Saturday, November 26, 2011

DIY:Chalkboard Wall


I'm not into crafts that much or DIY Projects but the other day I was sitting with a Young Walker (teenage client) and she said, "Your office is boring." I laughed (I just moved in) and then asked her what she would do with my office if she could. She suggested I paint one of my walls with Chalkboard paint. I loved the idea and thus it became.

Here is my office wall before.

Here's the midway point...the symbol is a heart at peace.

Here is my finished Chalkboard Wall!!
This project was really easy and cheap. I bought 2 small cans of Rust-Oleum Chalkboard paint, a roller brush, and a paint pan for $30.00. I have a ton of paint left over for other projects. 


It didn't take me too long to pain the wall (lots of coats) and then I waited the allotted 4 hours before I could put on the 2nd coat of paint. I am really excited for it dry completely so I can write on it.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

My "Trail Week"

I took a "trail week" this week. What does that mean (you may be asking)? Well, I work for an incredible organization called Anasazi. We are a wilderness therapy organization and we work with incredible families and their children. I am a therapist at Anasazi and absolutely LOVE my job.


My contract as a therapist ran out and so I was training and working on skills so that I could go out on the trail as a Trail Walker. (As a side note some of the trail walkers I have met at Anasazi are the most incredible, real, and talented people I know.) A Trail Walker goes out on the trail for 8 days (Wed-Wed) and is off the trail for 6 days. When they are out on the trail there is no contact with the "world." They don't have cell phones, computers, ipods, etc. They have what they can carry on their backs and nature—it is an unreal and unbelievable experience.

Well, as life would have it I was re-hired as a Therapist at Anasazi before I could be a trail walker. So I decided that I would take a "trail week" this past week. I didn't get on Facebook, watch TV, listen to music in my care, etc. I even gave my phone to friend for a few days. In essence, I tried to get away from the world for 8 days. As a result here are a few things I learned:

  • I am much more effective with my time with no distractions
  • I am able to do things I love (play piano, read, have long chats w/friends) when I make time for them
  • I am completely disconnected to the outside world and therefore miss important details
  • It became apparent that I miss certain people 
  • My thoughts are more focused and in tune with God's will
  • The world didn't stop or end without me online (ha ha I knew this was true already)
  • I felt the spirit more and felt more guided.
  • Some media is not bad and actually really needed for me in my life
  • It is an inconvenience for people in my life for me to be disconnected
  • I was able to listen much better with less distractions and less noise
  • Rejection means you put something out there (received my first book rejection)
  • I need to for sure take more "trail weeks"
The biggest thing I noticed is how happy I could be with so little. I found myself driving down the road, sun shining on my face, and smiling. I am so blessed.

Tuesday, November 08, 2011

Fractured Faith


In the past few months of my life I have had a few key thoughts, lines of a song, scriptures, etc running through my mind:

"Fear ye not, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord...The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." (Exodus 14: 13-14)

"Lead, kindly Light, amid th’encircling gloom, lead Thou me on! The night is dark, and I am far from home; lead Thou me on! Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see the distant scene; one step enough for me." (Hymn #97)


"Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief." (Matthew 9:24)


"Be not afraid, only believe." (Mark 5:36)


You can probably see the pattern.  I have been lacking faith and patience in my own life. As a therapist I spend my days listening to others peoples problems, sorrows, etc. I try to exhort patience, empathy, sympathy, and a listening ear. When I get home and need to deal with my personal life I find I have no patience left for myself. I wrestling with the Lord and want Him to make things happen in my life that I think will make me happy. 


I want a regular, adult-like job, where I get paid a salary and I don't have to scrip to pay my rent and feed myself. I want a man in my life who wants to be with me, who I confide in, who will protect me from the world, and listen to my heart. I want the Lord to fix/stop the hurting hearts of those around me that I adore. I have the hardest time watching people I love suffer.


After I have thrashed around enough with God and I'm exhausted the above words come to my heart and mind. I KNOW of their truth and comfort but for whatever reason I can't seem to let them in. To borrow a phrase from one of my mentors (Chris Wallace)—I have "Fractured Faith."


I don't want that kind of faith. I want the faith that moves mountains, parts the sea, closes the mouths of lions, and raises people from the dead. I want a Fortress of Faith! I want to be believing. I want to be patient. I want to be happy with one step of light ahead of me instead of wanting the entire path to be lit. So I been really trying to be present in my life. I have tried really hard to be vulnerable, open, honest, and more patient with myself. I continue to fail but try again.


To help I decided to start what I call a Patience Project.



I never grew up in a family that puts puzzles together. We pretty much all have ADHD and this would have never happened in our family. So I never really got the value of puzzles. Then a good friend of mine, Lincoln, introduced me to the magic of puzzles. It is less about the puzzle (though they are awesome—especially if they glow-in-the-dark) and more about the entire experience. Sometimes it's about the people you put the puzzle together with and other times it's just about slowing down and using your hands to create. To me a 1000 piece puzzle= patience.

My patience project is about time I set aside for me. It is time I let other things drop out of my life. It is time to be creative and practice patience. Don't get me wrong this puzzle is also frustrating to me. The puzzle I chose is 87% blue pieces and I have no idea how I am going to put it together but I always remind myself, like life, one piece at a time, one step at a time. When it gets too frustrating I leave it alone next to my bed and do something else. But lately, I find myself more and more comfortable sitting down with my patience project puzzle.