switching it up

wow.  i have officially fallen in love.  with blogging.
not quite love at first sight, but nearly.

now, if i could only blog when i got a word from the Lord...
or if i had something to write that was ohhhh so deep and amazing...
i could only blog now and again.

and while deep is good,
and words from the Lord are oh so good,
so is lots and lots of "stuff" in between.
the stuff of life.

i do not wish to be different than i am.
because i am who i am.
i want to be the best version of myself.  that's the goal.
too many...
WAY too many girls/women do the comparing thing.
it drains me.
and saddens me.
it strengthens my resolve to be au.then.tic.

authentic (adj) >actual, certain, genuine, legitimate, original, real, true, valid

opposite: fake, false  

i think our differences should be celebrated.
where does this need come from...
to turn the people around us into us??
observation has led me to believe that there is a connection between insecurity and a judgemental spirit.
i have yet to see a woman who knows who she is, and is at peace within herself before the Lord, approaching relationships with that critical, judgemental spirit.
i really do believe that the more we are "ok" with who we are,
the more we are able to be "ok" with who others are.
it's pretty cool, actually.

so this is me being me.
i hate routine.
yuk.
day after day of the same old thing.
booooooring!!!
but i realize many of you out there thrive on that.
cool.   routine away!!   (smile.)

but i have long since given up trying to follow a schedule of any kind.
i rebel against my own schedule after about day 2.  day 3 at the max.
i will do what ever it takes to switch things up.

i crave adventure.
my husband does not.  i'm just saying.  it can be tricky business!!
confession: i'm pretty sure my need for adventure scares him silly.

i adore spontaneity!  (i am soo glad that word was in my dictionary!)

spontaneous (adj) happening or done naturally; not forced or suggested by someone else

the very definition makes me what to whoop!
this is how deep my need to be authentic and spontaneous goes...
true story:
i took my crocheting along to church the other sunday and sat in the middle
of sunday school AND the service, and crocheted a scarf.
(my husband looked at me like i was NUTS! but i think he was secretly amuzed.  and maybe a tad bit impressed that i didn't care what anyone thought.) (chuckle.)

if i could bring about a change in girls/women today,
i would start by shouting from the rooftops that it is OK to be different!
authentic! original!
no appologies!
none.
do you know that when we compare ourselves with someone else,
not only do we rob ourselves of the joy of being who we are,
but we also rob the other person of the joy of being who they are.

i will go to such extreme measures to switch up a day, like today for example,
that i will invite my two little neices over, and have 4 little girls at the kitchen table
covering pinecones with peanut butter and birdseed.  seriously. 
it might be messy and crazy...
but at least it's different from yesterday!!  (smile of satisfaction)

this morning, before the above stated mess took place,

i lit all the candles in my hurricanes on my quirkly little cupboard

...(that cost $12 at a sale and reminds me of something i would have seen in my grandma's house.  you should have seen the look on my husband's face when i pointed it out at the sale and said, "i'd like to have that.")

just because candles burning are beautiful. 

and because i wasn't burning candles yesterday!

and they add to the comfort and beauty of my kitchen.

why wait for company to light the candles?

ross is such a great place to shop!

the prices are great.

and you are not likely to find the same thing there

two times in a row.

their shelves, especially the house decor in the back,

are stocked with originals!  treasures!

things you are not likely to find in anyone else's home.

a great way to express who YOU are.

if i could afford a professional decorator to redo my house, i'd say, no thanks.

because, even though my house is not professionally decorated...it is me.  looking around in my home, you will learn about who i am as a person.  it expresses my likes, my faith, my taste in color etc.  and i like that.  a lot.

i love meeting women.  learning about who they are, and what makes them...well...them.

becoming part of another person's life is a huge honor.

brightening someone's day is a delight!

blessing someone with encouragement is a blessing!

and i value that opportunity!

this blog is another way for that to happen.

so,

i am going to provide an incentive for you to help me meet other women.  (smile)

gifts. 

i am going shopping tonight, and i am going to scope out the stores for treasures to post and give away.

i'm not sure how all the fancy bloggers do that...but i'll figure out something that works for me, and i will LOVE sending off treasures to show up in your mailboxes!!

and all i ask in return is that you post my blog link on your facebook profile,

or spread the word to friends and family who you think might enjoy "a little something."

in the meantime,

switch it up, or keep it the same...

whatever works for YOU! 

give yourself the gift of YOU.

and give others the gift of YOU!!

be beautifully you!

cheers!

ann (aka) annie