Playing Ditch or Keep whilst Relaxing.

I hope you are having a lovely weekend.
I am really kicking back this weekend and relaxing.
I have to say that doing the gym (20 minutes this week)and then swimming (30 minutes) and then messing about in all the warm whirlpool and steam rooms was a great start to the weekend.
Very relaxing.
As has been sleep, reading, cooking, cleaning, washing, watching great movies on TV(Maid in Manhattan, the Italian Job and Nanny McPhee) and catching up with friends and family on the phone.
I have also been finally tackling the rather huge and overflowing banana box of photos.
It has been stuffed either under a bed in the spare room, more recently or in the garage.
For a few years.
4 of them under the bed and 2 in my sisters garage.
6 years in total.
A box full of memories of family photos from the last few years that never made it to albums and my 7 years based in Scotland with YWAM. Outreaches, travelling, child and youth and family work, Glasgow, Edinburgh, to name a few loved places.
It has been quite therapeutic to play ditch or keep with them all and put the pile to keep in order into my photo boxes, sorted and labelled. One photograph box for Scotland and 1x box for friends and family photos.

All now ready to scrapbook.
Eventually.

Scrapbooking and Pamper Week

This has been the 2nd week of the Easter Holidays and I have loved it.
I have read, relaxed, retreated and refreshed.

I have been using more of this week to do some more scrapbooking. I am new to scrapbooking although heard about it a lot these last few years. My niece sent me home a couple of years ago after a visit to her in Boston, USA with what felt like a case full of scrapbook papers that she didn't want. We also chose a few bits and some card. I had armfuls of the stuff and there it sat untouched until I got to know my fellow scrapbooking friends here at church who inspired and encouraged me to start. So I have just started these last few months and we often meet each month. This holiday has been ideal to relax and unwind whilst being creative and do some more on my scrapbook pages.
I do still very much feel like the new kid on the block with it all, learning all the jargon and what I might need and making up page designs (or are they called layouts?) I recently learned what brads are (I called them fancy stick pins) and last week I realised what cardstock was! (I thought I just had a pack of card.) I have even used a few brads this week and thought they are funto use!
I have decided to go back through my life and replace all those yellowing/browning edges from those peel and stick albumsI had. I am now about age 8 and proud to be in new retro 1970's designs all quite funky I think on my 12" scrapbook pages. It has been such fun going back through my photos and all the memories adn fashions that go with it.I loved those knee high white patent plastic boots with the buckle. (Yes, I know they just look like I am wearing knee high socks but they were boots!)
I also have had a couple of days away on a bit of a treat myself to a spa retreat in a lovely hotel. I swam, did my nails, read magazines, took walks in the beautiful nearby parks and gardens and had a massage. The town is historically an old spa town so it was fun seeing where the old mineral baths originally were. They are now mini arcade boutique shops which were fun to mooch around but the corridors still had the beautiful turquoise tiles with the ornate coving to admire. I came back feeling all silky smooth from all those relaxing treatments and moisturisers and wanting to vow never to shower again for fear of removing all those delicious smells!
Sadly, perhaps, the shower has beckoned long before other less delightful smells overtake.
Back to work tomorrow too.

Lazy Lu Sunday

Today I decided to have a Lazy Lu Sunday.
Tudur was well up for a relaxing day, following me around and chillin'.

I wanted to spend some more quality time reading and praying and had some work to do in preparation for the week ahead.
Plans for a lovely long walk yesterday were cut short as it turned into a dreary grey day. After a quick and somewhat disappointing walk I had come home and had became a bit of a hermit for the test of the day. My walk hadn't lifted my soul yesterday.

So today was a new day full of promise and I didn't go to church but instead spent time on some quality 1:1 time reading and praying whilst drinking several cups of coffee! Bliss!I caught up on some work too whilst listening to the radio and bought supplies for the week ahead.
After lunch I went to the zoo as it had turned into such a beautiful day as promised and what I hoped for.

It made a change from my usual stroll around my local park and was fun to be there in the sunshine instead of the rain and snow. The animals seemed to like being out in the fresh air too!

Now home and warm, drinking tea, watching crappy telly and reading my book.
A refreshing Lazy Lu Sunday!

Rather like this cheeky monkey at the top of the pole, I have enjoyed a fresh look at life from a new perspective.

How about you?

project 365 week 7

A great mix of rest and play this week as it has been half term.
Let's see, what have I been up to?
So nice to kick back and take it easy!
February half term!
Monday - day 46/365
Lazy morning, meeting my sister for lunch and then finally got to finish the ironing!

