SWAP: Reason and Plan

Leaving that in the state I did yestersay, I wonder who had already called it... And who all is reading this, and had watched me plan here or on SG... and who is waiting for me to say it's different.

Do I have more time this year? No.

Do I need to make time this year? Maybe.

What's my motivation? Well, this is much more about Seminary and self-care, so I'll forgive you if at this point you just kinda tune out...

Right now it's about self-care. I don't need the clothes. I really don't. But... My brain needs the stretching outside of the realm of Seminary. I would really like to use this SWAP as a different kind of prayer, and at the same time to have something that isn't about religion and learning to be a pastor. The Seminary experience thus far has stretched me SO much, and I really need to own that, embrace it, and give myself a way to step away from it. SWAP will do that, I hope.

A very inspiring trip, ironically through a class, led me to Laurie Wohl, who works with textiles in a very prayerful, meditative fashion and embodies prayer in a very real way in her art. Hearing her speak about this prayerful way for doing what she did-and the pictures can't compare to the privilege of seeing her work-was inspiring. I hope to take some of the same kinds of things into my sewing for now, and to allow this time to really be a blessing.

It's all about self-care too. And I am really okay with admitting I feel the weight of school right now. I'm in 17th grade, and this is my fifth year of a more rigourous, disciplined kind of study, and Seminary really lives into the rigourous part of that. The ways in which my faith and life are changing and growing and expanding are intense right now, and I want to use the sewing as a creative outlet. I know hand-sewing will go to craft night, and sketch pads and swatches. And I may do something so that there is a chance for every piece to live in that atmosphere, where we foster each other in our creativity.

No, sewing isn't the only thing I'll be doing for self-care. I think I need to make a return to journaling, and start taking care of myself physically too. And to that end, I'm taking Swing Lessons to tune balance (and cut loose a little) and training to run a half-marathon. It's intense, and I have a LONG way to go before I'm ready. But never fear. I'll get there, hopefully before race day on March 20.

On that note, Today I'm thankful for my running group, "Team Ephesians". We have a morning group of about 5, maybe more, and today was our first group run- 3 times a week we'll gather and run. It's kinda terrible, but much better with the group than it would be by myself, especially meeting at 6:45 to go run. Encouragement and accountability!