Time Is Fleeting

  Time IS fleeting... This thought struck me like a gentle 2x4 while I was pondering this blog and when I would next write. 

  Why am I waiting for the perfect inspiration to move me?  Or is it that I am afraid of imperfection?... Maybe I'm on to something here- I just erased and rewrote the start to this paragraph three times, "Yep, that must be it!  Wahoo, I love that eureka moment of clarity and discovery!"

  What if I mess up?  What if I spell a word wrong and spell check doesn't catch it?  Or, even worse, what if the thoughts I'm having sound foreign and strange to others.

  Then again, what if I don't write the thoughts and deeds that have inspired my choices in life?  What if it is a sentence or new perspective that helps a person, maybe even a stranger, get through their day or feel uplifted and encouraged.  I've heard it said that the successful creative artists out there are often not the best the world has to offer- they are the brave ones.  This thought resonates within me because I find myself holding back more often than not until I feel "comfortable" sharing.  I believe I need to steer more towards putting something out there because it's a reflection of where I am in life or what I am thinking/feeling and see if it resonates with others.  How do we know unless we try.

  "USE WHAT TALENTS YOU POSESS:  THE WOODS WOULD BE VERY SILENT IF NO BIRDS SANG EXCEPT THOSE THAT SANG BEST."  Unatrributed (although some give credit to Henry D. Thoreau and others credit Henry Van Dyke with this quote)

  The message behind this quote, no matter who wrote it, is fantastic- and true.  I believe God has so much to give this world through each of us.  Collectively we represent the diamond that God is...each of us reflecting a face of that diamond.  Each face is different, yet uniquely brilliant- showing a dimension of our Creator.  When the Son shines on that indiviual face His light will reflect in a shower of unique beauty.  Now imagine this world if every person dusted off their surface and allowed our unique talents and dimension of God to reflect from ourselves~ how bright, beautiful, colorful, and brilliant this world would be.

  Time is fleeting... not one of us knows how long we've been given to share our unique message and talents.  Let us be brave in our sharing, recognizing that anything done in Love will one day bear fruit.

** Please remember in prayer the hundreds of thousands brave people marching today to show support of each person's Right to Life!

Keep on Movin'

It's here! That feeling of mental clarity that makes all the difference in my day to day living AND understanding of what my greater purpose on this earth is...

Of course, I understand that I am wife and mother. Yes, I am aware that I am neighbor and friend... Somehow, what seems to keep slipping from my conciousness is that I was created with specific talents and desires. I need to keep up the process of excavation and keep bringing into light those things that help make up who I am.

This may seem like an abstract thought... however, I have heard that the tool of "free association" can help bring into clearer focus that central nugget of truth that can be so elusive. Who am I? What do I really want? Is it bad to ask these questions? I don't think so. I believe it It leads to greater self discovery. This in turn can be more freeing than captivating.

Am I afraid of failure...or success. What is my purpose...how can I achieve that purpose? Sometimes these questions hover around the perimeter of my consciousness...other times they shout so as to overcome the chaos my life has become.

In the still quiet-- when I have sought Him Who knows all and has created me with a specific purpose... that is when the focus becomes clear and answers are revealed. A certain Peace begins to slowly pervade my being and an odd type of energy radiates from my core out...often times I have the splotchy neck as witness this is happening.

I know it is important to work on this daily. I have found the key elements to remaining in this state of clarity is to first, spend time with the One Who created me. Second, remember that I have been created as an individual with separate talents and desires... seek those out. And finally, make and take the time to practice those skills and break down the desire into tiny steps that will ultimately lead to fulfillment of dreams.

Just Write!!!

I don't know about anyone else... but I definitely have a hard time staying on task when I feel the heavy panting of perfectionism breathing down my neck. Take this blog for instance... could I write every day? Yes, without a doubt I could fill at least three notebook pages with the ramblings that rattle through my mind. And yet, balance that ability against the thought of sending those words out into the wide unknown and I lose my nerve and begin cleaning my desk. Why is that?

I freeze when I get overwhelmed. This is such an annoyance! I suppose I ought to look at the root cause of why I feel overwhelmed to understand why it locks me into a straight jacket of non-productiveness... My thought is that I as the writer I begin to put words on the page. Then I immediately begin to assume the readers thought process. This immediately propels me into the editors chair. Soon I am hacking at each sentence. Mercilessly, I slash words that might offend, reveal too much of my own weakness, not make sense to another... basically, words that make me look "less than".

This certainly isn't helpful to my writing process. I think of other's phrases that have drawn my attention. I am most often inspired and intrigued by artists who are not afraid to be themselves. I will always remember the advice offered from a friend just before going in front of a news camera, "just be as real as you can be."

