Antidote

       ...gasp...another blow... really?!?
After several minutes of realizing that I wasn't breathing...at least not regular, steady breaths...I knew I needed something...and the word antidote came to mind...hmmm...

I looked it up...antidote-a remdy for preventing or counteracting the effects of poison or disease...perfect!  That's exactly it...but what exactly does that look like?  Guess what came to mind?  Gratitude...the remedy or antidote to prevent anger, bitterness, resentment...you get the idea...

So, I grabbed a pencil and began writing down what I was thankful for about this person, situation...and believe it or not, I had a real-live list of honestly-true-to-my-heart things that I was thankful for...really! 

That was either God's soft nudging or the result of the discipline of practicing thankfulness...or both. :)  Either way, it helped...within just a few minutes, I realized that I was breathing regularly and I could think my way to the next thing-which was how to respond now.  I still had the hurt...the situation hadn't changed...BUT GOD had helped me focus...helped me to SEE a bit of His perspective.  

what we see...

...or don't.

I am all about keeping my eyes open this year...SEEing God, His hand in my life...trying to be mindful to NOT miss a single thing that He has for me to see...all that said, lately I have been thinking alot about what we can't see.  Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is the assurance of things hoped and the conviction of things NOT SEEN...hmmm...knowing that there are things going on that we cannot see...and trusting God with that, even resting in that...and so, I choose to hope, choose to trust, choose to rest in Him one day at a time, often minute by minute.

you can't take it with you...

...well, actually...I did. I took just a few journaling goodies with me and while Mark was working, I had a few minutes of play time in my journal...yay!

Journaling-on-the-go...I highly recommend it.  You just never know when inspiration or opportunity will come, and it really is amazing what you can do in just a few minutes.  

Take it with you and try it.  You'll like it.  :)

look...

That about says it all.  Check out Ex. 3:1-6, 11-15.
(This page was inspired by Joanne Sharpe's LetterLove 201 online class.)

heart flow

This is really what journaling is about...whether it is visual-, art-journaling or journal writing, it IS about putting what's in your heart onto the page...expressing what's going on visually or writing it out...and that's a good thing!

This is the first page of June's journal...I began by collecting a few bits and pieces of "stuff" that cried out to me at that moment.  :)

 

After arranging and rearranging till I was happy, I glued it all down.

Then I added my journaling.  Quick and easy...AND I can (and probably will) add more to this page since there is lots of space available space...

Do your heart good and journal something today!  :)

Something New

A new month holds so many possibilities, and this year one of those possibilities is a new journal. (I am doing a new one for each month.)  I chose this assortment of paper because it represents what is on the calendar for June...a family reunion and a wedding! Woohoo!  Here is a preview of some of the pages BEFORE I alter them...

I cut the 12x12 paper in half and then did a simple 3-hole book-binding stitch to the spine...easy peasy. :)
The makes pages that are 6x6.

 

This is the inside cover...you can see a bit of music composition paper that I reinforced the spine with.

 

 

 

Using patterned paper can pose a few challenges but one nice benefit is that the first layer is already done...kinda like having a full calendar to work with :) and then its exciting to SEE how the details and layers "play" out...doodles, clipart, collage, paint, ink, photos...oh the possibilities! I can't wait...maybe I should go get started :) 

What are you looking forward to in June?

Good bye May, 2013

Another month of 2013 ended...here is a peek at what May's journal looks like...

A simple cover...

 

 

 

Remember pop-up books?  I love to make my journals as "interactive" as possible, so a flap to lift and find something underneath is too much fun.

 

 

 

 

 

yes, that IS a paint chip from the hardware store that I altered.  :)

This is a little acrostic that I did for "SEE"...Setting, Searching Eyes Expectantly...nothing fancy or profound...just for me...(I love the process and challenge of composing acrostics.  Try one.)

That's an overview of how my May "worked" out...and what is on the page represents what I was processing, and what I want to remember...if you don't keep a journal of some kind, I want to encourage you to start one...it really is a great way to record and remember your days...did I say a FUN, great way?!?  Give it a try, and let me know what you think.  :)