What do you need?

Today is Express Your Needs Day. I found this movement at Evenstar Art and decided I'd play along. The goal is to make a sign and hold it up for what you need. Today (and most days) I'm finding this:

Fortunately, they said your sign doesn't need to be pretty. Won't you play along? If you don't want to make a sign or have time to make one, (because maybe you need to sleep or work or play or something else besides make signs) then feel free to leave your "need" here. I'd love to know!!!!

Coming off the ledge

Here are a few thoughts that have been swimming around in my brain in preparation for a session I’m offering Saturday to upcoming graduates with degrees in counseling psychology, masters of divinity and Christian studies. The topic: Self-care.

It takes courage to slow down. To say, “I need a break.” Our world encourages burn out. Give. Give. Give. Nowhere do I see this more than with people in the helping professions. Pastors. Priests. Social workers. Counselors. Chaplains. Because, you see, there is a never ending supply of people who need help.

Parents are also notorious for running themselves ragged with the self-invalidating stance of “my kids need me.” You hear it from the exhausted mother who sews a button on the child’s performance costume minutes before the school program. Or from the dad who runs out at 9:30 p.m. after a full day’s work to get the book his teen just now said she needs for homework (even though she’s known it for weeks.) We can’t say no. We don’t say no even when we’re dead dog tired, and our insides are screaming, GRRRRRRR.

Then we get up the next morning, slosh down a cup of coffee, grab a bagel or maybe smoke a cigarette and head out the door before we’re even awake, because someone needs us. We encourage others to take care of themselves while we border on the unethical (or at least hypocritical), as we let the stress pile on. When does it stop? How do we break the cycle?

Scripture admonishes us to “Love God and love our neighbors as ourselves.” How warped have we made those beautiful words? We either forget ourselves all together and press through with a smile and a latte; or we love others just as we love ourselves – not very well. And God? Who has time?

Caring for one’s self is hard, hard work. Does any tiny bit of this resonate with you? How’s your pulse today? Relaxed? On the verge of burnout? Exhausted? Terrified? Excited? All of the above? If you’re one of the few who feels calm and practices self-care, tell us: Where do you find respite?

How do you respond when I say to you, “Take care of yourself. Your life depends on it”? Imagine this… in order to continue with the work you love, you have to stop now. You can’t see another client or respond to your child or answer an e-mail or text. You’ve got to throw away your computer and lock the doors to your office (or personal space). You have one hour to find solace. No, wait, that’s too much time. 10 minutes.

So could you do it? Could you implement a self-care strategy within that time frame? I offer you this challenge…. You have 10 minutes to pull yourself back in from the ledge, what do you do? Go ahead, make the list. Then pick one item and do it! ☺

Here’s the short list that popped into my mind:

1. 10 minutes with my cat
2. 3 pages of uncensored journaling
3. Listen to two or three of my favorite songs
4. 5 deep breathes, a couple of full stretches & the rest of the time in child’s pose
5. A walk around the block – brisk or slow, as needed

Ahhhh. I feel better already. I look forward to hearing from you.

Virtual Visit Challenge

Inspired by these two posts at Journey to Authenticity and Voyage of DiscoverY, I have decided to create a challenge for You. Yes, YOU! Start the new year by breaking out of your comfort zone. Here we go:

1. Begin the challenge immediately.
2. Pick up your camera and take pictures of where you predominantly spend your time blogging. Include a forward facing, left and right side view.
3. Do NOT stop to tidy up, redecorate, make your bed or whatever you think needs to be done to impress others or sooth your Martha Stewart-ish ego.
4. Post your pictures (with a brief description if you like.)
5. Add your name to Mr. Linky below.
6. Optional: Tag five other bloggers whose space you'd love to virtually visit.

OK. I'll go first. Welcome to my home...

Please join me and invite your friends!!!

a meme award for me

oh my my my. see what happens when i get busy for a few days. i almost missed out on this lovely award given to me by blisschick. i am quite honored by this bestowing since i know she has many followers of great esteem and delight!!

this is the meme blog award and here are the rules:

1. Share seven tidbits about myself.

2. Share the award with seven blog friends!

1. my middle name is dee and in the sixth grade i wanted to be called deedee (for about a day.)
2. crunch n munch - original is my favorite guilty pleasure. i don't share so don't even ask!
3. i was the chairman of a best-selling cookbook (see #4). btw--it's really awesome!!!
4. i was a member of the junior league, wore pearls and power suits.
5. my undergraduate degree is in accounting...does that sound like me?
6. my son and i plan to go skydiving in the next year...how about this?
7. i hate tagging people for things even though i love getting awards. does that make me selfish or considerate?

if you read here (and comment...see sue's recent post on blog etiquette) feel free to grab an award or play the meme or both...just let me know what you decide to do. the more the merrier!!!

Creative Blogger Award

Christine at Abbey of the Arts was kind enough to present me with this blogging award. I was humbled and honored to not only receive the award, but to read her gracious comments about moi. So, it is with great pleasure that I participate in this fun little meme.

My instructions are to list 7 things that I love and then pass the award on to 7 people…tagging them and letting them know they won! You can copy the picture of the award and put it on your sidebar.

7 Things I love:

1. The smell of fresh rosemary on my hands. I am totally incapable of passing a rosemary bush without running my fingers along the leaves. The thought of that luxurious scent lingering on my hands throughout the day is impossible to resist! Can one be addicted to such a thing?

2. Watching my children sleep is one of my great joys in the world. When they were young, I adored holding them in my arms and feeling the weight of their sleepy surrender. Since they have now either met or surpassed me in size, I must settle for sitting by their bedside and watching the rise and fall of their breath.

3. Laughter – gut-wrenching, belly-shaking laughter. The kind of laughter that is contagious – like a wave gathering power from the bottom of the ocean floor, it tickles and teases and laps at the shore until finally the giggles swell and build until they peak like a 200-foot Tsunami and wash over everything & everyone in sight.

4. Being in the presence of another person when they have a light bulb moment - especially one that brings them a little closer to their own authentic self and thus closer to God. It is like the ringing of a bell in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” an angel has received their wings - or learned to fly a little more freely.

5. Paris. Need I say more? It was one year ago this week I said farewell to the City of Lights. So, here is a “subset” of 7 things I love about Paris. 1) Coming out of the Metro to the site of Notre Dame 2) café au lait and fresh croissant at Jean Millet 3) The Eiffel tower dancing in the dark next to lit up carrousels 4) L’aubergine et fromage patisserie eaten by the Seine 5) lyrical language 6) walking, walking, walking 7) the presence of God in the cathedrals and galleries.

6. My life. I actually sit around sometimes and giggle at the delight of my life. The friends that surround me. Family who puts up with my eccentricities, experiments and tempestuous times ☺. My continued awakening to God, art, myself and the world. (Methinks those things are not mutually exclusive.) The gift of awakening each day to wonders that I cannot begin to create before they happen.

7. Blog Comments. I know this may sound cliché or like a commercial, but I seriously and honestly love when people share their presence with me here. It is like smelling fresh rosemary, breathing together, sharing a giggle, witnessing a light bulb moment and strolling through the streets of Paris hand in hand.

Your presence truly adds to my life! That said, I am opting to not tag seven players but hope at least seven of you will choose to leave me a little comment here or let me know that you have chosen to play along with the meme. Also, if you feel so inclined, please give yourself the Kreativ Blogger award...you know you deserve it!!

Bon jour!