God bless

                                 Happy Independence Day!

How are you spending the 4th of July holiday? I spent it trying to stay cool. It's been unusually warm for us up north...84* is too much for me. Fortunately Husband put in a small air conditioner so as long as I stay in the same room with it I can function. I did manage to wash and hang out 3 loads of laundry, do my usual cleaning and do several "puttsy" type jobs around the house....working on some of my smaller goals. It does feel good to get even little things accomplished. I'm trying to celebrate even small victories.

 One fun little project was this. I needed a basket to carry my bath items to and from the bathroom. We have a small bathroom with limited storage plus it seems when I leave my things in there, certain other family members use them. Since body wash and shampoo can be expensive, I'm being a little selfish. I looked high and low for a basket that would serve the purpose without being too big or too small and couldn't find anything. Finally at a friends garage sale I found this:

Not very attractive for a queens royal chambers so I found some antique gold spray paint and got busy! Since embracing my "royalty" I'm having fun with bling wherever I can and still be tasteful.
This is how my new basket or bucket turned out. From baseballs to...just cute! I'm very pleased with how it turned out. What do you think?

Of greater importance than my bath basket was yesterdays lunch date! 

If you have read my blog in the past you would know that what of the most important people in my life was my organ teacher/mentor. Approximately 2 years ago he retired from his position of organist at a local Catholic church and as my organ teacher. I have felt lost in many ways since he retired. I miss his encouragement, I miss the way he had of making me tap into my best self...he was the one who brought the royal out in me in the first place.  We have stayed in touch via text message and emails. He has been there for me through all the drama at church and has helped keep me from feeling defeated and kept me from losing my crown completely. 

Yesterday we were both finally able to make and keep a lunch date. I cannot tell you how wonderful that was! We started right in where we left off as far as our connection goes...we are close and that close connection remains. We talked mostly about his family history that he's been researching and about my church issues, but for a few moments we connected on something deeper and it is so good to know that it still exists when we need it. It's not something we talk about anymore...rarely did, but we know down deep that we are there for each other. 

He continues to help me hold my head up and my shoulders back so my crown doesn't slip...at least not too far.  God bless him. 

What About This Crown Thing?

About a year ago I changed the name of my blog. The word Maestoso means majestically or with majesty - it's a musical term. Grazioso is also a musical term meaning with grace. The new theme of this blog is to serve as a reminder to me to live my life with majesty and grace. I am currently focused on making some important lifestyle changes. I'm learning to "reign as queen" by not allowing life to get in the way of accomplishing my goals and living in majesty and grace as a daughter of the King, subject to God's ultimate lead. I'm hoping as you read this entry the idea will begin to make some sense. Please also feel free to check out my featured post which may explain better. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not thinking of royalty as in spoiled. As wives and mothers we often put ourselves and our goals for life last on our to-do list. I am trying to turn that around a bit in my own life. I still have my family to care for along with the cooking, cleaning, laundry and teaching, but my health has been telling me it's past time for me to start putting myself first at least once in a while and to spend time enriching myself, physically, mentally and emotionally. I began this journey a year ago and though I have made progress, it is an ongoing process and you're welcome to to join me or at least encourage me and learn from my mistakes. It's all about being the best I can be because I am called into His Kingdom. 

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of the darkness into His marvelous light".

To remind those of you who read this before and also to give any new readers a sense of where I'm going with this, I ask you to check out these past blog entries. 
Straighten That Crown
Crowned

Here are some thoughts from Ann Voskamp at A Holy Experience that really helped me put this into perspective. 

How To Destroy Procrastination pt.1
How To Destroy Procrastination pt. 2

Please take the time to read these articles because it's worth your while if your trying to set goals or make changes in your life...I promise. Isn't the start of the new year the time everyone has goals bouncing around in their heads? Me too. 

Lately I have felt as though God has been telling me if I keep filling my time with wasteful things my life will be a waste, but if I fill my time with the things I am meant to do, then I will be laying up eternal treasure and furthering the Kingdom. 

I have a bucket list of sorts - though I haven't written it down as yet and I probably should sometime soon. I have divided it up into two categories. In the first category I'm making slow but steady progress but in the second category I'm failing miserably. I'm praying this will be my year. My list isn't the same as most people's in that I'm not wanting to sky dive or climb a mountain or be well traveled. My goals are much simpler, much more in line with my day to day life but when I accomplish one that's been on my list for a while I certainly feel like a weight has been lifted. 

