Inspiration /wooden spoons /Motherhood

I took a break from blogging for awhile because if there is one thing that I am, it is inconsistent. I am constantly switching my passions- that is why I began to blog in the first place. I wanted to have a space to relay my dreams and desires with others and give myself a platform to write about my ideas. So since my last post in late October I have begun writing a book, making jewelry, painted some canvases, taken a fabulous trip with my kids and husband and started a hunt for the perfect vanagon. Yes- I am a little busy. Today is my first day back at home since the trip to Virginia with dear friends and I have washed the curtains, started post-vacation laundry, done quite a bit of Christmas decorating, made roll out Christmas cookies with the kids and iced them, did a decoupage project with 3 of the 4 kids, and it is only 2:30- at this rate maybe I will actually complete a project for myself.

I am mostly not very excited about domestic tasks such as cleaning, cooking, and child rearing. I prefer to work alone painting, writing, day dreaming etc...but hey, God gave me 4 children and a desire to homeschool that currently outweighs the desire to put them in school, so here I am fighting against the clock and trying desperately to carve out time to do what I want to do instead of what I HAVE to do. It is a losing battle. I love my kids and love to have them home with me, but I do get frustrated with the constant messes and the endless wants and needs and whining. I love Teddy Roosevelt's quote: "speak softly and carry a big stick" but I find myself often yelling loudly and carrying a big wooden spoon. Just being honest here...

I do most of my day dreaming at night now when I can hear myself think. I dream of spotless houses with large organized art studios and shiny new supplies for creating incredible works of art. But then I consider that my inspiration will have had to have flown the coop if those dreams were a reality. No children could live at this dream house and thus my art would be somewhat less fulfilling to me. Empty. And who knows if I could hope to be more inspired when I could day dream during the day- perhaps the silence would then be deafening and I could no longer hear the pure ring of inspiration in my ears.

So for now I must steal away to an art room with a few laundry baskets filled with folded size 4 star wars underpants, a rubber ducky that somehow made it from the tub and onto my sewing machine, a board book with tiny baby teeth marks where love for a story has made them want to literally consume it, and pages of journals of fabulous ideas just wait for the day to be created...

Someday when I actually hear myself think, I can start working on these things, but for now I will embrace the inspiration, all four of them.

Genes and Dreams

photo by plecojan

Have you ever wondered whether genetics play a role in your career path or talents? Would Lisa Marie Presley have been a singer if her daddy wasn't The King of rock and roll? Bob Dylan and his son...Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray? The Kennedy's and politics? The Judd's? Would Meredith Grey have pursued a career in surgery if her mom were not a famous Doctor? Okay - the last one is stretching it being that it is fiction- but you get the jist.

I tend to think that the answer is no becuase Billy Ray is Billy Ray and Lisa Marie can't even compare with Elvis. But to be truly excellent at something becasue of a genetic predisposition is a pleasant thought. Can you imagine saying, "I can't help it that I am such an excellent ____."? If this is true, Michaels Phelps' children will probably win 10 gold medals someday.

I love the movie Immortal Beloved about Beethoven. In it, he decides for his nephew, (who ends up being his own child) that he will be a famous pianist and composer just like himself. As his guardian, he makes the child study day and night. Beethoven is of course very deaf and cannot hear how absolutely terrible his son/nephew is at the piano. He has none of the gifting that his father/uncle is blessed with. But he is Beethoven's son/nephew and so much is expected.

Are we inclined by nature to be pretty good at the things that our parents thrive in? Do we share common gifts and goals because of the gene pool and life cicumstances? My aunt was reading my blog and shared with me that my great grandmother was a writer. She woke daily at 5 am to write because she HAD to write. Her children (8 of them I think) would consume the rest of her day and so she carved out a dawn time ritual that let her enjoy her craft, hobby, what have you.

I loved finding out this tid-bit of info because it encouraged me to press on. To write because I love the process. To have time to myself that is actually for just me. I would like to think that I shall have the same gift that Elizabeth Riley did many years ago. She did write a book of poetry and I would love to get my hands on it. I love that perhaps the gene pool will give me a chance at writing because of her. I did get this random head of red hair from someone in my ancestry, perhaps I will flourish because of a little science.

Opinions on this are welcomed.

Feeding The Lake

photo by jennysweedler

The "Feeding the Lake" philosophy is why I named my blog "everybody gets prizes"...

Madeleine L'Engle in her book, Walking on Water- reflections on faith and art, made me realize something about myself as a writer and an artist, that has given me new perspective and fresh ideas.

Humanity is like a large mass of creative energy that longs to express itself in many diverse ways. As we begin to set our impulses free, we feed the lake, or pour into human culture and society for the good of it. Some of us are Michelangelos, Beethovens, Shakespeares etc. while most others are regular people with regular to zero acclaim. (Van Gogh was almost one of those.) What we all do is feed the lake, regardless of our popularity. As long as you express yourself and pour yourself fully into this work, you will find faith at the end of it. You will find Him in this desire to create, as we are created.

The best part of Being a part of this created process is that we all get prizes.

Prize: We get the chance to create and feel what it is like to birth something and have it validated by others perhaps. Before the Earth was formed it was a shapeless mass and before Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel, the ceiling was bare. There is always the before and after with the creative process.

Prize: We get life and the opportunity to give it to others through having children, adopting, encouraging, enriching a life in countless ways etc...
I want to be an inspiration to my children and to others that they are made for the purpose of using gifts and abilities. I don't want to hinder others by discouraging them from pusuing a passionate life and following dreams.

Prize: A Heavenly home- the epitome of desire for of all those who are created in His image and for His glory. We want this deeply and so our work and our way of life will reflect this.

If Heaven is not one of the prizes you long for, then perhaps you are not aware of who you are and why you are here. Ask and it shall be given- Seek and you shall find...when that door opens everybody gets prizes.