My last post: Art Fun was introductory to the topic of patience. (Patience needed with kids. Patience needed with the messes kids make, etc. Patience when life doesn’t turn out exactly as planned. Patience when the colors get blended and blurred beyond recognition. Patience when unexpected/uncontrollable event/s alter or ruin your work. Patience to create art fun.)

Realistically, what art (or life imitating art:) actually turns out “exactly” as planned??!

(That’s why i live life with a Purpose–not a Plan!) Are you living a “purposeful” life?!

“A plan might be compared to mapping out a detailed path, whereas a purpose may involve having in mind a goal but not necessarily one specific manner of reaching it.”

For context see: Got Lemons, Now What?

How would you define Patience? What terms or descriptions come to your mind when you think of a patient person? May be a name comes to your mind? Do you know a patient person who can serve as a role-model? What scenarios can you think of that call for patience? What relationships could/would improve IF you tried to exhibit more patience? Can being more patient contribute to better decision making? Sure it can!:)

Patience can help us go with the flow….of the day’s events…both seemingly positive and seemingly negative. (On the surface, certain things may appear negative. However, if you take the time to dig deeper and analyze things that you initially viewed as negative are actually positive or vice versa.)

Perhaps a patient person sees things in a more positive light. (It takes patience to find your way out of the dark…funny/interesting how truth does that..sheds light. Are you patiently finding your way out–finding out the truth?!) A hiccup is an “opportunity” for a drink of water… (or holding your breath -lol:) Water …

Hoping this artwork sample brings a smile to your day!:) Art therapy is a good, healthy stress-reliever and stress-manager. The kids had been asking to do some painting (with me) for a while. So, this mama decided to enjoy some “relaxing” (whatever that means:)–art time with my girls…(usually they do a lot of art stuff with Daddy!)

What fun!…What a mess!:)

A week later and i’m still finding “traces” of colorful, acrylic paint in odd places. You cannot get creative without a mess. I live with VERY creative people!:) It’s like i blinked and walked away for a split-second and…OH NO!-lol:)

The kids did GREAT cleaning up and mopping the tile for me, which i appreciated!! Let them paint inside and outside…grass looks great green and other colors, too.

Before kids, i was a neat freak…sorta, everything organized and in its place…sparkly clean!! I still “prefer” organization and cleanliness. Though, i’m “realistic” about the natural messes kids need to make in order to learn and grow. Learning and growing requires mess to a degree. Creativity requires a measure of mess and i’ve learned to adjust. Making adjustments is an essential part of life.

I’m still constantly cleaning and trying to keep organized and get the kids to do their fair share. (FYI: i don’t expect kids to do the share of an adult nor be able to organize or clean like an adult.) I just “try” to set an example of organization/cleanliness and hope they follow…fast!

At times, keeping things organized and very clean…is like trying to shovel in a blizzard! “Almost” impossible…i just work harder.

The snow constantly keeps coming at you. Working “smarter” means: You gotta wait till the snow stops then clear it away!:) I strive “not to let” my need for clean encroach on their need to create (within reason)! I don’t want to stifle their learning processes…taking things apart, making new things out of  junk or baking, cooking. My kids like creating with junk, etc. i don’t mind some junk/stuff…i “prefer” less stuff…minimalist at heart…sorta.

I’m always …