Working to obtain my goals, being the best me I can be while enriching my intimate relationship with The Father is all what it means to "wear the crown". 

The completion of these Christmas stockings I finally made for my SIL, DIL and my granddaughter was one of the things on my to-do list. I'm so happy to cross these off and I'm very happy with how they turned out. 

Yes, that's one project off the list but there are so many more. It's so hard to stay motivated, but I find...crazy as it sounds...if I imagine getting up every morning and putting on my "crown" it helps me to take my responsibilities seriously. And it's not all about projects, it's also about building relationships, nurturing friendships and even my relationship with The King, my heavenly Father. Is my life reflecting Him and His love in everything I put my hand to each and every day? 

It's not easy. It's a one day at a time kind of thing and I don't always come to the end of my day with my crown sparkling. More often that not it's pretty beat up and sometimes it's been knocked completely off my head but I put it on the next morning and try again. 

So it seems I may have some new readers to my blog, I hope I haven't scared you off with my rantings about wearing a crown and being a queen. It may all sound a bit crazy just coming into it, but I hope as you stop by from time to time you will begin to understand my analogies. 

Speaking of new readers, I found out my blog has been in hiding in that people haven't been able to view it. I was told when I first joined blogger that everything was public so I've been a bit confused the past few days as to why my new friends can't read my older entries. Anyway, if you're new here, WELCOME and I hope you can at least read some of my more recent entries. If you've stopped by, please leave a comment, I'd like to get to know you and come visit you where you blog. 

Reset

baby steps

In her recent blog entry Ann Voskamp speaks on doing a reset in the month of June. I like much of what she says here and believe it will be useful information for me right now. Anyone out there who has read the last several blog entries here will know that I have some goals I have set for myself. Though I have not felt it necessary to share these goals in detail at this time I will say over the last several months it seems they have been divided into two distinct areas of my life. In area number 1 I have done poorly and am not currently reigning over this in my life. I have a long way to go, perhaps even a longer journey ahead of me than I had when I began. It's disappointing and discouraging and even troubling. On the upside in area number 2 I have seen great success, it has been exhausting and progress is slow, but the progress is obvious and though there is still a long way to go, I am encouraged and feel I will have a successful rule over this area. 

"June is the Second January."

Today is June the 1st and I am doing a reset today. One of the first things is to read again some things that have encouraged and instructed me over the last several months. 

 Ann Voskamp puts it this way -"hard things keep calling you because you're meant to answer to higher and better things". 

Ann also mentions the "pain of discipline vs. the pain of disappointment". 

Endurance not indulgence. 
Hebrews 10:32 says, "For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised". 

My favorite quote from her is: "Understood this way, each thing we don’t feel like doing, great or small, becomes an invitation from God to follow in the faithful footsteps of his Son, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2)."

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us

.”

"Yeah, yeah, I’m a slow learner in a life going by fast — Every day, every moment, you only have one decision to make: what will you do with time.

It’s strange: You can want nothing more than time, and use nothing worst than time.

You can watch life.  Or actually play life. And only one way wins.

God gives us everything we need for space — but we will have to make space.

God gives us all the ingredients for time — but we will have to make time.

God gives us everything we need to live — but we will have to make a life.

No one just gets space. 

No one just gets time."

"God gives you the raw materials — but you will have to make your life."

I have to remember to just show up, just do the work, one day, one moment at a time. 

"To love your life, do nothing with rush or resentment, but do everything as if you love it.""He makes the most of his work — who makes most of the gift of getting to do his work.

Because this makes the most of the grace of God."

"Successful people are the ones who choose to let the joy and satisfaction of simply getting to show up be their payment."

"Keep practicing the presence of being aware of His presence. Keep going and never, ever give up.

"When you work faithfully, creativity comes faithfully. Keep showing up — because this is how you never, ever give up. It’s never, ever too late to begin again."

"June can be about new beginnings. Change your habits and you can change anything into a possibility." life-giving habits. 

"Our habits unclothe us — they expose our wounds, our insecurities, our idols, our addictions — or our hopes, our dreams, our prayers. Our habits are us. The patterns of our lives reveal the form of our souls."

