On a Plane, on a train, in a boat...

Take your knitting every where you go, and you'll get a lot more done.
Out of pure curiosity, I googled "knit anywhere," and "knit everywhere," and found these rather amusing pictures. Enjoy:)

 Knitting at a game...

 And while waiting in traffic...

Knit on the boat...

 Waiting for a bus....

And while you're on the bus...

Or in a tree...             

      

  And don't forget to bring your knitting on the plane...

Knitting...

I was taught to knit by a friend (http://www.lydialark.blogspot.com/) when I was between even and eight. Her mom owned a knitting shop, and I wanted to knit a scarf.

Too frustrating, too time consuming... I didn't know patience. Put the yarn and needles down for a couple years, and mom taught me again when I was around eleven. It nearly took. A soft scarf with gold and blue eyelash peeking from between the jet black velvet looking rows of yarn. Despite the pretty colors, the scarf was had quite a few holes in it. Again, I put knitting down, and swore it off forever.

 

About a year before cosmetology school, mom helped me start, and complete a red wool scarf. It too had quite a few holes in it, and I decided I didn't care, tore it out and put the wool back into the blue plastic tub of yarn skein in the attic.

At the beginning of the year, three-quarters of the way through beauty school, I decided I was going to knit and finish a scarf, if it was the last thing I did! Mom had given me three beautiful skein of deep purple, soft alpaca wool.

Knit one row, purl a row; knit a row, purl a row; knit row, purl row... For six feet and four inches...

It starts as something you do while you're at home, just chilling', or watching a movie. Finished the scarf, pretty much just knitting at home.

My second project was the potato chip scarf, using a creamy, fine yarn. On this project, I discovered (how brilliant) that, really, you can knit just about anywhere, and you get a lot more accomplished when you take your knitting everywhere with you. Not only do you get eight more rows completed while waiting in the doctor’s office, but it also starts up great conversation with fellow patience, the receptionist and nurses (destroying that horrible, awkward silence that you always find in waiting rooms). This one I finished within a matter of months (three months on a scarf... okay, getting a little bit faster)...

Third project is a pretty pink scarf. I don't have a clue what the yarn is, but it's obviously some kind of wool. Wonderfully soft, cheerfully bright, and quite warm. Down to a month of knitting :) Much, much faster...

Now a hat.. Never knitted a hat. I finally have the casting-on down, and am starting to understand pattern directions.

For the hat, I found a cute pattern on https://www.ravelry.com/account/login, which I started and was almost finished with. But then I found a cuter pattern in a book I found in a down town resale book shop (the cutest, funnest place ever. Love the smell, the look and the library lady that works there is quite helpful - and looks the part, grey knit skirt, bun and all). I've only been working on it for a day, but I'm hoping I can finish within the next week and a half (and then I can start on a matching scarf on my flight to Cincinnati in October)...

Part of the joy of knitting is that you have to sit still in one place for a period of time, and you're working simply with your hands. Before cosmetology school, I never had the patience to do this. To start a knit project, and continue knitting in a consistent manner until the project was completed. But, I suppose, putting hundreds of foils in a person’s head, with about four different types of hair color, and having to remember each, taking approximately an hour to finish foiling, then having to sit 45 minutes to process, will, in fact, teach you patience - whether you want to learn it or not. And I'm quite thankful I learned at least a little bit more patience :)

 

God, Please, Be

My older sister (www.servinghimblind.blogspot.com) and I were talking about blog posts the other day, and what to blog about. She mentioned that I should write about my desire to service in women's ministry... Why not?
So, I have tried writing, numerous times. Given up, thrown it out, deleted the document, tried again. I sound like an absolute snob. :)

Basically this sums it up. For years and years I've wanted to really serve, impact, minister to and have an impact on the women around me. I always thought about this in the context of "women's ministry." Never have I thought about it in terms of - impact your coworkers... Like, that's so easy. Invite them to church, create a safe place, and help create a safe place for them to ask the hard questions. Ask the hard questions, don't hide or hold back, and "Let your little light shine," (as my doctor reminds me every time I visit him)

I'm in a salon, so I sure am around an awful lot of woman, a lot of the time. And there's definitely your cosmetologist prototype.
Confession - I don't even have a tattoo.. and I've never gotten drunk... umm... or have even finished a glass of any size of any alcoholic beverage (not that I think it's evil or a sin or anything, it's cool. I just don't like it)... Oh, umm, and I've never dated... like ever. Not one single date (happy chicken dance :-) Oh, I like guys (ehem, young men), and I'm totally not gay (which is always a legit question in the cosmetology field)... So, I do color my hair, but don't really go out Friday nights... or have facial piercings (unless you count my ears)... sooo.. I'm not really cosmetology material, and get asked a lot of questions out of confusion, "why don't you date?" "Are you... ya know... queer?" "Why haven't you dated?" "Aha. You don't like drinking. Snob."
Hmmhmmm... and people call me judgemental (I truly laugh at the second question every time its asked, as well as the last statement.)

