new beginnings – Tru Original

Category: new beginnings

These 3 Things

Happy New Year! So I’m a little late to the party…how embarrassing.

As 2016 ended, I heard many people say things like…

“I’m so done with 2016!”

“2016 was the worst year I’ve ever had!”

“2016 totally kicked my ass!”

I even heard a cashier at the store exclaim to her customer, “I didn’t have one good thing happen to me in 2016”.

Wow, I just cant help to think that’s some major bad juju to be putting out there!

We are 19 days into 2017 and I have had the opportunity to really reflect on my experiences in 2016 and pray about my journey. Truth be told, 2016 was not my favorite year. It was a difficult year, mixed with some major changes and often times I felt like things were being unearthed, and exhumed…for lack of a better word. I lost friendships, people I loved passed away (some tragically), my husband lost his job, and family members remained estranged. And this is not to mention that the state of our world, especially with the 2016 Election, caused good people to turn against one another. I think it’s safe to say we were all feeling something very raw.

But lets go back to the word UNEARTHED. What an odd way to describe a year! The synonyms are: discover, find, reveal, expose, turn up, uncover, bring to light, ferret out, root up.

And there it is… root up or better still, up root. That’s how I felt. Just when I got comfortable, God would up root me and take me into unchartered territory. I was forced to deal with emotions that had been buried and consequences beyond my control. Every synonym you see that describe unearthed is how I felt throughout the year. And then this came to me in prayer…

Colossians 3 Put On the New Self

“Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”

And there it is. Raised up sounds a lot like up root to me…does it you. Im convinced, because of God’s word, that He wants us all to be ‘raised up’ and be made new in Him. It may not feel good to be exposed to light, after being in the dark, but it’s in our suffering that we come to know Jesus and are able to respond to the suffering of others.

I’ve taken these first 19 days of the new year and ive prayed and reflected. I decided to embrace what God had done throughout my 2016 and He open the door for me to enter anew.

I also did there 3 things…

I wrote a gratitude list of everything I was grateful for in 2016. I came up with 23 things/ people/ and places that blessed me.
I made a list of all of my passions, talents and gifts. I looked at the things I enjoyed as a child, I asked my loved ones what they thought and I prayed about what my gifts were. I wrote down 12, not bad.
Finally, I made a list of things that I needed to let go of. What am I holding onto that prevents me of opening my hands to Christ and put on a new self?

Oh…and I watched Good Will Hunting. LOL. One thing I learned and lived out in 2016 is if you want things to change, change your perspective. You can see many of my blog posts about that very topic. Good Will Hunting is a great example of changing your perspective and accepting the gifts God gave you. It’s about opening up that closed fist and letting God fill it with truth, love and mercy. I’ve learned how to be grateful. I’ve learned to surrender.

It Begins with a Thought

Have you ever thought about how powerful our thoughts and words are? I hate to admit it, but most of the time I cruise around on auto pilot not really considering that I have control of the pilot. I react when the planes going down and wait for the breathing masks to dispense. This is something that I have given a great deal of time working on this past last year…about how I entertain worse case scenarios or dwell on feelings of hurt, rejection, and insecurity. The problem with entertaining negativity, taking a peek into our plane wreak scenarios, is that it invites negativity to reside in our head. Once that guy shows up, he is like a house guest. Fun times for a few days, wallowing in your hurt and pride, partying it up, but then what? It gets old and that house guest won’t leave. He likes the attention and you can’t leave your guest hungry. Did you intent to invite that guy over?? NO! So what now??

We all struggle with negative thoughts, we are human after all. I want to dedicate the next 5 posts on sharing what living a life of intention this past year has looked like for me. We can and should have control over our thoughts and who shows up as our auto pilot. I know what is working for me and ~~maybe it can~~ it will work for you too.

Just One Foot

Just one foot is sometimes all you need to get yourself through the door. That’s what this post is! Just one foot through the door to begin blogging again. Feels good to find my way around this new website template and blogging format. I had been DREADING that, intimidated by my lack of experience with WordPress, but as with most things, it’s just not that big of a deal. I spent most of this morning saying to myself, “you can do it”, “relax”. The impatience inside me wanted to scream and give up several times as I fumbled around. Just one step at a time, one click at a time. And here I am, posting! Yay! Would love to hear from some old friends on this little blog of mine. Honestly not sure if my move from Blogger to WordPress has allowed me to stay connected with followers, or previous blogs that I followed. Still finding my way around that. Seems like Im always beginning again. How bout you? Where’s your foot been lately? Leaving myself open for some great comments on that question!

