A different kind of art

So my "God-sized Dreams" mostly include making cards and writing and encouraging others with both. The month of January was a bit sparse in both. So I'm linking up with Crystal Stine to share a little bit "Behind the Scenes" of my instagram feed lately (lots of baking)... and linking up with Holley Gerth, because I needed some encouragement for my heart today!

Thankfully, God has also given me another outlet for creativity... and I've been using it a lot this month. Maybe it was because I missed eating Christmas cookies, or maybe it's just because I love to bake!! First there were scones for the kick-off of Downton Abbey. There was birthday cake and cinnamon rolls (three times). Pumpkin muffins with chocolate chips.

Fresh bread (with a machine), and apple pie and banana bread. Banana cupcakes with homemade frosting and pumpkin cookies with glaze... And then there was the rainbow jello in team colors for the Super Bowl party. I just couldn't stop myself...

And that doesn't even count the home made pizza I make almost weekly, the new dinners I tried and the delicious corn fritters we had last night.  There is something about using my kitchen that delights me. Now if only I could learn to bake and eat healthy stuff!

I was getting a little discouraged about my quietness on the blog and my dormant etsy shop, but I was reminded that I do have other dreams (being a better wife and mom, being a real-life friend and encourager, etc) and the time I spent in my kitchen helped me do that when I shared some of the goodies I created.

All this to say, I haven't been writing lately, and all my good intentions for my card shop fell flat this month, but I still made art... in my kitchen!!



So on the long hard days, when you aren't sure you've done anything right (and believe me, I've had a handful of those this month), and when you aren't even sure what your dreams are, or how to pursue them... and you still haven't figured out what you want to be when you grow up, just look around you, look at what brings a smile to your face, look at what fills your instagram profile, look for the gifts and the graces from God. Chances are you might just find something that you've done right, something that fulfills the dreams of your heart. Sometimes you just have to be quiet to see them.

So friend, can I encourage you heart today?

Keep dreaming.

Keep taking snapshots of your daily life.

Keep spending time in God's Word.

Keep asking Him for guidance, direction and encouragement.

And Keep trusting Him to fill the desires of your heart!


holleygerth.com

Community Conversation: What do YOU need to hear on the long hard days?  and What do you like to create in the kitchen (any recipes to share with me)?

You Didn't Miss Your Chance

Can I encourage your heart today? As we start this new year and it's flying by and we are already half way into the first month of the new year, you might wonder if it's too late to get started.

Can I encourage you that if you don't know what your dream is... just do something.

Can I encourage you when you wonder if you missed your chance...




Sometimes I think that maybe I should have chosen a different word for 2014...Perhaps, the opposite of the word Procrastination --- proactive, maybe?

Because when you have an idea in your head and you don't write your words down, you discover a week later that Jeff Goins has already written the post for you. He may be a more experienced writer than I am, but here's my two cents.

I started the year with the reminder that His mercies are new every morning... not just on the first of the year. That still applies this week, because today is Tuesday and I meant to write this post last Wednesday, and in reality I meant to write it the week before so that it would be ready to post last Wednesday.  I want to encourage your heart today because my heart needs to be encouraged. 

So let me encourage you... the sun has not yet set...

You didn't miss your chance on pursuing your dreams
on starting fresh for the new year
on choosing a OneWord365 for 2014

It's not too late
--to start reading your bible
--to open an etsy shop
--to read a new book (or finish one you've neglected)
--to restore a relationship
--to ... you fill in the blank

It's not too late, you didn't miss your chance!!

In your dreaming, in your life, when you don't want to take the next step or just don't know what the next step is... Can I just encourage you to take one more step? Make His Word your lamp and one step is all you need to take.

Coffee equals Encouragement

I wasn't always a coffee drinker. It was my third pregnancy, at it's peak in the heat of summer that turned me on to iced coffee, full of sugar, full of flavorings. And it just grew from there. I began to look forward to my specialty drinks... sometimes more chocolate and cream than coffee, but little by little, I lessened the amount of sugar in an effort to be "more healthy" so much so that a friend of mine made me some coffee this summer and she went a little heavy on the sugar... I couldn't even drink it! :)

To make a long story short, I gave up coffee twice in the last year in an effort to see how caffeine affected my mood swings. I'm still not sure it's made a difference, but I am currently avoiding caffeine again.  But there is still something to be said about a cup of coffee with a friend--encouragment before we even say a word.

My friend, Holley Gerth, is starting something new this year called "Coffee for Your Heart."  It is all about encouraging your readers, so when I am actually blogging, come back here on Wednesdays for a little bit of love and encouragement.

Today, it's the reminder that when you are feeling down in the dumps, the best thing you can do is encourage someone else. Instead of sitting around thinking "oh, woe is me," Look around, see who needs a bit of encouragement themselves.  Make a phone call, Bake something for someone... make some eggnog for your family, or Send a handwritten note, maybe even written on a handmade notecard. But most of all, start with prayer.

Ask God to help you see  the needs of others, look outside yourself and your wants/needs, and be aware of what you can do for someone else.

And when all else fails and you can't shake your doldrums... go get some sleep!!

Happy New Year! Let's make it a year of love and encouragement!

Are you an encourager? If you have a blog, join us on Wednesdays at Holley Gerth's blog for a linkup to spread the love? Not a blogger? --find someone to encourage today and make it a priority to share the love this year!