SIMPLIFY. ORGANIZE. MANAGE RESOURCES WISELY.

It's been a "one thing leads to another" sort of thing the past couple of years. I have worked in health and human services my entire career, and been involved in lay ministry, so had never heard of organizing, not as a profession. One of my work colleague's wife was a professional organizer with her own company, so I heard of that... then while in the process of checking on job postings (on behalf of my husband who was forced into early retirement four years ago), I saw her post an apprenticeship. Timing was not right for me then and I didn't know enough about the field, started to read about it, look into it, and linked to sites on simplifying, organizing, managing resources wisely, creativity, and productively. And found that interesting as well. 

In my field "productivity" can be a threatening thing, a pressure to keep interactions with clients to a specified minimum length of time, treatments are defined in minutes, but some definitions of productivity are quite different. It appears to be about maximizing our personal and organizational time, talent, and treasure... to keep things simple and manage our resources wisely. My life is all about that, as my husband and I deal with our mid-life transitions. And that, in a nutshell, is my current interest in professional organizing and productivity!

ADVENT PREPARATION AND CONTINUITY

There is something reassuring about our traditional annual reflection with regard to the story of Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem, Christ's birth in the manger, and the promise of hope that arises within the celebration of the true meaning of Christmas. The story returns to us year upon year as a constant and tradition. It's a mainstay.

Within our personal lives as the years pass by, new family members may be born, others may return home to God, we might move or begin new work...but each December Christmas returns and the opportunity for renewal and hope is brought to light. There is a sense of familiarity and continuity that is sustaining and ever constant when Advent comes round and once again we begin anticipating His arrival.

On this second Sunday of Advent while I contemplate the story of Christ's birth, I am reflecting on how the story of my life is not unlike a complex and beautiful tapestry being woven upon a loom. Each thread and fiber holds an experience, interconnection with others, and frequently a valuable lesson or two. One by one the threads are woven together. These fibers stretch horizontally across the weaving creating the weft which will ultimately reveal the intricate design of a lifetime lived to completion.

Before the weaving begins, the Weaver fixes vertical fibers to the loom. The vertical fibers are strong and usually the same color. They form the warp that will hold all the other threads to the weaving. These are the durable and lasting fibers that are foundational to the lasting strength of the tapestry and all that will be woven over time. I imagine God places the warp on the loom of life before birth. Whatever particular strength is necessary becomes the anchor for the soul's journey from birth to death and beyond. Part of our work on this earth is come to know what our warp is made from.