Finding my way through the Dark

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Dear Heart,

Finding my way through the dark these days…or should I say the incredibly bright, can’t even bare to look, light. Yes…let’s call it that… TBL…the blinding light!

TBL is amazing, warm, soothing and nourishes my thirsty soul. The problem is, I’ve become so unfamiliar with TBL that is feels like dark…and I’m scrambling around. What do I do with all this love? Now don’t get me wrong…no pity party here, I’m loving it. But as a wife and mom, as the servant God has called me to be ( us all to be) …How am I the one being served? I even tried to read a magazine on the back porch last week and noticed how uncomfortable it felt. Not to be doing something, just sitting there. This is not ok, this discomfort. This is not who God made me, any mothers and wife’s, to be.

God has been speaking a lot to my heart about rest…so many passages about rest and restoration of the soul but here is one that really moves me…

“In repentance and rest you will be saved,
In quietness and trust is your strength.”

and then it goes on to say…
“But you were not willing.”

Isaiah 30:15

Ouch…it’s the “but you were not willing” part that stings. Oh Lord, I’m willing…might have to remind me how!! Of course it’s hard to rest right now with family in the background playing Aerosmith on 10! Feel like yelling out BE QUITE! Now the vacuum! Bad to complain about vacuuming, huh? Still feel like yelling!

This Mother’s Day…I hope you rest! I hope that every mom will find themselves resting in the arms of Jesus. Can you picture that? Sitting on the lap of our Jesus…resting. AWWWWWWWWW. Now that feels good! Bask in TBL!

Please stop over on Mother’s Day and visit Mixed Media May, where 30 international mixed media artist are offering interviews. My interview is scheduled for tomorrow…Mother’s Day! So very cool and it’s an honor to be part of this collaboration of talented artist.

Hey beautiful you…Happy Mother’s Day!!!

MIA…that’s me!

SOLD

What a long strange trip it’s been:) And what a year 2012 turned out to be. like the above painting i did and the one in the post below, i have felt so open and free to being FILLED up and completely surrendering to God’s will in my life. Along the way He reassured me as I closed many doors and gave up on a dream or two. God provided many opportunities to grow and yes He did stretch me a bit… well a lot. At times it hurt a little..well a lot, but looking back it was an awesome year and I continue to be in awe of God’s generosity.

i have many goals for 2013 and hope to connect here in this place more often. to continue to share my heart and creative spirit remains a hearts desire but i also hope to build bridges with people who share that calling.

To stay rooted in my goals and wishes for the new year my reminder word is GROUNDED. I want to continue to surrender and be grounded in God’s word and will for me. I spent so many years of my life soaring, exploring, and discovering myself. I get the picture of who i am and what i have to offer. i want to stay grounded and content in who that is and remain open to what God would like to do with me.

i am inspired by each of you and feel so much support! it is humbling as i see many of you struggle and grow with such grace and freedom. If you have a word that inspires and nurtures your 2013 journey…what is it? I would like to stop by and support you in that mission.

If you don’t have a mission for the new year…maybe it’s because God has you in a similar place that i found myself in 2012…open and growing, completely surrendered and totally wiped out. If so…be brave cause it is the beginning of a transformation. Be easy on yourself because it’s a first step on a long road. I would like to be there to encourage you. Remember, we don’t always have to soar…sometimes we need to land.

thanks for being a soft place for me to land:)

jill

Welcome Change

Change, transformation, conversion, shift, turn-over, revolution, turn….

No matter how you say it or when it happens…it is simply a part of life.

AND I LOVE IT!!

As the leaves start to turn the rich colors of red and yellow i feel excitement. I feel prepared for the changes that God is handing me and my family these days. Trust me, I’m never prepared! I’m more of a roll with the punches kind of girl so this is very uncharted territory.

Lately I have this spirit of courage and TRUST.

I feel like God has me at the brink of something great and I’m ready to ~~step~~ dive off the edge into the unknown.

Feeling so used up and tired earlier this month really turned out to be a Blessing. It allowed me the time to rest and renew my spirit in HIM so that i could feel the fullness and the beauty of the path unfolding before me.

Are you are experiencing a beautiful transformation in your lives or are you in the ‘Be still and know that I am God’ mode?

Either way, each and everyone of us deserves to be the best we can be!

I believe in you!!
He believes in you!!

“The key to change… is to let go of fear.”

Rosanne Cash

All Puckered OUT!

I just love this picture!!

