so...the last post was about my leading to not shop for a semester or maybe a year. i thought about starting another (yes, that is right, another) blog about this process since this blog is primarily for our family (and dear friend) who may or may not be connected to facebook to catch up on us, our family photos, family anticdotes (sp?) and the ever evolving 'fit back into my pants' (hee ehee hee)
so...i started another blog. if you want to follow it...i'm going to journal about my process about not shopping, what i'm struggling with, my triumphs, my frustrations...anything and everything about this whole experiment. something that has been part of this whole journey for me is hiding. i've hidden my struggles from friends and family and this blog is really bringing another layer of accountability...it's hard hard hard to admit this...and hard to give out the blog because it's another layer of lifing the hiding...i'm asking for comments, respones...and mostly prayer.
http://www.conversantlife.com/alyssalow
also...if you have friends or yourself...that you are struggling with shopping or hiding....please feel free to direct them to my blog.
we'll continue to use this blog for family updates and stuff...but direct yourself to the above blog for my journalling/blogging about this experiment.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
am i crazy?
okay...i think i'm crazy...but i might actually be able to pull it off...here is my though process...
so, ryan is no longer working at our church in an effort to slow down and have time (& not work two jobs) to search for what is next for us. i'm sooo thankful that the Lord has really freed up his schedule (and mine!) to pray, rest, read and consider what is next.
with his job income now not coming in, our budget is as tight as ever. i have been soooo inspired by all of these blogs that i've been finding that show how to tutorials on repurposing outfits, shirts, sweaters, etc...into new clothing. if you don't know this already, i LOVE to shop. i've also been really challenged lately with this questions, "do i really need more? am i filling shopping with a need that needs to be filled with the Lord of Love?" i would even go so far to say that i have an addiction (which is hard for me to admit and be that open...but there is grace when we open our hearts to truth and stop hiding). so...what would it look like for me to stop shopping?
WHAT?!
yes, you read me right...this idea came to me a day or two ago. i'm seeing how pervasive my desire to shop has become as i see my children looking for things and saying when they see a commercial, "oh mom, i WISH i could have THAT." oh brother!!! i'm challenged with the fact that christmas is going to come up and even though we won't be able to purchase a lot of presents, what is it really about????!!! it's not about emily or william having equal amount of presents under the tree. it's about learning how to give to one another as God gave his Son to us as the ultimate gift. how can we give Jesus a christmas/birthday present and begin to instill in em and will a totally counter cultural mindset? this idea has also been confirmed to me by Ryan who was reading this book (unleashing courageous faith or tangible kingdom, can't recall!) and it challenged him on his idea of christmas and consumerism.
i think because i do struggle with wanting to shop and desiring things...what would it look like, when i feel that urge, to pause and discipline myself towards the Lord and dialoging with him about my interior struggle? what would it look like to use my awesome graduation present and scratch my never ending creative itch and take on some of these tutorials on sewing? i have stacks of clothes i never wear anymore and that is all free fabric!! i could tear it apart and have at it!! what would it look like to em and will for us to slow down, consider purchases (because we have no other choice at this stage in our life) together as a family, and also consider christmas and how we can contribute to world vision and buy a cow or school supplies for another in the name of Jesus's birth?
so...along with chronicling our adventurous life...i'll also chronicle my adventures of attempting to not clothing or shoe or purse shop. i have to buy groceries, i have to buy household items... but ... we don't need furniture (in fact, we are selling a TON if you are in need of furniture, i'm clearning out our storage unit. if we are not using now, we don't need it! lemme know if you are looking for anything specific, i'll see if i have it!), i certainly do not need clothing...sigh...i think with the Lord's help, i can do it! let's take it a semsester at a time and see how we do.
do clothing repurposing swap nights count as shopping??! hopefully not!
phew...sigh...let's go!
so, ryan is no longer working at our church in an effort to slow down and have time (& not work two jobs) to search for what is next for us. i'm sooo thankful that the Lord has really freed up his schedule (and mine!) to pray, rest, read and consider what is next.
with his job income now not coming in, our budget is as tight as ever. i have been soooo inspired by all of these blogs that i've been finding that show how to tutorials on repurposing outfits, shirts, sweaters, etc...into new clothing. if you don't know this already, i LOVE to shop. i've also been really challenged lately with this questions, "do i really need more? am i filling shopping with a need that needs to be filled with the Lord of Love?" i would even go so far to say that i have an addiction (which is hard for me to admit and be that open...but there is grace when we open our hearts to truth and stop hiding). so...what would it look like for me to stop shopping?
