Compare and Contrast

Soooo...yeah.  School starts on Monday

During my short stint as a middle school English teacher, I taught (or attempted to teach) the 7th graders under my tutelage to compare and contrast.   I thought it might be fun (as long as "fun" is loosely defined) to compare and contrast what my mind thinks the weekend before school should look like with how our weekend really looks.  (Those of you who have already packed your bags for your mommy guilt trip can go ahead and put those self-flagellation tools back where they belong.  You'll feel so much better after this.)  
The art doesn't necessarily go with the verbiage. People tell me folks won't read without pictures.

Clothing and Supplies 

In my ideal world, my daughter would have a tidy pile of new school clothes and supplies all ready and waiting for Monday.  She'd have carefully considered, using great fiscal responsibility, mixing and matching and would be able to get 30 outfits from 12 garments.  Her backpack would be organized with her red and blue pens, mechanical pencils and labeled three ring binders.  My clothes would also be ready for work so I can hop out of bed on Monday bright and early, jump on the treadmill, get a little Bible study done, get the girl to school on time and head off to work, punctual, as always.

In my real world, we've been clothes shopping three times, which is 2.5 times more than my limit.  The second time, we were at the mall for SIX HOURS.  She bought 1/2 an outfit. Two weeks ago, I said she should probably order some stuff online.  She didn't.  I have no idea what she's going to wear to school next week.  She doesn't seem too concerned about it, so I'm not either.  She has a backpack because I bought it for her.  We have a bunch of paper left over from last year and some binders someone gave us that didn't sell at our yard sale.  I took all my clothes to the dry cleaner today and forgot to pick them up.  I also have no idea what I'm wearing on Monday.  I'm slightly more concerned about this.  If I'm lucky, I'll get to work sometime before lunch and wearing something that won't get me either arrested or fired.  I've missed so much work lately, I'll have to introduce myself to my boss, so I might get picked up for trespassing first, anyway.

Food and Family
In my made up world, we'd have a homemade meal right about now that is nutritious, full of green stuff, piping hot off the stove and served on gleaming dishes on the freshly polished table adorned with crisp, clean placemats.  We'd chat as we do the dishes together and then play a game for smart people like Scrabble or Yahtzee while we relish some kind of molten brownie something or other.  Shoot, might as well also make myself 30 pounds or 40 pounds thinner while I'm at it.

In my real world, we had to go to a volleyball game in the middle of the day yesterday followed by the school's fall sports recognition event at the high school.  Today, we spent most of the day at a volleyball tournament. I came home to a giant allergy attack.  The house is a wreck.  Spiders have taken over, but the house is too much of a mess to call an exterminator, so we have sticky traps out.  I actually did make two meals last week, which is a recent record.  About the only games we play lately are "Who hid my laundry?" and "duck.  DUCK! SPIDER!!"

Organized Chaos
In the land of unicorns and chupacabra in my head, I'm perfectly organized. Nothing sneaks up on me.  Every school t-shirt is paid for on time.  Every bake sale has a homemade treat.  Every deadline is met. The school schedule, sports schedules, birthday lists and addresses are all properly documented and acknowledged.  The pantry is full. The bills are paid on time, and everything is in its place.

My real life has steadily gotten out of hand in the last couple of years since I started LeissnerArt and then Creative Clearinghouse. I've had to unfollow some artists on Instagram who post these photos of gleaming hardwoods under natural sunlight beaming through spotless windows.  Do they have people who make that happen or did they shovel the chaos outside the frame?  I basically need to start over.  Top to bottom.  Stem to stern. We've been in this house going on seven years.  It's about time for a refresh.  I'm thinking a clean out from the inside out is in order....empty out all the drawers kind of reorganization.  This is just occurring to me as I'm writing this, and I'm getting scared. I might need to be evaluated by a professional.
 

 ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

 
So there you have it.  That's real life in Leissner Land.  Yet again, I have a raised the curve.  I guess there is some comfort in that....that compared to me, everyone looks a little better.   I'm good with that.  It's good to have a purpose in life.  I have big plans though.  Next time on the blog, I'll share details about how I'm getting it together.

I'm looking for the perfect planner, getting my lists lined up and making a system to whip this house and my appointment book into shape so that everything finally fits.  When I get rid of the "spent 20 minutes looking for my pants", I'll have more time for the things I really want to do.

May the good Lord bless you today with plenty of time to do the things that make your heart soar....and no spiders.

<3 Lori

PS.  I wrote most of this last night. I got up bright and early this morning and spent a little time cleaning.  There's now one room that is completely clean, top to bottom. It's the guest powder room, and it's about the size of a  small bath mat, but it's clean. When I'm feeling overwhelmed, I'm going to go sit in there.

Dawn's Early Light

I got up early this morning to try to restart an early morning Bible study.  After a shower and getting the coffee on and realizing there's no more Sweet and Low in the container and searching for the box and trying to find a clean cup because it looks like the dishwasher was never started and filling it from the overflowing sink and starting it and finding my good pencil and finding a pen and getting my Bible and my notebook and plugging in the computer so I can restart where I left off at the 1 Peter study at #shereadstruth, I realize that I'm going to have to get organized because this is not going to work. 