Authentic. Easy to relate to. Yep, that resonates with me. That's all I want to be... in that way I can simply say, "Here I am Lord, I come to do Your will." Besides, God uses the weak to confound the strong... who would I be fooling anyway if I were to appear as "more than?" I am weak...yet, I still come to do Your will, Lord. Please help me achieve the fullness of all You've created me to be...strengths, cracks, humor, faith...all of it as You've intended for Your purpose.

Beloved...

[Years ago Christ reminded me of His UNCONDITIONAL LOVE as I sat in front of Him in Adoration...May these words that flowed from His grace to my pen be a comfort and reminder if you should ever find yourself tempted to think you've strayed too far to seek His face...]
You have brushed my hair and anointed me with Your oils. You have groomed me with Your most experienced talents. You have called me forth and called me beloved...

At one time fires raged around me and I was drowning in stupidity, blindness, and drudgery from Your enemy's hand. It only took a moment of "guard down" and he was upon me. Delighting in the destruction of Your precious, prized possessions, he mutilated them until they fear they are too ugly to return to You in such disarray.

Slowly, with great pain, I heard You still calling out for me. Urgency and longing in Your voice. Desperate for sign of life You searched the darkness with Your lantern in hand. Daily, You set out food and signs of welcome on the chance would be alive and return to You. Your messengers hunted and did Your Will. You NEVER stopped calling. Finding me... You waited until I was ready.

Bedraggled, I have come forth. Disgusting in appearance I have shamefacedly approached Your courts. Summoning a last ounce of abused strength I raise my hand to the door.

You sense that I am near...
Rushing the remaining span of distance You throw open the heavy doors that are separating us.

I am in Your arms and You are cherishing the beauty of my cracked and disheveled face. You are smoothing my knotted, filthy hair that used to shine gloriously and crown Your creation. You are crooning LOVE and I am HOME. I am ashamed to cause You hurt and You are happy I am back. Tears are brushed from Your eyes to wipe the filth surrounding mine.

Beloved...

Who am I?

This is ridiculous... I am nervously sitting here, stress eating a Kit Kat bar while I ponder what to write in the Meet Susan/Bio section of this blog.  "Who am I"? How does one sum up their personality and productive qualities in a few "simple" lines?

  Here goes... I love God. I love my husband and children. I love the creative spark that God instilled in my soul. It is this spark that has consistently brought this very endeavor of a website to mind... and I mean to the point that if I knew where to file harassment charges for these persistent ideas~ I just might do it. Yet, persistence paid off and here I am... opening my life before the world in the hopes that God might touch a soul through something read here. A person just might be moved enough to really look closely at the gifts and talents they've been given (and possibly hidden), and follow the inspiration to actually use them!

This world NEEDS people to do what they love! Those talents and desires weren't just thrown into their DNA by random ingredient selection.  Our Creator had a definite plan for the overall grand design while He blew His breath of Life into each of us.  It was within that design that a mission was created to reveal a particular aspect or dimension of God's own character. His word states that we were created in His own image. Each of us were given a unique aspect of His image (another way to look at how we all make up the one Body of Christ). We need one another to be faithful to sharing that individual "element" of God with the world. It's like fitting puzzle pieces together to see the bigger picture.

How exciting is this!?  The world would be a better, more beautiful, place if people actually did what they loved and loved what they did.  Why?  Because we would be contributing to the world as God intended.  I understand the need to be responsible.  This could be a small start if need be.  Open your heart to the possibility and begin to take notice if doors open or supplies find their way to you.  Always ask God to reveal His Will to you and to provide the way that His will be done. 

You know what I'm writing about if you've ever had an idea that produces a burning deep down and seems a bit silly to discuss~ yet intrigues you with possibility.  Perhaps, just for this moment you could take these words "as a sign" that you are to follow through on that idea.  Maybe you are being called to live out your talent...why not?  Only you have everything necessary to be you...and we need to see and experience what God would reveal about Himself through you!

I recently heard someone say "NEVER GIVE UP ON SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN'T GO A DAY WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT."  (I apologize I don't know who to give credit to for that quote.. it's awesome though, isn't it?) 

Let's do this together!  It's obvious my site is under major construction...I'm just beginning.  So start this journey with me.  Let me know what ideas have been percolating (or persistently pestering) you.  I will try to get a message board going so we can inspire and support one another in these efforts.  In the meantime shoot me a comment about your dreams.  You never know what new beginning or exciting addition to your life is awaiting your decision to move in that direction...

 Ok... so the "Short bio" section will have to wait a little longer... maybe you've gotten to know a little about me through this post anyway~ such as I am frequently given to tangents... and I follow them.