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I think I've stumbled onto a completely new but logically resulting artistic path. (Does that sentence even make sense??) What I mean is that the new path, when considered, is actually a very logical progression of the way I've been going. I mean, it makes sense to me, but it is all still in the "very abstract hard to put into words but if you could only see inside my head you'd understand and think it's cool" stage of development. I'm playing with a few things, tweaking a few things, and most importantly having funfunfun. The only kink in the plan is that we've started homeschool up again so I don't have the free time that I did this summer. Soooo, I'm thinking house cleaning should move to the bottom of the priority list. What do you think? I mean, am I really going to look back on my life ten years from now and think, "If I could do it all over again, I'd have cleaned house more."???? Thankfully (for my family) home decorating has a place along the new path. And too much clutter literally makes me crazy. An inch of dust over everything, not near so much.

To celebrate and make some room for creating, I cleaned up the studio today and even did a little decorating.

Some vintage aprons made into a curtain! I used to have tags and swap stuff hanging here but suddenly the aprons began to curse me as I resurrected them from the very bottom of a leaning pile of fabric. I couldn't just leave them there any longer--I mean, look at these ladies!! All handmade. Each one is so unique, the designs so unusual that they really deserve their own spotlight. But for now, this will have to do. I'm loving the cheery look of the fabrics here near my desk, but I might add a few more and make a curtain along the back window eventually.

I've been rereading an old favorite book that I really should reread every year or so: Freedom of Simplicity. I highly recommend all of Richard Foster's books, especially this one and Celebration of Discipline which is about the spiritual disciplines of the historic Christian faith (prayer, silence & solitude, learning, devotional reading, etc.) Each of his books have changed my life in a profound way and I find it important to remind myself regularly of what I really value in life. By the way, another book that changed everything for me was Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger. Both books are classics and I know that Sider's book has been updated in the last decade with more recent statistics, etc.

My rereading Freedom of Simplicity converges with some recent personal goals I've set for myself and my family. It never ceases to amaze me how daily observations, conversations, struggles that seem so random at the time can suddenly make so much sense when fitted together. So, long story short, it has become increasingly important to me to rethink the ways my family and I consume and accumulate. Though we've always tried to do this, recently the need for a change has struck me as more urgent than before. My new daily mantra has become "change is good". I admit, I have a pattern of fiercely digging my heels in against the threat of change.

Comments

[NancyB]

Makes perfect sense! Your on the right path! And no cleaning is not top priority...it is the least on my list...family and happiness is right on top and that includes friends..but sometimes I find myself pushing others away..not to rid them from my life but more as you mention from that book...solitude...I think we all need that time to time to dig deep into our soul and to make sense of things, clarity...and finding exactly what it is we want to do in life...change is a growth period...so welcome it darlin! :) I didn't mean to write so much..maybe I did..but I am going through the same thing right now! :D It's good! xo I will shut up now LOL

[burd]

my husband and i were just talking yesterday about struggling against consumerism and wanting to teach our cildren a different, simpler way way... and "unteach" what we've done so far. *grimace* as soon as i read some of the reader reviews at amazon for freedom of simplicity, i knew it was the perfect book. thank you so much for letting God speak through you today. :) i also plan on checking out his other book, celebration of discipline.

and while we're on the subject of books that have changed our lives, have you ever read for women only by shaunti feldman? the subject is not even remotely related to what you're discussing here. it's just an incredible book. my husband also really enjoyed the men's version. they're on understanding men and women and how their minds work. i've been married 12 years and still came away with alot of surprises. and things that i could do to enrich that bond between ken and me. i plan on getting the young women's version for my 15 year old daughter to give her some insight into boys/men.

sorry i'm rambling. this is one of my favorite subjects. hehe

[Jennifer]

The aprons look very at home there ... lovely! And, yes, housework should definitely be lower on the totem pole ... there are just too many more important things to do LOL! I'm going to look into the books you mentioned ... they sound like something I'm in need of at this time in my life, too.