Tuesday - 47/365
Pancakes for Lent. Thought about what to give up - more of a re-aligning, focusing. I am going to give up channel hopping. I gave up TV the other year. It nearly killed me - although the fruits of this sacrifice were amazing. Am hoping to still achieve great things to satisfy and fulfil in the gaps left without channel hopping time these next 40 days.

Wednesday - 48/365
A really lazy day!
You wouldn't believe that this cute kitten, Tudur, woke me up at 3 am with a thud on the door and lay on top of me purring, would you? When I ignored him, he biffed me on the head repeatedly. The discussions about this went on til 4.30 am. He won. I got up and he ran downstairs and hid. When I found him, I shut him in the kitchen and slept peacefully. We became friends again, later and we have had a lovely chilled day. Tonight, he will sleep in the kitchen. He has cooked his goose with freedom of the house at night. I guess I win.

Thursday - 49/365
A day of discovery. My sister and I met with a lady who told me a little more of my history. Amazing what has been hidden, secret all these years. A great day of surprises! More to be revealed!

Friday - 50/365
I love the way this little elephant is making a run for it in the snowy rain at the zoo, when I visited today!

Saturday - 51/365
Scrapbooking Day with friends from church. I got a chance to use my new photo cutters that my niece sent me from Boston, for Christmas. Thank you Rachel - and thanks to Diana who helped me learn how to use them - and the all important see through guides... that I nearly threw away! Oops.

Sunday - 52/365
Snow joke! Woke up to snow - the slushy and crunchy kind, so it was definitely a day for wearing wellies to walk/skid to church! I love my wellies!

Back to work tomorrow!
How long 'til Easter?

Wednesday already?

When I was growing up, Wednesday was a big landmark day in our house. When I mustered enough coordination to stagger downstairs for school, still blearyeyed from sleep, my mum would say: "Cheer up, it's Wednesday."
Wednesday, signified that there was then only Thursday and Friday to go before the weekend.
It made Wednesday, then not seem so bad.
Today, is Wednesday but it is also half term week so I find myself saying I can't believe it is Wednesday already!
Wednesday, is probably thinking: "Come on, give me a break! You can't have it both ways!"
It has been a good day though.
For a Wednesday.
Relaxing.
I finished reading my book, Water for Elephants and loved it, loved it, loved it. You will either have to buy it, buy it, buy it and read it for yourself - or wait for my review on the next Turn the page Tuesday to hear more about it.
I went for a walk in the drizzly rain and the bitterly cold wind.
Brr.
No wonder Tudur has stayed in for most of the day!
I came home and made some more of these:

using some of these ingredients:

and the recipe is from this book: BAKE, by Rachel Allen.

The last time I made some, you may remember,was when the girly chicks came round to do some "bitch and stitch" on our banners. The remaining half, I reluctantly took the following day to church for our bring and share lunch....
I took them...
but I didn't share any of them.
I kept them in the tin.
I bought them back home again.
And ate them the next few days.
They were delicious.
I wonder how I will do at sharing them with the girly chicks tomorrow?
If there are any left.
These white chocolate and peanut butter blondies - are very moreish.

Whoop for Half Term!

Yep I did it!
I survived a whole half term in my new job - loving it, bit tired in the evenings it has to be said - but it is a great milestone to reach for me, nonetheless.
So now, to celebrate this milestone, I have a whole week off!
Today, there was lots of time for lazing in bed for ages with coffee and my book!
Lunch out with my big sister at a lovely cafe in my city. We both chose eggs florentine. Sisters! Delicious!
Then back home for some creative arty farty painting fun.

I did this to celebrate Chinese New Year - 2010 is the Year of the Tiger and the celebrations for the next few days began yesterday on Valentines Day, so I sneaked in a few red and gold hearts into my painting! I painted in acrylic and added the gold with a gold marker pen for the finishing touches.
I even did some ironing too!
A great day!
More of the same or similar, tomorrow I think.

Week 5 of 365

Quite a productive week, making more of dent in tidying and sorting at work and finding my feet. Have seen some friends and had friends round too, which is an improvement on purely coming home and collapsing on the sofa in a heap!
It has only taken me 5 weeks!
Here are my photos for the week:
Monday 1st February 32/365
The start of the new month and a new page in my calender of cats! I also watched a mr. bond movie - Casino Royale - with one of my friends,Ike, who was repeatedly biffed on the head by Tudur! Sorry Ike. I think he thought it was rude to snooze whilst watching such a great movie?

Tuesday 33/365
I met up with one of my friends after work to eat a yummy carvery, forgot my camera, so took this photo instead! (Well it is nearly Valentine's Day, isn't it!)

I transformed my Christmas wreath, having retrieved it from hanging outside on my front door. I threaded another heart decoration with twine to hang in the centre. I think it looks fab, so wanted to show you!
Wednesday.34/365
Another of my hanging hearts in my hallway. (bit of a heart theme this month!)

