"On Art, Fear, & Lady Gaga" by Emily Freeman

I read this post last week, and I loved it. The title drew me in, but what she had to say has kept me there. The following quote is my favorite, in which she quotes the original quote.

Watching American Idol last week, Randy Jackson called a performance pageant-y. And I realize for this show, pagenty is not meant to be a compliment. But what if you are in a pageant? Then pageant-y might just be what you’re going for.

And if you’re playing at the Blue Bird and someone says you sang that song American Idol-y, you probably wouldn’t take that as a compliment, either.

You just have to do what you do.

Whenever I feel the familiar tug of fear about myself or others perception of me and my work, I remember Seth Godin and Lady Gaga:

“Do you think it bothers her that I don’t listen to her music and wouldn’t recognize her if she stopped by and said hi? It shouldn’t. Even if you’re a pop star, you don’t need everyone to be a fan or a customer. And especially if you’re not a pop star, worrying about whether everyone laughs at your jokes, buys your product or even likes you is counterproductive.”

Don’t let fear push you around. Accept that what you do might not always be what they expect. Let your work be your best and your own.

Read Emily's Entire Post Here:

 http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=b9df62aa196efea133e926bcb&id=be2965bba3&e=e25e3582cd

Sparkly Green Earrings

I finished Sparkly Green Earrings written by Melanie Shankle, aka, Big Mama. This book was hilarious, I laughed out loud constantly. Melanie is a natural born story teller and her stories are unpredicatble yet totally relateable. She jokes about motherhood yet ties every chapter back to God's word. I loved it so much I rationed myself on what I could read daily, I wanted to savor it over several days. I had to share this little section:

I think I'd been living under this illusion that I could give Caroline a perfect childhood. But perfect doesn't exsist in our world. I can give her love, I can give her laughter, I can instill values and morals in her, I can teach her about Jesus and how he loves her more than she knows, an I can hopefully give her more good memories than bad. And I can pick the nits out of her hair, one little larva at a time. But I can't give her perfection, because I'm fresh out. That's where the grace of God enters, and I exit quietly thorugh tthe back door, allowing Him to fill the gaps.

I know as a new mom I was/am filled with ambitions and hopes and plans to do everything for Knox, Justin and I want him to have the world. But,we are still human and we struggle and fail and fall- sometimes several times in a day. (Staring with the incredible baby book I WAS going to make.) It seems there is this current push to be this excellent awesome mom and do all of these things for your babies to perfection. These ideals come with guilt if you can't (and you can not) do it all. Sparkly Green Earrings is a gentle reminder, I can do my very best, but I can not do everything. I can love my God and my family and the Lord sees our hearts and fills in the spaces. Afterall, He is the perfect parent. For lots of laughs and lots of truth, check this book out.

Numbering Our Days

Today my sister-in-law buried her grandmother. Standing graveside, I looked reality straight into the face. Amazing Grace was played. It's a song which reserves the right to move a heart in any setting, with or without music. It's not uncommon for it to stir emotions but today I experienced it more powerfully than ever before. The chorus hit, I surveyed the hundreds of graves on a blackland hill, not all that far from where we laid my grandfather fifteen years ago. I was moved with realization of the magnitude of His grace.( I dont think we can ever completely comprehend His grace but there are rare and blessed moments when it washes over us as a wave.) Every tombstone represented a man or woman, whom he took to Calvary for. Whether or not they accepted, His love was offered to every last one.Forgiveness, and hope, extended to all of us; a chance to live a life that matters, one lived for something/Someone greater than ourselves.

Death has a way of leveling the playing field. You realize your pride is deceitful and your youth could serve as a false indication toward Your remaining number of days. Only He knows. Today reminded me of the big picture-which is a true gift.

As we rode home, I opened my book, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, by Ann Voskamp. This is my umpteenth time to read it but its to powerful to read once. Chapter 4 coincidentally opens with a graveside service. She quotes J.R.R. Tolkien saying, "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us." I want so much to capitalize on the time given to me. I want to steward it well. I heard a preacher recently say "It's true ya know, we write our own funerals." Mrs. Miller lived well, therefore she wrote well. It was evidenced today.

Teach us to live well, God. Teach us to live wisely & well! Psalm 90:12