Wow, it has been a month...

since I posted here. A busy, but interesting month. I have spent this time working on catching up my lessons from Soul Restoration I class - during the lessons online, I lost my uncle in January and then my dad died on February 10th. I helped my mom deal with some of that and came home, only to be "let go" from my job due to a corporate buy out and their $$ issues. I felt overwhelmed, angry and lost. I decided to get back to my Soul Restoration work, as a sort of therapy. As a family therapist, I often use art activities in my therapy and it is the primary therapy for ME when I am feeling a need to counter-act burn-out. I had NO IDEA the affect this would have for me personally. The Brave Girls were wonderful, extending the time to work on the projects. The videos and lessons stretched me and helped me face the loss and anger. I recognized how negative I had become through things at work - working 55-60 hours a week without comp time, no time for husband, family, faith and art. The death of an uncle had brought up issues of the past that were surprisingly painful - pain thought to be long ago dealt with. Loss of a father brought up the issues of conflict between us and the need to deal with that. Anger over the job, which left unaddressed would lead to more anger, bitterness and negativity if allowed to fester, was addressed. I threw myself into the lessons and my faith - faith being a major part of the artwork as I went. I rediscovered self - became incredibly light, vibrant, joyful. The video in lesson 6 is incredibly, breathtakingly emotion-filled - lighting the candles- we are the light to the WORLD and need to spread joy and light into every life we touch! It brought the soul back to where it began... I regained my energy and enthusiasm - I have thrown myself into touching others in each and every way possible to bring the light and joy to them - from words and deeds to dreams and plans to benefit those around me. With this renewal has come a return to the heart that lead me to be a therapist in the first place - to help the hurting heal. I have begun to dream of a private practice where through therapy and kindness, creativity can be born and hurting people can heal and grow - to have the lives they have never dreamed possible. Steps are being made to work to make it a reality. In the meanwhile, I am interviewing for jobs to help support my family as we work together toward this dreamed of practice. I go to these interviews with more confidence, asking God to choose the position He wants me to take to be of the most benefit to others. Just think of how, from pain, this wonderful course was created (like giving birth) and how you have nurtured it, Melody and Kathy - and as you reached out to the 1400+ women who took this course, you lit that many candles - and those women will continue to nurture one another and light each others candles, when they flicker and threaten to go out. They will reach out and kindle the lights of those not reached by the class directly and spread the words and light of the class to them...and those women will continue to spark the flame. The flame will become a fire within us and within others to create a world of love, respect and kindness - let it be a fire that will never go out and will gradually spread and take over the world - that we will walk in the light and not in the darkness - that we will know love and joy and peace.... That is what the course meant to me - not just the projects - the real project was inside - our hearts - and while we altered pages, we really altered ourselves - we altered and mended our worn hearts - you have passed on amazing blessings to all you have touched, many of whom you have not met...who you may never meet...but you will know them by their love...God bless you richly....we love you deeply.....Kim