It's Monday again already and another word book...

One thing I have discovered since I was laid off from my job last August is that it doesn't matter if you're working full time or looking for a job (which is, in itself, a full time job!), the weekends always fly by and when Monday morning arrives, there is always something I didn't get around to doing on Saturday and Sunday.  I can't help but wonder if I have become so used to that inevitability that I subconsciously adjust my mental speed to ensure that I don't complete everything on my to-do list in those two days.  Or perhaps my brain knows that it needs some down time and therefore prevents me from spending all of my time "off" working on those weekend chores.  Another thing I have learned is that when my creative muse is feeling particularly frisky, I had better go with the flow.  If I don't, I'll undoubtedly miss the opportunity and then, when I really need to get a project finished, or started as the case may be, my muse may not be so cooperative!  The housework will still be there when my creative frenzy ends so why not take advantage of the opportunity when it's presented?  I'm a planner by nature and it would be nice to know what kinds of projects will be needed in the coming months but since that's not always possible, I try to take care of the ones I do know about in advance and then if I'm still going strong, I work on whatever makes me happy at the time.   

My younger sister, Patty, inspired me on many occasions to create what I feel is some of my best work.  She also made me realize that I need to live each moment as though it could be my last because none of us knows when that final moment may arrive.  She lived the last 6 years of her life in a way that was an inspiration to everyone who met her.  She maintained a positive attitude toward life and even in her final days, never questioned that her maker had a reason for making her suffer and she never blamed Him for her illness.  I'm not at all sure that I would be able to follow her example but I know that I would try to do just that.  This photo of her graced the front cover of Texas Health Harris Methodist Foundation's publication called "In Touch" in which she was featured in an article about the Bluebonnet Retreat Adult Cancer Camp, where she was a volunteer camp counselor twice a year.  The camp was extremely important to her and she attended the spring session just over a month before she passed away in May of last year. 

Here's a word book I made for her approximately 4 years after she was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer.  It was the first one I made and I took the pictures before her photos and some additional embellishments were added.  It's much prettier with them in place but I haven't had a chance when I've been at my brother-in-law's house to take new pictures of it.  I definitely need to do that though <making a mental note to take camera on my next visit>.    

Thanks for dropping by today.  I wish you all a wonderful week full of love and creative energy and I hope you'll visit again very soon.

Happy crafting,

Anniebee