Thursday. 35/365
The girlie chicks night. Too busy eating cake to take a photo of the cake, so took this one instead. I love my friends. and I love cake.
This bit of the banner was done by the amazing Emily. Great patchwork! and great coconut and banana cake too Emily!

Friday. 36/365
Cooked food for friends in my slow cooker and took it round to them after work. Yummy beef with potatoes, carrots, red pepper, sweet potato, parsnip, onion and stock and ketchup. Yummy. I even remembered to take my camera, but forgot to take a photo and left it in my bag all the time! (It was Friday!)
So, I took this one of the slow cooker pot after I washed it all clean!

Happy memories, all the same and it was lovely to see Rachel and Mike and Jacob and Daniel! Thanks for letting me eat with you!
Saturday. 37/365
Time to relax, bake, sew, tea and cake and time to read my book.

Sunday.38/365
Survival for the week ahead. Some Fresh Fruit and Vegetables.Bliss.

Reflections and Inspirations

This is my photo for day 3 of 365. A day for time to reflect and Inspire. Enjoy.
I have been looking back over my journal and reflecting on some of the wonderful things that has happened in 2009 and how the Lord has been so faithful to me.

It helps to reflect on 2009 as I look forward to 2010 and some of the ways I might FLOURISH in 2010.
I hope these 9 Reflections from 2009 inspire you too.

1. I started the year with 2 bugs that led into post viral fatigue which lasted for months and I have had to pace myself all year - and yet, I thank God for such amazing times of rest and some things he taught me whilst snuggled under a duvet. He reminded me of how I am safe with Him, loved and accepted and how rest is part of God giving us a chance to get our breath back - as it says in the message Bible in Psalm 23 - and then He sets me in the right direction. Yippee!

2. Last year, the Lord gave me the word CHANGE. I had been busy doing lots of voluntary work over the years, being involved with pioneering and developing some work with Special Needs for children and young people and their families at some national events here in the UK. I sensed the word change I felt it was time to pass on the baton for 2009. The scripture that colleagues had for me was - Isaiah 54 - which really is about change and enlarging and thinking Big!

3. This word ENLARGE and think big had me begin to ask God to help me apply it to all spheres of my life. Life was quite different with post viral fatigue and with no planned or specific ministry in 2009 it really was a year for laying things down and having time and space. I began to dream dreams for some of the things in my life that have been hidden and pushed to one side in my life. A time to look at my creativity, time to begin to de-clutter, tidy, dream, plan, prepare. I wrote my list too of things to do in this next year before my next birthday - and called it my wish upon a star list.

4. I have had it on my heart to write some things down for a while over the last few years but it hasn't really been much of a year for productivity, more a time of being. I was desperate for some creative outlet, though, so I began blogging! A way of bringing to re-birth, fanning into flame some of my CREATIVITY. A friend at church gave me this verse from Timothy, as she had been praying for me - fan into flame the gifts that God has given was a timely and significant verse of encouragement. I have so loved joining bloggy land! I have so loved connecting with Make some art Mondays, Turn the page Tuesdays and gaining fresh inspiration and fun and finding some great new friends in bloggy land. Thank you Rachel at myslightlycrazyworld for a lovely day spent with you, playing pass the baby to start my blog here at creative tails.

5.It has been a time when God has proved himself faithful and the God who cares deeply about the details in my life. I was in touch with a guy for a few months and hoped it might lead somewhere. I wasn't sure if it was leading anywhere, except up a dead end alley, so I and my girly cake chick friends prayed and asked God to honour a deadline day. He did and it was great to know the TRUTH and for the truth to set me free! He is such an awesome God and a time of experiencing the kindness of God. When God speaks, release comes. Isaiah 45 v 3.

6. Also, I have been on a job search as my hours were reduced and I needed to find full time work as part time work wasn't a long term viable option. It was a hard search at times, seemingly relentless and almost soul destroying journey. I asked God if something could please be just dropped in my lap. I shouldn't have been surprised when a few weeks ago it did just that but I was! It reminded me of the WAIT and the NOW. The wait can seem like forever but, in God's time, when God says now it happens in an instant.

7. It has been a great year for quality TIME with friends and family and with God too. Practising hospitality, friends coming round and sitting on the sofa when I have been tired and spending time with me. Friends have come and stayed here, rather than me travelling to see them and each and every visit has been a blessing. Lots of time to pray and think, to journal and to ask God more of what this word change means for me. Psalm 84 and Song of Solomon 2 v 4 has been great ones!