If my life is viewed as a tapestry being woven upon a loom...what is the constant thread (my soul's strength), the foundational warp of my journey? What qualities, values, or beliefs hold my life experiences in place? How do I experience a sense of continuity and "weave" as my story unfolds upon the loom of life?

~~~~from SACRED-LIFE ARTS

GIVING PAUSE

This from D'v:

The reason that we have to think and ponder before the Lord everything we stitch is because, as you are discovering,  everything takes a piece of us.

Every project, every vision stitched, every revelation revealed and unveiled  though the work of our hands as ordained of Adonai, takes time, which belongs to Him, and resources, which are His. But more it takes us. It takes who are in Messiah and spills it out for His sake, for His glory. We are, in this holy work, for so it is, poured out for His sake and for the sake of those to whom He is revealing Himself in these His holy works.

You are learning now, on a very steep curve I think, but we must all make no mistake. It is a holy work, this work of our woman's hands. An offering to Him who both created and redeemed us and set us under His holy shelter.

Behold behold behold.

"I AM LORD." says He.  "BEHOLD AND LOOK UPON ME WITH AWE AND TREMBLING.

"BEHOLD."

End of message. 

My response:

Seriously~~~ this is HARD! At least for me, and in every aspect!

That said, I got the borrowed Singer up and threaded, bobbin wound and inserted, and tested a few rows of stitches on a scrap. All set for the morning!

D'V:

Am glad. It is a new thing for you. And it is hard to learn something completely new. It's not like you had a foundation in sewing to lean on.  It'll all click.It has to. I don't know what the Lord plans but I'm hoping you can show me how to use a sewing machine.

Me:

Be glad to! A little more confidence AND practice. My husband is SO proud of me! That part of this whole thing is interesting.... and fun. He's always romantic, as you know (except when he's angry & snitty of course) and always proud of me in a general way-- but this is so specific a thing for him to be proud of! Last evening when he was talking to his sister for their weekly telephone check-in, he was telling her all about what I was doing--- from his perspective. Cutting & pinning & measuring and stitching....

I do waste some time wondering WHY God has put this on me NOW..... but between you and me, it's an urgent thing to trust and obey about this. Forgive me if I repeat myself over and over, but usually nudges to me are about service, not about doing something that may be useless --- or not, depending on what is made and how it comes out --- and that may have an aspect of personal satisfaction and possibly even--dare I say it? --- FUN. Or at least people appear to have fun and when the anxiety of new gets left behind, maybe it will be for me?

D'v:

Of course it will be fun you silly!

I hate to state the obvious but if you are doing it out of obedience, trust and love, that is service to HIM. 

Long time ago He told me that He misses His daughters. Their tenderness, the way they love on Him. He misses us. This is a gift from your Father who wants to bless you.  That He will use it for His purposes is a blessing. That it is a joy, and it will be, is the mercy that makes the work of it more like play. 

POW WOWS AND TALKING CIRCLES

Went to a "Talking Circle" at Endicott Park in Danvers, sponsored by the Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness (MCNAA). About 30 people traveled from Connecticut, the South Coast, Western Massachusetts, attended and shared their stories. They also gave warmth and encouragement to others.                                        

I went with a work colleague, who has an extraordinary interest for things Native American. We had gone to a Pow wow this past summer together, also at Endicott Park in Danvers, which was great. Not only did the work colleague and I get to know each other better, but the music, dancing, food, and fellowship at the Pow wow was most impressive. Obviously we are all children of  he One Great Spirit!                                                     

STORIES MATTER

The lives we live are based on the stories we tell; 

and the stories we tell build the world we live in.

Indeed, I am learning lots about STORY. Having been an avid reader my whole life--- at least since I learned how to read--- I have always loved stories, all kinds, all genres. and I've always had an urge to write, a desire to be a writer. Nowadays--- I want to be a STORYTELLER. And I want to help others tell and share their stories.

I have had vivid yet brief dreams, frequently, lately, about stories and that STORIES MATTER. I have been in what appears to be an almost infinite library, which made me exceedingly happy--- perhaps it is Heaven! Jesus has spent time with me, telling and re-telling His Parables, and explaining them. Jesus was--- IS--- a STORYTELLER. And He reiterated to me that STORIES MATTER.

I want to write, to speak--- to share MY story, which is, in its own way, fairly interesting. We each have one, and we are each unique, a wonderful creation of God the Eternal, the One Who SPOKE "Let there be light" and there was light!

DE-CLUTTERING + ORGANIZING = PURGING

Thought I’d get your attention!

You know it isn’t just us (you, me, maybe a couple others), but as a society, including within secular circles, among folks who have little spiritual insight nor “feeling”. In the world, those who have given it thought tend to believe it has to do with the over- muchness of our material life, which is non-sustainable, as well as unjust to most who live on this earth. In other words, it’s not right that so few have so much, and we can’t keep doing this anyway, our resources are running out.

For those who may have spiritual inclinations, Christian or otherwise, the sense is that our “stuff’ has not just cluttered our physical living and working spaces, but have cluttered our hearts and souls as well. An increasing chaos which increases stress, just by having it around, this is not good for our body-mind-spirit, individually nor collectively.

For Christians, I think it’s “same old same old”, in that there has always been a tension between ascetism (think hermits and some orders of religious brothers and sisters, think of Saint Francis of Assisi who on his conversion went to the Vatican and appeared to the Pope of that time naked) and the prosperity gospel thing (God loves us so wants us to have have have…). Not too many of us have it figured out.

