A New Name, A New Blog

Soo, remember the time that I told you guys that I was considering changing my shop name? I do love "The Scrapperie", but it has two problems - one, someone else already had it as a scrap booking forum and two, as mentioned in number one, it sounds way too much like a scrap booking place and really doesn't incorporate the vision of my business. So, drum roll please...

Introducing Four Thousand Stories!

Four Thousand Stories sells custom initial calligraphy necklaces in a wide assortment of colors! Scarves  and boot cuffs will come back once winter rears its ugly head again. Each necklace is made by using watercolor paint. So, since each necklace is somehow made by water, portions of the profits will go for water. For each necklace purchased, seven people get access to safe drinking water!  It's estimated that approximately four thousand children die every day because of a lack of safe drinking water.  But we can make those numbers dramatically drop. Lack of safe water isn't a problem waiting for a cure. All we need to do is bring filters or wells to them. And what a fantastic way to introduce the gospel. Just as this water brings life, so does Christ!

I hope to let those four thousand stories continue to be told and with your help, we can!

The shop is already up and running and more products will coming in time. So, if you'd still like to follow along, come join me at the new blog! Can't wait to see you!

April goals

I didn't do so great with my March goals, but I only figured so much. Life was busy. But now that it's slowing down once again, and perhaps for the first time since September, I'm looking forward to getting back into a normal person routine. 

February Goals {even though it's late February and March goals just didn't happen}
1. Keep reminding myself of 1 Peter 1:3b. {check!}
2. Read Martha's Rules. {check!}
3. Work on putting decorations on back wall in the hallway. {check!}

Bonus: With the help of my sweet husband, we also finally put up some shelves in our living room. 
4. This month, I'm giving myself a "by-month" with my running. I'll start again in March.
5. Once again, giving myself a "by-month" on my handmade business. 

April Goals

1. Memorize John 12:43

2. Read 20,000 Days and Counting. 

3. Finish decorations on back wall in the hallway. 

4. Finish weeks 1-4 in C25K. 

5. Add six new products into newly launched shop, Four Thousand Stories.

Post-Event Depression

Man, that was awesome. Two 50 hour work weeks leading up to the event. Three hundred and twenty people registered. $16,000 raised. Helping over 10,000 people in third world countries. That Celebrate Children 5k race was incredible. We even had a former Compassion child come down to speak both at the race and at my church. My head is still spinning and I hope to blog about it more in the future.

But, for now, I'm struggling with the depression that happens after the big hurrah. When the signs are torn down and the last check is donated. For over seven months, we have been planning this and now it's over. It almost feels like a part of me is missing. There was so much that I wanted to do before the event that I was sacrificing in order to make the 5k happen. And now that it's over, I don't even feel like doing any of those things. Instead, I'd rather be elbow-deep in day of schedules and registration lists.

I know that this is a common thing. But, my plan now is to try to get back into the swing of things, back into a normal rhythm. I'm starting with blogging and running. I even launched a new shop called Four Thousand Stories where I make calligraphy initial necklaces that help people get access to safe drinking water.

And I'm hoping that with time, I'll get back to normal.

February Goals

Wellllll, my January goals are a little discouraging. I should have known, really. I've been so busy working on our Celebrate Children 5k race, DNOW and my two part-time jobs (that sometimes feel like full-time jobs) that I haven't been doing a good job taking care of myself. Isn't it funny how quickly self-care goes out the window when things get stressful? If I took better care of myself, there's a good chance things wouldn't be as stressful. Catch 22! :) Anyway, I'm giving myself a little bit of lee-way with my goals for February, seeing as there's only one more week of the month to go. And I'm a little swamped because I overcommitted. I don't need to stress myself out with more goals right now. So, here's a January recap and a February goal list. :) 

January goals {recap}

1. Memorize 1 Peter 1:3b. {done!}

2. Read The Book Thief. {done!}

3. Work on kitchen curtains. {failed. maybe in a few months. thinking about this stresses me out.}

4. Finish weeks 1-4 in C25K. {got majorly sick - bacteria infection and all so failed on this one.}

5. Make and list two prints in The Scrapperie and bow scarves. {yup, failed this one too. didn't have time.}

February Goals {even though it's late February}

1. Keep reminding myself of 1 Peter 1:3b. 

2. Read Martha's Rules. 

3. Work on putting decorations on back wall in the hallway.

4. This month, I'm giving myself a "by-month" with my running. I'll start again in March. 

5. Once again, giving myself a "by-month" on my handmade business. 

just a monday

Been a rough day. I haven't parted ways with my kleenexes almost all day and been awake since 4 am because I was certain that my head would explode. Oh well, grateful for soft light and bright paints nonetheless. (This is also a sneak peek of what I've been working on to add to my shop. So excited!! The first one is already listed. You can see it here!)

rest

In a post that I wrote for Inscription Ministries, I talked a little bit about resting and how important it's become in my life. The above photo is from my Christmas break when I went out on the lake with my husband and in-laws. It was so relaxing, almost like I tossed all of my frustrations and stresses into the water and let the wind carry me away to a happier place.

Over the break, my husband and I got some seriously much needed rest. We took a break from everything, even turned our phones onto airplane mode and got things done around the house. It was so freeing. I'm purposefully making myself stop and rest a lot more often in 2014. Even now, I see my schedule slowly filling up and I have to ask myself why I thought it would be a good idea to have 2 part time jobs and 2 major volunteer positions. But, life is full and that's a blessing; it doesn't have to consume me if I don't let it.

What about you? Do you have to fight to get rest too?

bloom where you're planted

When I first moved to my town, I really didn't like it. I couldn't put my finger on why, but I didn't. It just felt like wearing an awkward sweater. I didn't fit in anywhere. 

Sure, I was excited when we first drove through town, when we bought our house, when the furniture arrived and the last decoration was hung. But then routine set in and slowly, something rebellious curled up into me. I was becoming arrogant and condescending to people that I didn't even really know. I was miserable; but in many ways, I was making myself miserable. 

Time is a beautiful thing and soon, I realized that living that way was not sustainable. Although much of our circumstances was changing than when we first arrived, I was slowly choking out any redemption of a place that I had harshly criticized when I first got here. 

And then, it hit me. This is where God has put me. He gave me this place to serve and love. And if I don't have a perfect, cookie-cutter place to fit in, maybe that's actually a good thing. A true creative finds creativity in places where it seems to have disappeared. A true creative finds her place, even if she has to dig it herself.