Categories
How To

How to Up-cycle an Old Dresser (or Two)

Have you ever stared at a room or a part of your living space and thought, “What can I do to make this feel better?” That may seem like a strange concept to some of you, but if you think about it, the space around you, or the atmosphere, can sometimes make you feel certain ways. If you don’t like how a space feels, often you can find ways to change the atmosphere. While adding a painted piece of furniture or painting something that is already in the space may not be the only change that is needed, I’d like to show how it can be done and hope to inspire you with an idea for how you can make changes that will add new life to your spaces!

If you are interested in transforming a room, corner, or hallway in your home, up-cycling an old, inexpensive, or free piece of furniture is a great way to bring new life to an old space. I often use piece of art and old pieces of furniture to create a vision for how an old space can become new. Today’s post will show you how to repaint some old dressers, and you will also see how the up-cycled furniture changes the atmosphere of the room.

  • My laundry room and junk collecting space

I forgot to take a better before picture of my laundry room for this post, but here, you can clearly see that this space does not breath life. It is cluttered and dingy, and though I don’t spend much time in this room, I walk by it whenever I come in the back door or travel to one of the other rooms in the back of the house.

A few years back, I overhauled most of the rooms of my house by repainting and finding ways to redecorate on a very low budget. The only room that I did not finish was the laundry room. The desire to complete that room has stayed in the back of my mind though; I just have not had the right inspiration, circumstance or materials to make the changes until last week.

Over the last month or two, I had been growing increasingly dissatisfied with my laundry room. One of the things that bothered me was that the two small plastic sets of drawers did not hold as much of my junk as I would have liked. Also, the room was never repainted and just didn’t have the fun colors and pleasant atmosphere that I have achieved in the rest of the house. I began to envision finding a shelf or dresser for that space that I could paint a teal color that I have scattered elsewhere throughout the house. I knew that if I found the right piece for that room, I would be inspired enough to paint the rest of the room in such a way that would add to my peace, as I experience my own home.

My fun project inspiration!

Last Friday, after hardly leaving my home for weeks, I decided to run some errands and go to the thrift store, which is one of my favorite places to find inspiration. Though I did not see any furniture that would work for the room, I did find this colorful bird picture that made my heart smile. I hung it in my laundry room and had committed to making the changes to that room as soon as other things fell into place. Often I watch for free or inexpensive items to become available on Facebook Marketplace.

The next day, one of my Facebook friends was giving away a free dresser. Yes! That is what I needed to give energy to making the change in that room. Because I had already planned to use paint I had available, I had determined to paint the dresser the same teal color that is left over from painting my kitchen cabinets, and while I had the painting stuff out and my painting clothes on, I’d paint the room with leftover paint I had used for one of the walls in my living room. I picked up the dresser and put it in the living room, so I could watch t.v. while I painted because I find that it make the project go faster. I can do this because my wood floors are in terrible shape, and I can clean them easily if I drip paint. If I had nice floors, I would not paint over them because even when I’m careful, I still make a terrible mess. Painting in the living room also allowed for me to clean out the laundry room to make space for the new dresser, as paint the walls in there.

When you are considering painting a piece of furniture to change the atmosphere somewhere in your home, you may consider whether you already have paint that you like available from older projects. If you don’t, consider finding out what kinds of color combinations are appealing to you by searching Pinterest or looking at magazines or watching some home improvement shows. If you are just painting furniture, you shouldn’t need that much paint. A gallon of new paint costs between $15-$40. You can also find some pre-mixed colors that are marked cheaper, or there is sometimes cheap paint available at Habitat for Humanity ReStores. No paint that says it only needs one coat ever only requires one coat of paint, even the most expensive. You can usually plan to coat your project with two or three coats of paint. Spray paint can run between $1-$7. If I’m painting handles or knobs, I will usually pick a high-gloss enamel spray paint. Spray painting should be done outside or in a well-ventilated workspace.

Once you have an idea which colors are pleasing to you, you may consider buying a full gallon of paint, rather than just enough for your project, so that you have paint available for other projects later. Sprinkling one or two of the same colors throughout your home can add to a sense of flow when you are ready to tackle more spaces. I use semi-gloss enamel to paint most furniture pieces.

How I’ve used this same color of paint in other places.

As you can see the dresser that my Facebook friend was giving away is huge, I was very thankful that her two sons were willing to help put it in my van. I also had help moving it in the house. Making sure you will have help moving your piece is another consideration when acquiring new furniture.

