to find your voice

Today, I'm linking up with other writers for Five Minute Friday over at Kate Motaung's place. Writing for just five minutes straight without fancy edits. Won't you come on over and check it out and maybe even use your voice to join in? This week's prompt is "find". 



It took me 47 years to find my voice. I mean really find it. 



She likes to play hide and seek though since then. If she doesn't feel the surroundings are safe, she plays it safe and stays inside, which in the end isn't the best choice.

But, she's timid.
She's been hurt and shot down in the past.

She steps out now and then though. Out of the shadows and into the light. 
She's been stepping out in different arenas.
In relationships,
in art,
in writing.

And, mostly, she's been finding lately that the waters are safe. She's been finding encouragement and love and support like never before.

This makes it easier to step out and "say" out the next time.
This makes it easier for Voice to create. To speak her mind. To speak her truth.

But, even when it isn't easy, she knows it's ultimately much more emotionally healthy to step out and speak.

The benefits far outweigh the risks.
Benefits to relationships.
to health
to her art and creativity.

She's learning to come out of her timid, silent self and to speak her mind and let others inside.

In many ways, the finding of this voice is still ongoing, and might be for as long as I live. 

Like the unfolding of the petals of a flower, the voice needs time and encouragement and love to keep showing herself and to keep revealing truth.

She's committed to this process. 
This life-long process of unfolding.

Blessings to you, friend and thanks for stopping by today! I hope you find your voice, too.

~Anne

learning to pay attention

Today is Five Minute Friday, where a tribe of writers gather to write for just five minutes. Without fancy edits, just writing to get the words out. Come on over to Kate Motaung's blog to see how you can join in or just read what others have written on the prompt, "learn".

Just yesterday afternoon, I heard this knock. It sounded like a knock on my front door, but instead it was coming from the back of the house! Like from my little half bath!

I wondered what in the world could be making a knocking sound that was just like the UPS man knocking on my door. Kind of freaked me out, honestly, because I was home alone at the time. Again, no one else could be making this knocking noise.

 So, I cautiously walked back through my bedroom, into the half bath. I could still hear it. I still have paper on my windows as curtains, so I cautiously lifted one corner and peeked underneath through the window. (you should have seen me…kind of a scaredy cat). 

And there, folks, was the “knocker” on my windowsill. He had on a little spotted coat of feathers because I think he was a Spotted Woodpecker, who obviously didn’t really know what he was doing. 

So, I politely asked him, “What are you doing pecking on my windowsill?”

“Do you want something?”

He didn’t answer, but boy, did he ever take a good long look at the funny face staring at him through the window. I’m not sure who was more surprised, he or I.

This has had me thinking all day long today. If I had not been paying attention, I wouldn’t have heard the knocking and I wouldn’t have had that conversation.

I want to learn to pay attention. Always. 

So, I don’t miss fun things like this.

Little things that brighten my day and bring joy.

I want to learn.

Blessings to you, friend!

~Anne

in the here and now

Linking up with other writers today over at Kate Motaung's place for Five Minute Friday. Some weeks the words come easily and some weeks they don't. Five Minute Friday is all about writing for five minutes, not worrying about fancy edits. Just writing for the fun of it. Come on over and see what everyone else wrote on the prompt, "here". 

What if we all could live in the here and now.

I mean, now is all we have.

If we live in the past, either pining for a great past, or living in regret, it’s a waste of time and steals from the joy in the present moment.

If we live in the future (I’ve tried this), it’s called anxiety…being fearful over things that haven’t even happened yet. And, likely won’t happen the way my over active imagination has imagined it.

Here and now.

Focusing on the present moment is all we have.

Living in the here and now is something that I’m striving to do each day. I wish I could tell you that I’m a pro at it.

I can tell you that I’m a pro at trying.

I tend to live in the future, worrying over things I have no control over.

What if?

Such a bad choice of words if the negative is behind them, but what a good choice of words, if the positive is behind them.

What if I excel at ________________?

What if this relationship improves?

What if I get that project completed in record time?

Instead, I’m afraid to say that the end of “what if” leaves more questions than answers and leaves me living not in the here and now, but in the what if and when.

How about you? What kinds of things do you do to live in the here and now?

Painting and being creative helps me, as do fountains and reading my Bible. (an interesting grouping of odd things written rather quickly!)

Here’s to living not in the past or future, but in the here and now.

Blessings to you, friends!

~Anne

Six {ish} things I learned in July

Today I'm linking up with Emily Freeman at her blog for the Things I Learned link up. OMG. It's the bestest, most fun post to write. Here, I don't take myself seriously for some reason. Check out what other writers have learned in July over at Emily's blog.



