Doing Summer.

Summer inspires me every year. I find more motivation in the summer time to pursue things- I think partially because I come home and still have hours of daylight left. 

A month ago or so I had someone ask me what kind of plans I had for the summer. At the time my only answer was "I have a few friends coming into town." Which may not have seemed like much of an answer... but in someways it was a big answer. However, I also hadn't considered what I was doing in the other parts of the summer.  

Having a few friends coming to town is a big answer-because I get to be hospitable. It delights my very soul. Sarah was here last week and we had a wonderfully fun, but short, week. Mary comes this weekend for a few days so more hospitality coming right up :).
Anyway-this week has been inspirational and I've been spurred me to do something about my previous post regarding hobbies. I was challenged by a quote recently that posted in a friend's shop on the wall- a reminder that to actually get good at something is hard work. I'm excited to be in a new season, one where I am healthy enough to set some goals..to believe again that I can accomplish some new things! This is so exciting!
Last summer started that way..I planted my garden and started Crossfit. That was all I had in me..and the Crossfit nearly knocked me out. See, when I do set a goal I often forget to rest. This time..I am setting some goals and asking the Lord for wisdom and grace to remember to rest and refresh. Having a garden and doing Crossfit were two restful things, but in my state of being I needed to do less (ugh!) than what I was doing. Gardening stayed restful and bountiful produce was the result.

So...two nights ago Jesse (my brother) told me about #dosummer2016 (my first official hashtag you guys and I don't even know if it works for blogs..haha). Anyway-I downloaded the simple template and started. The challenge is to do 15 minutes a day for the summer and at the end you will have 25 hours of time invested in whatever area it is you choose to focus. Maybe I am over zealous..I printed out two. (And i have another goal besides.) The first two I am using the template.

1. Hone my painting skills...Here is my current project-spent some time on it this week :). I began a few weeks back when my friend Danielle and I spent the afternoon together. It really represents this summer to me: My ultimate goal is to have a life giving story to those around me.

2. Take steps toward teaching/coaching dreams. Besides saving up for Financial Peace Coaching.. I'm not entirely sure what this looks like, except spending 15 minutes everyday building into it somehow. yesterday I brainstormed. I thought i had four goals and then when I brainstormed I realized that two of them were actually one..The saving up (not using the template for this part) and the building up of skills/teaching resources are for one goal.

3. Go from couch to 5k. (there's an app for that.) Did one day so far and I think I have a friend joining me. The way it's set up is to train only three days a week. Sure did beat the seven minutes a day working out in my room. :). Glorious outdoors.

Do you have any goals for the summer? What do you love about summer time?
Week #43. Gratitude Challenge.

The Dad of all dads.

I was out mowing the lawn and thinking about the Orlando tragedy as it related to the heart of God. Wow. Devastation. Our Dad- his heart aching for every one of His children on all sides of the story.
I thought about the reality that if our hearts don't break when people's are lost- no matter who they are or where they are or what the circumstance-we have become calloused. I know my heart has been calloused. I see it flash across the screen-an article, a video..another day, another tragedy. If it's not "my people" or "my neighborhood" or directly connected to me- I see it, and I move on. Untouched. Unaffected.
Not the Father. His heart aches. His heart beats..to see each and everyone of His kids reconciled to his heart. Desiring that each one would know their identity as He originally designed them-created in His image. he cries out "don't sell yourself short. Don't buy the lies. Come to Me- I have the rest your soul longs for." He longs for each one to know how valued and treasured they are-how forgiven and wanted...What a Father. What a Friend. What a King.
A Father who gave up His only Son, in order that we might be reconciled to Him. Teach my heart to ache with yours Daddy God. Teach me to love like you love. To see with Your eyes. To hear with your ears. To believe all things. To hope all things. To endure all things.
What a Dad. Do you know Him?

What is in your treasure box?