For my husband and me, it’s been interesting. I cannot imagine all the stuff that continues to come out of his closet--- “old records”--- of every description, that he is now heaving. HOW and WHY he kept it all, other than his accountant mindset, and HOW and WHY we had to move it all….. is absolutely beyond me.

As for me, it took way too long to get through all of my mother’s things which were in the storage unit. The first year after she died I could not do it at all. After which I could do it in nanoseconds, gradually working up to minutes and finally to as much as a half hour. Jack was very helpful and very patient with me. (Just for the record, now that it’s gone I had a burst of anger at my brother, who left all her care and all her things for me to deal with, without any assistance from him. But we digress. And that anger went rather quickly. I think. Because I realize, deep down, he just CAN’T). And now that it IS done and it IS gone, such a sense of freedom!

All our stuff is now where we live! Cars are empty of stuff. And each closet, each drawer, each cabinet is getting pared down. To the essentials. And even more, clothing may be essential, but if it hasn’t been used, or no longer fits--- no matter how we may wish to think it may again--- going to be used by someone else. If it exists it needs to be useful. If not to me or to us, then to someone else.

INSPIRE: ARTS AND WORSHIP CONFERENCE

This, which took place in early June 2014, was experiential, primarily worship. We started with Morning Prayer, infused with music, some danced. The CtR Choir, robed, sang chants.

Even after the time of worship in the sanctuary, when the workshops were going on, there was still that feeling of worship, and of being in the Presence. You know?

Four good choices, and could only go to two:

First I went to one on THE ARTS AND KINGDOM-COMMUNITY. 

This was co-led by Christ (prounced "wrist") Otto and Rev Pillsbury. Christ is the minister and director of Belonging House, which rather than a physical location is a virtual community, of arts, Christians, Christian artists, and the like; he has moved to Salem deliberately in the past year. The Rev is planting an Anglican Church in the Portland Maine area, called the Light of Christ. Lots of emphasis on music and the arts and outreach and community.

We went around the circle of particpants, about 30, told name, community, church, and why we came to this today. This, at least for me, was a tough one. I could give the demographics easily enough, but the reason? I mentioned that I wrote some, had just made my first quilt, and that both my sons were musicians. And personally, I remembered very deeply that their father was--- is--- an artist. And a good one. (Too bad he's mentally ill. But many are and have been.... think of Vincent Van Gogh. But we digress). 

The presenters dug into Scripture first and foremost, we studied a Hebrew word pronounced kind of like "charush", which has been translated as "artisan" We talked about God telling Moses to appoint two men... will never get their names right without looking them out, to "be filled with the Holy Spirit" and have gifts and talents to make all that was necessary for the Tabernacle. For the Worship. For the BBQ (as the sacrifices were eaten by the people afterwards, part of what built their community). So that is the true purpose of "art". For the Glory of God and so we can have a super worship experience when we meet with Him!

And in fact, the w ord "charush" was taken apart, as each Hebrew letter has a picture and a meaning of its own, so that a word can, in a sense, be a complete idea, or sentence. And the Hebrew letters in this word mean "the one who opens the door for the people to meet with El Shaddai"!!!!!

On another note, what came out of that introduction and for the rest of the day was that I am a quilter, and a fiber artist. I could talk colors and spirit, way more than technique; as you know, I have no technique. I was told by several participants, from different faith communities and different arts that essentially anyone can learn techniques, and with discipline & practice get pretty good, but not everyone had "it" in them and it was sensed that I did! 

I met others who are doing everything from traditional quilts to rugs to three-dimensional fabric scuptures to vestments for priests and altars, banners for processions and dancing in the sanctuaries represented...... Pictures were shared, on cell phones and smart phones and so on and so forth. Emails were exchanged, favorite websites cited. I met some lovely local women, and we may be getting together to take this discussion further, maybe do some work together.

If my good friend D/V could have been there, she would have LOVED the conversation. And her work, like that about the Daughters, would have been mulled over, received, welcomed. Many are doing similar things, unexpected things. And MANY are starting late in life!

Lunch was quite good--- with lots of great fellowship at the tables. My profession as ombudsman came out and so I was told all kinds of stories. People have no problem seeing me in that role, evidently. (BTW: that Care Plan Meeting with the hard-to-reach and sometimes adversarial son went VERY well. From my perspective it was pretty much a full scale mediation, but we all started out on a new and better level at the end. I spent time with the mother again; she in essentially non-verbal, has had bipolar most of her life with a late diagnosis, meaning there has been quite a bit of brain damage. But we got eye-to eye in a few minutes, and there was true communion. She almost reached out to touch me. In due time)

Second I went to one called THE BLANK CANVAS. 

This was led by an older woman, Barbara LaChance, who has already done quite a bit--- Pastoral Counselor, Psychotherapist, Healing Minister & Trainer, Life Coach, Life Strategist, Published Author.... And just a few years ago, while she was walking in her neighborhood, minding her own business, as she was going by the Community Arts Association building (I pictured one like that in Rockport, as she lives in Mystic CT)--- and she had that "urge" to go in, and seek out lessons. Pretty much the "urge" was really a voice, the Voice.... She talked with one of the instructors, told her she had never done anything more artistic than paint the walls in her house.... and the teacher was thrilled. And then I heard from her the same words I heard in the morning--- after a couple weeks of lessons, the teacher told her she could teach essentially anyone technique and most could do something, but only a few had "it" and she did.... So she's a painter now.