There are several reasons NOT to write this post. 

1. It is already August 4th and it feels like July news is, well, old news.
2. the things I learned (or relearned) in July are not earth shattering and you'd probably be just as okay if you didn't know them.
3. I don't remember this one.

Okay, okay. I'll write my list of things I learned in July, even though this feels dated.


1. I saw one of the most beautiful gardens I've ever seen whilst waiting for the July 4th fireworks show to begin. I LOVE pinks and blues and purples together in the garden!

2.  For our 31st anniversary, hubby and I went to Minneapolis and we visited the Minneapolis Institute of Arts for the first time. Not only did we go for the first time, but it was FREE. (p.s. if you ever get to Minneapolis, you HAVE to go here!)

I learned that my engineer/marketing husband really does enjoy looking at art. I mean, I knew that. He's been trying to get ME to go to this museum "for years" he says. I believe him. It wasn't until I went to the Museum of Modern Art in NYC in April that I had an "art awakening" so to speak. I mean, I was really moved by the paintings I saw there of Picasso, Van Gogh, etc. 

Back to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, we had just gone through the whole thing in 2.5 hours. Our feet were sore, legs tired, but hubby was not satisfied. He said, "I looked for Rembrandt and didn't see him. I'm Dutch and I want to see this Dutch painter." So, we hoofed back through and found Rembrandt. 

FUN.


3.  Birdseed matters.  When we first moved into our "new" home in December, we filled our new feeder with a bag from the store called "Songbird Blend" or something similar. We had sparrows come to eat, but also Blue Jays and even some Cardinals. Then, we went and got a "cheaper" blend. Not sure what the seed ratio is, but the colorful birds are no longer appearing. *insert sad face here*. 

I haven't convinced hubby that we don't need to finish the 40lb. bag of seed, that we can just go out and get the "Songbird Blend" again. Oh well. I keep telling myself, sparrows or LBB's as we call them (Little Brown Birds) are still important!!! They still need to eat, too! Right? Right!


4. There's a restaurant we've been to twice now in Minneapolis that you have to go to if you go to Minneapolis and if you live there, oh my gosh, I'm jealous. It's called French Meadow Bakery and Cafe. We got their sprouted organic home made corn chips again as an appetizer. I think I died and went to corn chip heaven.


5. Here's a mini list of "re-learns" from July.

a. "letting go" has many applications---in relationships and art.

b. tears may come inexplicably and seemingly for no reason, but they come for a VERY good reason, so listen and take note.

c. someone who has done things a certain way for years and years, may one day up and do something totally new and different. (my husband who RARELY BUYS ANYTHING for himself bought 3 books at Half Price Book store last weekend-surprised the sandals off of me!)

d.  Daring Greatly (think Brene Brown) may mean you step into the arena relationally and find your voice cracking and tears streaming down your face unexpectedly. It's still worth it to get in the arena and try.

6.  I painted a boat. And, my mom wants to buy it. 

Thanks for stopping by today, friend!
Blessings to you,

~Anne

when you have an overcommitted flag waver

Linking up with other brave writers at Five Minute Friday. This week's prompt is "try". Fitting for those of us who dare to try to write for five minutes straight with no fancy edits. Come on over to Kate Motaung's blog to find out more!


I think I’ve got this little person inside of me. Every time I go to try something new, she gets out her little red flag and starts waving it with all of her might.

I’m not sure where she came from, or why she started doing this, but she’s done it since I was a little girl.

The Flag Waver.

I think she’s trying to warn me off of anything that might be dangerous or scary. 

But, she’s over committed to this. 

She’s a little too enthusiastic because she gets her flag out over the most seemingly mundane things.

Like trying watercolor painting

Playing with acrylic paints

Trying a new craft, like knitting.

She’s also full of what if’s.

I mean, full!!

What if you make a mistake? 

What if you fail? 

What if your work isn’t 

as good as so and so’s? 

You’ll be a failure!!

This flag waver isn’t my friend. 

She keeps me from even thinking about trying new things.  I have managed to silence her lately, because in spite of her flag waving, I have tried mixed media acrylic painting. I’ve done some drawing. Tried a new knitting pattern.

I want to keep working at silencing this little red flag waver. 

She doesn’t have the last word in my life. 

She needs to take the very back seat. In fact. She’s not welcome at all. Except in those times when I really am in danger.

How about you? Do you have a little red flag waver inside of you, warning you off of trying new things? An overzealous flag waver who isn’t welcome?

I’d love to hear from you in the comments!

Blessings to you, friend!

~Anne