Inspiration is not always easy to come by, especially when you have been in a season of experiencing an all too familiar depression and an altogether new experience with anxiety.  Praise God I am not in that place right now, but I have been recently.  I may share some more about that in a post that I’m working on.  None of us gets to skate through life without reoccurring obstacles.  It has been a number of times in such conditions that I have been able to create the most beautiful things I know how to.  Doing and creating are great distractions, but they also show us how beauty can come from something broken and ugly.  Though far from a cure, these can provide a tangible path to focus on in those dark times.

I am a creative person, but I also appreciate organization and structure.  Both creativity and structure feed my sense of well-being.  That is why I created an inspiration board in my office that includes a list of to-dos regarding my creative hobbies.

I rearranged my office for optimal function.  The items I have chosen to fill up that space are all special and meaningful to me.

I bought and installed theses two pendant lamps at Ross for only 20 dollars a piece!

My sister bought me an old camera for Christmas and I installed a shelf to display my prize!

One of the items on my inspiration board to-do list was for me to attempt a self-photo-shoot.  Oh man!  Did I ever need this!  I learned several areas in which I was lacking crucial knowledge and technique.  There were a few other people there at the park that day.  The park is also overlooked by some mansions with a perfect view of me making a fool of myself.  It was a blast though!  I imagined how I must look, setting up the photo, pushing the shutter button, and then running full speed to pose (for no one) – sometimes making it there on time, sometimes twisting my ankle and nearly falling.  I laughed out loud to myself over and over.  Most of the pictures came out so-so, but I thought this one was good.  What you can’t tell is that I’m heavily winded and that I nearly broke my ankle getting into position before my 10 seconds was up. Hahaha!

My son and I are collaborating together on a song.  I wrote the lyrics, he wrote the chord progressions.  We are working out a melody.

I also got caught up on some important scrapbooking.  As I was reminiscing I was reminded of God’s faithfulness through the years and how He has never stopped moving and working in our lives, always drawing us to His side.  Immense gratitude set in, and hope along with it.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord…Colossians 3:23