Drought Resistant

Seems like a life time ago that I was gleefully posting stories on my new blogg.  Stories about being creative and having fun with your friends, your passions, etc.  At the end of Spring it was almost as if I had become like a perennial dying back until it was my season to bloom again. In August, I learned that it was more like a severe drought in the form of ovarian cancer.

While my friends and family were worried beyond belief, scriptures flowed into my head and visions of Jesus being right next to me were clear to me like never before.  I had a sense of peace that surprised everyone.  God offered peace and I CHOSE it instead of self-pity.

My precious friends were immediately at my bedside. Everyone made sure that I was on their church group's prayer list and I knew that they prayed for me constantly. My family and my dear Ed's family re-united to fight the battle.  How could anyone have bitterness in their heart when God had already provided such an amazing gift -  people filled with so much love for me.  God sent the prayer warriors and I CHOSE the joy instead of the bitterness that comes when your life is threatened to be over very soon.

God had me prepared down to the scenery outside my bedroom window. Back in the Spring I built this garden and actually thought about how beautiful it would be to look at if I was stuck in bed for a long time.  

In Isaiah 65:24, God tells us that He answers prayer before we even call out, before we have the need.  I know this to be true.  He made sure I had memorized the perfect scriptures from 2 Corinthians, Daniel, Philippians, Jeremiah, Psalms and Isaiah.  He had surrounded me with the people who I would need most in my life to pray with, laugh with and be courageous.  Then he sent me a visual presentation that I actually used to explain what I feel like when I am in His presence. (see my blogg from April).

I read that despair and thanksgiving are mutually exclusive.  And when contemplating your odds of survival, to remember that man is very unreliable, but God is 100%.  So I am very thankful for my heart full of joy and my mind where peace is guarded every day by a God who answered my prayers before I knew I had the need to be drought resistant!

Break The Rules - Have Some Fun

It is very apparent now that I have no fear of doing my own thing.  The purpose in creating this blog was to encourage others to follow this very rewarding path.  A few years ago, I picked up a copy of Home and Garden because of the headline on the cover - Make It Yours Break The Rules of Decorating.  I was overjoyed to read the editor's, Dominique Browning, welcome page.  It very clearly noted that some rules in decorating just made people feel correct or as I like to say, "safe." Then she became my forever favorite editor when she said, "you create rooms to become the background of the ebb and flow of the human condition - the celebration, the feuding, the upstaging and downstaging,  - so you should take all the liberties you want in your choice of decorating.  She then ended the article by reminding us that following the rules only get you so far and that after all the ones who break the rules are the ones who turn our heads. At last I had confirmation that all of my ideas for my own home as well as those I had shared with people who had asked for my assistance were indeed OK!  I could not wait to tell my dear friend, whose husband had completely discredited my suggestion that I could help her decorate and instead elected to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars hiring and firing decorators.  I am very proud to announce that when she decided to get a divorce and move into her own place -  guess who she asked for help decorating her new diggs.  Yep - me.  I picked the paints, the accessories and even flew up to her home in the midwest and installed the new window treatments!

She was thrilled that I selected the same green that I used in my house. I have a thing for green, Dominique says that green is the new neutral.  I love the color and love creating  a new combination of colors. Dominique also says to be a little uncomfortable when you select a color.  So no more beige!!!  Add some color to your life and forget about the rules except the one that says YOU should do what makes you happy.

In HIS Presence

Angels are just some of the fringe benefits of having a personal relationship with God.  HE sends them to protect you, heal you, comfort you and sometimes to delight you with his splendor.  I am amazed and moved by HIM and how HE knows just how to get my attention.  I am astounded by the way HE knows my favorite smells, colors and sounds and sends them my way just so I will speak HIS name out loud.  Recognizing that these gifts are from HIM will delight you, but do you realize that telling him you know HE sent them just for you will delight HIM?  We all want to be noticed, recognized yet we forget that God, the Alpha and the Omega, the only WISE King notices everything we do and just wants each of us to stop and acknowledge HIM.  "God, you are wonderful, beautiful, glorious matchless in every way. I worship you today by sharing this with everyone so that they will speak your name and be filled with the wonder of your presence."

