Wait

      Waiting seems to denote inaction, letting time pass without getting anywhere. Sounds like a negative experience, doesn't it? It certainly is not something I do well. I'm trying to look at it differently. What if I see it as an opportunity to become aware of my surroundings. Yesterday I accompanied my four grandchildren and their parents to the big city. I went to the doctor's office with the mom and the twins and dad went to the public library with the older sisters. I had multiple opportunities to wait. Wait to be seen, wait while driving, and wait while picking up lunch.

     I let my mind search for sensory clues to what was going on in the world. The sky was clear and sunny. Mount Rainier was majestically holding court on the south side. There was whining from sick girls who did not appreciate the waiting. Gabi cried with passion "I want out of this belt!" I smelled the lingering scent of hand soap in the air. I like the Mrs. Meyer's flavors that my daughter-in-law uses. I put a piece of cinnamon roll in my mouth and noticed the amazing butter taste that Bakery Nouveau uses in all their baking. The crinkly wedges on my water bottle felt smooth and cold. All this mindfulness made the time pass easily with grace. My wish is to be smart about waiting. After all my time on this earth is in the third quarter and it matters how I play the game.

I write on Fridays with a large group who inspire me. Only five minutes and without much thought to perfection. I write, prompted by one word that sends my thoughts to the keyboard and hopefully make sense.

Living With Art

   Seth Apter at  The Altered Page made an interesting point. When we show our art digitally we do a close up and we don't show how art surrounds us in our home. Long before I started creating my own art I found ways to acquire art locally in my community. I made friends with one artist who liked an idea we came upon. We called it Painting of the Month Club. I describe it here. Sometimes we acquired art as a trade of music lessons. When I look at those pieces I see the hours we made music together.

    Art does surround me at home. Now there are many pieces of my own. Looking like long lost cousins alongside the "real artists" I can't help but love them more.

    Seeing them in the studio is very close to having life parading before my eyes. Have you noticed that  when you create with your hands the life events of that time are stitched, sewn, or painted into each creation.

    These are the latest of mine. I call them the musical symbols collection. I hope my piano students notice them and see music as visual art.

   Living with art is vital to my life. I discovered that later in life but really it was in my sub-concious mind from birth. I have learned to see more, to see better with curiosity because of art on everyone's walls.

Share

     My grandmother was an older grandmother because I was born so late in my parent's life. I knew her well but she was very formal and stern. My secret wish was to play with her stuff. A chest with a very shallow top drawer is mine today as an inheritance. That shallow drawer was filled with her jewelry, old letters, and fragrant scented souvenirs.

      My grandchildren want to play with my stuff, too. I purposefully share the art supplies and my love of art.  

     Passionate about creativity for everyone, I try to do some form of art every time I see these kids. Friday Art Day is still going strong after a year and a half.

      Why do I share this way?  Because art is affirming, calming, centering, and a vehicle of connection.

    I finally have enough extra cash to keep the Sharpie box filled, the watercolors ready, and the paper in neat stacks. In order to share openly a feeling of abundance must exist.

    As an art lover I am a better grandmother than I was a mother. Back then I was too concerned with misuse of supplies and messes on the table.

     Filled with my own artistic joy, I share better. I guess I growed up.

   There's nothing like having the grands around at my recent art show. "Hey, kids, I made this! And we can try it together this week."

I write on Fridays with a large group who inspire me. Only five minutes and without much thought to perfection. I write, prompted by one word that sends my thoughts to the keyboard and hopefully make sense.

An Invitation

      My word of the year, ribbistrate, gives me an invitation to explore it's deeper meaning. Since I made up the etymology of the word I feel I can play with the definition. If ribbies are hits that bring in runs in baseball and strate means to show, then ribbistrate could mean "to show joy in others accomplishments". I would like to be more aware of the good things others do.

    At the temple Saturday I was sitting behind a tiny women with a turban. She seemed to me to be a cancer patient. At some point during the session a sister, on the right,  a stranger, noticed she was not responding any more. I watched this very compassionate sister take her pulse and talk her her gently as she assessed her needs. I heard her say over and over again, "you are going to be all right." Minutes later the husband of the afflicted sister came over and tried to get her to respond. She was so weak she could hardly answer. They helped her into a wheelchair and took her out to receive help. The session reconvened and I noticed the helping sister weeping silently. I felt the high energy in meeting this crisis overcome her. I gave her a little squeeze. Later I saw her before I left. I wanted to tell her what a great job she did to respond so quickly and compassionately. She told me a funny story. She and her husband had been late. They arrived as the group was going in. For some reason she felt compelled to cut in line and go in front of many others. Her husband stayed back irritated at what she did. That action brought her to the side of this little lady. Still weeping she told me what she had learned that day. If a woman with cancer could get the gumption to attend the temple why was she making excuses so often when it came time to go. I wanted to let her know she was in the right place at the right time. I wanted to ribbistrate for her bravery.

