Looking for inspiration

It comes to me every so often that we all need to be inspired. It's such a personal place that it can be delivered from and taken to. Everyone can state the obvious. They will tell you to think long and hard and just do it. I think it's so much more subtle than this. It's not that it's difficult or that it takes any talent.
Between the washing machine churning, the phone ringing, husbands and children needing our attention, and life in general...it must seem like our thoughts never stop jingling. Just as we take our quiet moments to pray, we can take small moments to refresh ourselves. I'm laughing to myself thinking how I thought I could go into the bathroom, lock the door, and take a long & warm bath to have those moments. Then the knock on the door. Not just one knock. Several over the duration of the now shorter bath experience. A small voice from the other side of the door excitedly asking if she can please wear two different color socks. Oh and can she please make a house for her stuffed animal babies out of my dresser drawer. These are monumental questions that need answered.... right then. Actually these are the small moments I was speaking of earlier. These are my inspirations.
It lifts me when I hear my kids voices (not as they are yelling back and forth in the stairway..lol!) You know what I mean...those voices that bring you to a center point. Enthusiastic, joyful, questioning, insightful, and full of boundless energy voices. That inspires me. I enjoy when I am working on a project and our teenage son comes up to me with a huge grin showing me his latest drawing. Looking over his paper and seeing the amazing detail he creates in his artwork lifts me. Noticing what he thinks is important helps me look at things from another perspective. I tell him how tickled I am that he takes such care in shading or in his line work. A phone call from our oldest daughter excitedly telling me about the beautiful hair bows she is making for her baby girl and to sell. I click on her photos of them and my heart melts. She is inspired to create out of love for her little girl. I know that's a part of inspiration.
Inspiration is in our homes, in our family and friends, in music, in our favorite movies, and often times inside us all along. I remember back to when I was a little girl (yes I can remember that far back :) ) and seeing the perplexed look on my moms face when she saw her decorative rock disappearing slowly from the front flower bed. I didn't think just a few rocks I needed for some projects would be missed. After all...I saw her scoot around her craft area looking for just the right materials for her latest project so it seemed perfectly natural for me to do it. The pet rock craze had taken off and in my simple thoughts I just couldn't believe people paid for a plain rock. I mean... a "plain" rock. That was a canvas for all kinds of things. Ladybugs, turtles, mushrooms, smiley faces, and hearts. I was so completely excited to dress up these silly rocks and couldn't wait to give them and sell them. Hence... the disappearing decorative rocks out in front of the house. It still makes me smile how happy it made me. Those are the moments that I look back to to regain a little bit of my enthusiasm. Why I fell in love with creating things and making people happy with them in the first place.
Be inspired. Go outside and take a walk. Look at the colors. Put on some of your favorite holiday music even in July. My family and friends will tell you that it would not be off the wall for me to be playing White Christmas in June. I'm sure my children will have a fascinating time associating holidays with only certain times of the year! Not! Look through magazines and go into the sweet little stores that have things for your homes. Talk to your friends. Pay attention to the colors you like, the styles that catch your attention, words that describe your feelings. It all matters.
This I believe is the most important part of inspiration.... Be an Inspiration! Rarely do we become artists because it is just within ourselves from birth. It's because of the experiences we've had. My parents were a tremendous inspiration to me. Everything from building little houses out of toys, little Christmas choo choo train out of a Hersheys baking cocoa can, halloween costumes, home remodeling and decorating. Remember... you have someone or perhaps several people who may be watching you. Bring them along! Let them shine. Be gracious and share some of what you know. I am grateful that God has blessed me both with the desire to create and the ability to do so. I want Him to come through in what I do. Everyone can have something special to offer, it's what you do with it! Do it with gratitude, grace, a loving heart and be a blessing!! Be inspired!!