Somehow around 8 years ago my love of paper, creating and paints had turned into me listing a few things to sell on Etsy.

Just to make things more interesting I asked my mom to work with me to sew children’s clothing that I was designing.

Everything was so small but so fun.

I remember that Kelly and I set up a space for me in our unfinished basement where I would work once the children went to sleep.

There were more nights than I can count that I would thank the Lord for allowing me to create and make money doing something creative.

With tears flowing down my cheeks I felt so content and happy for this new opportunity.

Around this time I was sitting in a PE class for homeschool kids with a 6 year old boy, 4 year old girl and a 6 month old.

One of the mom’s after hearing about my new Etsy shop turned to me and said, “Well, I guess you will be quitting homeschooling now”!  It wasn’t a question…it was a fact.  I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know why she was saying this and almost giggled when I answered her back that of course I wasn’t going to quit homeschooling the kids.  She responded with, “Well, I don’t know how you do it”.  That was the first of many times I would hear those words. Not in a kind and truly curious way but condescending and hurtful. Almost like there was something wrong with me.

Everything has happened very organically for me.  We didn’t just wake up one day and have the business we have today.  But let me tell you something…

The world applauds dreamers.

Dream Big.

Reach for your dreams.

Dream Bigger.

Be prepared for the reactions when you actually go beyond the dreaming and you start the doing and the follow through.

The dreaming stage is fine to get you ready but if you have dreams don’t stay there.

The dreaming stage is safe and easy and maybe even fun.

It might even make you feel like you are doing more than you are (almost like buying art supplies but not creating) but don’t stop there.

Erwin McManus says in his book The Artisan Soul, “The bigger the dream, the greater the risk”.

This is so true and my biggest leaps creatively and in life have been through risk, failure and sometimes even success.

There is something that happens when your dreaming becomes doing and those around you may get a little uncomfortable.

This isn’t about you (not usually).

This is something in them saying, “Why am I not doing something with MY own dreams”?

If you are hurt right now because of something that is being said over you I want you to know that most of the negative things ever said over me were out of others fear and not my own.

It took me a long time (some things since childhood) to realize that it was the person’s inability to appreciate gifts in others that are different from their own and even their own inability to dream and do BIG.

I have also learned that when I have a reaction to someone else’s dreaming and actually doing that is really different than my own that I don’t ever want to be that negative voice that has come my way.  I catch myself often. As I have gotten older I choose the person and to support the dream…even if I don’t understand.  I want to allow others to be courageously foolish and to not be the voice of reason.

Choose to support people over being right or defending your own insecurities or struggles.

We are all different. Our gifts are different. Our insecurities and weaknesses are different.

We are all equal.

Our dreams all have the same value.

McManus gives a beautiful visual of our creativity and what is waiting for us.  He says that our story begins when..”God exhales and we inhale”.

We all have that. What are you going to do with it? How are you going to support others with it?