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Take comfort in rituals

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Every Saturday morning our house phone rings nice and early with news from New Zealand from Ouma and Oupa.

Maximus runs around excited singing cuckoo, cuckoo, as he remembers their clock that sings in their garage.

Every Monday night we sit on the porch and watch the kids play in the yard as we talk through the weekend, week or current issue with our kids at family night. The moment of reflection, the time of conversation, the moment in our week where we acknowledge family and friends.

Growing up every friday in our house was one that had no red meat served. Fish and Chips were often on the menu, especially during the season of Lent, leading up to Easter. A reminder of the power of the cross, confirming that the consequence of Good Friday is not a once a year event but an everyday reality for our family.

Most Sundays a Lamb roast was prepared, with potatoes, gravy, peas and corn. It was never fancy, but a reminder that the sabbath was upon us.

Each night as I calm my little two year olds beating heart, I turn down the house lights and turn on the lamps. I light candles and replace the television rumble with music and hopefully a little more peace.

We sit on the side of my little ones bed and we read books. He says ‘book more Mummy, book more’. As I roll my eyes at his new sleep aversion technique I smile at the ritual of calming his heart.

I used to calm my own thoughts each evening with reading and scripture, but lately I have found the rhythm of crochet a meditation that fills my heart with prayer and thoughts of the day. A ritual of completion, aware that the day has finished and a new one is dawning.

Every morning I awake with a hot cup of tea or coffee, I sit and allow myself to wake slowly. Lately I have been trying to not fill my heart and mind with the craziness of the online world, until I have at least sat and contemplated what the new day holds.

What are your rituals?

Without them it is hard to find a weekly rhythm and comfort in the midst of the world that evades us.

News of plane’s going missing and young boys being hurt, celebrity after celebrity taking their life and awkward conversations as people try to grapple with forgiveness.

I need to lean into ritual in this season.

It is something my soul was created for.

I am working on a weekly rhythm for this writing space, I need some framework to create within.

Then I can take comfort in that.

My thoughts are so far this…

Monday: Dream- beyond today, my hopes and yours for the future.

Tuesday: Create- What is inspiring me to create, including interviews of my favourite creatives.

Wednesday: Reflect- devotion, scripture, meditation and rest.

Thursday: leadership- humility, strength, innovation and mentoring.

Friday: family- motherhood, marriage, sisterhood and singleness.

Saturday: writing- how, what, quotes, methods and application.

Sunday: Jesus- my strength, my heart, my soul, my motivation.

This is still very fresh, but I am thinking I will mould my writing around these themes and rituals, providing direction and form to my crazy creative wanderings.

Speak tomorrow.

Lots of thinking at the moment.

Amanda

 

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never give up

Never give up

never give up 2

A lot of my inspiration is provoked online these days.

Only a few short years ago, when I wrote my first book Capture 30 days of inspiration there was no pinterest, there was no facebook, there was no instagram.

I think I was much more inspired back then than now.

I would sit in a cafe, not with my smart phone but a journal and a book.

I would walk through urban landscapes and really experience them rather than taking a photo and hash tagging it #now.

I would sit and discuss philosophy, theology and divine experiences with true friends rather than have fake, half discussions with people who I don’t even know where I was born.

Today I am inspired by paper.

That is the whole reason I started #inspire14, my goal was to draw and feel the paper and use a part of my brain that is not often stimulated these mummy, food covered days.

I have not been drawing much lately.

Honestly I became embarrassed because my drawings aren’t really that good.

In a few days however I start an online course and a big part of it is visual journalling, so the glue stick, scissors and sharpies are back out and I am ready to try again.

No matter where your inspiration journey takes you.

NEVER GIVE UP.

 

All my creative love

Amanda

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People feel

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I had a really crazy encounter on Friday at a petrol station.

I tried and tried to fill my tank and no matter what I did, I could not get it to fill my tank.

As I went inside to pay the grand sum of twenty dollars, I said to the lady, ‘I think there is something wrong with the pump.’

She said ‘absolutely not.’

I was taken aback and felt so demeaned. She was not interested in hearing what I had to say, there was no one else inside the shop except for her colleague.

I tried again.

‘I promise I have never had trouble ever with this, I thought you might want to check the pump is okay.’

She sharply said ‘It’s your fault, you don’t know how to fill your tank.’

Full stop.

I was shocked.

She made me feel terribly stupid.

I quickly paid for my petrol baffled and as I walked out of the station the two ladies behind the counter started laughing loudly.

I turned back to them puzzled and said ‘This is not actually very funny.’ And I walked full of shame back to my car.

I felt mocked, I felt confused and I felt ashamed.

I wasn’t aggressive in my conversation, I was just quickly saying I think there is something wrong maybe you could check it?

Those ladies in a very short space of time made a strong and competent woman feel very ashamed in a short space of time.

Shortness
Lack of empathy
Lack of listening
Laughing as I walked away confused.

I am sure in their own little circle of conversation, they never even thought about me for the rest of the day.

I however was impacted so much, aware how quickly simple little encounters can change people’s days.

In the past, I have been in jobs that have the responsibility of caring and interacting with hundreds of people.

I am sure that many times I have affected people negatively that was not my purpose.

I am strong willed, I am choleric, I am a natural leader, I often find myself in places where I am busy and purposed.

Lately though I have been so focused on the way I make every person, every encounter feel.

I want my neighbour to feel listened to by me.

I want my local shop girl, who often looks a little grumpy feel a little more cared for after I have been in her aisle.

I want my nieces and nephews to feel noticed when they are in my company.

How do people feel after an encounter with you?

How do people feel after encountering your online behavior?

How do people feel.

That’s my goal this week.

Amanda

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Divine Distractions

divine procrastinationI am supposed to be writing everyday in March for something I started called March inspired!

I have been collating, I have been musing, I have been questioning, I have been ruminating, I have been crocheting, I have been cooking, I have been decluttering but the problem is…

Not much writing.

In essence I have failed the challenge that I set out for lots of people to join with me.

And it is okay.

Sometimes you just can’t force it.

Sometimes you will do anything possible, even scrubbing the back of the bathroom cupboard to escape sitting down and doing what is your intention.

Are we all rebels?

Are we all hopeless at commitment?

Nope, we are just creative beings, who need boundaries and shape to form our creativity, but somedays need to wait for the right moment to fill it in with colour.

I can’t explain it, but somedays I just have to wait.

It doesn’t mean I have failed, it just means I am collecting.

I am in my hunter, gatherer phase and the downloading into words on paper will happen soon.

Soon.

Soon and very soon.

Procrastinate with me, no matter what it is, do something to instigate inspiration.

Essentially thats what March inspired was all about anyway.

Amanda