This week, as we near the end of summer, i find myself feeling like this little guy. Just plain tired, all puckered out! Writing this, admitting that i’m tired, causes me to feel a little embarrassed. WHY?! Are we not allowed to feel tired and want rest? My Mom and Grandma are always telling me to slow down, that I take on too much. Truly I enjoy biting off more then i can chew but sometimes I feel disappointed when i don’t accomplish all i set out to do.

Do you ever feel like this?

In February of this year, I turned 40. My husband planned a amazing surprise party and my mom, knowing i love birds, made me this BIRTHDAY TREE.

She had all the special people that came to the party, sign the back of these beautiful birds she made. I have placed the tree right nest to my bedside and it is a great daily reminder to me of where i’ve been and where i want to go.

As I read the words of encouragement and love from my friends and family, it renews my spirit.

I do this often.

I have also place name tags which I have recieved from various events i have attended this year on the tree.

As i look again at the sweet little bird in the nest, i am reminded that I’m growing. I’m not where i was last year or even yesterday. I am not stuck or bored and believe me, i know what that feels like.

I’m growing and this takes hard work sometimes.

I’m gonna take it easy this week…on myself and those i love.

Join me?

Outside My Comfort Zone

Ok, Ok….I know the last post was hard to take.

Who do i think I am anyway??

Trust me…

I’m nobody and certainly didn’t earn that day in any way.

BUT>>>>>>

It was awesome!

And I savoured every moment of it!!

So back to the day to day….

One of the goals I want to accomplish this year is to get back to the basics. In my art, my home, my health, my family. Try to live more simply and I guess more according to God’s biblical plan for us all. I’m enjoying this and find it easier to do in some areas and harder in others.

My art is one of the hard areas.

Being a mixed media artist is so amazing to me because you’re like a kid in a candy store holding a $100 bill. So many flavors, so much money. It’s kinda like that in mixed media, so many supplies and techniques and your mind just goes to a happy place as you think of all the possibilities. Through my workshops I have discovered that this is not the case for all, and many artist find this to be a scattered, undisciplined medium that leaves them just plain frustrated. Funny, art truly is an extension of who we are.

With God knowing the direction I wanted to move in my life this year, He has so faithfully offered His guidance and has been sending all the right people. Faithful Sweet LORD!

One of my sweetest BFF’s invited me this week to a figurative art class. I have not done figurative drawings in 20 years!! I was excited to be moving outside my comfort zone and get back to the basics of paper, charcoal and sketching the human form. We would be drawing 2, 1 minute poses; 2, 3 minute poses; and 2, 5 minute poses, with time after for painting. Really I thought it would be like riding a bike and I would pick up from where I left off 20 years ago.

uhh…NO!!!

Go ahead…laugh:)

They are funny!

BTW… the model is a beautiful, 25 year old girl that weighs about 100 lbs!

SHE IS NOT MRS. BUTTERSWORTH!!

It’s good to be humbled!

Peace

Peace

Is this my new normal?

Living in the not knowing and feeling so safe and satisfied.

Giving you each of my days, letting go of MY plan.

Not thinking about the dropping ball or the ticking of the clock.

Being free to just BE and offering all of myself to the world.

I prayed for peace, now give me the GRACE to sit a while in this place.

TRU 2011

“Be true to yourself.

Knowing who you are

– that’s the foundation for everything great.”

Jay Z

GONE 20×16″ encaustic

Jay Z is just so cool, I don’t even like rap, but he is smooth and I would probably like his music.

That quote really hit me when I heard it. Being TRUE is a process as it takes time to know who we were truly made to be. God has had His hands full with me and I have fought Him most of my life. Being rather proud to call myself a fighter in the past, I now view it as my biggest defeat. I could have surrendered to Him sooner but I know He knew what He was getting into. And anyway this post is not about regret or mistakes, it is about hope. Hope that a new year will bring me closer to the greatness of who God has made me to be. Do I know myself yet? YES!!! I can say at 39 years young, I finally know myself. And what I know about myself is God made me to be uniquely me and He’s not finished with me yet. Stubborn and crazy, deep and aloof, creative and quirky, caring and empathic, just me. And if that’s good enough for Him then who I am to argue with the Lord of all?

In 2011, I pray that we will all continue to surrender to Him, day by day, moment by moment. I don’t know about you but this surrendering thing is a process for me and sometimes I need to take it a minute at a time. But my Father knew that when He made me and today to sit in that love is the foundation of my life.

in 2007 when I started my art business I called it TRU original. T.R.U. means The Real U.

That’s our destiny, that’s our purpose.

Be safe tonight and enjoy YOURSELF!