WHAT?!
yes, you read me right...this idea came to me a day or two ago. i'm seeing how pervasive my desire to shop has become as i see my children looking for things and saying when they see a commercial, "oh mom, i WISH i could have THAT." oh brother!!! i'm challenged with the fact that christmas is going to come up and even though we won't be able to purchase a lot of presents, what is it really about????!!! it's not about emily or william having equal amount of presents under the tree. it's about learning how to give to one another as God gave his Son to us as the ultimate gift. how can we give Jesus a christmas/birthday present and begin to instill in em and will a totally counter cultural mindset? this idea has also been confirmed to me by Ryan who was reading this book (unleashing courageous faith or tangible kingdom, can't recall!) and it challenged him on his idea of christmas and consumerism.
i think because i do struggle with wanting to shop and desiring things...what would it look like, when i feel that urge, to pause and discipline myself towards the Lord and dialoging with him about my interior struggle? what would it look like to use my awesome graduation present and scratch my never ending creative itch and take on some of these tutorials on sewing? i have stacks of clothes i never wear anymore and that is all free fabric!! i could tear it apart and have at it!! what would it look like to em and will for us to slow down, consider purchases (because we have no other choice at this stage in our life) together as a family, and also consider christmas and how we can contribute to world vision and buy a cow or school supplies for another in the name of Jesus's birth?
so...along with chronicling our adventurous life...i'll also chronicle my adventures of attempting to not clothing or shoe or purse shop. i have to buy groceries, i have to buy household items... but ... we don't need furniture (in fact, we are selling a TON if you are in need of furniture, i'm clearning out our storage unit. if we are not using now, we don't need it! lemme know if you are looking for anything specific, i'll see if i have it!), i certainly do not need clothing...sigh...i think with the Lord's help, i can do it! let's take it a semsester at a time and see how we do.
do clothing repurposing swap nights count as shopping??! hopefully not!
phew...sigh...let's go!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Brave...
So...I need to brave... (this is a novel...be for warned!)
I'm starting a business. Upon graduation, I began to think about how I can use my degree while also being a mom. My particular niche allows me to work around the kids school schedule, which is unreal to me-that we can still have me home as well as work a bit. But...actually admitting that I am going to do this little dream that is in my mind, that I could actually get paid for it, causes me to just look back on prayers of mine and say, "wow, Lord-really!??"
However, I actually need to start telling people about it, which is where the brave part comes in. What if I launch this and no one calls...no one refers...well...that is the risk, right?
www.water4thesoul.blogspot.com...
water4thesoul@gmail.com
this will continue to be the family blog, the above will be the job blog...i figure i'll start with a blog and if it by any chance ever gets larger that a blog, i can create a website.
i'm very much open to comments and suggestions. please direct them to my gmail account above.
phew...i did it. i shared my other blog! seriously, this is a bit scary for me! but...yesterday while the kids were at VBS i had some amazing mtgs that really confirmed this is what I am to do. I have to share a bit of it b/c it seriously was only the Lord who could have coordinated this!
I went into supervision (this is what I attend once a month while I am meeting with clients to look at sessions and if there was any advice i needed, anything that came up that i was unable to handle, questions...just a place to be accountable to...i LOVE supervision!) and shared a bit of what my dream is to do (pastoral counseling and spiritual direction-SD/PC) and she challeneged me to do it, to put myself out there and to see what happens. While we prayed about it, we both thought about me speaking to my former professor and good friend to see what she thought since she was the one who taught all my SD and PC classes. So I walked out of the office and I saw her car!! I sort of freaked out, so I drove off!! I prayed in the car, "okay Lord, if you want me to speak to her, she'll be there when I get back." (ever pray one of those prayers?!)
so, I actually drove to a building near by that I was looking at-sort of dreaming, "what if i got enough clients to have an actual space with and office? what if a group of us started a practice and we shared the space?" I walked in and got some info which was amazing and sooo helpful! there is actually a space that is near the 22/405/605 fwys and if a group of us went in on it, we could all have an office space with two offices, a waiting room and a bathroom. i have NO idea pricing (it was about 1,000 a month-is this good?) and am not signing a lease anytime soon, just went to investigate.
so...i got back in my car, drove back to campus and my professor was still there! okay God, i'll go talk to her!
We spoke and she totally backed the ideas and said a class or two that i would benefit from for further depth and continued education. it was such a huge green light for me...it helped me to be brave to post this!! she even offered a reference should i create a flyer and a pastor in the area to speak to about helping them launch this very idea in their church!! yahoo!!
so...check it out!! www.water4thesoul.blogspot.com. let me know what you think. i plan to post some more thoughts and ideas soon...but at least the basics are up and running...
here we go, Lord. let's see what will happen!! (thanks, friends for letting me process! gimme feedback!)
aly
I'm starting a business. Upon graduation, I began to think about how I can use my degree while also being a mom. My particular niche allows me to work around the kids school schedule, which is unreal to me-that we can still have me home as well as work a bit. But...actually admitting that I am going to do this little dream that is in my mind, that I could actually get paid for it, causes me to just look back on prayers of mine and say, "wow, Lord-really!??"