I was really excited about how much of the stuff junking up the laundry room could by hidden by placing it in the large drawers instead of the small plastic ones I had been using -so excited that I did not really measure the space to see how the piece of furniture would fit in the room. I am sharing this part of the journey with you, so that you may avoid making the same mistake! Or like me, you may end up redecorating two rooms instead of one because you chose to “see if it will work” rather than taking the proper measurements.

To be honest, I was also planning on writing about painting furniture for this blog post, so my focus was divided by having to stop and take photos, as I’m still learning to do this writing thing. You will see in my how-to photos that I start out painting the dresser teal and spray painting the handles white, but my finished photos are a little different.

Below is the second dresser that I painted. This project became necessary because when I put my up-cycled dresser from my FB friend in the small laundry room, it took up half the room. My husband and I are usually very patient with each other. He is very tolerant of my adventures in painting things, but he also does his own laundry, and I am certain he would have not been pleased to be squeezed out of the space by my new furniture! So I had a dilemma. . . I had a lovely piece of furniture that could not go in the laundry room and could not remain in the living room. At this point my anxiety was increasing because I had also started to empty and paint the laundry room, which was creating even more clutter in my house (and very negatively affecting the atmosphere)!

The problem was solved when my son agreed to both use the giant teal dresser and would trade me the small dresser that he had been using since he was a baby. Though he didn’t care if it were painted teal, I did. I had spent time a couple years ago painting his room dark gray, and making it look nice; the teal just would not have looked right in it at all! I decided to use white semi-gloss trim paint, that I also already had, to repaint the large dresser before putting it in his room. That dresser ended up having two coats of teal paint, followed by three coats of white! And my son got his tiny dresser replaced with a really nice big one; we can only hope all his clothes find their way to it!

Below are the steps I use for repainting an old dresser. You will see how I have used these steps to up-cycle not one, but two dressers! You may also notice that I painted the second dresser outside because it was the first warm day heading toward springtime; which was good because the other dresser was still in the living room. You will also see the finished laundry room that I painted before adding the new dresser. Though inspired by the art from the thrift store, I also went to Dollar General and picked up some new carpet pieces and a couple wall hangings and knick knacks to complete the room. You may want to consider these steps and keep some of these other ideas in mind, as you are paying attention to spaces around your home or office that could benefit from a change in atmosphere.

Steps for Repainting Dressers, Cabinets or Other Small Pieces of Furniture

  • Choose semi-gloss paint color to paint the piece. If you intend to change the color of hardware on your piece, you will also need to pick out a color of high gloss spray paint.
  • Gather paint, drop-cloths and old newspaper, rubber gloves, a medium (3 0r 4 inch) paintbrush and a small (less than 1 inch) paintbrush, paint-can opener, paint stirrer, paper plate on which to set the paint can to catch drips (this works amazingly well!), a small container into which to pour paint, a damp cloth, extra paper towels, sand paper, and a screw driver for any handles, knobs, or other hardware. Also, consider wearing clothes that you won’t mind labeling your “painting clothes”, due to paint stains they will likely have after doing this project. If you can paint without ruining your clothes, I commend you!
  • Before painting, take any hardware off the drawers and place handles and screws in a safe place. If you are planning to paint them, make sure to set them on some old newspapers or a drop cloth, and remember where you have placed the screws.
  • Next lightly sand the surface of the piece of furniture to remove old stickers, shine, or to smooth rough areas. When finished, wipe off the dust with a damp rag or paper towel.
  • Smoothing rough spots.
  • I used this same process with both dressers.
  • Sanding helps the paint stick better.
  • Remove drawers from the dresser and stand them on a drop cloth, so the front of the drawer is facing up. This helps to prevent drips from forming on the front of the drawer.
  • Open the paint with the paint opener and stir thoroughly with the paint stirring stick, until paint is fully mixed, and the color looks even.
  • Pour some paint into a small container and begin painting. I usually paint the drawers first and then the rest of the dresser. Cover the whole thing with one coat of paint, leaving about a half hour in between coats. You will be able to see streaks of old color through your paint job at this point.
  • If you have dripped paint on your floor, even though you had a drop cloth, clean it up now before it dries. You will have to check again after each coat. Wipe with a dry paper towel and then a wet paper towel, followed by a different dry paper towel.
  • Next if you’re going to spray the handles, start with a very light coat of paint on each handle, shaking the can first and then holding about 10 inch 6-8 inches from each handle. Let dry and repeat two or three more times until fully covered. I will usually let dry for about a half hour in between coats. I paint each coat lightly to avoid causing the paint to drip. Also, remember to wear glove when using spray paint because it is much harder to get off your hands than regular paint.
  • I painted these handles white, but decided to replace them with knobs later.
  • By this time your first coat of paint on the dresser should be dry enough to add another coat. Paint the whole thing again and allow at least a half hour to dry. Depending on the paint you use and the color, you may only have to paint two coats over your furniture. If after a half hour, you still see streaks, then follow with another coat of paint.
  • After the first coat.
  • After the second coat.
  • Once you have finished all of your coats of paint on both the dresser and the handles or knobs, clean up the paint and let your project dry for 4 or 5 more hours before moving. This will allow your paint to harden, so it won’t be tacky and scratch off easily when you go to move it.
  • You may have had to refill your small container a couple times while painting, if there is any paint remaining in your small container, it can be brushed back into the paint can before putting away the remaining paint. You can wash your container or just let the paint dry on it and use it again for painting another project. To wash the brushes, rinse under warm water in the sink, being careful not to splash paint around your sink area. I usually use a little bit of dish soap to help fully clean the brushes. You can dry the brushes with a paper towel and then place the handle in a container with the brush facing up and leave to finish drying by air.
  • Before moving your dresser, attach the handles to the drawers. If you decide not to use your old handles, new handles or knobs can be ordered online or purchased at a hardware store.
Here is the finished large dresser and the finished small dresser. I ended up replacing the wood handles with knobs.
  • When your project is dry, you can move it to the room where it will add new life to the atmosphere.

