Praying In Color

Last year, my mama insisted that I go to a new class at church called Praying in Color. She said that it was just for me and I would love it! I went to class with her that night never hearing of this "praying in color" idea. Little did I know that night would forever change the way I prayed. My prayer life took on a new meaning. Before I even made it home that night, I went to Target, got a brand new notebook to keep my prayers in and bought new crayons, markers and colored pencils. I felt like a kid starting my first day of school! I got home and continued my prayer time with all my new supplies. The next week, I was so pumped about class. I shared my experiences with the class. Several weeks later one of the ministers at church, Martha, asked if I would be willing to lead a class on Praying in Color because I enjoyed it so much. Without hesitation I agreed to teach the class. That was almost a year ago and I am still teaching my "Praying in Color" class. Each week I am able to set aside time, focus on God and empty my thoughts and prayers onto paper with beautiful colors and designs. Each week, I am able to deepen my faith and to serve with others.

One of the most meaningful experiences thus far was just a couple of weeks ago. We are in the process of building a sanctuary onto our church. Our class thought it would be a wonderful idea to have everyone in church come and "pray in color" on the floor of the sanctuary. What an amazing night it was to see people of ALL ages draw and write their prayers on the floor. It was such a touching experience. The prayers will stay on the floor of the sanctuary for years and years to come. How awesome!

My prayer on the floor of our new sanctuary. The prayers are on the floor are where the chancel rail will be. I loved that the prayers will be on the floor where we will kneel to pray in the sanctuary. 

I have always heard that prayer is important and that it is powerful! For me, I had a hard time focusing when I prayed. I found that many times I didn't have the words to say and would often get distracted while praying. Opening my heart and mind to a new way to pray has brought me such contentment, purpose, deepened my faith, and brought me fulfillment. Thanks be to God!!



Favorite Quotes from the book Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God by Sybil MacBeth

“To my surprise, I had not just doodled, I had prayed (I drew new shapes and names of each friend and focused on the person whose name stared at me from the paper). I had though OF each person as I drew but not ABOUT each person. I could just sit with them in a variation on stillness. I could hold them in prayer.”

“..when someone says "please pray for me," they are not just saying "let's have lunch sometime." They are issuing an invitation into the depths of their lives and their humanity- and often with some urgency. And worry is not a substitute for prayer. Worry is a starting place, but not a staying place. Worry invites me into prayer. As a staying place, worry can be self-indulgent, paralyzing, draining, and controlling. When I take worry into prayer, it doesn't disappear, but it becomes smaller.” 

― Sybil MacBeth, Praying in Color: Drawing a New Path to God

A Little Happy

  Over the weekend, I made a T J MAXX run with a dear friend! After going through every aisle several times, I found my new "happy" for my home! This is my new rug for my foyer. I LOVE IT! I thought it was so cheerful and just what I wanted to see when I open my front door. The colors are much more vibrant and bold in person but I love the combination of the colors and designs. 


   As I have looked at this rug for the past few days, I began to see how this rug is a symbol for me and my home. I began to think about the front door of a home and what that represents. The entry way for friends and family to enter, a welcome spot, a place to leave into the world, a safe haven, a place to greet one another, were a few things that came to mind. Then my thoughts shifted to this rug. I started thinking of all the different people in my life, the ones that enter my home. Some enter often, others come and go. Everyone leaving a part of them. Each of them having their own color, design, and part of them that makes them special and dear to me. Once I saw this, it made me realize how important each person is in my life and how their "color" and "design" brightens my day, and is so welcoming my life. I saw how all these people come together in my life and create a beautiful creation, like this rug. They bring joy, hope, happiness, color, and their own spark to me as they enter my days/home and hopefully as they leave me and go into the world, they are able to take what makes them unique and special and share it with the others they encounter along the way showing their beauty to all. 


   So now when I see my rug, not only will it make me happy but I will be reminded of how dear people are to me and I will cherish what they bring into my home and life. Today, I am grateful for ALL the people God has blessed me with and the beautiful "rug" He creates each day in my life. Thanks be to God!


(Hopefully this wasn't too deep and it made sense!) 

Choose JoY!

New Years!

It is the time of year where we all come up with new goals and items to add to our bucket lists. I find this time of year to be so refreshing and uplifting. To bring in 2012, John and I both wrote down our goals for the year. I am hoping that by writing them down and sharing them, I will do better at fulfilling my wishes! Life is short and I want to make the most of each day and year that I am lucky enough to have. 


