Inspiration…..

“Do not quench your inspiration and your imagination; do not become the slave of your model.”

Author: Vincent van Gogh

Isn’t it funny how we find inspiration? I can find many things inspiring. Many parts of my life. Talking over lunch with a friend I can find inspiration to be a better person. Looking at a piece of painted pottery I can see a quilting design in my mind. How many tiles floors have the same patterns as quilt blocks? I am inspired by a book. art. pictures.Colors.smiles.rainbows. kids.patterns.trees.flowers.God.People.weather. The list goes on and on. I am inspired everyday by one thing or another.

Our lives are so altered by a little inspiration.

Webster defines inspirations as :

a: a divine influence or action on a person believed to qualify him or her to receive and communicate sacred revelation

b: the action or power of moving the intellect or emotions

c: the act of influencing or suggesting opinions

What are you inspired by?

Can you remember a defining moment where a little bit of inspiration altered your life? I can.

Lately I am so inspired to work on my own quilts ….why? Freedom. Freedom is so inspiring. Why because to have freedom is to have power ( look at America…am I right?) I can mess up…I can make bad choices and not fret over anything( obsessively ) like I usually do. This last year I have learned so much about the quilting process….Some lessons I really had to learn the hard way at the expense of others quilts.  I have also learned the hard way about how mean people can be…even when I didn’t do anything wrong. But it’s all so INSPIRING. Honestly….the good, the bad and the ugly is just as inspiring!

The more I learn the more I want to know….The more I know the more I want to share and teach others..and the cycle continues, right? When we do one good deed…pure from our heart/Love……it explodes into so many other areas of our life..right? So much so that you just want to keep doing good deeds. Like ( I will say it again and again) when I went on my mission trip….I thought I was going to help a poor village….they left a permanent imprint on my heart…forever. Delivering food to a needy family….that actually needs it and appreciates it..doesn’t it just make your heart explode?

I have taught my children to give..freely. If they see someone with a sign on the street…my heart explodes because they will hand them money without thinking about it. I could care less if that person spends money on drugs or a meal. What I care about its that I have raised generous children that freely give from their hearts without thinking about it. I want their hearts to be moved on a daily basis. How does that happen? Inspiration. They are inspired to be better people. They are inspired to help others.   So I think when I am inspired….I also inspire always it’s such a contagious thing isn’t it? Like the only contagious thing we want to pass around or catch right? hehe.

Now we just need to work on some other areas of our lives…I have a hard time with teenagers. Life has taught them to guard their hearts…my kids will empty their pockets to help anyone…but some of them have a hard time expressing their hearts. I am sure this comes with time…hard knocks of life. I don’t know. I have been through that myself…and I was inspired to change because life is so much better to love…freely.

So today I didn’t get much work finished…a shop quilt, lunch with a friend, I missed Zumba, I also finished two of my own quilts..one that had pinned on for a while..the other one was one I actually received today…..I was “inspired” to quilt it because I just knew I could make it come to life….and it did. I love that!

So what inspires you?

Many Blessings

C