virtual tea tuesday

i like a slow start to my day.  tea.  reading.  journaling.  quiet time with myself.

solitude.  meditation.  spacing out.  whatever you choose to call it, it is needed. 

jotting down ideas is also needed.  the easiest way to declutter a busy mind.

today, what seemed necessary was writing down the big things on the horizon for 2012.

     feb - signing the closing contract.  renovations to the house. 

             moving in.  setting up the new studio.

           - trip to L.A.

     mar - inspiration corporation art auction

     apr - submit entry to art prize in grand rapids

     may - randolph street market

     jun - trip to kentucky

     jul - indianapolis solo exhibit

          - turning 30

     aug & sep - randolph street market

     oct - art prize/ grand rapids

lovely and exciting as these plans may be, i realize i can't count on them materializing.  i can not  take tomorrow for granted.  all i have is today.  here & now.

i need to focus on one day at a time.  and this is what i want for today:

     1.  to make art

every day i sit down with a blank canvas and create something new is a successful day. 

every day i sit down with a time-worn book page, and slash and slash ruthlessly at words until poetry emerges is a successful day.

to be creative in my decision-making counts as well.  so does creative use of resources.

     2.  to be extravagantly,  un-strategically generous

i do believe we live in a world of abundance.  there is plenty to go around if we are only willing to share.  i tend to try and arrange for myself a lot, to scheme, to grasp, to hold on tightly.  the antidote is giving away, rather than letting go.  i am not just referring to material things.  more to give: my time, understanding, grace, a listening ear, respect, little acts of service, great acts of service, the right to be right, the need to control, words of encouragement, hugs, the gift of presence.  and to let go of the expectation for gratitude.  if we all put that kind of a generous spirit into action, it would turn the world right side up.

    3.  to surf the waves of grace

i get discouraged on a regular basis.  if i've gotten three quarters through my impossible to do list for the day, i feel a failure.  perhaps i demand too much of myself.  regardless, i get quite bogged down with all the things i want to accomplish that i don't and all that i want to be that i am not.  i recently discovered a hope-filled perspective on grace from john ortberg.  he says "the good news about surfing is this: if you miss one wave, if you fall off, if you wipe out, there's another wave coming right behind it.  god just keeps sending them."  we never run out of waves.  so, no more letting fear of failure bully me. i will just try to catch the next wave.

recap.  to do today: make art, give generously, accept grace.  tomorrow, if i'm lucky enough to get one, repeat.  and so on. 

how about you?  what are your big plans for the year?  how about the essentials for today?