Balancing Life, God, Family and Art

Are you walking

on

the Tight Rope

called

Life?

Balance, how do you find it?

I hope you'll share...

I've been walking

this tight rope for

a few months

now...

I have been praying for God

to show me his will

for my journey.

Here's the Story... I have been a stay at home mother forever. Even after my youngest was off to kindergarten, I stayed home. After Rachel had been in school a couple years, I started getting a little stir crazy. I had been doing murals and faux finishes by word of mouth only and I would get 2 or 3 jobs a year. Still I felt lonely, out of touch with adults and found I had too much time on my hands to worry about life and everything about it.

 Over the last 5 years I have taken on 3 different part time jobs. First 2 did not count, because they didn't last very long. I would get overwhelmed and be back at home. I have always had a sporadic income from my murals and artwork. Than I took on the job of  working as a  part time  school cook in our town of 600 people. It lasted almost 2 years until last Friday which was my last day. Once again I found my self overwhelmed with trying to balance my life.

How do other women do it all? 

And why can't I?

You could say that, once again had to much on my palette. Wife, mother, bus driver, maid, cook, inventory control and artist.  Well actually I didn't think I had taken on too much until, I got a job doing a mural of spider man on all four walls.  I was trying to start my Etsy store, I began blogging, I had a large faux finishing job that started at the end of summer and went into the school year. I found myself asking for days of from the school cook job to get my other jobs finished.  About 7 weeks ago I got a  request to do the Spider Man mural and I thought, no problem I can do both!

Wrong!

Getting up at 5:30 am to go cook at the school and getting off  there at 1:00 pm and racing down to work on the mural, two rounds of antibiotics for shingles and sinus infections. Taking time off for that, time off for the weather, time off to work on the mural and more time off for sick kids. 

About to fall off

the tight rope.

Balance,

Balance,

balance.

Photo by Deborah titled, "Balance" that is Rachel the youngest, fearless and balanced.

My Cowboy husband to the left.

So I find myself...

 Praying for discernment and direction, asking for a clear in your face answer.

Whats next God?

I trust you as my safety net...

I am falling into the pit of

self pity.

My palette looks like a muddy puddle!!!

Then I get the call to go to the principles office. Oh noooo!!! what did I do? She proceeds to tell me I need to make a choice, your requesting to much time off. All the while I thought I had that worked  it all out with the head cook. Always covering my hours with competent people.

So I took that as a clear in your face answer and put in my 2 weeks right then and there, mind you I was crying like a hormonal women.  The principle told me to go home and think about it! After talking and crying to my husband he said, "quit and focus on your art."  but, but, I use that extra income to fund my art and other stuff.

Follow your passion, purpose and use your gifts!

God wants us to prosper using the gifts he has given us.

So what am I passionate about you might ask?

photo by Deborah

This is my family...

"Also consider that since God has called you, He is completely able to reveal your purpose to you, and He will as you diligently seek Him." (Heb. 11:6)

1 Peter 4:10 (New International Version)
 "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."

Tell me, how do you use your talents and gift to serve others?
Tell me, how do you find balance?
I can't wait to hear from you so please leave a comment and share!