make time.

hi friends.

i'm still basking in the glow of craft weekend. 

if there's one HUGE takeaway from the weekend it's this.

make time to do what you love.

i spoke a little about it yesterday, but it's so hard for busy women {who isn't busy?!} to make time for what we love. for ourselves.

we are taught to put everyone else first and ourselves last.

great concept. 

biblical.

but how are we supposed to pour out to others when we aren't filling ourselves up?

that's why i try to get a few minutes with the Lord alone every morning. {i say try because it trully is a valiant effort - even when i fall short!!!}

but there's more to it than that.

God created us with certain tendencies. things we like and dislike. He made us like that. did you know that? He created each of us with unique gifts, talents, interests and so on.

and it's my personal opinion that if we aren't using those gifts and talents, or participating in those interests, we get burnt out {read: impatient and snappy} really quick.

for example:

i have a girlfriend who loves to read. as in, she can sit down and read a book in one sitting because she gets SO into the book. 

but she's a mom. a wife. a teacher. a volunteer. a student. a sunday school teacher. a friend. a sister. a daughter.

she has ALL of these demands pulling on her. and i'm sure it's hard for her to make time to read. 

but here's what i'm telling you today.

make time.

the end.

do it. i promise you'll feel so much better. you'll be a better wife and mom. you'll be better at all of those other things because you're not feeling frazzled and left out and alone. 

i guarantee it. {disclaimer: i'm not suggesting putting yourself above everyone else and letting your children and your family go hungry while you read or craft or sew or run.  i'm merely suggesting that 10 minutes a day or 2 hours a week or whatever you decide works, won't kill anyone. will the laundry fold itself? of course not! but it can be done later. trust me.}

so. here's your assignment for the day. {don't you love that you're getting an assignment?!}

make a cup of coffee. tea, lemonade, whatever. 

set your timer for at LEAST 10 minutes. {you're worth it!!}

and do whatever it is that you love. that you don't ever think you have time to do. then come back here and tell me about it! i want to know! 

{and no, cleaning does NOT count!}

ready? 

set. 

go.

***ps. my super-talented friend katy is hosting a little branches giveaway on her blog today! go check it out and win some goodies!!***

full. {and tired!} in instagram photos.

good morning, friends.

i overslept this morning. 

that never makes for a good start to my day. 

i normally need 10-30 minutes to myself. in quiet. with my coffee. 

before the demands of the day start. 

actually, 5 minutes would do. in reality, just having the first sip of my coffee in quiet would work. 

but today, not so much. 

i don't know what happened, but it started chaotic, nonetheless.

but now everyone is in their proper places.

b is at school {on time, thanks to my hubby.} 

the hubbs is at work {or stuck in traffic on his way to work. whatevs.}

and i'm at my computer, catching up on emails from the weekend with my cup of coffee {finally} and my littelest at my feet coloring and teaching her baby dolls how to poop in the potty. {"no, no, baby camwyn. poo poo goes in the potty!"}

oh, what i wonder she'll remember of me. she repeats things i don't even know i say. 

nonetheless.

i am full. i cannot keep my eyes open and i'm wondering how i will make it through this day without a nap. but i am full.

i will write more about my weekend soon. maybe after i can clear my head through a combination of coffee drinking & sleeping. but let me just tell you how wonderful it is to spend time with people that "get you". 

they think like me. they create. make things. they have businesses. they have kids. they like to be messy. but organized. but balanced. 

they love the Lord.  

we started & ended the weekend with prayer.

and it was lovely to see this woman and this woman in their element. using their gifts to bless us. to minister to women who work hard & need a little break. 

they are a true joy.

i got to me this sweet girl. and this one. and this one AND this one. 

long distance internet friends becoming friends in real life.

it's surreal. and wonderful & crazy all at the same time. 

and i am SO thankful.

 

 

i didn't know how burnt out i was until i got there. and started to feel inspired.

and i thought to myself, "OHHHHHH.... this it's supposed to feel like. i remember now!"

it's funny how the Lord told me to start a business out of something He gave me. a creative spirit. a desire to bless other women. a desire to make & create. 

and i did. and it's been wonderful. 

but thing about creating a business out of something you LOVE.... is that it becomes a job. 

there's no way around it. any one of these women would tell you that.

it doesn't mean you don't love it. or that you don't want to do it anymore. or that it's a chore.

it just means that you have to {actually} get stuff done. you have to mail packages. and send invoices. you have to keep track of receipts and pay taxes {on time} and there are bills and supplies and so on and so on. and there's the whole deadlines thing too. self-imposed or otherwise.

and it becomes easy to forget why you started.

and that's what this weekend did....

 

 

it reminded me how MUCH i love doing what i'm doing.

it reminded me that there are women out there just. like. me. creating and making and trying to glorify God & bless their family in the process.

and it's good to have community.

i am SO thankful. overwhelemed with gratitude for this weekend.

and now, y'all.....

i'm ready to work. 

blessings today.