Send

      To be a messenger is an awesome calling. I think of the ancient prophets who asked how they could possibly be chosen. Too small, too weak, too unpopular, or too ugly are some rationalizations they composed. Yet, they were called to send messages of love and responsibility to their world.

      I am older, not very hip, and certainly not influential, but I do have a message. This I send to you. I know Jesus Christ lives. I know he once walked as a mortal with Heavenly genes, on this earth. I love the messages sent of his mercy, love, justice and I have read them and felt them to be true. I have a future with him and with him, I am worthy so long as I cling to his example. Send me but only in his infinite grace.

     I write on Fridays with a large group who inspire me. Only five minutes and without much thought to perfection. I write, prompted by one word that sends my thoughts to the keyboard and hopefully make sense.

Quotations Using Ribbistrate

I would define, in brief, the poetry of words as the rhythmical creation of Beauty.

Edgar Allan Poe

Ribbistrate, my word for 2015, being a word unknown to most, is not going to appear in many quotations. I will not let that stop me from substituting it in place of words synonymous but not as vivacious.

                                         

When you ribbistrate, beware that no one moves the ground from beneath your feet.

Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements--surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, or who laid its cornerstone when the morning stars sang together and all the heavenly beings ribbistrated for joy?

Welcome To My Tutorial

  I must be going through a second childhood because I love doing art and crafting with anyone, especially my grandchildren. Lately we have crafted homemade stickers. I just need to teach you how, too.

   First you need;

1. wax paper
2. wash tape, varied patterns and colors
3. scissors
4. pictures of objects with minimal detail

  Start by cutting a 3 by 3 square of waxed paper, you don't need to be accurate and it may be bigger to accommodate your sticker size. Fold in half, vertical to horizontal.

    Next, open your paper and fold the crease back on itself to make a seam. That seam will be cut open along the very top to peel away the sticker from the wax paper.

   Lay the wax paper over your image and trace around it with a felt tip pen.

    Cover the entire image with wash tape, overlapping the edges. You can use different color takes or just one color.

    Cut out your image carefully.

     Slit the little seam along the top when you want to apply your sticker and peel away the waxed paper. Keep the waxed paper on if your want to save them for later use.

   You can skip the image and free hand create a sticker right on the waxed paper if you feel so inspired. The little tree below was created like that.

   Wow! I had to write this tutorial in 5 minutes. I hope you try it with someone who loves to create.

I write on Fridays with a large group who inspire me. Only five minutes and without much thought to perfection. I write, prompted by one word that sends my thoughts to the keyboard and hopefully make sense.

Definition of Ribbistrate

What does ribbistrate mean? Since this is a word made up by someone I don't know I give myself permission to make up the roots of the word. 

Rí-bíss-trãte

Combining the word ribbies which is baseball slang for a batted in run and 

monstare which means to show

we get the meaning, to show what it feels like when you score. It is  unparalleled joy. It can be for yourself or seeing the achievement of someone else.

The reason why I picked this word to be a guiding light throughout 2015 is that intrigues me. There are, of course, the physical manifestations of the word which are fun to photograph but I am intrigued with the idea of exploring how I might ribbistrate emotionally, spiritually, and mentally. The word means more to me then excitement or joyful which could be synonyms. The feeling of what it means to score has some further pondering. For now, I'm enjoying catching photos of my grandchildren ribbistrating on the trampoline. All of them have faces full of happiness when they jump as high as they can. Yes, I will be attempting the same jump. Stay tune.

Word Of The Year -2015

I am drawn to one word right now. I hope it stays active in my heart throughout the whole year.

It gives me an invitation to explore what it means physically, emotionally, mentally, and socially,and 

spiritually.

       The word is Ribbistrate. Rìb-ìs-trāte is a verb. You will not find it in a dictionary because it has not found it's way into the larger section of our culture. I will define it in a later post. The physical manifestation can be pictured above in the happy dance Snoopy does and below in a joyous jump Kate Winslet did in the movie The Holiday when she discovered that she was staying at an amazing house.

               I am ready for the invitation and invite you, as well, to try this word out in your life. And Happy New Year. This is the anniversary of my fourth year writing this blog. I could ribbistrate about that.