Tuesday, The practice of doing.

     I love the blog "If you do stuff, stuff gets done".  I think it is such a cute title and such a great concept.  The owner of this blog is always busy doing something, but freely admits to down times.  She has great ideas, which I steal on a regular basis.

     Most of the comments on my blog are about how busy I am, and I  have to admit I am busy.  People often comment on how much I work or what is accomplished on a daily basis.  I have had snarky comments left on the blog and I am sure I irritate the crap out of people.  But I am sorry.  I just do stuff.  When I do stuff it gets done.  Do you see the the analogy?  Here let me hit you over the head with it.

     I don't stay busy to make you feel bad.  I don't stay busy so I can write about it.  I stay busy because I like to work.  I have a business to run.  I have a mother that needs constant care.  I have bills to pay.  I have a lot of bills to pay.  I have a responsibility to myself, my family and church, my community and the world.

     I cannot count the times I have had a person (usually in church) that will say,  "Is there anything you can't do?"  This is almost always said in a nasty voice while turning away to a group of women that will never include me.  I want to scream at them.  "I did not make myself this way, I do not do this on purpose to make you feel bad, so why do you try to make me feel bad?"  I pay a terrible price for my mind and my energy level. Why is it necessary to beat me up over what I see sometimes as a disability?  And by the way,  "If you do stuff, stuff gets done."

     If you practice a skill you become better at it.  If you cook from scratch over and over, you become better at it.  If you sew constantly you become very good at it.  It is the same with any concept, singing, playing an instrument, dancing, acting, directing, staging, choreographing, speaking a foreign language, knitting, crocheting, painting, carpentry, making pies, gardening, canning, preserving, crafting, creating anything, if you do stuff stuff gets done and you also become better at it.

     There is a sister in my ward at church that spins and knits beautiful sweaters.  I remember going up to her one Sunday when she had on a red sweater.  It was fine and beautiful.  The stitches in it were intricate.  I approached her almost in a form of worship and asked her if I could touch the arm of the sweater.  Then I asked if she had made it, carded it, spun it, dyed it? When she responded yes I was in awe.  The workmanship, the time it took her to create such a beautiful garment left me spell bound.  I told her how wonderful I thought she was, how I appreciated her skill and knowledge.  I could tell she was taken aback.  Because no one else probably would notice and if they did would not comment, and if they did comment it would be off handed and full of small grapes.

      I have two spinning wheels, one for fine and one for thick thread. They were inherited.  I know how to spin, I know how to knit.  I am not good at either skill.  I would love to be, but I have not put in the time or the practice.  I admire people who have.  I tell them I admire them in a sincere and kind way.

     Okay enough of my rant.

     I have a busy doing day ahead of me.  I can hear that mom is up and I will need to make her breakfast.  I will need to take her to the store.  I will use coupons.  I will finish altering a wedding dress, I will hem  7 pairs of pants, and take in and tailor fit 12 men's dress shirts.  I will iron pillow cases and other clothing that is piling up, take care of chickens, clean and straighten a little of my house, transplant some over grown plants, make dinner and and also a meal to take in to a couple of elderly sisters in my church that are sick.  It will consist of roasted chicken, that I bought whole on sale for .69 cents a pound, I will use potatoes from my garden,which I will mash and add some gravy, acorn squash from my garden.  I will make an apple salad with some mealy apples that need to be used and add a dozen home made cookies that we made last week. There do you feel bad now?  Do you want to chastise me?

excuse me but I am doing stuff.....

     Have a great and productive day staying positive while you are in the negative.

Kim