So, as you can see, I'm not really your a-typical beautician. I'm home school girl, pretty firmly grounded in my faith, absolutely love my family (although I thoroughly enjoy time away from them as well); I'm a closet artist and find nature the most beautiful, relaxing thing; And I'm a rocker... like, punk rock, pop, hard rock... ehem... some screamer, sort of, if it's tasteful. I knit, write, read, paint, run my dog... I anticipate the day of Christ's return... But, I really, really want to see a lot more people fished first (Matthew 4:19).

I always thought I had to go to a ministry, like, major inner city, or overseas, or something. And I'm learning, slowly, solely by the grace of God, that your ministry is wherever God puts you, like, right now. Whether that be in your family, or in your community, or in your work.

My job is extremely physical. Sounds weird, but I'm touching people all day long. For eight hours, with a half hour lunch break somewhere thrown in... But other than that, I am touching other peoples' heads. Sounds kinda weird, hunh? It takes a lot of energy. :/  I always thought that I ministered to clients. Not that I could actually have an impact on my coworkers.. and maybe I won't, I dunno.
But, focus has changed. These are young woman I'll be spending 34-42 hours a week with. We'll get to know each other in a work context, but fairly well, none the less (already getting to know each other, perhaps a little too well). I don't have to go anywhere to find my ministry... Honestly, this is a perfect opportunity to learn how to reach out in a loving, passionate, gracious manner. To continue to hold firm to my beliefs, and stand up for them, not backing down, not giving into intimidation (and have seen plenty of that), to cast the net, go fishing, to burn brighter, to own:
dude, it's not about me. It's purely about God.
It's not about who I am, who I am not, who I can be,
who they are trying to make me, who I've become, who I will be...
It's about Putting on Christ. (Romans 13:14)

God before me,
God beside me,
God Behind me.
God go with me...
God, be all I am, all I am about.
God, teach me to how to fish.
Amen.

 

I'm reading A Chance to Die, by Elisabeth Elliot. The story is about Amy Carmichael, someone, I'm finding, who I relate to quite well (perhaps too well?)

As I've been reading, I've been inspired to write more, to memorize more, to read more. This woman's story has struck a cord with me.
One paragraph in particular, reading this morning, really hit home. Chapter 8, pages 78-79. Elisabeth writes about Miss Carmichael's loneliness. Her desire for a friend - companionship, and the lesson of letting go of those who you hold dear.
Summed up in this stanza by Frances Ridley Havergal;
"Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure-store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee."

I was inspired to write...
...
As autumn comes to a start - the leaves turning gold and brown, the rare maple and oak trees exploding with reds and oranges - I'm reminded of another year coming to a close - another year basically alone.

I'm not so alone that I have no family and some few, dear friends. And the love in the home I've been raised in, though sometimes passionately argumentative, is unlike most families in the 21st century.
My siblings and I are very close. We are, in fact, best friends... but the ache of "the alien experience" as a "foreigner in a place of isolation," that Amy Carmichael writes about, strikes a cord.
Extended family, my mom and sister, and friends, have all, graciously and lovingly, suggested my need to get a boyfriend... to move myself to a place where "there is more variety on the market." Not that I disagree with this, per say, but rather, I disagree that being one of the main reasons to move, and I disagree with the method of "getting a man" (and I'd really prefer not to get anything... I would much rather build a friendship with a variety of people, if that's alright? It sounds too much like "I'm going to go get my shoes, or get fish for dinner...).

To be quite blunt, I'm in my early twenties and I have never dated - or been on a date. The last time I was asked on a date was six years ago, and I politely declined (it's an odd and bizarre story).
Guys will give me their phone number, and I understand there is less risk in giving a girl your number than asking a girl for her name, number and if you can call her (risk, risk, risk... hmmm). A friend of mine even asked, "if I'd given you my number, because we're friends, would you have called me?" I'm rather idealistic, and in my idealism I say, "yes." In reality, I might not have. But that has never happened, so I don't know.

I don't expect "Mister Right," as a family member refers to him, to "come rescue me and ride off with me into the sunset." For one thing, I would rather have a horse of my own, and for another, I have no intention of being some damsel in distress to be rescued, and turned into a trophy wife! (although if that's what you want to do, God bless you, and I sincerely hope you have fun :)

But I do tend to be more of a task-oriented person, relationships are important, but I prefer the ones that are close, deep and dependable.
I am terribly sorry to those who think I ought to be dating right now, and I promise to "leave a little room for romance in my life, as nothing in the world can replace the likes of it." But, when you've moved around about every four to five years of your life, not a bad thing but certainly a disturbance, and your family finally lands in a place so unlike anything you would call "home," living there for nearly a decade, you find your closest and more consistent friendships are with fellow nomads, just like you... and you find yourself waiting for a like-minded nomad, lonely, looking for friendship, companionship, who deeply loves and trusts (obeying) the Lord, before you tie yourself down to anyone... Ever.

