When You Have Too Much

Yes, I have seen it too often and experienced it too.... when one perceives that there is an uncomfortable level of "TOO much" it simply stifles the flow of hard core creativity.

For instance if someone has been sewing quilts using swatches of fabric from thrift stores, and has been happily creating quilts for friends and family for years, and all of a sudden some well intentioned donor gives her a gift card for an expensive fabric store. Does she automatically know what to do with all that extravagance? Nope not necessarily...unless her heart and mind were prepared in advance for the abundance.

It is noteworthy that how we are able to use materials and how we perceive their existence as either "simplicity" or "extravagance" really affects how well we are able to create with that particular medium.

Know how to draw? Prefer a $2 sketch pad from the dollar store? Or do you prefer a $50 set of stationary from a fine art shop?  I have discovered that I feel more free as an artist when I am not worried about the price of the raw materials I am using. That's why I love to use recycled or re-purposed materials in my art.
If they come from a low priced store that's all the better.

I even find sometimes that learning how to reduce your raw materials actually HELPS me to create MORE rather than less. It's ironic. I create MORE with LESS!

For example, have you ever opened a brand new box of pencil crayons and simply been overwhelmed by all the color choices?

But if you put most of them aside and force yourself to pick just 2 or 3 colors out of the box, you may find that you feel your creativity creep back into action again.

Never been afraid to minimize or REDUCE the number of choices when working with raw materials. Having FEWER choices forces you to make FEWER decisions and therefore you can focus more on what you are trying to say and create...

Is this making sense to you? Looking forward to reading your comments friends.
God bless your creativity.

Carla


Tweet

God can be trusted with Your Intelligence

It has not done Christianity a favor when folks affiliated with the christian church in North America have consciously or unconsciously advocated a lifestyle devoid of knowledge, calm peaceful decision making, and intelligence.

God has created us with a hunger for knowledge and wisdom. I don't know where some church people got the idea that God prefers those who live blindly by faith over those who think and ponder things over first before they make a decision about something in their lives.

God is not in a hurry. He is a God of Wisdom and Good Counsel.

Those who are encouraging you to rush into making a decision are usually trying to steal something from you...whether that be the control of your life and family or your wallet.

Be peaceful this sunday, my friends and colleagues. God is pleased with the knowledge that you have made an effort to learn. Don't let anyone bully your intellectually from within the church or outside of the church. And if a pastor or teacher trys to tell you something that doesn't pass the "thinking and pondering" test of a few good days, then bring it in prayer to your Heavenly Father in Heaven. He has the final say.....not your pastor.

It used to really upset me when I realized that pastors and preachers were human and actually made mistakes and errors in judgment. To admit that fact, just  made me feel like I had no floor beneath my feet.
But now I have Christ Jesus and His Word as my firm foundation......so that no matter what mankind or my circumstances dictate I can rest peacefully knowing His Word is my guide and that God is on the throne.

When you have the grace to go to a church service, please don't check your intellect at the door. Bring it with you and sift the words that are being spoken to you from the pulpit. Test them against your own wisdom and the words of Holy Scripture and retain only those things and teachings that pass through those two good filters.

God is all about wisdom. The book of Proverbs, which is located after Psalms in the bible, has a chapter fully dedicated to the search for wisdom. 
The New King James Version says it nicely in Proverbs 2:6,7a
For the Lord gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;


Therefore from these words we come to affirm that God is firmly in favor of knowledge and wisdom, not a flaky emotion based decision making process.
Be rightly proud of the knowledge that you have gained.....and may God bless you with even more knowledge to add to the grand collection you already have.

Peace and security.
Carla



Tweet

3 Minute Microwave Pudding---Easy Peazy

I bet ya can't find an easier or more convenient way to make a fresh steaming bowl of thick
deliciously sweet custard pudding.

All you need is:
3 heaping teaspoons of custard powder : the kind you can buy in a bulk food store or from a can such                                                                        as Birds-Custard-Powder-
3 full teaspoons of white or turbinado sugar

1 microwave safe bowl of cold fresh milk .---any kind of milk will do....2% or homogenized

How to Make It:

Mix all of the above in the bowl that already has the cold milk in it, making sure to stir out all the lumps of the custard powder until the mixture is completely lump-free.
Then set your microwave for 3 minutes.
Put something under the bowl to catch any overflow or drips during microwave cooking.
Put the bowl in the microwave and start it up.
Then half way through the 3 minutes ....just pause the microwave and stir your pudding with a spoon, making sure to mix in any thickened bits of pudding into the more fluid parts of the pudding.
Then let the microwave finish the rest of the 3 minute cooking time.

Voila....a steaming bowl of fresh custard pudding....perfect for an evening snack or a college student's midnight feast while cramming for exams.
Enjoy ")

Tweet

Yum... Breton Gluten Free Crackers from Walmart

Came across this precious brand of crackers labelled "NEW" in bright red letters.

