year end creativity

I started thinking about my year end collage/vision/reflection board today.  (That's last years pictured - it hangs in our room .... ) This is a tradition I've started in the last couple of years - the board is a compilation of words, phrases, images, ideas.  It helps me to think on what's been and what's ahead....

What are your creative year end activities?  Let's hear about it! 

I accidentally found out that vision boards are not my own invention!

check out this great link for more ideas:

http://www.chookooloonks.com/the-beauty-of-different/2010/12/1/own-your-beauty-creativity.html

collaborative journals

sometime in 2008, a little movement of 'collaborative journalling' started in Hepburn.. the idea was encouraged by two women speaking at a retreat together. At one point, there were journals being exchanged in church foyers and offices, over coffee and playdates. I have no idea how many of those original journals continued, but I do know that I've continued with the 'original' collaborator and with several others.

As I read through the various journals I am part of during my 'turn', i am inspired by community, faithfulness, and vulnerability. These little glimpses of friendship are creative and they radiate warmth and joy, in spite of being pretty raw sometimes.

I hope that this wasn't just a little trend that came and went for a few of us! Just incase the idea inspires you, here is a little encouragement to go ahead and DO it for yourself ..... (it could be a 2010 project!)

• It is not as time consuming as one might think!


• Any journal, notebook or scribbler lying around the house will do.


• this is an AWESOME idea for staying in touch with distant friends - it only costs a few dollars to mail the journal within Canada-


• its also a great way for those of us who see each other lots to get a glimpe into whats going on below the surface..


• it is a great way to pray for each other or share what you're learning, what is making the journey interesting, challenging, or beautiful


• over time, it is a valuable way to inspire each other with evidences of growth and learning


• an entry or two each month is all that is needed..(or more if you have time is fun too!)


• creativity (color, sketches, images/words from magazines, snapshots, stickers or scrapbook-y stuff) makes it so much fun ... especially when your styles are different and the beauty of diversity is right there on the pages in front of you!


• multi-generational is good, i love the journal I'm sharing with a recent high school grad, I'm about to read about her new experiences at the U of S after I finish this post...

Creative ways to share and learn together are awesome. Community is good in all its shapes and forms...

Happy journalling!

Engaging

Both in online and in person conversation lately, the subjects of the emerging church, tradition, social justice, and unity/disunity have come up quite often. Surprisingly so and in interesting combinations. Here are a few links to check out if you're interested in this discussion.

Lisa posted this link on Facebook today. The post talks about how we can veer too far in the direction of either engagement with or devotion to Jesus, at the exclusion of the other. Interesting thoughts.

Jamie's blog featured this post about the new 'Jesus manifesto' (Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola)a couple of weeks ago.. he also linked to an interesting response to Sweet and Viola's manifesto.

I'm interested in this dialogue. I'm learning as I read scripture, talk to friends, read others' thoughts, and just ponder it all.

One of my 'responses' came from some extended time spent journalling while on holidays last week. I really enjoyed leafing through some old magazines, collecting images that 'spoke'. The result was a prayer collage of pictures, quotes, and stories that remind me of some important things, like:
-the world is so much bigger than what I can know or see
-eternity is unfathomable
-one size doesn't fit all (nor does one expression of love)
-the church is always engaged in mild, moderate, or extensive reformation
-beauty always exists, hope does prevail (even though broken community and injustice are so painfully real... and excruciatingly necessary)

For tonight, I'm encouraged about the 'engaging' I've noticed..
I'm encouraged about the passion I've heard.
I'm encouraged about how much emphasis there is on love.
I'm encouraged by genuine devotion to Jesus.

"May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else..." From 1 Thessalonians 3

(wow.. this is two posts in one day... don't miss our holiday pictures below!)

Collaborative Journals and Advent

Lisa and I spoke at the Hepburn Ladies retreat. The planning committee told us that women were loving the yearly retreat, but often felt like busy-ness kept them from deeper connections on a regular basis (...everyone's life is so full) So, we asked ourselves what could be done to make the retreat to last longer than a weekend.. how connections made could continue, and women could keep 'journeying' together.

We came up with this idea of Collaborative Journals. In preparation, we did one together from the beginning of Sept. to the end of Oct. The way we did it was to pass it back and forth on Sundays... each having the journal one week on, one week off. Each week, each entry was different and unique. Some entries were prayers, some reflections, some poetic, some incorporated pictures and scrapbook-like pieces... sometimes we talked back and forth through the pages...

At the retreat, there was a sign-up for any women who wanted to do their own collaborative journals. All four we brought were spoken for, and even more women took the idea away and added their own creative twists. We've heard about lots of collaborative journaling taking place: spouses , mothers and daughters, small groups, even families.

This process reawakened my passion for journaling... I haven't stopped since early Sept. My previous pattern was to journal through anxious or difficult times, but not otherwise. I've started a journal with my sisters (I look forward to getting it no later than Dec. 8, Lisa!!) and was inspired to start another one with a good friend I really miss -- Cory, it will arrive in your mailbox shortly!


I was planning a post about advent conspiracy, but Jess did a really great job of that, so you can just read hers. Our church is engaging in AC this year, and I am looking forward to how that will be. The season quickly approaches, and I am so looking forward to it. I LOVE this time of year. I have so many great memories of family times around our advent wreath, the kids doing little puppet shows, praying for friends and family, preparing together for Jesus' birth. I hope to decorate the house soon. Although I've heard our favorite tree, Sir Uglyton, may have been pitched, so I might be very sad when the boxes come upstairs....

I found this funny little thing here ---- Some signs and symptoms of The Advent Virus:

* A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences. * An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment. * A loss of interest in judging other people. * A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others. * A loss of interest in conflict. *A loss of the ability to worry. (This is a very serious symptom.) * Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation. * Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature. * Frequent attacks of smiling. * An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them happen. *An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.