Oh, and a couple years ago, she was ordained an Anglican priest. Again, later in life, and a complete surprise. THOUGH she remembers the seed of that desire being planted back in grammar school, which was a Catholic school.... (I realize we may not understand or agree about the ordination of woman, but it's not worth discussing heatedly, at least not between you and I)

The teaching, which she usually does over the course of a day, condensed into a couple of hours, is pretty basic stuff. We start out as blank canvasses, God has a plan for the masterpiece he wishes to make of us, life happens, sometimes parts of the picture have to be corrected, sometimes he has to turpentine the whole thing over and start again. (Shades of the Potter and the Clay?). I was also using that as a segway into us working out our lives and purposes, by cooperating with the Master. And also using the same ideas and techniques to create our own art, to bring Him glory. You get the picture I'm sure.

And then, we had worship in the sanctuary, again, some more. Lots of music, Holy Spirit singing, and then two teams were formed so that participants could go forward for prayer--- related to art, or to healing. I did not get up for that, and could tell it was time to go home. In some ways I wish I could. Before I left I bought Barbara's book, THE BLANK CANVASS. Happy to share.

That's it, for description, though I think there will be more I will refer to as time goes on.

One thing for instant reflection and pondering--- 

For SO LONG I have been kind of "stuck" or seemingly so, as has my husband. Even though on the interior lots was happening, and we were involved, very, with the generational healing, which he still observes changes, on-going changes, from. But in other ways--- our finances, our kids..... and me being near burnout at work.

THEN I got a really good performance review (except for spelling and the need to be more succinct in my documentation.... I have that bent for stories, like my husband I guess) but was so affirmed as a resident advocate, someone to stand for the elderly & disabled. AND there's the training I'm going to THIS week--- in Providence, by The Eden Alternative, on "creating home" in long term care settings, and staying, once again, after eight years away, at the Haven of Grace.

And then SUDDENLY there's this event today, which I had kind of heard about but not planned to go to until late this past week. 

Not sure how, but I'm sensing they go together somehow. 

And BTW: Hubby is very happy with being Tour Guide on the Salem Trolley. He has a sense that just as an actor might say... "this is the part I was born to play".... that THIS is the right thing for him. IN the small sense and in the large sense.

Any of this make sense to you?

Response:

Had never heard that word before, "charush".   Which I suppose is hardly surprising. :-) Like very much it's taken apart meaning. Everything about who we are in Christ should "open the door for the people to meet El Shaddai".  We don't often live that way but it is how we should all be living.  Thank you for sharing it.

Am not surprised, on any level, at all, that you are a fiber artist, a quilter.  At all.  Have been telling you repeatedly, as have others, that the things that frustrate you are just techniques, methods.  Anyone can do fiber arts.  Anyone. You are greatly gifted dearheart and teaching you
techniques is no different than learning anything else and you are astonishing good at learning and you know it so relax and let Him open it for you. 

And don't be surprised if it is stages.  Bits and pieces.  Do not let the enemy make you deny that which is His gift for HIS glory.   But to have an eye which first sees Adonai, then through Him and in Him the colors of not just His creation but Him, and who has, in Him, the ability to translate what He opens for them, now that is the gift.  That is what makes the artist.  You have a very distinct 'eye' on Him and in Him.  The fact that you were so excited about going yesterday spoke of His call on you. And the opening of it.  The beginning, I think, of the flowered gift.

Needs be I think a place for holy arts.  There are enough places for secular needle arts but these don't fit a holy artist.  The bent is wrong, off, and we know it in our spirit, by the Spirit.  It's twisted often, full of confusion and humanism.  To have a place where you can share what He has been doing and showing that is safe and welcoming and worships Him and sees Him in it, is a wondrous gift.

Am not surprised that you sensed it time to go home when the final coming forward for prayer happened.  There is a time and a season for things and though it is very near, it is not quite yet full time.  This is a great gift dearheart.  The gift of needlework.  I'm not speaking from the Lord just from inner sense but I think that the fullness of the giving of this gift to
you needs to be done under your husbands mantle.  That's how great it is.

And keep sensing, or attaching it to, the gift of you two being sent out. Do not know why and do not know if that is correct.  You would have to ask the Lord.  But when you are both sent out, I think that may be some kind of major part of it.  I think am seeing someone lay a mantle over your shoulders but I don't know that that is the right word.  Anyway.

To your thoughts at the end.  Yes, I think they do go together, all the things happening and be sensed in Him right now.  You have open ears and an open heart my dear beloved sister.  May He speak to you and it directly and clearly, lifting you up and proclaiming you His own.

(Not sure.  Am seeing Papa holding you.  You are facing Him.  He then is lifting you high, a very little girl and quite adorable, up, up, up.  He is showing you to His courts and calling you His own.  Your eyes are completely on Him.)

As to your husband.  Thinking out loud.  The symbolism.  He is a tour guide, showing, uncovering, explaining, history.  If this rings rightly in Him then how would this translate to the Lord?  Would he be opening the door for people to understand history (?) and how it points to Him?  How it all
points to or away from Him?  I don't know but I sense it may be an important thing to ponder.

So much going on right now for you both. Threads being sewn into the tapestry of His creation in you both and becoming visible to the eye.

Love you sis.
Thanks for sharing
Shalom
D'v