"Being a Mom" - Altered Art

Being a mom is the most amazing, fulfilling and ecstatic experience there is and at the same time, terrifying, frustrating and full of difficulties. A mom loves her child with all of her being and that love never changes. And yet, when they are older, living out that love is a difficult task. Knowing whether to say something or keep quiet, whether to try to teach or let them learn on their own, acting on your feelings or holding back - always, it is a balancing act. And so often, no matter what you choose to do, you are misunderstood and rejected. You don't know what your child is thinking or how they are interpreting your actions, words or lack of either. Only later, you might find out that things were totally interpreted opposite of what you meant. And by then it is too late - the damage has been done. Lost opportunities are only seen in retrospect. Words unsaid, hugs unhugged, feelings unshared, trust undemonstrated. Only grace will allow rebuilding. Grace and unconditional love. May I ever seek to increase grace and unconditional love for all of my children. This is my prayer.

Looking Ahead - 2013

Looking Ahead to Good Things in 2013

The beginning of a new year is always exciting - something about the freshness, the promise of a new start, throwing off the failures of the past and looking toward the future with hope. This year is no different for me. I haven't made any New Year's Resolutions in quite a few years, but this year, I decided to make a few!

Health Resolutions - Lose weight, exercise regularly and focus on myself more, so that I can accomplish these two things.

Art Resolutions - take one or two online courses, make art regularly,

Family and Faith resolutions - "Devotion" is my "one little word" for this year. I want to increase my devotion to God and to my family. I want to treasure each and every moment with them. This year promises to be a big year of change, and I don't want to squander even one opportunity to show devotion to each member of my family and to God.

Attitude of Gratitude - Days 1 and 2

I have just started the Attitude of Gratitude Challenge and I'm already one day behind! But I am starting, nonetheless!

First and foremost I am grateful for the family the Lord has blessed me with. This was taken at my best friend's daughter's wedding. We so very seldom get a picture taken with all of us together.

And I am grateful for our place up on Long Lake - many wonderful times there and many memories to come. It is absolutely beautiful and one of God's most beautiful creations!

If you would like to join in the Attitude of Gratitude challenge, you can stop over at Perfectly Precious and join in the fun.

Attitude of Gratitude Challenge

Thanksgiving in Michigan

Well, it just wouldn't be Thanksgiving if we didn't stop and reflect on the things we are thankful for today. I personally am always so thankful for my husband and my children. They make my life so full and complete. I can't imagine life without them. I'm thankful for a warm, comfortable home and health and jobs to pay for those things we need and the little specialties we enjoy - like mochas from Barnes and Noble! LOL! I'm thankful for good friends, both near and far - and thankful for reasonably good health. I'm thankful for sweet potatoes - my favorite! And I'm thankful that they now ship them up North from south. In addition, I'm thankful for Jesus Christ, my Lord and savior.

This year, Ron's sister, mom, dad, nephews and his sister's fiance are joining us for dinner. This has been an annual tradition for many years. It is a great time to share our lives and just be together. Ron's mom's health is still good enough for her to be with us and for that, we are especially thankful.

So this year, remember your blessings and enjoy this journey that we call life.

 After dinner dessert: Jess, Kate and Ron

Grandpa and Aunt Janet (Ron's sister)

Boys watching football.

Cultivating What Gives You Joy

 This is a journaling prompt for today:

Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. - Goethe

Cultivating what gives you joy
The easiest way to identify what our heart wants is to examine the feelings that surface when we relate to that subject. Do you find solace when picking up your journal to write a daily reflection? Does time spent with your family thrill you to tears? What feelings arise when you chase down the things that make your heart flutter? True happiness comes when we routinely engage in positive activities that we love. Take a look at your life as a whole. Pursue the things that make you feel alive and fill you with joy and healthy.

This is a very important aspect of life that we should all take the time to monitor, so that we spend quality time doing the things that inspire us and make us smile. Too much of life is made up of "have tos" and "should dos" and "can't dos". Then, at the end of another day, we are feeling like some of the most important things in life were left undone.

