I used to try so hard to find the perfect Christmas card-not generic, not preachy, not boring, not something my grandma would send. Pawing through shelf after shelf of impersonal greeting cards was a tedious task, but, when the perfect box of cards appeared before me, I unhesitatingly snatched them up and sent them out with cheer. Then, when I met my husband, my Christmas card tradition began to be turned on it's ear. His entire family was using photo cards long before I had ever heard of them. Most were sending out the obligatory annual family photo card, however, the "Super Six" were still single, living at home, and living unabashedly against the rules. The first card I saw them concoct was indescribably ugly-everyone dressed in black with construction paper ornaments framing their heads. It could only be topped at a later date when I got a glance of the card they had sent out the year before...there certainly should have been no question why none of them had a date for the holidays that year!
It was fun in our first married years to meld together holiday traditions. I adopted the photo card tradition and we put our hearts and souls into making sure they were an extension of who we were. One year we decided to wait until January to send cards and to this day I am in love with the idea of sending New Year greetings.
This year I guess is the year we become old. We have decided to go the route of the traditional family photo. The main reason? This is the first year we've spent the time to find a good photographer and actually think about what we're wearing. The pictures turned out well and so we're sharing. The supporting reason? I found the most beautiful and inspiring holiday photo card on Shutterfly.com. It melds together the personality of a photo card with the sentimentality of a traditional boxed card. And I immediately felt it shared our current holiday point of view.
Curious about this card that has inspired it's very own blogpost? A few of them have already been mailed, a few are waiting for stamps, and I have a stack just waiting for you to tell me you can't wait to see it. Leave me a comment and I'll get it on it's way!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Doing It Before I Think About It
The Deseret Book at Temple Square is presenting a watercolor art exhibit through the end of the Christmas Season. The artist is Elder Richard G. Scott (Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints). After admiring a friend's artwork, Elder Scott began exploring his own artistic abilities and 40 years later is sharing the product of that decision. A nuclear engineer by trade, Elder Scott has found inspiration and escape through painting. A hidden talent now on public display.
This particular art exhibit has thoroughly intrigued me as I struggle daily to find inspiration in sharing my own talents. I am a writer, I feel confident enough to say. I find joy in putting words together and enjoy when other people read what I have to say. Just as with Elder Scott, maybe people are not aware of that talent within me. I have not exercised my ability in some time. Call it writer's block, or laziness, it has been a long time since I've been able to stream together a series of sentences that anyone else would want to read. It seems the more stressed or overwhelmed my life becomes, the quicker I am to turn away from what should be a source of release. I feel like I have absolutely nothing to say.
My father-in-law, Duane Hiatt, has been a performer all his life. Singing, orating, and enacting historical impressions, his talents and abilities have always been out there for the public to see. When Ben and I were first married it was so exciting to see him performing Lincoln or giving a fireside or singing old 3d's tunes. I use to be so baffled that his own kids and other in-laws were not as captivated as me. I've deciphered, though, that it's because Duane has not spent his life afraid to share those songs and stories; they are well-known and well-appreciated by the people who have known him for long periods of his life.
And, so, I find it encouraging that he is now writing a blog in which he's sharing stories and lessons that not everybody has known. It is surprising people and generations that have known him for awhile, that his ability to tell a story through the written-word is as entertaining as all his other abilities. Obviously, Duane is in a different time of life than I am, but he's still a busy man finding time to share his thoughts and bring brief rays of light in my sometimes uninspiring days.
We hear all the time that each of us has talents to develop and share. I know a lot of people but wouldn't say that I know the special abilities of too many of them. That makes me sad. I want to know what inspires you, what gives you joy and a break from the mundane-ness of your day. I want to find more inspiration to share my talents with you-maybe talents I don't even recognize that I have, but definitely the writing ability I know I do have.
With these thoughts as my inspiration today, I'm going to spell-check and post without doing any other proof-reading. If I take one moment to review and re-think today I know this will turn into one more thought that never makes it out of my head. Thank you for reading. Give me the opportunity to reciprocate with your God-given talents and abilities. I look forward to it!
This particular art exhibit has thoroughly intrigued me as I struggle daily to find inspiration in sharing my own talents. I am a writer, I feel confident enough to say. I find joy in putting words together and enjoy when other people read what I have to say. Just as with Elder Scott, maybe people are not aware of that talent within me. I have not exercised my ability in some time. Call it writer's block, or laziness, it has been a long time since I've been able to stream together a series of sentences that anyone else would want to read. It seems the more stressed or overwhelmed my life becomes, the quicker I am to turn away from what should be a source of release. I feel like I have absolutely nothing to say.
My father-in-law, Duane Hiatt, has been a performer all his life. Singing, orating, and enacting historical impressions, his talents and abilities have always been out there for the public to see. When Ben and I were first married it was so exciting to see him performing Lincoln or giving a fireside or singing old 3d's tunes. I use to be so baffled that his own kids and other in-laws were not as captivated as me. I've deciphered, though, that it's because Duane has not spent his life afraid to share those songs and stories; they are well-known and well-appreciated by the people who have known him for long periods of his life.
And, so, I find it encouraging that he is now writing a blog in which he's sharing stories and lessons that not everybody has known. It is surprising people and generations that have known him for awhile, that his ability to tell a story through the written-word is as entertaining as all his other abilities. Obviously, Duane is in a different time of life than I am, but he's still a busy man finding time to share his thoughts and bring brief rays of light in my sometimes uninspiring days.
We hear all the time that each of us has talents to develop and share. I know a lot of people but wouldn't say that I know the special abilities of too many of them. That makes me sad. I want to know what inspires you, what gives you joy and a break from the mundane-ness of your day. I want to find more inspiration to share my talents with you-maybe talents I don't even recognize that I have, but definitely the writing ability I know I do have.
With these thoughts as my inspiration today, I'm going to spell-check and post without doing any other proof-reading. If I take one moment to review and re-think today I know this will turn into one more thought that never makes it out of my head. Thank you for reading. Give me the opportunity to reciprocate with your God-given talents and abilities. I look forward to it!
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