the people she knows.

Skype? On occasion and only if the monitor is on the dining room table where I can clearly see it.

Guarding the castle means that I can be a second pair of eyes for my husband, and I can keep a watch over things when he's not in the house.

Driving my kids to and from school gives me an opportunity to not only get to know the teachers, I've also gotten to be close friends with some of the moms. I know that Nathaniel is safe when he's at his buddy's house because I know this kid, and I've made friends with his parents.

I'm not a perfect parent by any means, but I'm learning to keep watch. I'm learning to sound the horn before the enemy approaches.

Do you want to know what else is beautiful about a watchman? She brings the message of salvation into the household, proclaiming the Word of the Lord.

She sees all of the things that are going on in the home day after day and brings good news to her husband so that he might also share in her joy.

"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion." - Isaiah 52:7

The Vow: To Guard the Castle from Harm

The Challenge: While you're keeping an eye on the home to see who's coming and going, take time out to pray. Ask God to protect your family from harm and to help you to encourage them in the faith.

You are loved by an almighty God,



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driftwood arrows


Arrows are all the rage these days and I must say that I'm obsessed! I am also obsessed with driftwood! Since I live across the street from a beach covered in an endless supply of driftwood, I thought it would be fun to create my own whimsical arrows from driftwood.


I selected my driftwood and painted striped of color with acrylic paint.


Once the paint was dry I used a variety of different supplies to add tiny details. 


I made the arrow head from thin metal and then added paper doilies to the other end.


I created a variety of colors and sizes.


Last, I wrapped a wire around each arrow to form a hook and hung them on the wall!




Rabu, 23 Januari 2013

the art of setting goals

Ahhh January, its the month of starting fresh and making resolutions but I must admit that I am not much of a new year's resolution type o' gal- I think it's because I tend to set goals and meet goals daily, weekly, monthly and all year long. I do understand the draw in setting resolutions for the new year- I am a sucker for a fresh start, for goal setting and list making. I love a brand new day, a blank canvas and new beginnings. And after the journey we have been on during 2012, I have to say that I kinda consider myself a bit of an expert on setting, meeting and succeeding (and also failing) at goals.


2012 was will go down in our history as the year that our planning, saving and "picking away at our dreams" resulted in actually attaining the things that we had been working towards. We went through A LOT of ups and downs, trial and error and moments when we truly thought things were going to fall apart but we were able to come together and push forward and make it to the other side of our goals.

I receive all kinds of email asking for advice about meeting creative goals, living a creative and alternative life, running a business and pursuing dreams.  And after the year I have been through- I feel confident that I can offer a some small bits of advice and experience when it comes to setting goals. I've been working on this post for a while, trying to search my heart for some simple and candid advice that I can share about setting goals. Whether you believe in resolutions for the new year or not- goal setting is a profound way to start movement towards the things that you want and need in your life. So here we go!




Before launching into my advice, I have to give some history to provide context to where my opinions comes from! 

I wanted to be an artist since I was a little girl. As the kid of self employed potters I grew up with lots of creativity and with the notion that running a creative business out of your home was totally normal and attainable. Growing up I took drawing classes, participated in art shows, contests and sold things at craft fairs. It wasn't until I graduated from high school that the concept of being an artist became real for me. While I had always loved the creative process and identified myself as an artist, I fell in love with it in college. From that point on I knew I would do whatever it took to pursue a career in the arts. Like most, I worked lots of "day jobs" while working on my portfolio, showing my art and taking on freelance jobs. I landed a really great job in marketing that allowed me to be creative but it didn't satisfy my craving to make art on my terms. I set out to quit my job- a long 5 year process that started with setting a lot of little goals that would get me to the point of making money and supporting myself with my art full time. After time spent working long hours at a day job, lots of rejection, tears, persistence, hard work and never giving up, I was able to get to the point (financially and creatively) to quit my day job and have never looked back! 

When we decided to start a family, my husband and I knew that our long term goal of leaving behind our life in Southern California and moving to Oregon to simplify and focus on raising our daughter needed to happen ASAP. During the course of one year (2012) we worked hard to plan, save money, rent our home in California, build my business, take my husband out of his 60 hour week job and bring him home to be a stay at home dad. We then then set out on a crazy, difficult but exciting journey to small town on the Oregon Coast where we now live and operate a creative business. 



There is nothing more profound than naming the things that you want. While you may not be able to attain all of those big goals and dreams right now, its important to identify the things you desire and the best way to get there. My husband and I spent years with the goal of leaving our "life in the fast lane" in Southern California for simplicity in a small town on the Oregon Coast. We spent so much time talking about it, dreaming about it and planning for it. While we knew it wasn't going to happen over night or without TONS of work, acknowledging it everyday brought life to our goals, it brought excitement and HOPE for our future. And sometimes a little hope is all it takes to provide the drive and action you need to attain your goals.



I am obsessed with writing down my goals and making lists. I am NOT organized by nature so over time I've had to teach myself discipline and organization- especially when it comes to goals. I depend on daily, weekly and monthly lists and goal setting to stay organized and on task with growth and movement towards the things that I want to accomplish. Making a list or even mapping out goals is one of the easiest and simple ways to begin movement towards the things that you are working on. 


