2014 Goals

Resolutions, everyone does resolutions. 

They all say, "I'm going to eat healthy, lose 20 lbs, run a marathon, organize my home, and spend more time with my family." but not until a crystal ball drops and the motivation switch suddenly turns on.

That crystal ball time line worked well for Cinderella, and I am pretty sure that she is the only one that it worked for.  

A resolution is a proclamation for change. 

Fine and dandy but how are you going to get to that change?  I can shout to the world, "I'm going to Hawaii!"  Do I just start walking and I will figure out a way or does that trip require a road map of sorts?  Resolutions have the great opportunity to turn into empty promises with no, result.

So goals, goals work better for me.  

A goal is actually the end result.  Goals are the umbrellas to a series of intentions.  Intentions are your road maps leading to your goals.  Kind of like building a house -- you wouldn't start at the roof would you?  

My goals can be broken into two sections of the world - business & personal.  My 
intentions will follow in another blog post. :)

here

Personal goals for 2014 

Seeking God - Jesus.  I don't know if he is on the back burner in my little world, but I certainly know that he isn't the lead.  This goal is the scariest in ways because he is calling this family to take a crazy leap of faith and I'm still holding on with bloody knuckles.  This needs fixing - now.

Intentional Self Care - This includes getting back to working out, eating healthy, and crazy to think sleep!

Relationships - there are few (very few) that are healthy.  Time to evaluate. This is not limited to adults, as my children get older, I need to evaluate where our relationships are as well.  

Stewardship- this word is thrown out a lot in church.  Usually it involves money, and that is important.  But we are stewards of every gift from above - time, love, money, our bodies the list is endless.  I want to be a good steward of all.

Business Goals for 2014

Money - to take better care of it and grow.  (it is a business)

Giving - if it is growing, we are giving more.  Intentionally, meaty giving.  

Involvement -  the message of #sofour is (so) important. It is about people.  It is vitally important that people are involved in what we are doing.  Win, win for everyone.  

Growth - If the prior three are healthy, this will be organic (my favorite word)

Then there are things that I would just like to do.  They might work, they might not.  I do not have a list of intentions to back them up right now but I need to keep my eyes open for opportunity to say - "yes!  I did that!  It was awesome"

1- sing in public. 
2- speak to a large crowd
3- run a marathon (I'm shaped like a weeble wooble)
4- travel with purpose

So, what are your GOALS for 2014?  How are you going to execute those goals?  Ready to hustle?  I am - let's GO! 

Business - what's in a name

What to name a business.  It can back fire or set you into jet fuel propelling.  It is something people agonize over as if they are giving birth to a baby all over again.  

I have been"professionally" sewing for 10+ years.  In that time there have been three business names.  I think each reflects a period of where and why the art was focused. 

First there was "Cotton Kisses".  Cotton Kisses was named after the sweetest yellow lab ever.  She always knew how to love people.  She took care of us.  And I knew as I sewed tote bags to bring home our Russian daughter that she would be the dog to watch over our new baby.  Cotton's Kisses lasted for a few years.  That business raised 10's of thousands of dollars to get the artist home.  It was an opportunity to learn.

Then "Nina Bina" was born.  She was again a result of prayer - a cry for provision for a family and the need to be a Proverbs 31 woman.  Nina Bina was always a happy business.  It was focused on monogram and applique in a time that was perfect.  I loved, loved, loved being a part of special moments in life. But there was an artist part of me that wasn't being fed.  Thankful, just not fed.

September 2013, an idea that had been on my heart for a long time starting to come to fruition.  It was great thanks to a dynamic group of people and once again, prayer.  It has all been a lot of hard work but fun work.  And once again - this Proverbs 31 woman is encouraged.  "So Four" means exactly what it says, so four.  So, I am the mom of four now - that basically means the sky is the limit.  God has pretty much given me some crazy superhero powers.  I am thankful.  

My four are so encouraging.

My four are so loving.

My four are a tight tribe.

My four are a blessing from above.

My four are a gift.

A gift of joy that I hope encourages you in your daily life.

So, when picking a name for a business you might be dreaming of.  Keep it simple.  Keep it close to your heart.  Because after all there can be a million people that do what you do but only one you who will be you.  

Hard Times and Art Therapy

It has royally stunk around here. 
Seriously smelly - Literally.  

The sewer line to the house exploded last week leaving a brown fountain in my guest bath.  I spent the evening getting very intimate with my wet dry vac.  We then spent the next five days waiting on help.  Only to be able to flush "when needed".  I spent five days without being able to do laundry ((insert reminder of 4 children)).  The dishes won the battle within the first 12 hours.

Then the tenants called.  They have been having "issues" in the house for a few months and are moving out.  Seriously, the called within 24 hours of the toilet fountain happening.  The "issues" they were having warranted a phone call 2 months ago but they just didn't seem to do that.  

I went over to see the house and all I saw was dollar signs.  It was overwhelming.  I was sad.  

Right now - this all seems impossible.  With a tight budget, a husband who travels all week and four very busy kids - there is a little voice inside my head screaming THIS seems impossible.  

But that little voice is remaining just a whisper.  Because in the midst of the most stress I have had in years, I feel stronger than I ever have.  It is like God has given me a super cape to fly through these problems.  

My cape consists of a daily quiet time.  There are a few close confidants that he has placed in my life to bounce ideas off of.  My husband has exercised a great deal of empathy when dealing with me and that is amazing.  My children even understand the need to bound together and fight thru.  

Then there is the art.  I am almost nervous about calling it that.  I always thought of artists as people who could paint or sculpt.  That is not me.  But according to Webster this is art - 

: something that is created with imagination and skill and that is beautiful or that expresses important ideas or feelings

My art has been a gift of therapy lately.  It transcends around happiness, joy, faith, and enjoying all that life has to offer - the good and the bad.  

I am incredibly grateful that God gave me the gift to do what I do.  I pray that everyone who receives one of my pieces knows that life is wonderful - if we choose.