All that to say, for those of you who are concerned about me waiting for "Mr. Right," or "Prince Charming," or whatever term you choose to use, I'm not sitting around waiting on my bum for "the perfect guy." I'm trusting the Lord that there is someone who I am right for, and who is right for me. Someone whom I can trust as a friend and brother... someone who I can challenge, who challenges me... someone "who says such things as to show that they are looking for a country of their own..." Someone who "is longing for a better country--a heavenly one" (Hebrews 11) Someone who "is in this world, but not of it..."

A warrior of Christ...
Leader...
A brother... friend, minister...
A preacher,
Fighter...
Someone unafraid to argue...
An intellect...
Respectful...
Who understands honor and integrity.
Who will walk to the edge,
And if the time is right,
When the need arises,
will jump off the edge




And trust the One who Is to protect him from all harm.

Yes, I'm idealistic.

Back into the Flow of Life

I graduated beauty school the first of May 2012, and was hired that week at a small town USA Salon.
 It was fun! A blast, really. Between meeting the zillions of people that walked through on a weekly basis, the variety of clients that sat in my chair, and getting to know my coworkers, I was kept pretty busy.
But after the fun of all the "new stuff," the day to day meeting new people became a day to day grind.

The reason for my deciding to work in a smaller town was that I was enrolled in and planning on going to college this fall. But, strange as it seems, financial aid didn't come through.
I pulled out of the Smart Style, began passively looking for a job at the beginning of August, and enrolled at a second school a little bit closer to home.
Again, financial aid didn't come through.... so I actively and aggressively sought, caught and landed a job at fast service salon. I think I'll enjoy it, actually.

It was rather weird pulling out my own clipper blades, making sure they're in good working condition (I've only used them a couple times since school). My shears are sharp, and ready to start cutting again!

One of my former school instructors (who actually greatly contributed to my actually learning how to cut hair correctly) is now a coworker. I'm thoroughly excited.
Neither of us are originally from the area, and people frequently remind both of us of this fact ("you don't sound like you're from around here.." "Now, where did you grow up?" "Where's your family from.." "That's not how we do things around here..")
 So, if nothing else, we'll become close allies, if not friends (it always helps that your style is similar, your tastes and likes are similar and you both do the same thing to your hair ;)

At this point, I'm not certain that I will go to college. The likely hood of me starting a four year college degree in the next couple years isn't terribly great. Not that I will not ever seek higher education, however, it's not on my "top priority" list. Perhaps, and most likely, an online degree, maybe an RN later on in life, I really don't know for sure... or perhaps, maybe, God will surprise me and I'll be going to school next fall. Who knows? Life is full of unexpected surprises. This is just not something i am going to pursue in my life, right now.

It's not that I do not value higher education. I have a great deal of respect and greatly esteem those who do what it takes to earn a college degree. There are many more options for those who go to school, you are thrown into a larger pond of social networking (and for those who are entrepreneurial types or going into business, this is highly important), you get intern opportunities, meet a variety of seasoned professionals... Let's just face it, you have more resources available to you. And it takes a lot of determination and putting up with "the daily grind" to put yourself through college.
I have and will always value educating and pushing yourself intellectually. It's greatly important, in the way you think, you communicate with others, how you interact and socialize, the type of social circles you spend time in, etc.

But, maybe, that's just not where I want to be right now. I don't want to be throwing myself into the masses of blue collar workers, and so I will continue to read and challenge my mind. I hope to one day own my own business, be my own boss, and this is a life goal and priority of mine... but maybe, I can "get away with," not pursuing a college degree just yet. Maybe I can put it off a couple more years, and firmly establish myself as an adult before pursuing that...
And who knows? Maybe not, in which case, I'll pick myself back up, dust myself off, and try again :)

First Post

Well, this is blog number three :) It's been so long since I've written anything and posted it on the Internet for the world to see, I've gotta confess it's a little weird.

A friend of mine told me several years ago that "life's like an oyster," and "you have to find your pearl in your oyster."
Pearls are precious, colorful, fancy little things that you find in crusty, hard, stubborn, shelled creatures. You'd never guess by looking at an oyster that such a beautiful, precious stone was formed within it...
Not all of life is crusty, hard, stubborn and clam like, but in this season of my life, it seems like much of what I have personally sought after, God has firmly closed the door. And after three or four times, you find yourself discouraged restless, frustrated and looking for the joy in little things.

This blog is dedicated to finding the pearls in life; To sharing my simple joys and pleasures with my family, friends, and whoever desires to :)