Inspiration

What truly inspires you?

I like to say that "real inspiration" is inspiration that is experienced in spite of feelings/emotion/circumstantial influences around you, etc. However, humans are real finnicky creatures, and we are often affected by our mood, and circumstance. Here are 10 items that "feed my soul" and inspire me. They take away my stress, and make me joyful.

1 - Fabric

Yesterday I was at Spotlight, and spent 2 hours just looking at fabric. I indeed love colours, textures, shapes and designs, but I wonder if it's the potential of what fabric can become that I am most enamoured with.

2 - Playing Piano

I think the most therapeutic thing for me is to find a good piece of music to sight read. It forces my mind off the "every day" issues and takes me somewhere else. And I love accomplishing a difficult task. Leigh happily applauds my efforts...every time!

3 - The Ocean

Whenever I sit by the ocean, it is loud, and makes me feel contented. The sound of the waves, swallows the sound of me and my guitar - which actually makes me feel more free to explore worship. I can sing and say whatever I want, without being judged by others around me - solely open before God. And then later, I'm like - "Wow! I wish I had recorded that!" But then I know it wouldn't be as naked, or genuine.

4 - Road Trips

I love going on road trips. Especially road trips that aren't exactly planned out -trips that allow you to stop whenever and wherever you want. I've had some pretty epic road trips through the years...and can't think of one that I hated. Each was an experience all on it's own.

5 - Friends & Coffee

I absolutely love getting together with friends over a coffee - just to chat and hear what's happening in their life! And I also love the richness of friends who invest in me - who take the time to ask me out for coffee to find out what's going on with me! (I know it's a bit selfish - but it's nice to be thought of sometimes and invited somewhere!)

6 - Bands - Live Music

There is something so pure about watching people play live music - it is an inside expression of self, and it's cool that it can be shared with others. And every person/band is different. I don't claim to like any ONE certain specific style of music - if it's authentic, I'll love it. Sometimes muso's make me laugh though, with their "cool attitudes", intense mood swings, and deep convictions...like it's something new! I know - I'm one of them!

7 - Food

I'm not thinking chocolate, or ice cream or pizza or anything - although I do love that! I have a real passion in seeing food explored. I love enjoying authentic cultural cuisine. I love pretty plates, fancy food, and weird pairings. I love that food art can be as vast as any other style of art. There's something relaxing and fun about taking an entire day or evening to "create" your food from scratch. It always tastes so much better than fast food!

8 - Shopping

I love to shop alone. I love wandering aimlessly from store to store, with no time constraints. I love having the time to try on thousands of items and then not choosing any - or maybe just 1! It's nice to have that kind of leisure. But it's also nice to find something that you like - that suits you well, and that is a good deal. I like to amble about looking at what people are wishing to purchase these days too- what people find valuable. It is interesting, and also a bit sad! But for me God has made shopping a joy! I used to stress about consumerism and materialism every time I went to purchase something, which is a very real problem in today's society. But I figure if I invite God into my shopping like every other part of my life - He can keep me from being like that. I used to think if I did invite Him to my shopping times, He wouldn't ever let me buy anything and I'd have to give everything away all the time, but what I did learn was that He was incredibly generous with me, if I kept my heart and hands and wallet open to Him!

9 - Mail

I still absolulely love receiving mail. I wish I was as disciplined in sending it as well, although nowadays with email and sending messages instantly across the world for free, it's hard to understand why you'd want to take the time to do it, and then pay 60 cents to do it. But I think it's the amount of thought and effort it takes for someone to send a letter that gets me excited - the type of paper picked, the handwriting, the chosen stories. I may endeavour to write more in the future!?

10 - God Seekers

I am always inspired and refreshed by people around me who really truly seek after God. People who "really and truly" invite God into their every day walk. I can only hope that my life testament could be that for others as well. I was always inspired by my YWAM family - people who lived and breathed missions and ministry - these were people who could see potential in me, who invested and encouraged me to fulfill all the purpose God had before me. For them, serving was always primary - never secondary or when they had time, and it was amazing to see God move in their lives! God certainly does great things through people who allow Him in!