The large dresser worked perfectly in my son’s room!

And look how this small dresser has helped transform my laundry room!

I love how my laundry room feels now. The colors I have used make me feel good both when using the room and when I peak inside, while walking past it. I hope you see how the simple up-cycle painting of a piece of furniture can spark inspiration and add something very positive to the atmosphere of the spaces in which you do life!

Categories
Recipes

Good and Simple Chocolate Chip Cookies

As promised, I am including some of my family’s favorite recipes on this blog. It is fitting that I include this cookie recipe first because of its status of being both the most requested and most homemade item that we eat in our family. Many of my friends, neighbors and church members have received plates of these cookies also because they as always a hit and are quite fast and simple to make.

For this recipe you will first need to preheat the stove to 375 degrees. Then take two sticks of butter out of the fridge to soften while the oven is heating. If you are wondering if you can substitute margarine or butter-flavored Crisco for butter, you can. I used to always make these with soft margarine, but I switched to butter awhile back and prefer it now. The only thing that will not work is “low fat” margarine of butter substitutes. Any butter substitute with less than 80 percent fat or oil will ruin the cookies completely, and they will all stick to the pan! Butter really works best for these!

At this point, it is good to check the location of your cat or cats, if you have them, because cats love to get into sticks of butter when you are not looking! Note that if you don’t have a cat, you are missing out on several steps that others have to take whenever they are attempting get anything done instead of submitting to the demands of one or more cats.

Next, gather the remaining items and ingredients that you will need for this recipe. Set out a large bowl and one or two large cookie sheets. I usually use an electric hand mixer to make these as well, but if you make sure the butter is soft, you could use a large wooden spoon for stirring. You will need measuring cups measuring 1 Cup, 1/2 Cup, and 1/4 Cup., along with spoons measuring 1 teaspoon and 1/2 teaspoon. I usually have a fork, a plastic scraper, and a tablespoon available also. I have recently begun covering my pans with parchment paper and love how it works for this recipe. Go ahead and grab parchment paper, if you have it, but you can make these using uncreased cookie sheets as well. You will need a spatula to remove cookies, and if you have them, a cooling rack or two.

This is my favorite mixing bowl because it reminds me of the pyrex bowl my mom used for baking.

If you are in the habit of buying chocolate chips every time you go grocery shopping like I am, then you may already have these ingredients on hand, which is one of the reasons I’ve included “simple” in the title of this post. The ingredients include flour, brown sugar, white sugar, an egg, two sticks of butter, baking soda, salt, and semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Neither milk nor coffee is part of this recipe, but I can tell you now that these cookies often taste even better when accompanied with either of these beverage choices!

