Dec 15, 2016 | Uncategorized |
I have an article on Kathi Lipp’s Communicator Academy today! Please go and check it out!
If you are here for the first time, welcome and thanks for reading!
My piece on Communicator Academy, “Why write?” is a version of the same question we all have. Here are some other versions that are out there:
Why garden?
Why paint?
Why create?
Why bake?
Why run?
Why sing?
The list goes on and on…what is your ‘why’ question? We all have at least one…
We all talk ourselves out of something. Maybe you think that painting is a waste of time because who will ever buy your work? Perhaps someone out there is talking themselves out of signing up for a race because they don’t know if they can run the whole thing (that would be me). Or maybe there is a mom who loves sculpture and wants to learn and grow in this discipline but really, who has time for that?
Watch kids create – they just do it – they don’t edit, they aren’t afraid of mistakes or of ruining the picture. Creativity is a worthy cause to kids. They love to immerse themselves in what they are creating. We need to be like the little ones…
As adults, so often we have to have a reason ‘why’ we are doing something. There has to be an end result: The kitchen is clean. The bills are paid. The project at work is done. The laundry is folded. Sometimes we have to let go of the end product and just do what our heart desires. After all, we aren’t solely what we accomplish – the richness of life comes from your heart – not from checking off items on a to-do list.
If you have discovered a passion for knitting then do it. The aim is to learn, to experience! That’s it! No one is going to grade your work or ask you to hurry up and get it right already! Just be creative for the sake of creativity. We are creative beings on purpose! Our creativity reflects our Creator. We do ourselves a disservice when we don’t allow ourselves to pursue creativity and we can’t fully honor the one who created us if we don’t change the question from “Why write?” to “Why not write?”
Change your question! Share your new question in the comments! “Why not (fill in the blank)?”
Nov 21, 2016 | Uncategorized |
I am over at Middle Places today on their blog! If you are stopping by from there, welcome! I am so glad to have you visit. If you haven’t read my post on Middle Places yet, please stop over and read “Embracing the Present is Hard“.
The kids are home from school for Thanksgiving break. There are nursery rhyme songs playing as I write. Seren is listening to the, often skipping CD, on repeat while she plays on my phone. She is videoing the dog eating a bone. The boys are… well, I don’t really know what they are doing at the moment. Earlier they put fake snow on the back porch and convinced their sister that it snowed (in GA). Needless to say, the kids are enjoying the down time.
It has been a great day. A play date with friends earlier, yummy nachos for lunch, a craft, and more fun to come! It is good to sit here in this moment and enjoy. Too often I wish something else was happening, or that if I could just tweak one thing, it would be perfect. I am present and enjoying and soaking them up as they play. Soon we will play some games together or perhaps we will go to the coffee shop. Today – I think I can handle a trip to the coffee shop with them all because I am content in the moment. Happy where I sit in the front row.
I wonder how often I taint moments because I am wishing things were different. I wonder if the beauty of a moment, of a day is always there but I just miss it because I want to change something. Too often I step away from my front row seat to try to reformat the set or change the script. Typically, it doesn’t go well when someone in the audience steps in to try to direct the play. I need to remember to smile big, applaud, nod encouragement, and to always be ready to do a reading as they practice before stepping out into the real world. This is my role.
My front row seat is the best seat.
Science experiments outside this afternoon.
Nov 17, 2016 | Uncategorized |
Occasionally you may find yourself uncertain of you are. Or maybe the mundane has robbed you of joy. Perhaps you no longer no what you are passionate about.
Here are a few resources to discover again who you are so you can pursue who you are meant to be.
StrengthsFinder: Buy this book and take the test. Remind yourself of the strengths you possess. Your family, your community, and the world need you to understand your strengths so that you can rock your strengths. This is a better deal than the cutest shirt at Target – buy the book and do the test it will do loads for your confidence, much more than a cute shirt!
Another great way to understand who you are is to write a Personal Manifesto. Author and Speaker, Cheri Gregory walks you through writing a personal manifesto. You won’t regret this exercise. Your manifesto can and will change. Perhaps this is an exercise we should do at the beginning of each year.