Keep your goals in one place and somewhere you will see them on a daily basis. I like to keep mine my planner or a sketchbook. 

Organize your goals by subject matter or time frame. 

Get creative! Instead of a boring list try illustrating those goals.





You may remember in my post HERE where I shared how I think it is important and totally ok to take baby steps when pursing an art career. Well, I also believe that its ok to start small with your goals. While I love the thought of setting big, beautiful, dynamic goals- I also think its important to be realistic and start with small goals that are easy to attain. Meeting a small goal is much easier (most of the time) than meeting a big goal. And if there is something I have learned, its that meeting goals (especially the small ones) builds confidence and inspiration. All those those little tasks and goals you are able to meet, equal confidence and that confidence can provide the stamina and discipline to go after that big stuff.

For years I wanted to quit my day job and work for myself. You cannot imagine how many days (at work) were spent daydreaming about getting a big break or something profound happening that could enable me to quit that job and finally be a full time artist. For years I wasted time setting goals that were TOO BIG for what I had on my plate.  Finally I ran out of confidence and inspiration and I was forced to change my thinking. I started setting smaller goals that fit into my reality, I asked myself what I could do (and attain) while working my day job- I could improve my photography, live and create on a cheaper budget, teach myself photoshop, draw every day, build a portfolio, work on bettering my blog, build a website, open an etsy shop, write an article, take on a couple of free lance/commissions, being in consistent income with my art, network with like minded creatives, etc. All of these little tasks were very realistic and could easily could fit into my life. I spent years working a day job and then picking away at small goals until those small goals slowly evolved into bigger goals like write a book (or even two), teach at retreats, sell my handmade goods at stores, build my blog readership, teach online classes, plan my own retreats, build my monthly creative income, quit my day job, enable my husband to quit his day job, move to Oregon, etc.





I cannot tell you how many times I've been asked for advice about where to start when it comes to making those goals and dreams reality. My answer is always the same- DO SOMETHING...ANYTHING! Often it's easy to get distracted especially when you have a job, family or financial responsibilities to take care of. I know this first hand. When I was working a day job and I had lots busy or stressful days, the last thing I felt like doing when I got home was work on my creative goals. There were weeks, sometimes months when I didn't accomplish anything and that got me discouraged and kept me stuck in the same place. But when I was doing something- even something small I felt like I was moving forward. I finally reached a point where I able to be more disciplined about doing something dedicated to my goals everyday- even while working that day job! Eventually that discipline turned into a habit and setting and meeting goals became a part of my everyday life. 



Take a look at your schedule, your time and the responsibilities that you juggle. 

How much free time do you have and how do you spend that time? 

Could you fit some work on your goals into that free time? 

Try to identify goals that easily fit into your everyday life. 

Start by setting aside 30 minutes dedicated to your goals- maybe at first its simply taking time to brainstorm, research or work in short bursts. Challenge yourself (and your schedule) to work up to more time.




Often we associate goals and planning with- the whole purpose of setting a goal is actually meeting it right?! Well, I think that failure is just as important! I can't tell you how many goals I have set and worked hard at, only to have things not work out or even fail. Over time and lots of hindsight, I have come to realize that those of moments of failure have been some of the most important learning opportunities. Typically I don't learn much when I succeed and meet goals- except that I am grateful BUT when things don't work out I am forced to look at my life and really do some soul searching.  

My husband and I set out to change our life years ago but it wasn't until 2012 that we  actually made it happen. All those years in between were full of failed attempts of going after our dream of a simple life in Oregon. From distractions to money issues to bad timing- we really struggled with meeting the goals we needed to meet in order to create a new life. But all of those experiences (while they were difficult) really made us more patient, humble and strong. Those failures only created more desire to go after the things we wanted. While there were some very disappointing moments, we still kept trying and eventually succeed. And let me tell you something- when you finally succeed (after lots of failed attempts) the reward is so much sweeter!


The problem (at least for me) when it comes to setting goals, is that you can become consumed with those goals and living in the future instead of the present. Goals and planning can be highly addictive especially if you are unhappy with your current situation. The next thing you know, your plans become the focus and center of life. 

There was a time that I learned this lesson the hard way- I became so unhappy with my current situation that I wasn't enjoying the day to day moments. I was working a job that made me unhappy, I desperately wanted a more creative career, I wasn't fulfilled with living in Southern California. I was living in a constant state of thinking my happiness would change if everything in our lives changed. Finally, with encouragement from my husband (who is exceptional at living in the moment) I slowly started to change my thinking. We were stuck in our situation for a while- I had to keep working, we had to save money, we needed to make some plans before our lives could change. I could spend that time being miserable OR I could start living in the present. It wasn't easy but I began to work at appreciating what we had instead of being consumed with making plans for something else. This is still something that I still struggle with but I have found that I am so much happier when I take a break from my goals and find time to be present.

Selasa, 22 Januari 2013

Day 13 - To Be a Woman of Strength


On my own.

