One thing I am loving about my new Seasons of Joy website is that I now, rain or shine, put time aside every week for crafting. I love crafting. The term ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’ applies perfectly to me. I can turn my hand to almost anything but don’t necessarily do any of them well. That’s because my joy genuinely comes from sitting down for a couple of hours, by myself, in uninterrupted silence, doing something with my hands. It is the only time my brain slows down, calms down and does not feel like an electrical storm is happening deep within.
It is the reason I make silent YouTube films. For me, there is something gold about silence. As an introvert who, if it wasn’t for my family, would probably would have a tendency towards eremitism (I did put hermitism which the computer didn’t like, so I went on a rabbit trail to find the right word. Eremitism = hermitism 😊), I yearn for silence. I never get it (!), but I yearn for it.
However, when my family knows I am filming I do get a semblance of quietude. This means that filming my Seasons of Joy videos and my Angelicscalliwags Homeschool videos have become a little bit of slow, quiet heaven amongst the business of everyday life. I shut myself up in my office, a 1 1/2 meter by 1 meter tiny indoor porch way, I set up all my crafting materials, turn on the light and press record. I secretly smile with glee as I take in a long satisfied completely fulfilled breath and get down to the serious business of crafting.
“Aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands”
— I Thessalonians 4:11
This week I am wood burning. Wood burning is a great deal of fun. I don’t have much skill in it. I almost added a yet at the end of that last sentence, but the reality is I probably never will be skilled as such. Tinkering is much more my style and with a new wood burning accessory, an alphabet, I am hoping to simply add some wood burnt scripture to a couple of new chopping boards.
The above was written before I’d actually burned any wood. Two hours later, with freezing toes and fingers (there is no heating in my office and it’s very cold today 🥶) and I have finally finished burning scripture into my chopping boards.
Those two hours went by in what seemed liked seconds. I just love to craft. My brain quiets and somehow is able to zone out the hustle and bustle which accompanies our home everyday.
Perhaps because I am concentrating so hard, or perhaps because most crafts are repetitive in nature…or perhaps it’s a bit of both.
Whatever the case, I emerge feeling significantly more relaxed and energised. Enjoy my video, which compresses two hours of footage into 15 minutes 😊
Seasons of Joy 