This has been quite the project.
It started a month ago because I offer a workshop called "Prayer in Motion" which includes the use of a labyrinth. I have offered this workshop at a retreat center that has a concrete labyrinth on the grounds. I love presenting this workshop, but built-in labyrinths are not always available. And I had been asked to present the workshop again in a month where there was NO labyrinth!
So my creative mind kicked into high gear.
I weighed the pros and the cons of the different styles available. I considered what I wanted and needed in a portable labyrinth.

1. lightweight, but sturdy, material
2. big enough for an 11-circuit labyrinth with up to 20 participants using it at one time
3. an end product that looked good but wouldn't be exhausting to make
4. easy to maintain, transport, and use

I pulled up videos of portable labyrinths. There seem to be several styles of canvas labyrinths, but the paths were painted onto the canvas and that seemed like a LOT of work and it would end up being very heavy and awkward to take from one place to another. Plus I didn't think my back would put up with all that painting on the floor. And I didn't have a place where it could stay while drying.
I also saw several example of labyrinths that were made by cutting paths into the ground cover or using environmentally friendly paint to physically paint the labyrinth directly onto the ground. Neither of those options would work for my needs.
I ended up finding a round tarp that was designed as an above ground pool cover! It is strong, but lightweight, and large enough to have decent size paths for the 11 circuits, with a 4' center. 
So what could we use to mark the paths? We needed a material that was flexible and strong and easy to use. What else - Duct tape! It's strong, durable, flexible, and easy to replace, if needed! (and the silver color looks really good against the dark color of the fabric!
I drew up a sketch of what I wanted on the computer, figured out widths and angles, fine tuned the numbers, and talked my husband and 2 adult sons into helping me construct the final product.
The next hurdle to overcome was to find an indoor place large enough to lay everything out AND be available for the completion of the project. Because of time and space constraints, we ended up using 2 separate fellowship halls of churches that were each willing to let us use the space for an afternoon while we laid out the circular paths on the fabric. 
The first afternoon saw the 4 of us gathered, working out where the center of the 34' round(ish) tarp was located, and determining the angles for where the turns of the path would start and stop. Geometry and patience were definitely used in this endeavor! After 4 hours of measuring and taping, and kneeling and crawling about on the floor, our collective backs gave up and we packed up and went home to ice packs and aspirin. 
But we had the inner 5 row marked off and looking good!

After a few days of recovery, three of us were available for a second (and FINAL) day of construction. We quickly resumed our tasks and the rhythm of measuring and cutting and taping. At the end of the afternoon - we had a completed 11-circuit labyrinth! 

So this weekend was the big test - would the portable labyrinth work? Was it possible for one person to transport it? Could this same person set it up and put it back away afterwards?
The only space available at the workshop setting was outdoors, under some large oak trees. There was plenty of space and the ground was relatively flat. I had purchased some "balloon weights" to hold it down in case of wind gusts.
The labyrinth was completely set up and ready for use in 10 minutes. Success!
I ran 2 back-to-back sessions. It was a beautiful day - sun shining with a light breeze. The sessions went well and the portable labyrinth worked! I think it would work better indoors, or on a "less squishy" surface. (We had to keep pulling the sides back out because the cushy grass let it pull in as the participants walked the path, despite the weights along the edges.)
But it was a success!

After the second session, several of the participants offered to help put it away, but I declined their help. I needed to know that one person would be capable of putting it everything away by themselves! I set a timer and got to work. Gathered up the weights, brushed off the leaves that had blown onto the labyrinth and began folding in the sides. After folding in the sides three or four times, and making the circle into a long, thin rectangle, I was able to roll up that rectangle into the waiting duffle bag - all within 15 minutes! 
Success!
And that portable labyrinth is now available for others to rent for their own use! If you are planning a retreat, but do not have a physical labyrinth on the premises, consider renting our portable 34' round labyrinth made of polyethylene fabric. You will need a 35 foot diameter of flat, empty space in which to place the labyrinth. The entrance point is marked with a "*".  It's too large to ship, but if you are within driving distance of central Florida, you can click here and make arrangements for a 2-day or 7 day rental.
And may it be a blessing for you and your event!