Your Heart's Desire

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Loving people can be a challenge without having significant help from God.  It comes naturally for some and others not so much.  I know immediately when I am going to love someone and when I am going to need some help.  Make loving others a desire of your heart and it will happen.  God always answers that prayer!  It is His will, and His will WILL be done

I met my friend Rebecca at The Crossing Womens Reunion where we were both speakers.  She would talk about how witnessing to her mother had changed both of their lives.  My speech was about allowing God to be what I was always looking for in my life.  I so fell in love with Rebecca that night and our prayer journey began for her to have a child.  We did not think it was going to happen and we prayed for a very long time.  And then she was pregnant and my heart could not have been more filled with joy for her.  I immediately offered to have her baby shower.  As I have mentioned in my earlier post, it is pure joy to create something for someone you love so much.  Rebecca was going to have a boy - so being the traditional type, blue would be in order.  But you know me - I needed to give it some pizazz so I added a great shade of green and some nice brown. The party was just so much fun - but the best part was seeing Rebecca's face when she saw the cookies and cupcakes!  

Enjoy your friend's special moments and never let go of the love you feel when you see their face light up over something that makes them so happy. Or that glance over at you when they want you to know that you are loved for loving them with all of your heart!

A Purpose Driven Life

Last year I attended a program at my church that helped me understand my God given gifts and passions so that I could realize how to apply my talents. It was not really a surprise to me, but it was nice to have confirmation.  Having a better understanding of who you are, what makes you tick and what God specifically placed you on earth to do is a powerful proposition.  Actually doing something with the information is the true secret to personal fulfillment.

Which brings me to the whole cupcake thing.  I have a passion for pleasing others and I have convinced myself that people who receive my cupcakes are pleased.  Actually, very pleased that something extra special has been done for them.  There is only one rule in this game and that is if you are going to put yourself out there, you have to be prepared for the response or lack thereof. I struggle with this because I want to know when someone is pleased and I expect this kind of effort should generate above average appreciation.  But if you want to create what makes you "happy" and not what others see as "perfect" you have to give up the idea that everyone will think what you create is wonderful.   The pleasure must come from knowing that you gave something from your heart.  If you are the sensitive type, I suggest that you choose your recipients very carefully.  So give up the expectations and you can just enjoy the experience of giving cupcakes or anything else.

Taking Care of My Soul Mates' Passions

There are many things that are great about growing up and not just growing old.  At the top of the list is realizing and nurturing the people in my life who bring me the most joy.  You know the kinda people I am talking about -  the ones who encourage you, support you and really take the time to appreciate everything about you.   I have been sorting these people out over the last 10 years and while I have lots of special people I call friends, there is a very short list of soul mates.

What a joy it is to plan a gift for a soul mate!  I love every second of the time I spend thinking about what they love and what I can do to show them I love their spirit, their passion and most of all their dedication to our friendship.   My beloved Julie's birthday is not until next month, yet I have been working on her gift since January!  Because I know that Julie loves to send people amazing cards I wanted to put together a selection of cards that she would love.  The idea was to find cards, postage stamps and some fun stuff she could use to present her special love for her friends - her passion.   And how lucky I was to stumble on not only the perfect cards, but cards that reflect her sense of style, taste and PASSION for shoes.  I purchased a beautiful collection of the cards from this cute little store.  The cards were created by Barbara Music Shoes. Next step is to buy postage stamps and some cute confetti to complete the package.  Julie also needed a little something "Kandi" so I made a sassy little box for the cards.  The box is the color of her home office - I know because I decorated her apartment - but that is another fun story that I will get to when I move to decorating!  April can not get her fast enough when she will be in Florida and I can present her this gift! What a blessing it is to have her in my life.

Dare To Be Yourself And Make Everything Reflect Your Own Style

It was when I took a cake decorating class that I had my "ah ha" moment of truth.  The instructor for the class kept saying, "to make the perfect Daffodil, Pansy, Daisy and Primrose, you must follow these rules." So I quickly wrote down the  rules and followed the technique.  Then the instructor said that it was also important to make sure that you selected the proper colors for the flowers.  The other nine students quickly bolted for the pink food color to make the "perfect" Primrose.  My rebel spirit kicked into full gear as I decided to make my Primrose this fun shade of orange. So we had nine identical pink PERFECT Primroses set for inspection by the instructor and one very different, very orange KANDI Primrose. The instructor advised the class that my color was off because I had used too much yellow.  Then the same thing happened when we made Pansies, Apple Blossoms and Daisies.  My flowers were deliberately not the same as the other students. I decided that God is in charge of his flower's perfect shapes and colors and I could die trying to match his designs or worse give up trying!  He gave me the talent to create my own designs and colors so I could enjoy making stuff.  When people ask what kind of flowers I make, I tell them, "they are Kandi flowers."  So stop worrying about trying to create what others see as perfect and create what makes YOU happy.  Ask God to help you with the courage to be bold and confident. He will be delighted that you asked and you will be amazed at what you can do!