Since, I'm currently gluten intolerant, I am always on the lookout for affordable gluten free snacks.

So Breton and Walmart have scored another brownie point in my book with this delish treat.

The particular box I bought at Walmart was called  "Breton Gluten Free--Original with Flax". The box even has a convincing looking blue seal of approval from the Canadian Celiac Association.
The only noticeable difference was when I noted that the boxes of crackers that contained wheat/gluten were longer and therefore had more crackers in them compared to the gluten free boxes which were being sold for the same price at 135 grams.

But I'll not complain about the shorter box, because the crackers were delightful, crispy and flaky and hearty all at once. If every gluten free adventure I have is as easy as this was, then I'm onto a good roll.

Peace and wellness in your gluten free quest.

Carla

Tweet

Choosing a Pacesetter as Napoleon Hill taught

Napoleon Hill's teachings don't really have an expiry date. Most, if not all successful men and women in business today have at some point in their lives become students under Napoleon Hill's teaching. Some have just learned indirectly from him, because they are/were under the tutelage of a leader who had already absorbed his teachings.

Have you?

Napoleon Hill wrote that epic little book called "Think and Grow Rich". His advice comes across as both humble, astute, kind and progressive. His work was a precursor to the work of motivational "scientists" such as the Tony Robbins of our day.

So today I wanted to talk about Mr. Hill's recommendation that we each find a "pacesetter".
Maybe you're not familiar with the term. A "pacesetter" in Mr. Hill's lingo, is simply someone that is successful in a similar niche as to what you aspire to, whom you can use as a marker maker, so that you can use his/her success to gauge and pace your own progress toward your goal.

Let' say for example, that your goal is to have a passive income stream from real estate equalling no less than $2000 net profit per month by the time you are 55 years old. Would you look for a pacesetter who hates real estate but loves the stock market? Nope. You want to choose a pacesetter who is in the same zone as you are mentally and in terms of their goals and lifestyle. You would want to find someone who has already gathered a bit of steam in real estate and who you can access some of their expertise, either personally or through their written or video work. Ideally you want a pacesetter whose work you can monitor either through the net or through their published works. If you don't know what your pacesetter is up to, you won't know if you are keeping pace with him/her and the motivating factor will be lost.

The internet has expanded our opportunities in terms of how we access mentors. We don't necessarily have to know our mentors personally in order for them to have a powerful impact on our lives.

For example, Kenneth Copeland has a powerful christian ministry across the globe. The last I heard, his U.S. branch collected close to 150 million dollars in revenue in one year's time. (don't quote me on that, as I haven't double checked the numbers) The reason I mention this, is that most of his "partners" or supporters have not met Kenneth Copeland personally but yet they have given him a place in their lives as a relevant mentor. They read his books, his newsletters, his websites, his twitter feed, and listen to his teachings via CD or podcasts etc. Kenneth is mentoring millions of people without even having to leave his studio. Yes, he does travel a lot as well, but it is worth mentioning that the majority of the mentoring happens remotely via mass media outlets. These outlets are not accessible to "only" his  ministry "partners" as anyone can
buy or read his books or listen to his teachings on Youtube.

I want to encourage you, if perhaps you have felt that mentors are so very hard to find. I have felt that way very often, especially because there seems to be so few female mentors that I really admire enough to want to pick their brain. There is some legit value to a lil' bit o' healthy competition, even if it is only comparable in the virtual world. But I take comfort in knowing that I am living in a day and time in which I can have
unlimited access to a plethora of brilliant minds just because I happen to have an internet connection. If God blesses my journey to the point that I will eventually have a personal networking opportunity with any of my virtual mentors, then that will be another day of joy.. But a personal relationship with a mentor is no longer absolutely necessary.

 You need a pacesetter, so you have some friendly competition to motivate you and inspire you. You need a pacesetter so that you have someone with whom you can assess your own progress. For example, if Tom and Jane have acquired 50 new sales leads in one month, why do you only have 3? Pacesetters inspire action and confidence because they show you what is possible, what is do-able and what you can hope for. Choosing a good pacesetter will help you focus on whatever it is you really want.

Choose a pacesetter who matches your set of values. Make sure it is someone of high moral fiber.
Wishing your blessings and inspiration this afternoon. Peace.

C.


Tweet

Owning Your Words

Some of my readers are writers, some of them health and wellness seekers, and others are finance readers.
For the writers, I just wanted to mention, that it really does make a big difference where you decide to
"sow" your words. Just throwing your carefully crafted words anywhere and everywhere all over the internet ......just might not be the best strategy.

Yes, there are the typical ways that folks try to build up blog traffic, and one of those ways is by writing as many comments as possible on blogs that have similarly interested readers. The hope is that a reader will find your comment intriguing and therefore click on your blog link to seek out more of your brilliant words or just simply because they find you interesting as someone they want to get to know as a friend or mentor.

