Moving Day

I have really amazing friends. Moving days have begun. It's been really humbling to witness how great is the Hand of God by the people of my life. I have been blessed in countless ways & I am so thankful for every act of kindness & love. To say this move has been emotional & stressful is a gross understatement! I've been a wreck complete with chocoholic binges & LOTS of coffee. I've been staying up to all hours trying to get that "one last box" filled & sealed. I've gone totally mental & am out of my element! I don't even know who I am right now! If not for the wonderful people in my life sending unforgettable emails, taking me out for coffee breaks & praying for me non-stop, I'm sure I would be a total mess right now. Although I'm still a little weirded out by my new neighborhood, I can already feel the winds of change blowing through my new windows.

In the past few weeks, my priorities have gotten completely insane. Last Friday I began a running commentary that sounded something like this, "I know, I need to go tan. Tanning can be good. It's the only time today I won't have to think about paying a bill--wait, I did pay that electric bill right? I must have, I have a blue dot on my hand accidentally made when marking a box, because I was juggling a Sharpie, the cell phone, the electric bill, my debit card & packing tape----NOOOOOO, no thinking about packing. Tanning. That's the goal. Go for the gold. Drive to the place, walk in the door & forget this madness for 20 wonderful minutes of white noise." HA! Did I win the mental battle? pfffffttt....yeah RIGHT! That beast named Moving knocked on the door of my tanning room with a bucket full of pride & said "you can't escape me. I'll get you my pretty & your little plants, too. Now, go home & grab some cardboard, wench!"

So I did what I had to do. I drove home, promptly popped in a DVD of the Gilmore Girls, made a huge bowl of popcorn & praised my true friend, Procrastination, for his companionship. It was around 11:30 I spied just 3 little things needing to be wrapped in bubbles & taped up. 3 hours later the entire living room had birthed boxes of belongings. Uhhhh....night owl...? Not so much.... Java-filled, turkey sandwich chowing obsessive-compulsive? Apparently...

Call me what you will, think of me how you will...what it comes down to, I'm excited for a new start. I have no idea what it's going to be & for the first time ever I am SO pumped about the mystery of it all!! To add to it all, an even larger mystery has developed as my latest brain wave: I don't know about you....but I'm ready for football season to get in full swing. Ahhh yes, I can feel it....West Texas has finally soaked into my blood. I'm excited about football?! I am officially West Texan, now.

Tell me, oh fine frenzy of dust-deviled angels, what are your hopes for the winds of change this Fall? If anything could happen to/for you in the next few months (before the bitterness of Winter), what would it be?

Post me, email me, sing to me, poetry-write for me. I love it all. Just let me know you stopped by!

Beautiful Mess

I'm moving. I know I've mentioned it (a few hundred times)...but this is so bitter-sweet for me. I 've loved my life in this place. I have so many memories here. I lived here for 8 years & grew up in this apartment. I found God here & I gave my heart to Him in this living room. My dear friends met here & married. My love for photography was rekindled here. I nursed tears of love, joy, happiness, sadness & heartache downstairs while nursing sick tummies, shared secrets & sprained ankles upstairs. I fixed wedding hair, halloween make-up & date outfits in the enormous bathroom. I've created glorious art & hosted miraculous parties filled with laughter & food in this place. I've stress-baked thousands of cookies, muffins, cakes, loaves & cupcakes. I discovered my secret recipe for & made about 100 lbs of Christmas candy here. Good memories each & every one. Even the tears have a place here. I found myself in this two-story, light-filled joy factory!

This morning at Stonegate (www.stonegatefellowship.com) Patrick talked of a beautiful mess. He went on to a sermon that was awesome, but totally off the subject of today's blog. The "beautiful mess" jumped into my journal. I love the idea. My packing has become a beautiful mess of color, disorganization & cry for help. This move has been tough on my emotions, but my dreams of the new home are so full & rich, I can't help but wonder, "what God is going to do with me there?" I am absolutely beside myself in anticipation of putting the new studio/dining room together! I can't wait to see it organized & open, yet allowing me to create & dream out loud every day! No more hiding supplies in a totally cramped (& uuuugly) closet!! Oh heavenly joy & satisfaction! I can already hear my beautiful mess calling to me begging to stay out & enjoy the sunlight streaming through the huge window at my back!