Some days it gets to be difficult to find the blessings.
And sometimes it gets difficult to be a blessing.
Sometimes it seems that everything is working AGAINST finding or being a blessing. But I guess that's when its more important to try to be a blessing.
As we approach Easter Sunday, I'm thinking about the atmosphere of that first Holy Week. Jesus was blessed on Palm Sunday with adulation from the crowds. He was blessed to spend Passover with his friends. He was blessed to have a personal, meaningful relationship with the Lord.
But then he was betrayed and the community turned against him. 
And he focused on being a blessing.
He fed his disciples and served them, even the one that betrayed him.
He healed the guard whose ear had been cut off while arresting him in the garden.
He blessed the men hanging with him.
While hanging on the cross, about to die, he thought of his mother and his good friend and told them to take care of each other.
Basically, he cared for others, even when they no longer showed evidence of caring for him.

It can take a lot of courage to be a blessing. 
It can take a lot of strength to be a blessing.
Do I have the strength or courage to be a blessing? Can I look past other's actions and attitudes and be a blessing? Does it matter if I think they deserve to be blessed? 
When I am thinking clearly, I understand that is better for my mental health and well being to focus on being a blessing to others. I also understand that it doesn't matter whether or not they deserve it! Each of us is better served when we point our actions and thoughts in a positive, uplifting direction. 
Can I direct my life towards being a blessing?

What is your therapy?
What, or who, do you turn to when life gets too much?
What is my therapy? Making Music!
Sometimes by myself - just playing - working through difficult sections or enjoying a beautiful, lyrical melody. Sometimes I need that "working through difficult sections"! The process of breaking down the rhythms or notes can help me work through issues 'outside' of the music. And sometimes I just need the peace of a beautiful melody to soothe my soul.
Sometimes the therapy is NOT playing by myself, but playing in a group where we have to work together to 'make music'. It's not always easy to make music in a group. You have to deal with other people. You have to deal with other people's thoughts and emotions. You have to work through different interpretations of what the music should be. You have to realize that sometimes a different interpretation of the written symbols on the page can be what the music demands, and it's not about your own interpretation. It's about making music. And being part of the musical process. And letting the combined efforts of everyone transcend the individual in making a united whole of beauty.
And, sometimes, it's just listening to others make music. Not having to put forth any effort at all. Just allowing someone else's music to wash over me . . . soothe me . . . fill me . . . pull on and release my emotions.
So what is your therapy?
What is your creative outlet that helps make you whole?
What helps you transcend the humdrum difficulties of life?
If you can't answer that question, then reach out to me privately. I'd like to help you find an outlet. 
We all need a therapeutic outlet as we try to survive life on a daily basis.
​What is your therapy?

I love living in Florida. I love the blessing of a warm hug from the air when you walk outside and the blessed light breezes that stir the air and lift that hug with a caress.
Over the past month, I've spent a lot of time traveling the roads of Florida. The interstates, the rural roads, and the city roads. The blessings of seeing the farms and wildlife while enjoying the ability to get from one place to another with options so that you don't get trapped by traffic.
I love the blessing of being able to wear sundresses and sandals throughout the year. I don't like being trapped in layers of clothes.
I love, love, love that I have given up the trappings of makeup and pantyhose! When I gave up the trappings of pantyhose, I realized that NOBODY cared! And life is a blessing without pantyhose.
When I gave up the trapping of wearing makeup, my skin became very, very happy. When people meet you and you are not wearing makeup, they don't care - they just accept you as you are and everyone else soon accepts the fact that you don't wear makeup anymore. Not wearing makeup gives the added blessing of saving preparation time in the morning and cleanup time in the evening. It also gives the added blessing of saving money that isn't spent on makeup or cleansers. And there is also the added blessing of less wear and tear on your skin from the constant application and removal of the makeup. 
Over the past year, we have been blessed with the opportunities to help several of our 'previous' generation of family members downsize and move into smaller homes. It's been a challenge to sort through the personal/household items and try to determine which are trappings and which are blessings! Some items aren't necessary for day to day life, but their presence is a blessing. Sometimes you don't know that you are being trapped by an overflow of items, until you are freed from them and you actually feel that sense of freedom. But getting rid of everything isn't always a blessing and can be quite depressing at times. Working through the process of determining what is a trapping and what is a blessing is definitely a challenge. But it can also be therapeutic to work through that process and come out the other side with relationships intact!
I am blessed to be part of a family that is willing to work through processes and know that we will still love and cherish each other, no matter what the final decision proves to be. 

