Twinkle Lights

It's amazing what happens when the piles of books are sorted and organized.  I found a book that I had ordered in the fall.  I was excited to read it, but somehow had forgotten all about it.  Sort of ironic, given the title and the content.  The Gifts of Imperfection:  Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are.  I am not one who can keep things all in their places.  Which is why a pile (or two or three) of books even exists.  

Moving on.  I've been making my way through the book. Can't overdo it and do it all at once, you know.  Some things just need time to percolate.  At least they do for me.  Today I read the 4th guidepost - cultivating gratitude and joy. 

Here's one of the sections that jumped out at me today.  

"Twinkle lights are the perfect metaphor for joy.  Joy is not a constant.  It comes to us in moments - often ordinary moments.  Sometimes we miss out on the bursts of joy because we're too busy chasing down extraordinary moments.  Other times we're so afraid of the dark that we don't dare let ourselves enjoy the light.

A joyful life is not a floodlight of joy.  That would eventually become unbearable.

I believe a joyful life is made up of joyful moments gracefully strung together by trust, gratitude, inspiration, and faith."  Brene Brown in The Gifts of Imperfection   p. 80 and 81

Here are some of the twinkle lights in my past week.

1775) flowers delivered at school to celebrate two years of being cancer free

1776) the love of family

1777) sewing with friends

1778 - 1785) the process of creating with fabric

1786) dinner with a friend

1787) the beauty of the dinner

1788) hugs from friends

1789) hugs from children

1790) encouragement from parents of students

1791) losing myself in a book

1792) physical health and being able to shovel snow 

1793) inspiration from others

1794) beauty in the colours of food

What I see....

In the process of cleaning up my house (well, a small part of it) during my break, I read through some magazines that had been waiting for me.  In one of them I found this quote - and it struck a chord with me.

"It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see."  Henry David Thoreau

Here's what I've "seen" in the last number of weeks.  Well, some of it.  I haven't been exactly faithful in recording these gifts from God.  But, spending time just now going back through the weeks has been delight-full.

1701) the challenge of a mystery quilt and having fabrics at home to use for it

1702) gifts of rides to convention
1703) being able to take the train to come home
1704) completing report cards 
1705) and encouragement from administration on the comments I wrote

1706) a great Saturday - with success in writing report cards - and
1707) a walk to a nearby cafe for breakfast (one of my breaks) - and
1708) a walk to the train to explore the indoor gardens downtown (another break)

1709) when severe pain goes away - and
1710) being able to get in to the doctor and finding our the cause isn't serious

1711) successful student-led conferences
1712) successful VIP Day at school -watching kids and their guests interact
1713) students learning new skills and applying these skills
1714) hugs from children

1715) benefits of a decision NOT to travel north the first weekend of Spring Break - including
1716) having the time to make meals to take along - and
1717) being able to be there longer - and
1718) being able to take a niece shopping to buy fabric to make her a quilt 

1719) time cooking with a friend
1720) time quilting with friends
1721) the anticipation of putting the pieces of a quilt together
1722) being able to help a friend
1723) realizing it's 2 years tomorrow since my surgery
1724) being able to chat with someone about to undergo the same surgery I had - and answering her questions
1725) spending a day with a friend at a quilt festival
1726) spending lunch with others we bumped into there - and the times we bumped into them throughout the day
1727) new inspiration and ideas for quilts
1728) new fabric and plans for quilts
1729) yes, and even resisting buying some beautiful fabrics
1730) being able to enjoy and admire different combinations of colours and designs
1731) dry roads so we could travel - despite the forecast
1732) time to read
1733) finishing Elaine's quilt

1734) finishing the orange and red quilt

1735) and not totally hating the hand-sewing of the bindings
1736) hugs at church
1737) clean sheets
1738) tea
1739) candied ginger
1740) holidays and downtime
1741) celebrating Easter - 
1742) and everything that means for eternity!
1743) sermon illustrations and explanations like
1744) the comment on Jesus' greeting to the women in the garden - simply "Greetings"  when it could have been "Ta da!"
1745) a drive to the country and an art gallery and tea with friends
1746) dinner and a walk with a friend
1747) libraries
1748) the hold system to get particular books and movies
1749) having a garage
1750) a warm enough day to do a little yard work
1751) seeing a little green - in daffodils coming up

1752) the gift of the words of others - in books - words that make me pause
1753) and wonder
1754) and feel
1755) and learn

1756) the feeling of belonging
1757) my father's ability to help me with computer problems - and get back the files I had lost
1758) external hard drives!
1759) my father's desire to share his passion and encourage me
1760) being able to visit my grandma with my brother
1761) lunch of appreciation
1762) dinner with my brother's family
1763) Easter brunch with family
1764) a phone call that calms and encourages a friend
1765) a wedding invitation - with a photo of my very happy friend!
1766) a long phone call with that friend
1767) more hours of daylight, and the evidence of that in the solar lights in my backyard
1768) time sewing with my aunt
1769) dinner at her house
1770) dinner and a movie with friends
1771) birthday dinner with friends (not my birthday)
1772) sighting an unusual bird on a walk
1773) walking with two of my sisters
1774) laying out quilt blocks that I thought were on the ugly side - and discovering a quiet beauty in the quilt

Framing Life

This past week was our annual teachers convention.  As usual, I was re-inspired about aspects of teaching as well as being taught some new tools to add to my classroom life.  One of the things that's been bouncing around me head, though, is more of an inspiration in living this life God gives me daily. 