The other reason this recipe is “simple” is because you only need one bowl. If your butter has not softened by the time you gathered all of you materials and ingredients, you can unwrap it, place it in this bowl and microwave for about 20 seconds. Another hack I use because I go through butter so quickly. is that I have one box each of both salted and unsalted butter just stored at room temp in the cabinet next to my refrigerator, but I know most people refrigerate it, so if you don’t have warm butter on hand, you will need to soften it.

So in your bowl, start with the softened butter, then add the two sugars, then crack an egg into it, discarding the shell. Use the hand mixer to combine those until creamy.

Next, add the flour right on top of the creamed ingredients. Then dump the salt and baking soda on top of the mound of flour. At this point, mix the salt and baking soda into the flour slightly with a fork because sometimes the baking soda has little chunks that need to be broken up by this process. This step is designed to prevent accidentally biting into a yummy cookie later and getting a bitter glob of yuck!

Dumping the flour, salt and baking soda on top of butter, sugar, and eggs works means only one bowl, but don’t forget to mix with a fork first before using the hand mixer to combine it all together!

Once you have made sure any chunks of baking soda are broken and both salt and baking soda seem evenly distributed in the flour (this really only takes seconds unless your baking soda is really old), combine the creamed ingredients with the flour mixture, using the hand mixer. Then dump in the chocolate chips and mix until they are evenly distributed.

Sometimes, at this point in the process, the mixture will look just like cookie dough is supposed to look. It may even seem really creamy, especially if you have substituted soft margarine for butter.

If your dough looks crumbly like this, even after adding chips, you can either mash it together using your hands or grab a large spoon and press it together, until it appears more dense.

Often at this point, your dough will appear a little crumbly in the bowl and not formed into a lump. I’m not always sure this happens, but it can usually be easily rectified. When I made this recipe the other day, the batter seemed dry and crumbly after mixing. I took a photo because that just means it may require some squishing up by hand or a large spoon. Just make sure your hands are still clean (especially if you’ve had to lift your cat up or shoo him away because he was wanting to “help” bake cookies once already!) Go ahead and squish the dough. If you have an aversion to using your hands, a large spoon can press the dough against the edge of the bowl until it sticks together. It should form into a clump. If it doesn’t, you may have forgotten to add your egg. If you are sure you have added your egg, but the dough still doesn’t stick together, you can usually correct the problem by just adding another tablespoon or two of butter. After this step, your mixture should be of a consistency that it can be scooped with a spoon. Your dough is now ready!

Once the dough is this consistency, it is easy to scoop with a spoon!

Make sure that your cookie sheets are lined with parchment paper if you plan to use it. The benefits of parchment have to do with it making removing the cookies and cleaning the sheets easier. If you aren’t using parchment, ungreased cookie sheets work fine. It’s time to use a spoon to place approximately 1 1/2 in diameter scoops of cookie dough on your cookie sheet(s). I will usually place 15 to 17 cookies on each pan. My oven only allows for me to place one cookies sheet on the middle shelf. Sometimes I will wait and bake one sheet at a time.

Place 15-17 cookies per sheet.

If I’m in a hurry, I will place one sheet on the middle shelf and one on the bottom and then one on the bottom, but if I do this, I will switch the locations mid way through baking, in order for the cookies to bake evenly. There are pros and cons to this because baking twice allows for you to have a chance at a good pan, if you burn the first. Because I usually burn my second batch (because apparently, after the first I have moved on from baking-mode), I am finding that baking them all at once actually works well for me!

Here is a photo of the cookies I made a couple days ago. They are all gone now!

These cookies take 8-12 minutes to bake. Ideally, they are done when the outside edge of the cookie is slightly brown and the inside looks cooked but still soft. They are good when slightly darker, but if they bottoms are dark black, they can only be considered a learning experience; they won’t even be good dipped in milk!

After removing the cookie sheets from the oven, let them sit for about five minutes before trying to move them. After this, you can transfer them to a cooling rack, but they’ll be fine if you just leave the on the pan, if you don’t have racks for cooling. If you leave your kitchen while the cookies are still cooling, remember to be mindful of that cat! Once the cookies are cooled, they can be stored in a sealed container or zip-lock bag.

