An Everyday Adventure: Thinking

by Heather on May 24, 2013

Image courtesy Lisa Ruokis

So, my friends, here’s my adventure right now: starting to process the ending of this adventure, and the starting of a new one. Seizing “lasts” as they trickle through a quick-moving sand clock. Grabbing friends for dinner and despairing the thousands of miles that will soon lie between us, while at the same time yearning for those friends and family I left back home.

And this: thinking, hard, about why I’m writing here, and how I write, and my purpose at this and my long term goals, and how I might connect and work with other bloggers and—

It’s been a little, well, mentally exhausting.

I’ve got some dreams taking shape for this blog as we move back home. I’ve got tender projects simmering on the burners, and I’m excited to share them with you. In ways pursuing your calling is a MUCH BIGGER RISK than any international move. It is your hopes and dreams, your identity, your sense of self, put out there in little bouquets for passersby. And it’s scary and exhilarating to be trying.

I’m going to be posting in the next few weeks, but less, to give myself for the new things that are taking flight.

What are your dreams today? What adventure are you embarking on? And how is God leading you to call your songs out into the wild, free air?

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All I know about creativity I learned from washing dishes

by Heather on May 22, 2013

…The truth is, the more we rescue “creativity” from the clouds and make it an everyday habit, the more creative we are. Like any other skill, creative projects take practice, perseverance, and a big helping of grit.
We often look on creativity as a nice add-on for some people: perhaps a profession if you’re specially gifted, or an enviable hobby if you’re above-average. But the truth is we’ve all been given a creative drive, and we’re all called to use it. Making a daily practice of the things that give you joy will make your whole life sparkle.
That’s a calling worth taking time for.
Here’s what time at the sink has taught me about creativity…
I’m so honored to have another post up at Meagan Francis’s inspiring site, The Happiest Home. I hope you’ll join me there to learn all the ways a little dish soap has inspired me.

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A big, freaking scary, deep-breath question for you

May 20, 2013

Photo courtesy David Ip This is hard to say: I need your help. Because my world will change in less than a month, and with it, this blog will too. And to make it change for the better: I need to know this: What am I doing here that’s helpful to YOU? What resonates for [...]

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An Everyday Adventure: Visiting Quito, Ecuador

May 17, 2013

When I was in Spanish class in ninth grade, sometimes our teacher would put on a song that listed all of the capital cities in Latin America. It was more of a chant than a rap, complete with really bad synth drums and a woman’s voice saying, “Qui-to, Ecuador. Bue-nos Ai-res Ar-gen-tina.” There may have [...]

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The beginner takes on: Reading more deeply

May 15, 2013

I am a very, very fast reader. This clearly has a lot of pros. It saved my sanity when I was in literature programs. It gave me pleasure when I was a kid. And it has made reading something I do automatically, like breathing, which clearly enriches my life. But there is a downside. Sometimes, [...]

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I can’t help you unless you come close

May 13, 2013

Photo courtesy Stephanie Graves At least once a day, one of my daughters will come to me and ask for help buttoning a dress, tying a shoe, or putting a ribbon into their hair. Almost every time they do, they will turn and stand several feet from me, far out of my reach. “I can’t [...]

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An Everyday Adventure: getting sick

May 10, 2013

If a child is going to need to go to the urgent care, you know it will be late at night on a Saturday. You just know it. (She’s okay, by the way). Here’s the thing about being abroad, though. Where exactly do you go? How do you get there? What will it be like? [...]

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What happens when you tell the Godawful truth?

May 8, 2013

I am suddenly finding freedom from fear. In fact, I realize that I no longer have to cower, eyes squeezed shut, to avoid the awful things that will happen if I tell the truth. In the relief, finally, I’m opening my eyes. And I’m seeing something shocking… I’m over at SheLoves Magazine today talking about [...]

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One Woman’s Yes: Patricia Zaballos of Wonderfarm

May 6, 2013

Patricia Zaballos writes some of the sanest homeschooling prose up on the Internet. Turns out her level-headed and gracious take on learning comes from a deep-rooted place: not just recognizing her children’s capabilities, but her own. Read on to learn about the moment when she finally owned her voice. What have you said yes to? When [...]

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An Everyday Adventure: protest

May 3, 2013

This is what a protest sounds like in my neighborhood: Protest from the Balconies It’s called a cacerolazo, from cacerola, a soup pot. People stand out on their balconies or take to the streets, pounding their pots and pans with wooden spoons. We were inside eating dinner when I thought I heard a drummer outside. [...]

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