I have never been fond of the term 'normal'. The definition states that 'normal' is an adjective that means 'conforming to a standard, usual, typical, or expected'. 
Maybe my distaste for this word came from that fact that one person's normal, isn't necessarily the next person's normal. And just because something 'normally' happens, that doesn't mean that it is something that 'should' happen. 
'Nornal' - I've been extremely near-sighted my whole life. I started wearing glasses in elementary school. So my 'normal' vision was horrible and if I did not accept a medical intervention and start wearing glasses, my life would have been very limited.
'Normal' - I came from a household that valued education and knowledge. It was normal to have conversations around the dinner table that encouraged us to expand our own viewpoints. It was normal, and expected of us, to respect each other's opinions, even if they were different from our own. One day in middle school I went home with a friend from school. At the dinner table that night, differing opinions were NOT welcome! That was my friend's 'normal', but not a normal that I valued or wanted in my life.
Normal also doesn't mean excellent or outstanding. In many careers and industries, if you are normal it is easy be overlooked. Your career could become stale and unrewarding very quickly. 
As more and more people are becoming vaccinated, there has been a lot of talk lately about 'life getting back to normal' - but I don't think that our previous normal is what we should be striving for. 
And maybe, just maybe, we need to be striving for 'BETTER'!

By nature, I am a creative individual.
By nature, I am a planner.
How does that work? Aren't those opposite? Or non-compatible?
Actually, I've found that the combination of the two is what has made my life livable throughout many different circumstances over the years.
Today's performance by one of my handbell ensembles is a perfect example of what I'm talking about.
When the pandemic started last year, all rehearsals went on hiatus - and all my performance plans went out the window. Over the course of the year, some ensembles were able to re-start (physically distanced) rehearsals and performances while others were still on hiatus. And even in the groups that re-started rehearsals, not all of the previous members were able to restart with them. So plans kept happening - and changing as the pandemic continued  - and everyone's 'reality' morphed on a daily/weekly basis.
One of my ensembles started back with 5 of the original ringers, so I pulled some of our 12 bell ensemble pieces to work on. Over the course of a few months, 2 more ringers were able to rejoin us. Yay - more ringers! Augh - more ringers - how do I fit them into the music that we've been rehearsing?! Ah - that's where the creativity comes in - adding bass notes on singing bells or adding various percussion instruments has enhanced our performances and given everyone an opportunity to participate. But this morning I pushed (shoved? pressured? encouraged?) one of my ringers out of his comfort zone! I had chosen Sandra Eithun's 12 bell arrangement of "Shall We Gather at the River" for our Mother's Day performance. It's a lovely arrangement that I've had other groups play previously. But I took us in a slightly different direction this time - 6 ringers played the piece as written - but they played everything on handchimes, and had 1 of my ringers play the melody on a bell tree! He had never played a bell tree before, but . . . oh, well . . . 
It actually turned out beautifully! He went from not knowing how to put together (or play on) a bell tree, to practically memorizing the music and taking the center spot with confidence and aplomb! 
So, a little bit of planning combined with a little bit of creativity AND a lot of flexibility and cooperation. It's a basic recipe for success as far as I'm concerned.

Needless to say - 2020 was weird!
But there were blessings, nonetheless.
So here's a look back at some of the messes - and the blessings that I observed.
Mess - Pandemic closed country's borders / Bless - Weekly face time with siblings that live far away.
Mess - Contamination worries / Bless - Better, and more consistent, cleaning of community areas and transportation.
Mess - Enforced furlough when businesses closed / Bless - More time for music and family.
Mess - Politicians / Bless - Overwhelming voter turn out
Mess - In-person conferences and workshops cancelled / Bless - Was able to have world-wide participants at my first virtual workshop presentation!
Mess - Group worship services cancelled / Bless - Churches became creative in how they worshiped and served the Lord
Mess - Large group holiday celebrations limited or canceled / Bless - More intimate celebrations with loved ones.
Mess - Music rehearsals canceled / Bless - Production and publication of personal music videos.
Mess - Businesses were not able to function as 'business as usual' / Bless - Businesses were able to be creative and find new and better ways to serve their customers
Mess - Both sets of parents needed new living situations / Bless - Reliving of precious memories while going through and packing up their households.

Life lesson? There will always be messes - but looking for, and appreciating the blessings leads to a happier and more fulfilling life.
​What blessings have you found amongst your messes?