As the baker, it is important to test out your cookies both when they are warm and after they have cooled! Even though this is a good and simple recipe, you still deserve much reward for your efforts! Thank you for trying one of my favorite recipes. I hope these become a hit in your home too!

Yum!

Good and Simple Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 cup/two sticks softened butter

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chip cookies

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In large bowl, mix together butter, sugars, and egg with electric hand mixer.
  3. Add flour on top of the butter/sugar/egg mixture.
  4. Add baking soda and salt on top of the flour and stir these slightly into the flour.
  5. Use the electric hand mixer to combine all the ingredients in the bowl.
  6. Add the chocolate chips and blend with the hand mixer until evenly distributed.
  7. Place 1 1/2 in diameter clumps of cookie dough on large cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
  8. Bake 8-12 minutes until edges are brown and centers still look soft.
  9. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes before taking off cookie sheets.
  10. Place on racks to cool.
Enjoy!
Categories
Mental Health and Wellness

How to Calm Your Soul with Pretty Lights

Last March, when lockdown measures were instituted due to the pandemic, the first thing I did was go to the basement and pull out several strands of clear Christmas lights and solar seed lights that I had saved. I immediately added them to the decor around my house, both inside and on some of the trees outside. I knew that if I were going to be spending weeks or more in my house, that I would require space that was both organized and cozy. I will devote some time to writing about eliminating chaos later, but today I want to focus on cozy.

It’s not Christmas; it’s cozy!

Cozy is a word that describes a feeling of safety, warmth, and comfort. For me, lighting can either hinder that feeling or help create an atmosphere, that is not only cozy but allows my soul to experience calm, as my senses respond favorably to my environment. Apparently I am not the only one who responds this way; here is a link to a study about cozy lighting improving the mood of the elderly. (Though I would not consider myself to be “elderly” yet, my guess is that when I am, I will still like pretty lights.)

For people with very sensitive eyes, bright sunlight, florescent light, and blue light can cause discomfort ranging from headaches to anxiety and irritability. Warm, white light has the opposite effect. When I use strings of warm, white lights to decorate, it creates an ambience similar to candlelight. I appreciate this because though I sometimes enjoy candles, the combination of my attention deficit disorder and my two cats increases the probability that if I were to light a candle, the house may burn down.

Adding lighting to calm your soul is not too difficult or expensive to do. As I first mentioned I used some old clear Christmas lights on both green and white chord, depending on where I placed them. These I added to the rice lights (also called seed or teeny lights, similar to fairy lights) on brown chord that I already had strong in my kitchen. Inside, I either wrap the strands around lamps, tuck them between knick knacks or plant, and stick them in jars or vases. All of my indoor lights require an outlet, but many of these kinds of lights are also available in a battery operated style. I also put some solar rice lights outside some of my windows. To purchase the strands of lights runs between $7 and $16, depending on the length.

This year after Christmas, I kept some of the curtain lights that I had in my living room window up. I will likely take them down and some of the others added to my sunroom this winter down, once the days grow longer and the house doesn’t feel so dark so early. What is nice is that using lights to help calm your soul allows for much variation and creativity.

It’s not Christmas, it’s cozy!

If your soul is struggling, whether due to the pandemic or for any other reason, plugging in some pretty, string lights will not solve all of your problems or pain, but it can be one tiny act of self-care. If string lights aren’t your thing, pretty candles are still nice, or even flameless candles, wax warmers, or a night light. The thing that is important is finding a way for you to take control of your sense of cozy in a way that best calms you.

Categories
Personal

A Blog for Lent

For anyone who doesn’t know, Lent is a season of observance in many Christian churches that starts on Ash Wednesday and ends a little more than six weeks later on Easter Sunday. Lent is considered a time of preparation, and in many church traditions people choose to fast (often sweets or meat, except for fish on Fridays) or deny themselves in some other way, as a way of encouraging greater dependence on God, thus growing stronger in their faith. Though I honor people’s observance of the Lenten season, I have never once given up sweets for forty whole days, and I only eat fish about twice a year. That is not to say that I have never fasted anything, but it is to say that I have thankfully found some alternative ways to “get closer to God” for when fasting is not right for me.

So now that you are all up to date about my feelings about Lent, let me tell you about this year. This year, Lent started last week, but I hadn’t been thinking of it at all until recently. Like many of you, I have been in survival mode since the beginning of the pandemic, and the last thing I had considered was giving anything up. However, a former classmate of mine , who started coming to our church (online) and has become member from a distance and regular participant ever since last March, tagged me in a Facebook post, asking about fasting for Lent. My response was pretty much, “You can do what you want, but I likely won’t be giving up anything.”