However, I actually need to start telling people about it, which is where the brave part comes in. What if I launch this and no one calls...no one refers...well...that is the risk, right?
www.water4thesoul.blogspot.com...
water4thesoul@gmail.com
this will continue to be the family blog, the above will be the job blog...i figure i'll start with a blog and if it by any chance ever gets larger that a blog, i can create a website.
i'm very much open to comments and suggestions. please direct them to my gmail account above.
phew...i did it. i shared my other blog! seriously, this is a bit scary for me! but...yesterday while the kids were at VBS i had some amazing mtgs that really confirmed this is what I am to do. I have to share a bit of it b/c it seriously was only the Lord who could have coordinated this!
I went into supervision (this is what I attend once a month while I am meeting with clients to look at sessions and if there was any advice i needed, anything that came up that i was unable to handle, questions...just a place to be accountable to...i LOVE supervision!) and shared a bit of what my dream is to do (pastoral counseling and spiritual direction-SD/PC) and she challeneged me to do it, to put myself out there and to see what happens. While we prayed about it, we both thought about me speaking to my former professor and good friend to see what she thought since she was the one who taught all my SD and PC classes. So I walked out of the office and I saw her car!! I sort of freaked out, so I drove off!! I prayed in the car, "okay Lord, if you want me to speak to her, she'll be there when I get back." (ever pray one of those prayers?!)
so, I actually drove to a building near by that I was looking at-sort of dreaming, "what if i got enough clients to have an actual space with and office? what if a group of us started a practice and we shared the space?" I walked in and got some info which was amazing and sooo helpful! there is actually a space that is near the 22/405/605 fwys and if a group of us went in on it, we could all have an office space with two offices, a waiting room and a bathroom. i have NO idea pricing (it was about 1,000 a month-is this good?) and am not signing a lease anytime soon, just went to investigate.
so...i got back in my car, drove back to campus and my professor was still there! okay God, i'll go talk to her!
We spoke and she totally backed the ideas and said a class or two that i would benefit from for further depth and continued education. it was such a huge green light for me...it helped me to be brave to post this!! she even offered a reference should i create a flyer and a pastor in the area to speak to about helping them launch this very idea in their church!! yahoo!!
so...check it out!! www.water4thesoul.blogspot.com. let me know what you think. i plan to post some more thoughts and ideas soon...but at least the basics are up and running...
here we go, Lord. let's see what will happen!! (thanks, friends for letting me process! gimme feedback!)
aly
Thursday, August 6, 2009
facade...
As I have be grazing over all these blogs on sewing, homemaking, decorating....i have this huge rush in my stomach as if it is saying, "okay...get to it, get making, cooking, decorating...catch up...show 'em that you are creative...post it..." etc...etc...and it occurred to me...is this sort of a facade? do we show the true us on these blogs? would you read it if i did?
in an effort to not glamorize our life...i want to be honest and not just have this blog out there (to whomever in the world is reading it) showing the world how glossy and pretty we are. Even though it may look like all is fine the world of the Lows, there are times and days that are trying and difficult and test my faith. i don't want to come across as someone who has their life together through this blog...because i/we don't. i must and need desperately to lean into the Love that pursues me each and every day-that is the love of the Lord. that pursuit is transforming me into His image...but that transformation comes at a cost, doesn't it?
does anyone else feel like that? i think that rush to my stomach of all the things that i should be accomplishing is something that can also turn me towards Love...towards opening in that moment to the Lord and saying to him, "really...do you really want me to live that way? how then would you have me respond dear Lord? "
so...now i look to sewing as a spiritual discipline...follow me here...
i love to shop. too much. it is something that i struggle with and am really trying to seek out the roots of what it is that i need to fill by shopping...so in an effort to not shop but to still provide for our family...i now am learning to sew. so i look at this blog (http://mymamamadeit.blogspot.com/) and it shows how to repurpose your children's old shirts into new shirts/dresses etc...i LOVE that. i have some scraps of fabric...i take the shirt and as i (tonight) go to the sewing machine...i can talk with the Lord about it, however cheesy this may sound, it helps me to see that he has provided for us. he has given me this shirt that can be repurposed into another outfit, maybe two...that he has created me to be creative and that creative energy that tells me, "get going...decorate, sew, clean!" is now channeled into a time of devotion and worship while i'm sewing with free items that the Lord has given to us.
does this make sense to you at all?
this is all in a daily effort to look towards the Lord and not towards the things on earth that call to me, "you need this to make your life prettier, better..." lord, my desire is to follow you. please walk with me as i struggle and as i succeed...may i always be open to you.
