Meditate

I have always wanted to be a person that meditates. I've set goals about it, I've attended guided meditation, I've created a meditation alter in my home. But alas I have never had a meditation practice. Hence, this week the word meditate has stuck with me. I've been thinking about it as I water my yard, practice yoga, sew at night, cook...then I came to my realization. I am a person who meditates. I meditate while doing.

Once I had this realization I put it more into practice. I feel best when I practice yoga, just stepping on my mat is a meditation for me. I know that fitting in a full daily practice right now is an unreasonable and unattainable goal. So, I am setting one that I feel is within my reach. Each day I will step foot on my mat, get grounded and take a deep breath. Hopefully this ritual and the lure of the meditation will inspire me to do a small portion of my practice.

(this is a really weird angle, my feet look very small, they are actually very big! :))

Lucky number 9

Meditate
Live purely. Be quiet.
Do your work with mastery.
Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds!
Shine
-Buddha

As I am late in posting our challenge this week, I will make it simple. Take something from the quote above the speaks to you and put it into action in your life. Whatever that looks like for you this week. Post your outcome Monday (I think I can post on time, I think I can post on time)

Random Acts of Kindness

I apologize for the delay, here they are my three random acts of kindness.

#1 - My neighbor hates all things having to do with gardening. I love all things having to do with gardening, so I planted his parking strip and have committed to its care this summer.



#2 - My girlfriend works for Delta and often lets me fly for free on buddy passes. I recently used one of her buddy passes. As a thank you I made her these wool felt coasters.


#3 - Another neighbor just brought home there granddaughter and her preemie baby boy. I put together a care package of gently used items of my sons for them on mothers day.

Acts of Kindness Report

As I completed the good deed challenge this past week, I learned that one of my best creative gifts and/or talents is to assemble or orchestrate the coming together of things. This is evident in the three "acts of kindness" I have chosen to report on.

1. When I learned that my parents were coming home and would be staying at my Grandma's house for a few weeks, I decided to assemble a food basket with their favorite edible items so things they like to eat would be readily available to them. It was fun to shop for and arrange all the items in the basket.


2. I bought and assembled a bouquet of flowers for my mom for Mother's Day. Arranging the flowers so the colors, textures, and sizes worked well together was fairly intriguing.


3. I took my sister-in-law's and mother's wedding rings into the jeweler to have their crowns replaced and to be cleaned for my dad and brother this past week. When I got the rings back, I wanted them to be wrapped beautiful without expending any money, so I used the plastic wrap and ribbon from the flower packaging I had purchased earlier as wrapping paper and the bow.

Challenge #8 - Good Deeds

I shall pass this way but once; any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again. – Henry Drummond

Do three acts of kindness for others using your creative talents and gifts. Explain what you did in photos and words by next Monday night.

Dandelions by Julie #7

On my walks I collected photographs of Dandelions. I had 30, but I liked the layout of 5 x 5. Dandelions scream spring to me and make me feel carefree. Collecting these photos I became even more found of the plant for all the textures and variations it produces. These photos have my creative juices flowing, I'm thinking of all sorts of things I could use these images on and designs to make inspired by them!

Objects from the Sea

Last weekend I traveled to the Oregon coast with a few friends, seeking rejuvenation and solace. Walking on the beach daily brought peace to my soul and joy to my heart. My finds for this week come from my walks along the beach - rocks of all shapes, compositions, and textures worn and weathered by the sea. I didn't make any permanent configuration of these rocks because I like to take them out of the bowl regularly and arrange them in various patterns on my desk.