One great thing about packing up your life & transferring it to a new location is finding stuff you had forgotten you loved so dearly! Today I found: old love letters (& some beautifully written poems) from a high school sweetheart, a SARK book I've been searching high & low for, my tee shirts & sweatshirts from Texas Tech & a set of candy molds handed down from my Mama-San! Celebration ensued over each uncovered treasure! I turned up a mix of techno, 90s "happy music," Kutless & Need to Breathe to get through the day. At one point, I allowed a 20 minute power-nap, which spurred the randomness of baking of cookies (while packing) & biscuits (more packing). Why do I feel the need for my home to smell like my Granny's house all the time??? I'm going to need to buy stock in flour, if I keep this craziness up. Thank goodness I have an office full of eager samplers to pass my stress-baked goods to! I'm also thankful for the support of the Spanish Kissing-Fish Queen & her band of fake eyelash-wearing, glossy lipped divas. Otherwise I might have decided not to make choco-chips for Molly's Day of Glories!

How do you deal with stress? (I've been munching every kind of bad food I can dig up--I feel like a total mental case right about now). What wacko-crazy habits have you created to be able to deal....with....whatever?

Come share my beautiful mess with me, my gorgeous friends! Moving week begins Wed! You're all invited!

An Irreplaceable Role

This week I discovered a secret... I am not in control. I know, I know. Not an amazing discovery. Those of us who have felt God's presence in our lives know we're not in control. Last night I heard the loud voice of Reason tell me just how in control I'm not....and I rejoiced. I REJOICED! No, I'm not insane. My friends tried to tell me of a man they want me to meet & I cut them off before they could finish (because of a few minor details I didn't want to hear). I told them what I want & what I expect. For some reason, as the night wore on, that seemed very rude of me. I came home & began to write in one of my 12 journals. (Yes you read correctly. I have TWELVE.) As I furiously scribbled down the details of my amazing day, I heard God. "Kate, when are you going to stop telling Me how to write the story of your life? Perhaps I have something completely amazing & spellbinding waiting for you...but you're so caught up in your 'perfectly planned details' you just might miss out." That stopped me dead in thought. I mean I stopped writing, I sat in my chair & stared intently at the blank wall. How could He say those things to me? Didn't He put those "perfectly detailed" desires in my heart? Well...yes...but His plans are on a bigger scale than what I can see on the tip of my nose.

All of this lead me to think of my sister who lives in Oklahoma. She's had an incredible year complete with moving out of her house of 10 years, her best friend of 20 years getting married, a move to Florida, working on a boardwalk, riding a bike every single day to & from work, moving back to Oklahoma, emergency surgery, living with our aunt, beginning a new career, moving to a new city & finding a new apartment. How did she get through each day without losing her mind? Total faith in God. She inspires me! I look at her strength, diligence & perseverence and I think, "...now THAT is how I want to live--OUT LOUD & fearless!" My sister has never been married. She's never had children. She's 12 years older than me. But oh how she's LIVED !!! She has travled the world. She's met interesting & fabulously creative people. She's learned & cultivated new interests & hobbies. My sister steps out of her comfort zone on a regular basis to try new things, even when she's not sure how it's going to turn out. She makes sure she schedules fun & travel as often as she can. She enjoys her people & loves fiercely. She's loyal, passionate & knows who she is. She's raised herself from the age of 16 & never lets hard times sink her ship. God created her perfectly for His plan.

After my praise for an awesome example of a strong woman of God, I made a big decision. No more original Kate details or plans! Trust is the order of life. I am going to try my very best & with my whole heart to trust my Father God with everything, every day. He found me a dream apartment. He's leading me to art I never imagined I could make or sell. He's rekindled my love for singing & photography. He is bringing me back to friends I've missed so much. He allowed me to speak a class about our irreplaceable roles in this world. All this since Monday. Can you, my dear ones, imagine what He's going to do by Sunday?! I am on pins & needles to find out.

So tell me, my Tribe...what are your irreplaceable roles in people's lives? What is one role you play no one else in all of eternity can do or be? Please share with me... I am honored to share your secrets of how you bring life to the world!

Ya Don't Know What You Got...

My laptop adaptor died. Can you believe that?! Right in the middle of packing, re-organizing my life & attempting to hold tight to a thread of sanity, my laptop takes a nose-dive. BAH (grumble). I've been trying to post every day, but this little hiccup put me behind schedule. SO! I'll post tonight, then possibly again later tonight. HA!