That's how it felt when he walked out the door to catch the next plane. True, traveling was a necessary part of his job, but I'm the wife who's left behind.

It's me who stays back to look after things. To clean up the spills, to fix the broken appliance, and to take out the trash. To discipline the children and to kiss them goodnight.

Sometimes...I wish it didn't all have to fall on me. But it does.

So my husband was taking off for a trip first thing the next morning and there wasn't much I could do about it. I sat at the edge of the bed and watched him methodically pack his suitcase, the way he always does. The black dress shoes went in first, followed by his slacks, his white shirt, his blue-striped tie, and then all the smaller items tucked into the sides. I think I'd be fascinated by his packing ritual - if I wasn't so glum about his going.

Instead I looked down and simply sighed.

Why? Why am I left to handle everything?

None of this was asked out loud, but he knew what I was thinking because I'd said it all before. So he began talking softly while he carefully folded and rolled each T-shirt. "You know, Baby, I don't like leaving any more than you like my going. The fact is, I hate leaving you. And the children. You gotta understand - you're my whole world."

With that, he had my attention and my teary eyes looked up for more.

He continued, "But I'm telling you - it weighs on me when I wonder if you're going to be alright when I'm gone. If I question whether you're going to be able to manage things while I'm away. If you're going to fall apart after I get on that plane. You're making it tough on me, Beautiful.

"You see, I need to know that I can count on you to be strong while I'm away."

Honestly, I’d never thought of it quite like that. I guess it always seemed as though I had the difficult job - the one left holding down the home front. All he had to do was pack his bag and go.  It had not occurred to me that I was making his job that much harder by my whining and whimpering.

But you want to know something? I'm actually a very capable person. When I want to be. I'm not saying that I enjoy plunging the clogged toilet or calling the electrician.  Or being the single parent tucking the kids in at night. Crawling into bed alone.

I'm just saying that I'm able to handle these things - if I've a mind to. I can even do it cheerfully when determined.

And so I was glad to learn that my husband needs me to be strong - not just while he's traveling - but at other times as well. He is freer to focus on his responsibilities when he's sure I'm going to give my all to mine.

So in a sense, I'm packing my own bags now.  Only I'm making sure strength is my clothing.

A strong wife in difficult - and even ordinary - circumstances can be a real blessing to her husband.
Today's Vow: To be a woman of strength.
The Challenge:  Seek to bless your husband by letting him know you'll do your best to rise to the challenges that come your way. 
Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. 
~ Proverbs 31:25 ~

In His grace,




Lisa is the happily-ever-after wife of Matt Jacobson, literary agent and writer, and together they enjoy raising 8 children. Please join her over at Club31Women, a blog for any wife, mother, or sister who is looking for Biblical encouragement and inspiration. 
Find her on facebook: Club31Women



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winter at the beach

 

Senin, 21 Januari 2013

Day 12 - To Walk Through This Life With You


I had just stepped into the hallway when I saw it. One of the most beautiful things one could see--the undying love between a man and his wife.

Dad had been sick for some time already, and the cancer reduced him to about 85 pounds. Looking at him, I wondered if his transparent skin was the only thing left that held him together. He was too weak to sit up without being lifted, and up until two weeks before he passed on, Mom was his sole caregiver, waiting on him both night and day.

The evening we saw her stumbling to help him into his wheelchair, was the night that my sisters and I knew it was time we stepped up. Taking shifts we stayed by his bedside around the clock. Two of us would take the night shift while our mom got some sleep, not only because he was difficult to lift but also because we needed to keep one eye on his bed at all times.

Dad was stubborn when it came to the bathroom. He insisted on getting out of bed and if we weren't awake he'd start the descent on his own. I can't tell you how terrified I was that he might fall on the floor. Seriously--at 85 pounds (probably less by this time), he was as frail as a person can possibly be.

With six daughter popping in and out of the house, we spent our afternoons talking, visiting him and helping our mom around the house. But it wasn't until I spent the night there that I realized the extent of what she'd been going through in recent weeks. Keeping him at home instead of having him stay at the hospital was an incredible sacrifice for anyone, never mind the fact that she was eighty-years-old.

But serve him she did, and joyfully. She's always been good at taking care of the family when any of us came down with a cold or a flu; I can't imagine having a better nurse than her.

The thing that caught my eye that day when I stood in the hallway wasn't the fact that she was his nurse. The thing that grabbed by attention and held it there was the reminder that she was the bride of his youth, and he was her groom.

Pulling her close, he looked at her the same way you look at someone when you're about to have your first kiss, and it was obvious to me that they were still as hopelessly in love as the day that they met.

Waving my hand, I motioned my sisters to witness this beautiful sight. And while the three of us looked in from the hallway, we captured their moment and tucked it away in our hearts. Love, 60 years in the making.


Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. - Ecclesiastes 4:9&10


Today's Vow: To Walk Through This Life With You

The Challenge: If your husband is sick, troubled or weary be a companion that remains by his side. And if not? If all is going well in your lives? Praise God for the blessings upon you.  

You are loved by an almighty God,



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