Stuff is pretty much just that- stuff...so when it comes to this week's topic of "my favorite possession" I wanted to react and say "but I don't have one." In reality however, that is not true because I do have some possessions that I am quite sentimental about.
The first is my Bible. It's currently falling apart at the hinges and is in desperate need of a recovering..I've started to look into how to make that happen. I'm not sure how long I've had this one- maybe since 2011? I got it because my last one I gave away to someone on the street in Denver. Every time I get a new Bible it's like getting a set of fresh eyes for my heart. Words come off the pages differently- I have to read more thoroughly to rediscover my favorite passages and thereby discover new favorites. We are absolutely and totally blessed beyond measure to have the freedom and capability to own our own Bibles-and most of us, more than one. I still have my Great Grandma's Bible as well. It's not the one she wrote in so it's not so sentimental-but neat to have none the less.
My other possession that I treasure is a simple box of note cards. A couple of years ago my Gramma gave me this box-a box I had gifted her who knows how may years back. In this box she had filled all of the cards with words of wisdom, poetry, scriptures, quotes...in reading them I saw so many of the principles I was raised by penned down in ink. Gramma lives them- so then so does Dad- and then so I hope- I do too.
I also wear two rings that haven't come off since I received them. One, a ring of promise. A promise to stay pure for my future mate. I've worn it much longer than I ever would have dreamed when it first was put on 19 years ago or so. The other is a gift from my sweet Nicaraguan family. I haven't seen them in 9 years now. My little sister Carlita is going to medical school, I hope to get down there soon and see them, as well as so many other dear people.
Valued possessions are less about what they are worth and more about what they are in light of your life and how they add to it's meaning and purpose.

Hobbies and the pursuit of perfecting...

When does something cease being a hobby and turn into a craft (where you are an amateur, moving from doing something for strictly pleasure and it becoming something that you need to invest more time an energy into to rise above your current limitations) and then turn into a true work of professional art (in which case you could be considered a professional at what you do and get paid for it)? Welcome to the things my brain thinks about. I was having a conversation with a friend about this very topic just last week. I really enjoy learning new things, I know a little about a lot of different areas, but none of which I pursue to the degree that I would consider myself an artist to the fullest extent of the word.
Areas in which I would consider myself an amateur, well there are a couple....crocheting and sign language...I've invested enough time and energy into both that they have to some degree benefited others and required some discipline.
The ones that hoover between a hobby and a craft would consist of activities such as painting, spanish and cooking. I'd say these are three areas in which I am actively pursuing continued growth but would not consider myself to have half learned. But will I do diligence enough to bring them beyond the point of hobby? This remains to be seen.
As far as hobbies go...how about gardening? I'm not even sure I'd consider myself at a craft point in this because while I enjoy it, I feel as though I actually know very little and I don't invest that much time into knowing more.
Are you the sort of person that discovers something new and sticks with it until you perfect it, or are you more of a dabbler? I am pretty sure I am a dabbler. Maybe it's the learner in me that likes to have a little bit of knowledge about a lot of different things and to put all of my time and energy into one thing solely is not my cup of tea. (I actually like a lot of variety when it comes to tea too.)
There is a certain amount of discipline required in becoming a true artist in what you do...and perhaps  at certain points is it valuable to take a hobby and discipline yourself to perfect it for the sake of growing character? While in most instances allowing a hobby to remain just that-a hobby... or do we need to pursue some of the things in our life that right now are "just a hobby" and actually turn them into something that could change the world..
Has God created some people to zone in on one or two areas and become experts and some of us just to do a little of this and that? Or are we all designed to be experts in an area or two? I guess in asking that questions I realize that we chop up our lives into categories so easily between work and play, hobbies or professions. If it's fun- it can't be work. And if it's not fun - it can't be play. Hobbies usually seem to fall into the play category...but what if that hobby could be work and it could remain fun?
Feel free to weigh in on your thoughts as these are mine on this weeks topic of "hobbies" and they are far from complete...I love to ponder and sometimes resist sharing until I have my thoughts all sorted through, but in reality it's more enjoyable to put it out there and allow others to give their input.