"A pail with a pinhole loses as much as the pail pushed right over.  A whole life can be lost in minutes wasted… in the small moments missed."

A pail with a pinhole loses as much as the pail pushed right over.  A whole life can be lost in minutes wasted… in the small moments missed.

"Make gratitude your attitude of habit — there’s no other way to make joy your life."

"Every little day just has to be just a little bit better: Small things done consistently, consistently make the biggest change."

Small things done consistently...Small things. 

"And you get to do hard & holy things, you can do hard and holy things —for the joy, for the love. Because whatever you do for joy, you can do forever."

Did you catch that...it's not that we have to...it's that we get to...we have the joyful opportunity to create change.

"Habits matter because: Habits are the spine of our self-control."

"You change your life when you change what you do everyday.  Habits are small gears that leverage your life — and the habit of hope can resuscitate anything."

"Even what looks like it has a snowball’s chance in hades of happening or changing… 

The snowball tree releases petals in the wind, a habit of letting go and hoping better things….

And all these small seeds keep across the field grow —

like this growing trust that the smallness of A Seed Life, of faithfully stewarding seed moments, is what grows a habit of astonishing abundance."

“We are all going to botch it some days. We all sometimes get the notes wrong. But the song only goes wrong when we keep thinking back to the wrong notes.”

“When a piece starts to fall apart — fall forward. Fall forward into the next bar. Moving forward is what makes music.”

"Failing? What feels likes failing is really gaining experience. Keep moving Forward!"

"Falling apart? Fall forward into His arms — falling forward is the only way you make music. Keep moving Forward!"

                             FORWARD!

Seeking Strength...Needing Discipline

I've been going back through my last few blog posts, reading them over and searching for the encouragement I found in them when I posted them. My crown is still tarnished and discouragement has set in. I have not only not made any progress but I have succeeded in taking further steps backward. 

I need 
           strength.....
                             encouragement...
                                                        and support 



but I refuse to mention it to anyone around me. I'm formulating some detailed plans for this next week and I hope I start to make some genuine progress. 

In other news, The Little Turquoise Palace aka The Little Turquoise House is getting a good cleaning and a little reorganization. Local businesses continue to close and our furniture store is the next to go. They are having a liquidation sale and I have wanted to replace the futon in our living room with a real grown up sofa that is actually comfortable to sit on for quite some time. I have been shopping for several years now for that perfect sofa and that perfect deal.

                                                Furniture is expensive! 

On the way home from the grocery store one day a couple of weeks ago, I saw the huge signs in the window of the store and before I even considered what I was doing, I pulled over and parked near the curb. I went in and found one I liked - it wasn't anything special, but the color would work in our space, it was the right size and it was VERY comfortable. They were busy and I had groceries in the car so I decided to go home and discuss such a purchase with Hubby. Surprisingly, he was all for it. He said it was my decision, so I thought about it for a few days and dismissed the idea. 

Driving through town a few days later I once again found myself stopping in front of the store. The couch was still there and the more I thought about it the more I wanted it so I mentioned it to Hubby again. He was still all for it but I worried about the money. We talked about price and he told me he felt we could manage $800.00 cash if I wanted to take it out of my piano lesson money. The couch was listed at $1049. He told me to take the cash in and tell her that's all I had. If she went for it, we'd have a couch, if not, I walk away. I thought about it long and hard, went back and forth, first thinking it was a good idea and the next moment I felt it was too extravagant. I went back to the store and This time a saleslady came and asked me what I was looking for. She directed me to the same style sofa I had looked at previously only in a different color as the other one had just sold. I wasn't sure about the goldish tone to this one, but I decided it might work. I told her it was too much that Hubby said I could only spend $800.00 total for everything including tax. She took out her calculator and punched in some numbers, then went back to talk to someone in the office. She came out and said she could let it go for $850.00 plus tax. I turned her down and she took out the calculator again. She asked if I needed it delivered and explained that with the sale they were very behind in their deliveries. I said it was possible we could manage it ourselves. She said she would be willing to let it go for $800.00 with no delivery, tax included, out the door but only if I sign the papers by close of business that day. If I waited until the next day it was back to $850.00 plus tax. I consulted with Hubby and then handed her the $800.00 cash and signed the paperwork. :) Not only did we have uncomfortable, broken down furniture, but our DVD player died and since we don't have cable, our only source of entertainment are our DVD's. We decided that I would buy Hubby a comfortable place to sit as a Valentine's gift and he would buy me a new DVD player! 

