souldare

We humans keep brainstorming options and plans,
    but God’s purpose prevails. (Proverbs 19:21 The Message)

It’s the planning time of year. And I still find comfort in the wisdom of these words whispered to my soul earlier this winter: “It’s not too late.”

After a full celebration of Christmas with all the joys and trimmings, there is a let down. Saying good-bye to loved ones who traveled across the country to see us leaves an ache. The immediate pressure to put away Christmas haunts me each year, so this time I planned to UN-decorate slowly, a little at a time.

With that pressure eased, I find myself in my art studio clearing out space. Taking out the old to make way for the new gives me room to breathe. January is a month for me to rest. To let the sap of all my goings and doings recede, to prepare for the next season of creativity and growing and living.

On this first day of the year, I like to dream about all the things I’d like to do and the books I might read.

In between hauling out boxes of paper “compost” from the studio, I worked in my art journals. I glued down ephemera in my holiday journal, and mostly dreamed of relaxing in this room, with my little heater humming and the radio tuned to uplifting music.

While I puttered around and played with my art supplies, in the back of my mind, I was wondering what word I might choose for my guiding intention for 2018. (There’s a whole movement, where people pick one word to inform their life, rather than a list of resolutions.) Last year, I journeyed with “success” and learned that success looks less like perfection, and more like showing up and enjoying life with its quirks and questions.

I haven’t picked a word yet. And that’s okay, because “It’s not too late.”

I tend to audition words by looking up their definition and synonyms until a word resonates with my heart. My friend and I were talking about the possibility of having more than one word, or even changing the word mid-year. Such freedom and permission. Maybe I will have a new word for each month!

I’m sure, just like me, you have lots of plans and ideas of what you’d like to do this year. I often share ideas here that you are welcome to try or not. I heard about this project where you order a small sketchbook, then fill it with your art. After you’re done, you send it back to have it added to their art library.

I hope you might join me in the Sketchbook Project…it’s not too late! (I think you can still order a sketchbook until January 5, 2018.)

I’m filling mine with textures, and my niece in New Jersey is joining me. When you complete the sketchbook, it’s catalogued and kept in the sketchbook “museum” in Brooklyn, NY!

What are your plans for this year? What purpose do you see unfolding?

I would love to hear whether you chose a word for the year, or join the Sketchbook Project!

Happy 2018!

Kel