It is always a blessing to actually stop and take a moment to think about the blessings you have received. You get blessed twice! The first time was the actual occasion and the second blessing comes with the recounting and revisiting of the blessed experience.
Yes, this year has been some what of a mess . . . but there continues to be blessings on a daily basis. 
I'm glad I was brought up to look for the blessings beyond the mess. 
We are blessed to have my mother-in-law and both of my children celebrating Thanksgiving with us today - small group of very special people. My mother-in-law was able to sell her house and move into a beautiful retirement community this year. That has had its own challenges since it's difficult to meet people in a pandemic where everyone is supposed to stay distanced, but she is enjoying her daily walks through the woods and around the duck pond. And it's a blessing to know that she is safe and in a good place.
Both of my boys are working, as are my husband and myself. What a blessing! We are very grateful for the opportunity to be useful and to be able to participate in our communities.
It has been a blessing to be able to provide music for our religious communities, both on line and in person. There are definitely challenges that are attached to providing music these days, but the blessings outweigh the challenges. 
The other day I heard someone say that they were being required to do things differently, but not to go too far away from the original goals. It made me think of the saying of "thinking out of the box". Sometimes you need to stay 'within the box'. Did you realize that, even INSIDE the box, there are 6 sides and 6 corners? LOTS of different perspectives. Lots of different angles. Lots of opportunities for creative answers on how to do things. We can't always do things "the way they've always been done", but we might be able to put a new spin on something and become blessed with new, possibly even BETTER, outcomes and answers.
I hope that you become blessed with bigger and greater opportunities for unexpected outcomes and growth as we work our way out of the mess of 2020 and into the new opportunities of 2021!

There are many D words that we are Dealing with During this panDemic - 
Desperation, Despair, Delusions, Dedication, Distractions, Deliveries, Depression, Determination, Demands, Dreams, Dread, Diligence, Downsizing, Downloading, Decisions, Distancing, Drama, Delights, Draining, Doctors, Dementia, Desires, Details, Deceptions, Deaths, Diseases, Disinfecting . . . Dear me they go on!
The Decisions we make every Day have become just a little more Difficult with all of the regulations and recommendations that we have to wade through on tasks as simple as going to the grocery and as complex as how to go to school or work and remain healthy. The Demands on our time and attention have to be carefully weighed against what we personally feel we can or can not Deal with on a Daily basis.
My personal challenge is to keep hold of the positive D's - Desires, Determination,  and Dedication so that I don't Drown in the negatives. 
My Desire is to try to Discover how to turn the negatives into positives. Instead of Drowning in Despair I am Determined to Deal with individual Details and see if I can make a Difference.
My Determination is focused on how to change the negatives into positives instead of Dwelling on the negative. Our personal choice is the biggest Determinant in our Demeanor in how we approach each Decision we make on a Daily basis.
I will be Diligent in Dedicating my Days, hours, and minutes to Discovering what Delights can be found on the Deviously Deceptive path that Determines my Day. 
I will hold tightly to the values and people that I hold Dear.

Just because - 
There are 31 days in August, so I've decided to list 31 blessings off the top of my head.

1. My husband's hand is healing nicely and he is cleared to go back to work by the middle of September!
2. My 90 year old father called me through Facebook Messenger today. Don't tell me you can't teach an old dog new tricks. He had never even seen a Portal before the pandemic and now he can use a portal and an iPad with touch screens and we can talk AND see each other despite the frustrations of the day!
3. I am able to go to work in a safe environment and be productive in my job.
4. I was able to be with both of my (grown-up) children for their birthdays this month.
5. The portable A+ Handbell Tree Stand that my husband and I developed earlier this year has proved to be quite popular among handbell enthusiasts.
6. Virtual banking.
7. Sourdough pancakes are yummy and a nice diversion from sourdough bread.
8. There are 3 cooks in this household to share the daily meal preparation.
9. Education is possible.
10. I don't have to agree with someone to love them and value them as a person.
11. Because my doctor listened to me 18 years ago, I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and began using a cpap at night. Because I consistently use my cpap every night, my quality of life is better now than it was then and I do not take any medication at all.
12. Arranging music and sharing that music with others.
13. Playing my flutes.
14. Catching up with friends from various points of my life through online social media.
15. Pantyhose are no longer part of my life!
16. Rice cookers.
17. Weekly zoom chats with my siblings.
18. Central air conditioning.
19. Laughter with friends and co-workers.
20. Safe, reliable transportation.
21. Creative genes.
22. Multiple alarms available on my phone to keep me on task throughout the day/week!
23. eBooks
24. The growing popularity of solar energy
25. Choices
26. A loving Savior!
27. Hearing the rain dripping through the leaves of the trees
28. Seeing pictures of all my nieces and nephews and their growing families
29. Florida life
30. Learning from mistakes
31. Supper ready to be served as I finish this list and blog post!