I listed both the futon and our broken, torn recliner on several local sales sites and was able to sell them both that same weekend and before the new couch arrived! I didn't even have to help Hubby move it thanks to some great college guys that attend our church!!

The new DVD player came with internet access so now we can use Daughter's Netflix account. I'm once again hooked on home improvement shows and my new favorite is Fixer Upper. The new couch precipitated a cleaning binge and a bit of redecorating with some ideas I got from Joanna Gains. Now that it's done, I love the look of the room and it's so much more comfortable now. 

Hubby had to take his truck to the "big city" 2 hours away for repairs today and I was able to go along. He dropped me off at Michael's and I had a half hour to shop. 

                                              Not. Long. Enough.

But I was grateful for the chance to get out for a bit and browse. I picked up a few scrapbooking supplies and also this letter as the final touch for our living room ... once again taking an idea from Joanna Gains. 

Well that's what I've been up to. It's getting late and I have some work yet to do so I will close this royal entry. Thanks for stopping in. Hopefully I'll be more worthy of my crown next time. 

Tarnished

I have to admit, my crown got a bit tarnished this past week. It all started when I wasn't feeling well...not sick, just not up to par if you know what I mean, and it spiraled from there. A good share of it was an apparent lack of time as well. It's tough to stay on track when there are so many demands vying for my time and it's all good, necessary stuff that just needs to get done somehow. I found myself discouraged which happens easily and then, just when I needed it, encouragement came through some articles that found me online. The first from Ann Voskamp again...
“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."

All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us

.”

Yeah, yeah, I’m a slow learner in a life going by fast — Every day, every moment, you only have one decision to make: what will you do with time.

It’s strange: You can want nothing more than time, and use nothing worst than time.

You can watch life.  Or actually play life. And only one way wins.

God gives us everything we need for space — but we will have to make space.

God gives us all the ingredients for time — but we will have to make time.

God gives us everything we need to live — but we will have to make a life.

No one just gets space. 

No one just gets time.

God gives you the raw materials — but you will have to make your life.

She tells quite an interesting story woven between the parts that I just quoted and I encourage you to read her entire entry...it's quite amazing. Thanks Ann, I needed that. I will find a way to make time.

The next bit of encouragement came from Christy Wright in an article called Take the First Step which was posted on Dave Ramsey's site.

"Sometimes, I just don’t feel like following through.

Maybe it’s raining or my back hurts or I’m tired. I can come up with 1,000 excuses on any given day, but the bottom line is this: I just don’t want to.

I want the end result, of course—a clean house, a bigger savings account and a slimmer body. But some days, I just don’t feel like doing the work required to get there.

So recently I’ve tried something new that helps me follow through on my plans even when I don’t feel like it.

I just take the first step.

Instead of thinking “I have to clean the entire house today,” I tell myself, “I’ll just put the laundry away.”

Or instead of feeling overwhelmed about getting up for going to the gym, I convince myself, “I’ll just put on my workout clothes.”

And you know what? It works.

Ten times out of ten, I follow through with the rest of the steps to reach my goal."

It does work. I find if I just start slowly with whatever project I'm dreading or putting off, pretty soon I'm realizing it wasn't as bad as I made it out to be and in some cases even enjoyable. I hope to see some more success and a shinier crown this next week. 

The Invisible Woman....Totally amazing and inspiring! Please ladies watch this!

Posted by Cindy Morrow-Ayers on Tuesday, December 15, 2009

One more thing has been holding me back, and this one affects my spirit more than anything else. I posted a video yesterday to my Facebook page, the link is above and I encourage all women to watch it.  I felt it was very timely for me and I think many of you will relate to it and maybe be encouraged by it, it's not very long. Anyway, I have long since gotten over the need to be recognized for all my hard work, being a wife and mother is thankless work (not to mention being a church organist) and I'm ok with that now. Along the same lines but slightly different is being made to feel I'm always wrong and also that my problems and/or struggles are not nearly as bad as those of the person I'm talking to. If I say something like "I'm so tired", they counter with why they are more tired than me, because they have so much more to do and their lives are so much harder. If I mention a problem I'm having I get advice which is fine, but when I've already tried said advice or I know from experience that it won't work, I am made to feel I'm always wrong or that I don't know what I'm talking about. On the upside, I'm learning not complain about anything, but I also feel like I have no one to confide in. I can't share anything about my life without being made to feel I'm wrong, it's all my fault, or it's really not worth mentioning. So as you can see....I need to work past this because when discouragement sets in, my crown gets tarnished and my calling gets forgotten. Anything worth doing takes hard work, focus and determination and my calling takes all of that. I am a wife, mother, piano teacher and organist and all those things require many hours of just showing up and doing the work. Hopefully, the results will come...one day. 

