Excess Baggage

Artists Circle Tags

It seems I really don't want to finish my tags. But the

truth is I find myself in a paralysis. I'm afraid of failure, I'm afraid of putting "the only-one"

embellish-

ment on them and then regretting I used it. I have too many projects sitting on the table - all have become muddled. I feel a little despair but I am going to clean off the table and begin again - one project at a time, one focus, clean and direct. I think that is what I need after being so busy with facts, figures and paperwork for the past week.

Here is the cover and back of my tag booklet with one tag worked on, but I don't think finished. The word "Baggage" came from the "Heavy" airplane tag placed on my suitcase in San Juan before boarding a plane to fly home. I pitied the poor handlers that had to pick up my bag. Lesson learned - pack light or go naked. Only kidding.

Returning from the Caribbean I had over packed the bigger suitcase and the cost - $50.00. It started me to thinking of other things in my life overstuffed. What is the cost? in money, in time, in peace-of-mind, in every way. Underneath the "Capital" tag are ripped pages from an old Labor Law book (I can not believe I actually tore apart a book)one big accomplishment!! I placed laundry tags ripped up on it and an ole' car with a cutup cork from a wine bottle. There is green yarn through the cork and attached to it a strand of beads. There is quite a bit of symbolism for me in this tag. It represents old habits, old ways of doing things that don't work. money (lack of or used improperly), laboring in vain, wasting time and reaping no reward, and beads represent wampum because of my Native American heritage.

The title I wrote in my journal - What I Gained In Letting Go

Excess Baggage - 12 tags "Letting Go - Stop"
1 - food eat healthy
2 - thoughts - "I can for I can't", "I did it", "I am for I'm nobody"
3 - weight - appearance
4 - attitude - hatred, anger, love, joy
5 - feelings - impressions, vain imaginations
6 - clothes - clean out closet
7 - fabric - share
8 - books, magazines - put them in order
9 - negative words,gossip
10 - money - use it wisely, give
11 - stuff in home - pack rat
12 - misc. - things I'm shown daily to let go of

My tags don't look very pretty or fancy with great embellishments. But I think I will try to give myself room to fail or to experiment. That's ok? right?!?!

By the way, on my walk this morning I found 4 coins, 2 pennies and 2 dimes. God keeps reminding me of His promise to me.

Day 22 - The God Of All Comfort

As I read today's devotional encounter I weep grievously. I feel a pain, a loss, a deep sadness for others that find no comfort anywhere. They have tried so many vices and nothing seems to bring comfort. I remember feeling that myself for years. And then The God of Comfort began to get my attention and slowly I started to heal, allow myself to grieve, allow myself to feel. I allowed myself to see through a loving God's eyes, allowed The Holy Spirit, the Comforter; who was sent after Jesus gave His life for us, to begin to work through me.

I weep for the pain of a child losing a parent, I weep for an innocent child losing their security and safety to a predator, I weep, I just weep. And most of all I weep because I so desire them to know The God Of All Comfort and The Comforter, the Holy Spirit.

I weep!!!