For me, spending time with my family is one of the things that brings me great joy. When we get to sit down around the dinner table and share about our lives, it brings just an unbelievable feeling. I am truly blessed right now to have all three of my children close enough that we still eat together several times a week. It is great hearing my two daughters laugh until they cry over some silly movie quote - or laugh at their Dad and his silly antics. Also, I love hearing about my son's day from teaching at his job. He is truly making a difference in those kids, even though he often doesn't feel like it. 

 

Ryan, Grandpa Leng, Ron, Kate, Me, Jess and Grandma Leng

Well, another thing that brings me joy is going into the studio for a few hours and making art or going down to the sewing machine and creating something useful. I love spending time thrift shopping or garage-saling looking for something to incorporate into my next creation. (Now if I could just find a way to neatly store all my "treasures". Ha!)

Spending time with my best girlfriends and talking over the problems of the day/week/year - and talking and crafting, and talking and cooking, and talking and lauging, talking and crying...... You get the idea. Closeness, understanding, trust, laughter,  shared life experiences, empathy - ahhhh - great times together. 

 

Diana, Brenda, Kate and Anastasia

And recently, I have been able to re-unite with some of my bestest old friends from long ago via Facebook.  Whoever invented that was a genius!

 

Mitzi, Me and Susan D.!

Listening to my son play his music! Now that brings me joy. But I don't get to do that nearly often enough! He is one talented guy! 

 

And I can't forget having fun playing in the snow, sailing and hanging out at Long Lake!

 

There are so many other things that bring me joy! I am one blessed woman! Well, for now, I think I'm gonna go and make some art! 


But think about it! What gives you joy? Make time to do whatever it is this week. You will be happier for it. And - No Guilt and No Regrets! 

Mackinaw City - Pink Saturday

For Pink Saturday, hosted by Beverly over at How Sweet the Sound, I am sharing some photos from a summer visit to Mackinaw City. This is the front of a restaurant where we had dinner. I love the sculptures of the children playing around the water pump. And the flowers there are always so beautiful.

 

Funny thing is, you can't tell that I am coming down with my first experience with poison ivy. I had it so bad that we had to leave and drive home so I could see the doctor. I still have scars on my legs from the terrible stuff. Now I can spot poison ivy a mile away. I hope to never have to repeat that experience.

 

This is my husband's sister, who had come up for a visit. It was so disappointing to have to leave because of the poison ivy. But since she is a nurse, she was urging me to go get taken care of.  It was good to see her, even if it was for a short time.

This is a little puppy we met while we were shopping there.  Isn't he cute?

Take time to head on over to Beverly's place at How Sweet the Sound and check out the other love Pink Saturday posts.

Find Beauty Where You Are

I read an article today over at The Inspired Room. She wrote a wonderful piece about looking for the beauty in our homes and being content with what we have. It was quite an insightful piece.  One of the hardest things, I think, this day in age, is to be content with what we have. We are surrounded by advertisements, glossy magazines, store fronts and more, showing us that next best thing that we "need" to make us happy. And then there are the "neighbors" who have just what we wish that we had.  One scripture that is so important and yet so difficult to live by is this one:

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)

I fall into that trap quite often. I look at the messes and not at the love and creativity that goes on here. I look at the piles and not the precious lives of friends and family that gather here. 

As I think back on it, the most beautiful place that I spent time, other than my own home, was that of my grandmother. She lived in a two-bedroom farmhouse that she raised her four sons in (my father being her youngest). She had a natural art of making things lovely.  She would go out into the garden and snip off flowers, branches, whatever caught her eye, and put them all over her house.  It was always beautiful.  But the most important thing I remember was the love, affirmation and acceptance I felt there.

Hopefully, today I can take this message to heart and stop being so hard on myself. I have the most important thing in my life - the Lord- and I have my family and  a beautiful, loving home.  I need to learn to be content with that. How about you? Are you content with what you have?

 

 

This is a typical gathering at the Leng household with friends and family.  Lots of food, fun and love.

Constructive Feedback Friday at I Heart Faces

This is a picture of my niece when my db & family met my dd in FL over Spring Break. She's a cutie, don't you think? I think the photo is a little dark and washed out. I have Photoshop CS2, but I'm just starting out and don't know much about using it. I also have i-photo, which is what I use most of the time. So I'd appreciate any help or advice for brightening this one up & making it more eye-catching. I'd also love to do some sort of framing around it, but I don't really know how to do that.