thanks for processing with me... : )
in an effort to not glamorize our life...i want to be honest and not just have this blog out there (to whomever in the world is reading it) showing the world how glossy and pretty we are. Even though it may look like all is fine the world of the Lows, there are times and days that are trying and difficult and test my faith. i don't want to come across as someone who has their life together through this blog...because i/we don't. i must and need desperately to lean into the Love that pursues me each and every day-that is the love of the Lord. that pursuit is transforming me into His image...but that transformation comes at a cost, doesn't it?
does anyone else feel like that? i think that rush to my stomach of all the things that i should be accomplishing is something that can also turn me towards Love...towards opening in that moment to the Lord and saying to him, "really...do you really want me to live that way? how then would you have me respond dear Lord? "
so...now i look to sewing as a spiritual discipline...follow me here...
i love to shop. too much. it is something that i struggle with and am really trying to seek out the roots of what it is that i need to fill by shopping...so in an effort to not shop but to still provide for our family...i now am learning to sew. so i look at this blog (http://mymamamadeit.blogspot.com/) and it shows how to repurpose your children's old shirts into new shirts/dresses etc...i LOVE that. i have some scraps of fabric...i take the shirt and as i (tonight) go to the sewing machine...i can talk with the Lord about it, however cheesy this may sound, it helps me to see that he has provided for us. he has given me this shirt that can be repurposed into another outfit, maybe two...that he has created me to be creative and that creative energy that tells me, "get going...decorate, sew, clean!" is now channeled into a time of devotion and worship while i'm sewing with free items that the Lord has given to us.
does this make sense to you at all?
this is all in a daily effort to look towards the Lord and not towards the things on earth that call to me, "you need this to make your life prettier, better..." lord, my desire is to follow you. please walk with me as i struggle and as i succeed...may i always be open to you.
thanks for processing with me... : )
NEW place to eat...
If you know me well...you know i LOVE breakfast food...and especially at quant little privately owned places (although if you want to take me to breakfast, i'll go wherever!)
here is my new favorite place...Rialto Cafe. http://rialtocafefullerton.com/
do not walk...RUN to go there. 8:30am i think they open...
the coffee comes in these great anthropologie-esque ceramic mugs. i swear it makes the coffee taste better!
i ate there two times this week...both dishes were awesome. it's pricey-but the portions (especially the pancakes) are totally splitable as well as the kids portions and as far as i can tell, there is no split charge-just a charge on substitutions.
they only let you split the check two ways
the decor is darling and inspirational...
i got the wheat pancakes with their homemade granola in it (brown sugar bits of oats and cranberries...delish!) drizzled with maple syrup...$9. you get two pancakes...that basically cover the WHOLE plate. i got a to-go box right away and put 1/2 in it just so i could put the syrup on them without it dripping all over the table.
the next day i got the rialto rancheros. Ammmmmaaazzzzing. the bruschetta topping on the eggs is toDIE for.
the water is complimentary (upon request) and tastes like you are in a day spa! it has a cucumber/melon aftertaste to it. sooo refreshing on these warm days.
RYAN...TAKE me here for my birthday!!! (hint hint wink wink!)
inspiration
so...recently, i've been sewing and searching out new ideas for sewing...i think i've created a monster!! soooo...this blog world that is out there is pretty overwhelming me with the ideas of some majorly creative people and then at the same time it's like, "ohhh...there are others out there like me who look at things and try to figure out how to repurpose and reuse things!"
so...http://mymamamadeit.blogspot.com/ is like my new blog of the day on repurposing your kids outfits....check out:
http://mymamamadeit.blogspot.com/search/label/children%27s%20clothing%20refahioning%20children%27s%20tutorial
so...guess what i'll be doing tonight!! SYTYCD finale (GO JEANINE!!) and sewing new clothes for em for school out of old shirts!!!! am i a nerd? didn't we all used to go out and party late into the night and now that we are married with kids and old, did i ever think i'd be home doing this? i'm sooo glad i am though. THANK YOU AGAIN ed and linda for my sewing machine...THANK YOU!
oh...and a shot out to http://www.leeloublogs.blogspot.com/ for the new free template for my blog. it's a bit busy but i LOVE the colors, so summery!! i'll have to adjust the photos and stuff, but i needed to redo this blog, it needed a face lift...
what are your inspirations for today?
p.s. the photos are of the clothes i just made for emily...my very first shirt and skirt for her!! i just made another skirt (with MAJOR assistance from my dear aunt LeAnne and my mom in law the lovely Linda. ) i'll photog that one and show it to you. i got the pattern from somewhere online...i can't recall, sorry! if you want it, i'll find it and send you the link
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