My little boy starts college today.  We got him all moved in on Friday at a little school 3.5 hours north of us where he's going to play basketball and where, I pray, he finds friends and support and discovers what his calling is.  It turns out boys far away are terrible communicators with their families.  I might need to call his girlfriend to find out what's going on.  

So, I texted him, posted to his FB page and tagged him in Instagram.  That ought to do it.  And don't we all need this message anyway?

Would you all join me in prayer for all the college freshmen off on their own starting classes this week and next that they seek God first, fear not, and call their moms?  

Thanks in advance!

<3 Lori

Happy Blogiversary To Me..Happy Blogiversary To Me

I was so busy getting ready for the crazy show I did last month that I missed my BLOGIVERSARY!  The first week of June 2011 was a very busy time for me, apparently.  I started this blog, my Etsy, and my Facebook all in the same week.  What an amazing two years it's been!

I've been visiting some of my old posts.  Here are some of my favorites.

• One of my favorite poems from the first month.
• Random Thoughts from back when I was having random thoughts that 1) I could remember and 2) were printable.
• A tribute to my dad.
• Another poem.  See? I really do write poetry.
• Getting real about being an imperfect mom and a poem about my teenagers, whom I love with all of my heart.

::wipes away some tears:: 

WOW!! 

Two whole years of spilling my guts and SOME OF YOU ARE STILL HERE!!!  

Yea!!! 

 Let's CeLeBRatE!!

I'm giving away a set of FOUR signed 8 x 10 animal-y prints. (not framed)  That's one for you and three for gifts.  Or three for you and one to gift.  

Or ALL FOR YOU AND NONE FOR GIFTS!!

How it works:

1.  You get one entry just by leaving a comment on this blog post.

2. You get one additional entry each of you do or have done the following things and tell me in your comment:  

• Like my Facebook page. 
• Favorite my shop or follow me on Etsy.
• Follow my Instagram (must have the IG app for this one)
• Share the link to this post to your FB or Google+ using that little F or G+ button right down there below this post. 

That's it!  Super easy! But don't forget to tell me in the comments if you did any of those things!

Drawing will be Sunday evening, August 11.  Looking forward to connecting with you in other places!

The Blog Post That Shall Not Be Named

I've been sitting here for 30 minutes staring at the screen trying to think of a clever title.  But I have a giant crick in my neck which is apparently hindering the oxygen flow to my brain.  I cannot be clever.  I'm kind of in a bullet point mood.  So here goes....the top 7 events of the last week, in no particular order.

7.  It was my birthday.  I don't know how old I am. I always have to do the math. I'm not that good at math.  My neck hurts so I can't reach my calculator.  But I bought myself this.  She doesn't have a name yet, but she will. I like to name inanimate objects.  My printers are Goliath and Eppie.  I'm sure that's some kind of disorder:

II.  While my kids went to California to hang out with their cool, you-can-do-whatever-you-want uncle and his family, the man and I went to Kentucky for a few days.  He had a work reason to go there and I went along.  It was hotter there than I thought it would be.  I'm not very good at geography either.    But it was really pretty and green there.  Green.  Not blue.  That confused me.

c.  I'm going to have to retake all the pictures for the my paintings on Etsy because my new has-no-name-yet camera takes such great pictures.  Can't wait to practice with it and see all that it really can do.  Even dead things look pretty.

iii.  I'm kind of stoked because I have a bunch more stuff listed in my Etsy than I have ever had.  I'm going to add these guys over there too--20 inch square down filled canvas pillows with my art prints attached. HMU if you want one.  I also have some bookmarks, necklaces and new prints.  Check in there over the next few days as I try to get the rest of my new things added.

12.  I like to talk Twitter sometimes.  Like "HMU" above.  It makes me feel like I can hang with OOMF.  My daughter thinks I can't.  RME.  She thinks it's cray.  SMH.  The kids don't value my mad skilz.  SOML. 

This photo has nothing to do with anything.  I just think he's cute.

Goodnight, friends.  Let's be honest.  If you are reading this blog post, you are already pretty blessed.   May the good Lord continue to bless you and give you just enough challenges to make you thankful for what you already have.

<3 Lori

First Things First

I've been thinking a lot about slowing down lately.  Maybe that's normal now that I'm the mother of a high school graduate.  The last year has been a whirlwind. And stressful.  And happysadtoofasttooloudtoomuch.  Since school's been out, I thought we might be able to relax a little and start breathing again. 

But we couldn't. There were storms a'brewing.   I can't really go into detail here, but suffice it to say that deal about "pray without ceasing" is actually possible as long as brief time-outs are allowed for sleeping.  And, so...now....eight weeks later, I can say that God definitely does answer prayers.  It's true that sometimes He answers prayers with "no". But this time, we were on the same page, and He said, "yes" and I'm so grateful.  Resume inhale/exhale. 

Now what?

