Watch What You Say

“It is a happy talent to know how to play”, said Ralph Waldo Emerson. 

In developing other talents and balancing the responsibilities of adulthood, play had been lost in my life.  I can remember silent prayers, "Lord, please help me stop," on those days when busy wasn't a strong enough word to describe my life. 

As I registered for an art conference I saw a class for a mixed media journal on “play” I knew I had to take it. Part of the class description read, “The goal for our day will be to have fun, remind ourselves how important play is, and take home a tangible reminder to make play a regular activity.” I didn’t know what I expected out of that day, but I had hope, great hope!

A few weeks ago I took that class and it couldn’t have come at a better time, I was worn out. As soon as I arrived at the conference I could feel myself coming alive again. I was in my element and had moments to relax and breathe. I took a selfie on Thursday, which I never do and when I turned my phone around I said to myself, “The light is back in my eyes.” 

Friday was the playbook class and I couldn’t wait to finish breakfast and get in there. The instructor was fun and I loved my classmates, but as I did my pages they looked orderly and boring. Everyone else’s pages were screaming with excitement and color. I mentioned it to the instructor and told her I wasn’t a perfectionist, but I did have this spatial thing and maybe that’s why pages were so “neat” looking. Without hesitation, she retorted, “No you’re not a perfectionist and it has nothing to do with your spatial ability, you’re keeping yourself stuck by what you’re saying!” Ouch!

She was right!

We make speeches to ourselves and other willing victims. "I could do that better, if only..." You could do it better if only you would let yourself do it! - Julia Cameron

Immediately my pages shifted and “the look” I was going for was achieved and it gained momentum and hasn’t stopped.

Did you hear that? I was keeping myself stuck! Talk about the hard truth. At that moment a freedom came that I haven’t had in a long time, longer then I can remember. 

We can keep ourselves stuck by what we say or we can stay stuck by what others say about us. I say this all the time, ask God what He says! I'll be practicing that more myself. God doesn't say I'm stuck, He says, "I'm free!" 

Since that day I have had a lighter heart, a freer spirit and an ability to play. I've done things my kids have never seen me do, like put on a show for them. 

The instructor could have been more gentle and coddled me, but I am grateful she didn't. She spoke the truth in love and it set me free! She was courageous and I reaped the benefit.

For if you embrace the truth,
it will release more freedom into your lives. John 8:32 TPT

So what if the truth was "I was keeping myself stuck", so be it, I want to hear it! Will we have the courage to say the very thing someone needs to hear? Their freedom might depend on it.

On Wednesday, November 7th I will be chatting live with Amy Smith, the instructor of that class and trust me you don't want to miss it. We will be live on my Artistry 61 Facebook page at 10:30 a.m.