At this point some of you may be thinking that I am kind of un-spiritual for a pastor, and sometimes that is true. Often though, I am just more unconventional than actually unspiritual. And here’s why: After my interaction with my former classmate, I thought about how much I had admired them for wanting to press in to their faith. I valued their seeking input from both me and their own interaction with God about what they may want to give up during this time.

I have a history of reframing the idea of “fasting” into “choosing to add”. You will not likely hear much about my issues around food and fasting on this blog, but they exist, so Lent will likely never involve choices regarding food for me, and if they do, I will keep that to myself. This year, however, after some classmate-induced contemplation, I have chosen to “add”. And the thing I am “adding” is this blog.

I have sat on the idea for this blog since this fall, when I was trying to come up with ideas to augment our finances. I did the research on how to start a blog, etc. and named the blog tenaci.dd, (because that’s my name when we play Jackbox video games as a family (and I think it’s pretty great!). Then I sat on it for a long time because it turns out that setting up and writing a successful blog is extremely complicated!

Other than the technical stuff, the biggest thing that was holding me back was my own perfectionism. Unless you know me really well, you may not recognize me as a perfectionist because some many of the things that I do or make are so far from perfect. For years I didn’t even think I was a “perfectionist” because I was too busy comparing myself to people who were “more perfect than I” in so many ways. I just thought they were “perfectionist”, and I was a “mediocre-ist”, until I realized that that thought was a thought that only a perfectionist might have. I have since come to understand myself to be a “frustrated perfectionist who wishes she could be the best at everything in the world and is coming to terms with the impossibility of perfection itself, and is trying to have grace for when that feels like a really unfair truth.” And yes, sometimes that takes a lot of energy!

This leads me to the part where I had to talk about all of this in therapy. Thanks, Classmate! So I told my therapist that I am going to launch my blog for Lent in solidarity with my classmate and millions of faithful Christians in the church universal around the world. And I’d like to share a bit of our conversation with you, just in case other perfectionists happen across this blog because I found it to be pretty helpful. If you are not a perfectionist, then you may at least better understand why people like me procrastinate, if that is ever an option.

My therapist asked, “So what do you need to “give up” in order to launch your blog?”
I answered, “Perfectionism.”
They asked me to state a belief that is centered in perfectionism that is most related to this blog.

I stated, “If I cannot be the best at something, then it is a waste of time to even try.” What is interesting about this statement is that for so many things, I have had to try and do things at which I know very well that I am not the best; yet I think because this blog was only an option-I wasn’t forced to do it, I could let the belief hold me back.
So the “fasting” statement is, “I’m giving up the belief that if I cannot be the best at something, that it is a waste of time to even try.”

Then my therapist asked me to create an intention-statement. I am using this statement as my “add” for Lent this year: “I will be faithful to who I am each day.”

I have an enormous value in living congruent to who I am, so this is not a stretch, but being vulnerable in the imperfection is. (I may know how imperfect and insecure I am, but it is not often that I flaunt it!) I am a type 1 on the enneagram (I will write about that sometime), which means my dominant motivation in life is to do what is right. This means for me perfection, which is the ideal “right” is about safety, and mistakes can be terrifying, especially if not met with grace. Grace is key to dismantling perfectionism. If I can attach “doing right” to “having grace to be me-allowing for my imperfect-self to shine,” instead of perfectionism, then (Voila’!) I can move forward. Yay!

I can join in both the “giving up” and “adding” of Lent, and I can lean into my own spirituality and faith to help lead the way in what I write. I may not write on here every day, but I am committed to being consistent in writing regularly. I’m hoping these next forty days or so will build a habit of writing in me that will last into the future, all the way until I’m out of things to share!

If perfectionism has ever been a roadblock for anyone reading this post, I hope these thoughts may offer you encouragement today. Sometimes it is good to remember that you matter (period), without measure. Whether or not you are observing Lent or ever even heard of such a thing, today can begin a season of learning how to experience grace. “Giving yourself grace” means appreciating and accepting who you are and giving your life your best go, even if you don’t achieve a mythical ideal. “Giving grace to others means” allowing people to be good enough, when you know they are trying their best, instead of measuring then with the awful, critical tool that has been threatening your peace for far too long. “Experiencing grace in a situation” is when you come to the end of yourself, but something from outside yourself is added to help you get through. Grace by all three definitions is like when you exhale after a deep breath, especially if you’ve been holding that breath a long time!