At some point last spring I signed up to do my first arts/crafts show.  Y'all that have been around this blog or my Facebook page or Instagram know that I put a lot of time and energy into building up inventory for the show.  A lot.  Too much really because something is missing.  My "word of the year", as you may recall from this post,  is "Grow".  But growing my business was only part of it. The bigger part of that goal was to grow my spiritual life and habits.  Because of the recent experience we had, I do feel closer to God because we spent so much time together talking.  Well....I was talking. But I haven't devoted enough time to listening to Him talk.  I need to change that.  How does someone with a regular job, a small business, another smaller business, kids, and a husband fit it all in?  I have no idea because I have stuff falling out all over the place. 

But I know one thing for sure.  Until I put first things first, things will never all fit.  If I can get things in the right order, God can make the rest of it work out.

So that's what I'm going to do--get things in the right order. I was considering signing up for another bigger show out of town this fall.  I think it would be a great opportunity.  It would be an opportunity to get out in the public, hand out more business cards, expand my audience and maybe even sell some stuff.  It would also mean creating more work.  Compiling more display pieces.  A lot of work and a lot of time upstairs.  But I don't think it's for me right now.  I think it's time to slow down, literally put God first by getting back to a morning study and prayer time.   And, if God sees fit to grow my business after I've given him my first fruits, He'll show me the way to do that.

You know when you make a decision and you know right away it's absolutely right?  That's what I'm feeling now.  Feeling grateful.

May the Good Lord give you peace in your decisions and help you put first things first, too.

<3  Lori

Country Roads Take Me Home

I love John Denver.  Yeah, he was a little goofy looking.  And in today's world, the music is a little sappy, but I loved him and his music.  I was a country girl (for which I also thank God).   I didn't go to Rocky Mountain High, but I would have if I could have.  Sunshine on my shoulders still makes me happy.  And country roads always took me home.  I'm a big fan.

On the way to work a week or so ago, amidst some tribulation that extends even to this very moment, instead of leaving on a jet plane, I decided to take my time and take some photos of my favorite country roads.

 I love this corner.  I especially love it with wildflowers added.

 I'm not much of a botanist. I don't know what the yellow flower is but the other one is an Indian Blanket.  Such a happy flower.

 Beauty.

 

Scissortails always remind me of my granddad.  They were his favorite.  Now they are mine too!  I was trying to get a really good shot of this guy when he disappeared.

 When I checked my shots, I saw this was the reason he flew away. Good call.  

 A little further along the way.  I just want to stop here and breathe in the tranquility.

Wild turkeys are not very smart, but they are very fast and hard to photograph.  I followed a rafter of wild turkeys down the road with my passenger window down trying to get a good shot.

 I love these trees.

 A friendly girl on the way catching some shade.

 Beautiful wheat ready to harvest.

 Combines had this field cleaned by the end of the day.  Wheat harvesting is a lot faster now than when I was a kid and had to help my dad.  They have giant harvesters and giant semi trucks not broken down combines and trucks held together with duct tape and bailing wire like ours was. 

My camera has some fancy settings that I have never used. I really wanted to try to capture the light on the tractor, but none of the settings I clicked would work until I chose "special effects" and painting.  I was surprised and happy with this shot. It's silly, I guess, but when I see sun rays beaming down like that, I think of it as God sending me a little hopeful message.

Just revisiting these photos has eased my mind some today. I know the Lord of Heaven and Earth has us in the palm of His hand.  "And we know all things work together for good  to them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose."

All things?  Really?  Yes.  All things.  Even this.

May the good Lord bless you and keep you and offer you opportunities to feel His love on your face.

<3 Lori

Giraffing

The month of May was CrayCRAY!   Sophie being sick, new puppies, spring basketball, spring volleyball, awards banquets, middle school graduation, Baccalaureate, high school graduation and all the junk the goes into all of that plus a bunch of stuff I can't remember now.  It was nuts.  I thought if I could just live until the end of the month and then through the first week of June when the state monitors would be at my real job for our annual review, it would be approaching miracle status AND I could take some time off.  I lived, AND I'm off!  Yea!

What have I been doing with this unusual spare time?

Playing with puppies.

Purchasing MORE crafty goodness.  Not sure what I'm going to do with this yet, but it was my reward for making it through the monitoring week.

Catching up on my 1 Peter Bible study with #Shereadstruth

And making art.  This one is almost finished.  It's called, "Giraffing".

Maybe it shouldn't, but it still feels kind of miraculous when I make something I really like.  I really like this guy.  There's a quote from Robert Fulghum scratched into to the paint. It says, "Does the giraffe know what he's for?  Or care? Or even think about his place in things.  A giraffe has a tongue twenty-seven inches long and no vocal cords. A giraffe has nothing to say.  He just goes on giraffing."

I feel a little like that sometimes.  I don't know about my place in the world. And I don't really care that much because this world is not my home. I'm anxious for the next one!  Until then, I'll just go on doing what I do and feeling blessed beyond measure.

May the good Lord bless you, too, friends, better than you deserve.

<3 Lori