I'm Back! (some quick updates, & some musings on strength & weakness)

Well, I didn't actually go anywhere. I seldom go anywhere.

I'm back on a laptop of my own, & I dare suspect you'll be hearing from me a little more consistently.

It's not like my life is getting any less crazy, but having a device that I can type prettily on (& speedily on) in my own space, at any time, denotes consistency.

So, YAY! - you get to hear from me more.

& to whomever it is applicable, I'm so sorry.

This post is a little more of an update than my usual almost-prose.

It's a year of many transitions for me - which is normal for my age, I suppose - so I can guarantee that there will be more update-y posts in the future. Bear with me as I go through this journey, okay?

For starters, you may have already heard, or have seen the pretty link at the bottom of my blog page, but some dear people & I have started a collaborative Etsy shop: Son of Uri Studios. I am the token sketch artist, & you can find my section, Designs by Lyd, here.

This little shop has been occupying a good bit of my time. I'm trying to keep inspired, & keep dishing out fresh pieces to list, so that the shop is always blooming. & I will always have plenty of room to grow, so I've been practicing with detailing, & experimenting with new techniques. I'm proud of the shop as it is right now, but I'm excited for every improvement. I think that's so vital as an artist.

All of my pieces are completely original - I don't have access to the technology to reproduce digitally, I have never been able to copy my own work by hand, & I have never liked the idea of mass-produced art, so every sketch you see is the only one of its kind. It might make things harder for me down the road, but it's a value I feel is worth upholding. Who says we have to conform to the norm, just because it's easier?

I have also become a wellness advocate for doTERRA essential oils, & you can read a bit about my story with that here, & proceed to browsing the oils from there by clicking on the three bars in the upper-right corner of the webpage & clicking "Shop."

So yeah, enough advertisements, sorry. As I'm preparing for what the Lord is calling me too, I've been challenged to work more for it. I can't just sit back. I need to grab hold of the opportunities in front of me. My dream is expensive, to put it bluntly, & I can't wait for money to just fall in my lap, no matter how nice that sounds.

A friend spoke something heavy & honest into my life recently, & I can't get it out of my head. It was along the lines of this: that the people around us will fail us, they just will. 7 there comes a time where we need to accept that, gracefully, & own our own crap. This wasn't said in judgement of the people around me, but as a caution against expecting everyone to do exactly what I need them to. I'm young, sure. Naive, definitely, Weak, yep. But I still need to step up to the plate.

The Lord has given me a beautiful dream, & I'm not going to let it rot in the distance with a hundred other things i should have pressed in for. He's also given me an incredible support system. People that are on Team Lydia, per se, & would love to help me pursue my future. I can't expect them to just read my mind & know what I need. This season has been one of stepping up to the plate, but also one of letting people into my weakness & lack. I've had to be really honest, & ask people for help (which isn't my long suit) when I need it. I have had to stop settling for, "oh, I can't get there," & start asking, "could you take me?" I've had to stop saying, "I don't know how," & start asking, "can you teach me?"

It's humbling, but empowering. That's so like the Kingdom.

When we take off our masks of false strength, & bring our weakness before the throne of grace, & invite others to see that we don't have it all together, that's when the lord can pour out power into our lives.

Our true strength lies in knowing that we have none apart from Him, & knowing that with His help, "I can run against a troop, & by my God I can leap over a wall." {Psalm 18:29}

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