I am grateful to my former classmate, whose faith and whose own grace-walk has inspired me. I’m actually getting excited to see this journey unfold, as I blog for Lent and beyond! Thank you for joining me on these first few steps.



Categories
Personal

A Little Bit About Me

I have never been especially great at trying to define myself, but for the purpose of this page, I will give it my best shot!

I am a wife and mom. I have been married for almost thirty years and have four amazing, adult kids (three boys, and a girl); one is married; one engaged and out of the house; two still live with us. When I was a child, I wanted to grow up to be a wife and mom, and by the time I was twenty-four years old, I was able to check off both of those boxes. Though I earned a degree in elementary education, I stayed home with my kids during most of their early years and homeschooled them for part of that time. I loved the solidarity my kids and I experienced during those years, and yet I appreciated the experience they got once they entered public school. I also enjoyed the freedom our family had to travel and spend time together during those years. You can look forward to hearing more about our family experiences here.

I am also a pastor. My husband and I c0-pastor a small church in our town, where I have also overseen our youth ministry. I enjoy wrapping my mind around theological concepts, and I am learning to appreciate the notion that trying to understand God and His ways often yields way more questions than answers. One of my greatest passions in ministry has been to help people experience the healing of wounds from their pasts and begin to experience more life in their present moments. My experience in this area has been the most significant contributor in growing my own faith.

I can also say I walk through life as an artist. Though I don’t have the talent in the fine arts to produce many masterpieces, but I see the world, both the beauty and the terror through all of my senses, and I love to create in many different ways. I sometimes write poetry, and I like to paint and crochet sometimes. When the weather is nice, I like to garden and tend to the small ponds in my yard. Creating new spaces to see beauty and nature in my yard is a way I do art. When it is too cold to create spaces outside, I will find a room in my house to redecorate. Even cooking is like art to me.

Another way I identify is as a learner. I love researching and learning new things! Discovery is another kind of adventure for me! I will usually include learning in other multi-task activities. Even when I binge-watch detective or medical drama series, learning is part of my criteria for entertainment. Learning adds both to knowledge and perspective and provides more angles through which to navigate my life. I am glad to have this space to share big and small things I have learned.

Finally, I identify as a friend. Though my circle has always been very small, those with whom I have shared intimate friendships have been invaluable to providing the solidarity and “iron sharpening iron”-ness that have both made me a better me and have added to the richness of my life. Friendship is a big part of my relationship with my husband and kids (and daughter-in law and daughter-in law to be), and I have been deeply impacted by some of the other people, who have breached my small island over the years and whom I have had the honor of calling friends.

I feel like my purpose in life is to make the world a better place. Having friends in this endeavor, which isn’t always easy, broadens my experience of both the goals and the sometimes lengthy processes undertaken, in order to achieve the goals, set by this purpose. I love hearing their perspective of shared experiences, and I want to hear their input, when making plans. I love discovering new things with others, and I sometimes need others who are strong enough to push back against the waves of my intensity, with either laughter or encouragement, new ways of thinking about things, and the occasional rebuke.

Whereas my personality is intense and driven, my heart is very soft and open. I have learned so much about friendship and how to engage in healthy relationships over the years, including how to love well with good boundaries. I am happy to share stories, thoughts and advice here.

Our extended family includes two dogs, two cats, and several freshwater fish and shrimp.

I read a lot of psychology books, theology books, social justice books, and occasionally a novel. I am also a certified teacher, so I’m signed up to substituted teach at the high school level. I like to watch birds, squirrels, and all the other nature that is my back yard and ponds, and even on vacations, prioritize ways to experience nature. I really enjoy sitting around and visiting with others, when the opportunity arises. I will do projects or activities, but I don’t care to be busy; so whereas I am listing interests and duties, please don’t think I am doing all of these things at once. I am far from being an overachiever.

I’m sure you will get to know me more, as this blog-adventure continues to unfold. Mostly I want you to know that you can relax and feel welcomed and accepted in this space, as you read the things I post. Maybe in some ways you may also be inspired, or learn, or grow or find comfort through what I share, which flows from who I am.