8. A great family holiday, a few parties to dress up posh and wear my lovely pink and red shoes that carry the label GORGEOUS, time to begin to look at some of my family history and roots and DISCOVER new things. FASCINATING. My NEW kitten Tudur arrived - his Welsh name means divine gift and he really is!

9.It has been a year of REFRESHING in ways that have taken me out of my comfort zone. I read this - Exodus 2 v 15. to be sat down at the well (refreshing) is a desert experience. God lovingly draws us apart for a season and strips us of our busyness and our ability to operate in our strengths. He has not abandoned us and he is not judging us. These are precious things when we listen with a new intensity. We can recognise anew our dependency on Him and our intimacy with Him is deepened.
"In the desert He found him in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him. He guarded him as the apple of His eye. The Lord alone led Him."

It has been my special 1:1 support time with God this last year. I will take these 9 truths from 2009 with me into 2010... and looking forward to FLOURISH very much indeed.

A Relaxing New Years Eve!

A bit of tidying up and cleaning and re-cycling, relaxing, TV, sorting through the lovely Christmas cards, catching up with emails, updating address books and my new calendar and diary for 2010.
I put away all the Christmas decorations and chopped up the Christmas tree for re-cycling!Tudur watched the proceedings, carefully. I usually throw the tree into the back of the car and take it to a park where they chop it up to re-cycle. After I did it last year, I heard that they had apparently stopped it. Oops. So this year, I am attempting to re-cycle it with our usual re-cyling scheme with all the weekly rubbish collection. I hope that my tree counts as "twigs and small branch" for the re-cycling criteria!
I have also been chasing the air in my radiators around the house. I tried to bleed them the other day and obviously didn't do it right as this morning was woken by monsters making lots of noise in the boiler and the radiators. It scared Tudur!
I am writing down thoughts and reflections of this last year 2009 and some hopes and dreams for 2010 in my journal and praying about some things too as I go. It is all good, which I will share in 2010!
Which is very soon!
It is proving to be a fab pyjama day to watch Murder on the Orient Express and Madagascar... and now there might be time to watch a few more classics! I love movies to relax to. don't you?Tudur is really enjoying time to relax too.
I wonder how you will be reflecting and celebrating the end of one year and the start of a New one?

My Ode to Autumn: Flourishing Trees.

This last week I have been reading and pondering on a passage from Proverbs 11 about having a God shaped life.
This has got me thinking and praying and asking the Lord, what shape am I and how can I continue to grow in this shape?






Not tall or thin or fat or small, but what is my part in the Kingdom of God?

My identity, my "Luciness", the skills, qualities, gifting, talents, my Friends and family and life experiences that shape me into the person that I am today?

You might have come across the book: the mission shaped church, but us being mission shaped as individuals? How can we hear His heartbeat more and to know what He is asking of us?The verse from the Message says this:"having a God shaped life is like a flourishing tree." So, does this mean that I, Luci must always be flourishing, bursting with flowers and rich in leaves, constantly, continually, all year round?
Some trees are all gnarled and twisted, whilst others have their branches upturned to heaven, almost in worship. On windy days they sway with the wind. They change dramatically as they grow and go through seasons. Adaptable, resilient, aware of times of rest and bringing forth life and going through seasons of change.



Each one unique and each one has it's place and is rooted firmly and deeply.

I can wrestle with being a people pleaser, struggling with proving myself when people ask:"What is Luci doing?" This was particularly true, when I was in full time ministry with YWAM for a number of years, sometimes feeling the pressure to be driven to do, rather than simply to be.




We were often reminded that God loves and cares more about us as individuals for who we are and not for what we do and yet I felt this tension of doing rather than being. As God created the seasons, so we have times of going through the seasons too. Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer.

This last year I have been in Autumn and Winter, after the Lord whispered to me the word: change. I started with letting go of some ministry I had been doing, sensing that it was right to pass the baton on.
Perhaps a bit like Autumn...leaves....falling.
Then came Winter, where I almost literally hibernated.
This was the season I was not expecting! I got 2 bugs back to back in January, sleeping for days and nights at a time. When I awoke, I exhausted. I was diagnosed with post viral fatigue and it has been a gradual process of gaining strength and pacing life throughout this year, learning all the time and resting lots.

I have constantly known that the Lord is in this for me, and that during this time, He is preparing me for what is next.

Just like with a tree.

I can almost hardly wait to see what springs up, next!
If you are in Autumn and needing to let go of some things, do it and enjoy Winter and His special time of rest for you.
As Psalm 1 says, blessed is the one who is like a tree planted by water.

Enjoy discovering you own shape, to live a God shaped life.

I am.

Maybe I have always wanted to be a tree, after all....

as long as it is God-shaped and funky!