But I just wanted to mention, that if you are a real hard core "author" and each and every word that you write has been preplanned and crafted into an artisanal masterpiece, then you might want to be equally as discerning as to just where you plunk your hard work.

If you want to  really "own your words" then you might want to consider only the on line avenues which will allow you to do just that. Set up your very own personal author blog and don't share the writing ops with any one. You will be the sole creator/author/artist of your blog. It is your domain. You control it's contents, it's look , it's advertising and it's focus.

Another option is to set your heart to more Indie type of publishing using one of the various self publishing sites that are popular now such as Create Space, Kindle Direct Publishing, Smashwords or Lulu.
I have used all of those. Each has it's own unique vibe and efficiency..

I'm very conscious of what is under my control and what is under the control of others.
There are microblogging sites that I write for, and when I write for them, I am under no illusions and I realize that I am really selling them my work for micro-pennies on the dollar. I am not "Author Royalty" sitting on a stuffed leather chair at a glossy mahogany desk, permitted to spend months crafting just one sentence of genius. Simply put....I am a mini-content farm and  "My words" are bucks for them. It isn't personal....it's business. As long as my words earn them viewers, they will continue to seek out to buy my words.

Ok, get to the point Carla. I just want to say, that in your writing you are going to have to make choices. Many or most of these choices are going to have to do with control. Who will you allow to edit your words?
Who will be allowed to post your written work? Which sites will you grant permission to publish your work?

Marketing your written work is often not best done by the author him/herself. It takes an objective eye who understands the dynamics of marketing written material to know how and when and where to promote your work. They might have to tell you gently that your book covers really need help, and that your
work isn't compelling or trendy enough for mainstream media. Know your niche. Know what you like and what you are good at. Then pursue it full steam ahead, all the while knowing that ultimately it must be you and only you  who decides who gets your words and who will not be admitted into the "circle of trust" to take good care of your written babies.

May your work be blessed and prosper, even as you sow it like precious Non-GMO seed into the earth.

Peace and prosperity.

Carla


Tweet

Mommy Blog? Nah...I don't like that term

Well yes, for the record I  am a mom and yes I am a blogger too....but please don't categorize me as a "Mommy Blogger".... it just evokes an image that I just can't handle.
My focus is not on how to pick the right pillows for my couch , or how to get grape stains out of my kids' t-shirts. And no, I really don't care what brand of dishes I eat from, as long as they please ME. If they happen to be valuable, then great...but dishes are not my raison d'etre.

How 'bout you. Do you have a hobby that folks often misname or misunderstand?
Do you cringe when folks call you a "crafter" when you're really a serious artist?
Or you folks label your ability to fix anything mechanical...."tinkering" ?

Push comes to shove, we have to be content when we are accomplishing our own goals, no matter what others are saying or writing about it.

Peace and enjoyment this new fresh month of 2015.



Tweet

Throw Some of your Earnings Into Tomorrow

Perhaps you are already so wise, as to have gotten a grip of this concept many years ago.
But although, I'm not always lightening fast quick on the uptake, I am incredibly persistent when I want to learn something. "Neva Geev Up" was coined for me.

Anywho, what I wanted to mention today, as it's the beautiful first day of this brand new year 2015.....is the idea to to:

Spread some of your efforts towards a certain point in time in the future.

How and why you may ask? Well, because it diffuses the delusion of only living "for today" and stirs up an expectancy for future blessings.

For example, if you run a blog or website, you can pre-write some of your post and post date them to appear one month or 3 months or three days from today. By that method you are not putting all your eggs in "today's" basket. You can Spread your blessings out over the long term.

Another example, would be putting some portion of your investments into something that won't pan out until at least 10 years from now. Instill some kind of preventive mechanism so that you won't be able to touch that investment until a decade from now. That gives you a Christmas present ten years from now to look forward to.

And now for the "Why".... Well, let me just say this....When folks go through hard times, sometimes they just
paint themselves into an inspirational corner, solely by living hand to mouth which feeds into a mindset of "living only for today". But that isn't a life affirming way to live. Living only for today encourages too much risky behavior and provides no nourishment for the years and decades to come.

Our life expectancy is a lot longer than it was for folks born 100 years ago. For someone my age, I was recently given a life expectancy estimate of around 88 years. That's  a pretty juicy long life.
Why would I want to burn all my candles while I am in my forties? Don't I want to save some blessings and energy for my fifties, sixties, seventies, eighties, nineties and however many years God gives to me on this wonderful earth?

So I just want to encourage you as my human friends. Don't give up on your long term plans.
Plan and sow something into your future that you can look forward to.
Some folks even schedule couriers to mail a parcel to themselves or someone they love ....for way in advance, like one or two years from now. What a great idea! Preplanned blessings.

So much to look forward to.
God's best for you in 2015.

Carla



Tweet