I have some new photos I want to share. We've had a couple of rainy days & I've loved every possible minute of it! I love the drips & drops outside my windows. My little garden was a crystalline wonderland with tiny beads of reflection holding on to green leaves for their dear little lives. It was GLOR-i-OUS. I adored the pools of water forming in my "flowerbed." I even played in the rain a little when packing became tedious. I walked in it, opened my windows to welcome the clean scent & praised God for nourishing our parched soil. Everything felt so clean after a few good days of rain. Flowers now look brighter, the sky appears a deeper shade of blue & my heart feels renewed.

One would think the August sun would heat our town up quickly. Nope! In fact, the balmy, cool weather has lead to something of a conundrum for West Texans. The wonderful weather is rejuvenating a generation of overgrown kids who are dreaming of playing outside or dozing in hammocks, instead of being chained to phones or offices. For example, today I was blessed by a beautiful, tasty luncheon in an out-of-the-way cafe.This glorious hidey hole is located inside a lush greenhouse. It was fabulous! We were surrounded by ponds, trees/greenery of every sort, waterfalls & twinkling wind chimes. I wanted to stay all day to enjoy the weather, the smell of green & listen to the variety of ways water splashed about. But alas...my desk called to me... My friends & I took the long way back to the office with the sunroof open & windows rolled down. We laughed & talked continuously of the glorious gift of this unexpected weather. It truly feels like Fall with another school year in bloom...and with it transitions...

As I look at these photos again I wonder, "why is the idea of leaving my little garden becoming so difficult?" Change is good. I'm rather excited to move into a new place & make it my own. I'm attempting to embrace the fresh & the whole "cleaning out" thing. I have about 10 days to pack up my entire life to move to a smaller place. OUCH. Will the light still be golden like it is here? Will I find new little cubbies to explore on the oposite side of town? Will I still hide in my favorite cafe on Saturday afternoons now that it isn't 5 minutes from my door? I have so many questions...and I'm
even a little scared. I guess that's a good sign. It means the change is going to be BIG. Perhaps I'll discover a new secret about myself...where I really can make genius of small space! "BRING IT ON," I say! Let the change consume me. I'm ready for the spice of life to seep into my world.

So I Like to Talk...!

I have recently become very interested in understanding communication & it's cause/effect relationships. Why? Perhaps it stems from growing up in the Mexican-American culture where most feelings are worn on sleeves & everything is about passion. This includes passionate expression when you don't communicate according to a given person's personal rules. Ahhhh...latin love... It's fierce stuff! If you're not careful, feelings are flying around like those weird key-flies from Harry Potter's first movie! I digress (often). I am becoming a student of good communication. One route I've explored is through a book called "Personality Plus" by Florence Littauer. It groups people, more or less, by personality then breaks down the groups to sub-groups to be able to get a grip on an individual's personality. It's awesome, when you remember to apply what you've learned!

Another set of methods I've practiced (& love) is letter-writing, card-sending & emailing. The benefit of these is saying what you want without having immediate response (most of the time). You get some time to say what's on your mind & organize it a little bit (then write & re-write it a 1000 times so it's perfect). The problem with this method is words, unless very carefully selected, could possibly send the wrong message! OUCH! People's feelings sometimes get hurt or information is recieved not as intended. On the other hand, sometimes you just need to say 3 little words to deliver your entire message.

A third communication loop-hole I've used is via I.M (instant messenger for you old folks). When you're far away from people, this is awesome because you're "talking" real time & more gets said in a shorter amount of time, rather than hashing out email of email & waaaaaiting. The bonus of I.M. multi-tasking! Woo Hoo! I can order new sheets online, balance my checking account AND work on a new logo all while chit-chatting it up with a friend. AWESOME NO?! Not really... sometimes you get distracted when you realize you forgot to write down a $65 debit card transaction at HEB & you're overdrawn! WHAAA?! I.M: "sorry...emergency...gotta run!" (....to the bank to cover that debit by your savings account).

Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer good ol' talkin' (unless there's tension involved--then I'd rather hide under a blanket). I love hearing the sound of my friends' voices when they tell me good news. I love for them to hear my reaction, especially when sharing their joy! I love doing housework, gabbing with my best friends & hearing about their lives in return. It's so.....personal. I rather enjoy my people. I love they want to share their glories with me. I love they want to share their hearts & hopes with me! I love crying for joy the first time I hear a new baby crying in the background or speaking God's gentle words of comfort in tough times.