Goals I have for this year: 


1. Graduate with my 3rd degree! This is suppose to happen in May!! I only have 3 classes left and I can check this off. Yay!!


2. Start a Book Club! Lately the book bug as bitten. I have read so many books lately. Over the past couple of years, I have really wanted to get a book club started. I decided to go ahead and make that happen. I am not sure what I was waiting for??!! Hopefully, I will get this going in the coming months!


3. Save More!! Don't we all! 


4. Blog! I started this blog and then never did anything with it. Between teaching full time, working on my EdS and other activities, I got a little distracted. Blogs are so fun to me and I would love to make my blog more lively and current! Ha! 


5. Learn how to use my sewing machine! I got my sewing machine for my 21st birthday. I know, I am a nerd!! However, 7 years later, I have only used it a handful of times and I have been with someone to help guide me each time. That is pitiful. I hope to take some classes this summer. I might even post some of my sewing projects, if they look half way descent. :) 


6. Be more positive! My mom and I have been saying that we are going to Choose Joy each day. I feel like the past several months have been trying and stressful. A lot of my joy and positive energy seemed to fade which really bothers me. Being positive has always been so natural for me and I need to get it back in my life! For those of you who don't know, I am married to "Mr. Rogers", John is one of the most positive people I have ever met. He always finds a way to look on the bright side and see the good in every situation. I would love to be more like him in that way! 


7. Pray More! This past year, I was introduced to Praying in Color. This new way to pray has been very meaningful for me and my Christian journey. In fact, I have led a class on Wednesday nights at church about Praying in Color. At another time, I will share with you what Praying in Color is and how it has been important for me and my walk. 


Ok, there is the list. I really hope to stick to this list. Every year, I create goals and resolutions and many times they go forgotten over the days and weeks that follow. Hopefully, in 2012, I will be able to stick to these goals and have a richer, fuller life to share with others and myself! 


New Years Blessings!
ECW

Don't Feed the Plant

I just had the privilege of going to see Little Shop of Horrors at the Wesley Foundation. This is not something new for me, as I have been to so many plays at Wesley over the years. (My dad is the campus minister there and has been for the past 27 years.) As I watched the play tonight, I was reminded of all the shows I have seen or been a part of over the years at Wesley. What wonderful memories I have from the shows and the lessons I learned from each show. It made me feel blessed to know that my dad has been the minister there for so long and that I was fortunate enough to grow up at Wesley. What an impact he has made with his career! I have seen from both, my mom and my dad, what it truly means to be a Christian and how much of an impact people can have with their career. Both are wonderful examples of servants and giving to others. My entire life I have watched them give to others with open hearts. They have shown me what truly matters in life. It is not the car you drive, the home you live in, the amount of money that is in your account. What truly matters in life is giving, spending time with others, showing people how special they are to you, making wonderful memories with those that you love. So as I reflect over the play that I watched tonight, I want to thank my mom and dad for the lessons they have taught me over the years and for the examples they have been for me. In a world with so much greed and hurt, both of you have been inspiration in the world and have shared the love of Christ with others and especially with me!

If you haven't seen Little Shop of Horrors, you must! It is a wonderful play with a powerful message! In this play, the plant represents greed in people's life, the decisions we must make as they go through life and how those decisions impact others. Little Shop of Horrors offers a simple but important lesson....whatever you do..."Don't feed the plant." Don't feed the greed which leads to our own destruction! "Don't feed the plant."

The Beginnings

     To blog or not to blog.....that question has been on my mind for awhile now. Since many of my friends/family are moving or have moved, I thought it would be a great way to stay connected. So here it goes! I am not sure how to blog, what to say or any of that. However, I have always enjoyed journaling and have missed doing that as I have gotten older.

    So, why the name Paisley Print and Polka Dots? As many of you know I love polka dots and paisley print! I also think these two designs, describe my life right now. The polka dots represent my life as a teacher; the students, the people I work with each day and the challenges and changes I have faced and will face in my teaching journey. I feel like the paisley print represents my home; my husband, my parents, my family, my love for decorating and all the other parts of my life that make me....me! Both designs represent who I am as a person: teacher, wife, daughter, niece, friend. This is where my blogging begins with my title. It has taken me a week to figure out this name, but I love it and think it totally fits me! Let Paisley Print and Polka Dots begin! :)