One of the speakers talked about one way to gain perspective in life.  He talked about the circumstances of life as the pictures or photos we are given.  The way we frame those pictures determines how we respond to those events or pictures.  For example, when we frame a picture in green, it brings out the green.  When we frame a picture in blue, it brings out the blue.  




These samples just give a small idea of that.  My goal is to continue to strive towards framing my experiences properly.  I want to frame them in gratitude and in prayer.  I confess that I don't always do that.  In fact, more often than not, I don't do that.  Just a couple of weeks ago, I left work frustrated and thinking that I just couldn't do it.  It had been a rough day.  I did nothing about the two incidents that afternoon and evening.  The next morning, I did do something about them.  But, God had done things prior to that.  Each of the children involved had already spoken to their parents before I contacted them.    I was right.  I couldn't do it.  But God did take action.  And I was grateful.  

Looking to continue framing my life through the love of God, my list of gifts continues.

1675) surprise birthday parties
1676) hugs from children
1677) seeing children learn new skills
1678) light bulb moments
1679) encouragement at a time I felt discouraged
1680) laughing with children
1681) laughing with friends
1682) family
1683) celebrating a sister's 50th birthday
1684) being able to help a sister pack up her apartment
1685) tulips received at the end of a long day
1686) parents who work so hard to encourage the staff
1687) teachers convention
1688) being inspired again
1689) learning new tools
1690) picking up quilts from the long-arm quilter
1691) finding a new pattern for bags
1692) and making not 1,
1693) not 2,
1694) but 3 new bags
1695) using fabric I already had in the house for those bags
1696) quiet days reading and sewing
1697) chance meetings and conversations in the grocery store
1698) a surprise on a road trip
1699) time to spend getting to know my nephew's girlfriend a little on that road trip
1700) the surprising way some tough situations in my classroom were resolved when students talked to their parents before I did

Life .....NOW

Life moves pretty fast.  If you don't stop to look around once in awhile, you might miss it.

I saw this saying in a store window in the mountains today.  I'm so glad I took some time to look around today.  It was an absolutely delight-full day in the mountains.  Even with some sunshine.  I really need to do that more often.

But even the every day life brings moments to stop and look around.  Moments in the now that I need to notice and be grateful for.  Life is filled with blessings from God.  With moments that point to Him.  Life is good.

The things I've noticed this past week.....
1623) yellow tulips given by a parent
1624) sewing afternoon with my aunt
1625) trying new recipes
1626) using produce from my garden - in January!
1627) delight with the happy quilt I'm working on - pictures to follow 
1628) tea with my aunt
1629) a delightful day in the mountains
1630) a day with a friend
1631) snow covered mountains against blue sky
1632) snow sparkling like diamonds
1633) spicy food
1634) pomegranate seeds
1635) silk long johns
1636) watching ice artists at work
1637) amazing ice sculptures
1638) the warmth of a fire
1639) dry, ice-free highways
1640) dinner with friends
1641) love and encouragement from a school family at the next table
1642 - 1658) photos of moments in time - moments of NOW

Satisfied

"This is the day that the Lord has made.  Let us rejoice and be glad in it."  Psalm 118:24

Yesterday I had just a wonderful day.  It was a day where I was trying to do the NOW.  I was able to do so many of the things that make my heart sing.  I took time to read.  I spent time sewing and was able to delight in seeing pieces come together in beauty.  When I looked up and saw that the sun was shining, I decided right away to go for a walk in the winter wonderland.  And I came home to an invitation for tea with a friend.  

I rediscovered a prayer that I had read awhile back.  I'm not sure where I found it.  But I am sure that I want to make it a part of me.  (It's from Eric and Julie Vaiksnoras - with a couple of minor modifications.)

Dear God:  Thank you for the challenges and wonderful things that happened today.  Help me to use my experiences today to build and strengthen my life with others and with you.  Help me to see your wonderful world and guide me through all my tomorrows.  Amen

These are some of the experiences and wonderful things from the last little while.  My list of gifts continues....

1590) impromptu walks and explorations
1591) Zentangles
1592) and delight at what I can create with Zentangles and a little inspiration
1593) helping MW get closer to finishing her quilt
1594) dinner with friends
1595) choral concert
1596) seeing community in action (at the choral concert)
1597) encouragement from others
1598) hugs from students at the end of the day
1599) coming into church - more hugs
1600) coming home to shoveled sidewalks
1601) twice
1602) progress on quilt for E

1603) a wonderful day of feeding my soul
1604) reading
1605) quilting
1606) a winter walk in the sunshine
1607) impromptu tea with a friend - making a great day better
1608) seeing students learn - going from confusion to understanding
1609) Devonian Gardens
1610) the warmth of the sun on my face
1611) being able to enjoy solitude
1612) "cooking" with friends
1613) and having healthy meals at the ready
1614) a garage
1615 - 1622) photographic reminders of beauty in creation