So I'm finding the time...often carving it out of the worst possible time of day for me, but I'm showing up, I'm doing the work, I'm putting in the effort and praying that God will help to bring the increase. 

Grazioso...With Grace

 “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.” Psalm 118:8

Today I had to ask myself, how do I respond when someone shares something personal with me? Whether it be a complaint, a need, a health issue or even good news - how do I respond? Lately I've noticed those around me responding by trying to either outdo the one who made the comment by relating a similar but much more dramatic and important event in their own life thus making the other persons comment seem trivial, or they respond by telling the person they are wrong or know nothing about what they're saying. Quite honestly, I couldn't answer my own question. I'm not quite sure how I respond, but I hope, hope, hope it's with much more grace than I have seen recently. Why don't people rejoice with others without trying to outshine them or even worse make them feel badly for feeling good? This queen is realizing that it's often difficult to be gracious no matter which side of this situation she finds herself. I truly hope I can be gracious the next time I'm left to feel as though my life events are not important enough or that I don't know what I'm talking about. I also hope the next time someone shares something with me that I will be extra careful not to turn it around and make it about me. 

Above photo credit to queenisms.com. 

Sometimes the queen has to learn when to be quiet.

I turned on some music today and spent the entire day in the kitchen. Music makes everything better. I made white chicken chili for supper, used up some leftover pork roast by making scrapple and made an oatmeal cake. Tomorrow morning I need to put together a chicken noodle soup and also practice, teach 3 lessons, and work on my other projects. No rest for this weary queen. 

It's possible anyone and maybe everyone thinks this whole queen thing is silly and perhaps it is, but I find it fun and helpful and even encouraging and it is my hope you will enjoy it too. 

Royal Progress

That is one of my new favorite sayings! I find it very encouraging lately. 

Queens and other members of royalty usually are quite privileged and often powerful but with such also comes great responsibility. I'm finding it difficult to manage my responsibilities to the Lord, others and myself. I know that taking care of myself, my body, mind and spirit is something the Lord desires for me and yet He also desires my service to Him and to my family. As we all know it's quite a balancing act and certainly nothing new. Yet, I continue to strive for balance in these areas. I know in which areas I am most out of balance and I haven't yet successfully tipped the scales but I'm making progress.

In an effort to increase my exercise, I went snowshoeing yesterday with my daughter and Gibbs. It was a beautiful jaunt through the north woods and despite the fact I  haven't been on snowshoes in several years and have not exercised much to speak of lately, I enjoyed myself very much. The fresh air was much needed and I'm hoping I can add this activity to my routine once or twice a week weather permitting. 

Friday is grocery day but despite the weather, I was enjoying being out of the house so I stopped in Shop-Ko for a few minutes before heading into the grocery store. We are on a tight budget right now and trying to increase our savings for emergencies. I have resisted buying myself anything but I really needed a pick-me-up...even if all I did was look, besides, there was a big banner on the outside of the store that read CLEARANCE so how could I not? ;) I found these three tops, all on the clearance racks and for a total of just $10. The striped one on top is almost like a poncho. It definitely needs something underneath because the arm holes are so large. I wore it Friday afternoon with my gray sweater, but in warmer weather I can easily put a tank or cami underneath. I really like it and I even got a compliment from my daughter, so that means for only $4.00 I must have made a good choice. The orange tee is workout wear with wicking properties, which will come in handy for workouts or just for everyday wear during the summer...also $4.00. The pink tank cost me all of $1.99 and it was such a pretty color. It will be nice alone this summer, but today I planned to wear it to church with a lace cami underneath and a gray cardigan over the top. Church was canceled this morning due to the over foot of snow we received so I will plan to wear it next week. All three make practical and very nice additions to the royal wardrobe! 

So until next time, I will press on...please join me.