When we understand our core values we can make choices confidently because we will pursue things that are congruent to who we are. Write down your top 20 values from Mind Tools and cut them apart. Lay them out on a table and then eliminate 5. Set them aside. Eliminate 5. Now you have 10 core values. Eliminate 5 again and you are left with your top 5 core values. FamilyLife has a neat version for the family, here.
It is worthwhile to take time to remember who you are or to discover again what makes you tick.
Oct 4, 2016 | Uncategorized |
I am just not a quick thinker. I blame genetics and my kids.
Community is what it is all about. That is my answer, it was just a very delayed answer.
When my new friend Luna Leverett asked me about resources for a mom on her podcast…my mind left me hanging…not a good thing in the midst of an interview.
However, Luna is awesome and said she would share a link to my blog where I could state my case for community. Thank you Luna for interviewing me and for a great example of what community looks like! Be sure to subscribe to her podcast: Confessions Behind the Minivan. Please listen to my first podcast ever! (Doing a happy dance here!) Luna and I talk about how there’s no guilt in pursuing what fulfills you while you pursue the 24/7 role of motherhood.
The short answer is this: Community provides sanity, accountability, and friendship for a mom.
A mom needs those three things to thrive. I mean she really does. Sanity is kind of a necessary thing. Accountability allows us to challenge each other to grow and friendship makes being a mom less of a solitary thing.
I could not be where I am today without moms who get me. There are moms who have let me in on their crazy and that normalizes my own crazy. I am not actually losing my mind it is just that being a mom is super hard. Sane is a good place to be and we can find that in community.
Accountability between friends is awesome. We can be all that we are meant to be and we can help each other achieve that. Go ahead and ask tough questions and be willing to process the messy with each other. Community is a safe place to grow.
Friendship equals joys doubled and sorrows shared. Mom friends that are friends of my heart allow me to be myself. If I need to laugh, they laugh with me. If I need to cry, they cry with me. If I need to vent, they listen. Community means I have a place to be real. No filters needed. Isn’t that a relief!
Do you have community? Are you actively pursuing community? Motherhood is hard. (Anyone disagree with that statement?) Hard cannot be accomplished alone. It just makes it all harder. So make your mom community a priority! Stay sane, stay accountable and love and be loved.
Sep 19, 2016 | Uncategorized |
It happens every minute.
It looks like a flower blooming
and sounds like a bird’s melody.
It tastes like dark chocolate and
feels like fireworks.
It passes your home,
running down the sidewalk.
The air is resplendent with it as the new bakery
preps to open down the street.
Heart’s beat with it at the gym.
Your neighbor’s house resides with
it as she teaches her children each day.
It is in each word that I compose.
School campuses, art studios,
therapist’s offices, and cancer centers
are full t o t h e b r i m with it.
It is bravery.
When you see it, call it out!
Say to a stranger, “I see your bravery!”
Because, why not?
Bravery swells when it gets to mingle
with other bravery.
Bravery encourages bravery.
When you see it – say so.
Don’t dismiss it or downplay it.
And please don’t attack someone
for being brave. Please.
Though bravery is out there, it takes
a lot to hold hands with it and allow
it to take you to new places.
Don’t tear someone down for
pursuing brave, instead
appreciate the blooming flower.
When you hear the melody in your
community sing along.
And if need be, be the one
to write the song.
When the taste of it is
on your tongue, allow it
to make you crave more.
And if someone needs to be
reminded of the sweetness
of brave, share a bit of
your brave with them.
When you see fireworks shooting
off allow it to light a fire under you.
Recognizing bravery in others
calls out your own brave.
At least it can.
Other’s art, books, songs,
ideas, ironman competitions,
hospitality, or creativity
does not have to call your
own work into question.
Instead, allow it to fuel
your bravery,
your dreams,
your ambitions.
Bravery begets bravery.
Be the reason someone
steps out with brave.
*Photo credit: Jennifer Botzet
Sep 19, 2016 | Uncategorized |
Hello!
Welcome to my website! It is a work in progress but I am still thrilled with the progress I’ve made! It’s unbelievable to have a place of my own to post to. I hope you enjoy your visits here. Please visit often and share this website with others!
Thanks for reading!
Bethany