Mostly I think I love communicating with my Papa God. I love telling Him all about my day. I love sharing what's on my heart & rejoicing in Him with my wonderful praises. I know He already knows...but there's just something so fulfilling about being able to share my whole world with Him. I love being able to pour my mind out knowing He's right there, completely fixed on my every word. Then grace begins to flow... and I have my confirmation He's heard every word & has caught every tear in His mighty hand.

My Father God is my most trusted Advisor, Counselor & Friend. I love communicating with him through song, glorifying Him with my art & honoring Him with my most successful photos! He is my inspiration & my heart... He honors me by living in my heart & tenderly showing me new ways to transform my life. My joy & my peace are derived from His very Will for me. If that means telling him everything....you can bet I'll be first in line to blab, as often as I can.

Tell me friends,

how do you

communicate best?

I'll want to make note, so we can communicate in each other's language to strengthen our bonds & share effectively. Let's grab coffee & do what people do...let's communicado.

Captivating

"Captivated" I am. I am totally captivated with what this book is doing in my life & how God is speaking to me through this study. I have read this book 3 times & this has been the best by far. I am doing a summer study with my CBS (Community Bible Study) group & have loved each lesson more than the one before. We, as a group, have bonded in such amazing ways. I love our time together to share & grow to understand one another. I have learned so much about who I am & who God is forming me to be. I'm also discovering the places I need work & healing. Girls, if you've never read this book or done the written study (Mardel), I say, "do it." You won't regret a single moment. God has shocked me more than once & I'm so ready to hear more before the study is finished.

No worries guys, I'd never dream of leaving you out! Stacy's husband, John Eldredge wrote "Wild at Heart, Discovering the Secrets to a Man's Soul." I've read it as well. IT IS AWESOME!!! I now understand men in a way I've never been enlightened before. I've taken a small poll of my male friends & they all agree, John Eldredge finally "got it right." Men love this book as much as women love Captivating. Come to think of it, I'ved love it so much I consider it my handbook to men's thinking. I try to read it once a year as a refresher course to male reasoning. I've heard there's even a "Field Guide" to accompany the book, for men's study.

All in all this time of bonding & study has been so much more than I anticipated. Of course God had it planned from the beginning. I love watching Him unfold the mysteries of our lives. He sure sticks His thumb in the eye from time to time, but it's always for our own good. Yes, even when the pain may feel unbearable. The healing & peace on the other side is completely worth the strain of working our spiritual muscles to their limit. God be praised & glorified for 2nd, 3rd & 65th chances! Ii pray He blesses each of you this week & joy overtakes all bounds! Love to each of you, wherever you are & "...to all a good night."

Busy, Busy, Busy

I will later regret this, but the storm has me wide awake. I can't believe this is finally up & running. I have been dreaming of TWC for months & it's finally up N running. Life is all about change, isn't it? It's glorious! My sweet friend Molly has been ecouraging me to get posting...so I prayed, packed, prayed some more, procrastinated & here we are! I am so excited to see what God has in store for this blog & my time creating, sharing & hearing from you.

This year has been an amazing array of blessings with plenty of new friends, lots of coffee/tea time & learning a new kind of hobby. Lots of change has occurred, but it's all been good. How could it not, when God is driving? He has revealed so many things about my life, my future & the world around me. It's fabulous! I can't wait to share all the wonders, as I discover them. I have plenty of stories to fill in the space when I'm not actively creating new stuff! Right now...it's move, move, move. However...to appease my friends... I was blessed with a suprising inspiration.

In the midst of packing, opening strange drawers, finding treasures & sealing boxes, I was blessed with the gift of a wonderfully AWESOME suggestion, "...why don't you make a memory box?" So I did! Sundays aren't for work! They're for celebrating God's love & His personal, fulfilling grace. Let me share with you how I plan to keep my sweetest memories preserved.

This came as a surprise to me, because, dear friends, I've been feeling...less than inspired, recently. In fact, I've been a little frustrated. Imagine my suprise when God called me to create something totally unexpected to help me get organized as I'm moving! What a treat for Miss Kate!

I AM SO HAPPY TO BE BACK...and CELEBRATING life with you!!!

Welcome Friends, to The Wild Curl.