This is going to be one of those strange Posts that covers two totally unrelated topics that don't even seem go together... Spiritual Art and my lack of Domestic Skills!!! *wink* I really love and enjoy Spiritual Art, I'm a very Spiritual person and so I connect with it in a very personal and relational way. Relationship with the Lord is definitely a priority in our lives. I've always been surrounded by beautiful Spiritually inspired Religious Art and Artifacts all of my life and it is by far my largest and most beloved of collections. I've acquired magnificent pieces from around the World, simple primitive pieces and everything inbetween. Some items I have many, many forms of... such as Crucifixes, Icons, Rosaries and Religious Statuaries. Because I have found that since Spirituality is deeply personal for each individual, when an Artist is inspired to create something that represents their Spirituality, though it may be an identical Subject, it will never, ever be the same and so each is distinctive and extremely unique. Part of the Spirit of the Artist is evident and their interpretation will be as varied as the patterns of a snowflake and I really, really like that. I also like the little bejeweled Crowns and intricate Halos on many of my pieces... I like that some have been dressed up in garments lovingly made by the hands of the Faithful. I often dress mine up too... draped with beautiful strands of Pearls and Bohemian Jewelry or my favorite Rosaries. Of coarse I drape my Rosaries EVERYWHERE, I like to look at them and display them... and rotate the ones that haven't been displayed in a while, so that they all get their chance to be showcased. And here comes the 2nd topic of this Post... I'm not much of a housekeeper, our Home has always been clean enough to be healthy but dirty enough to be happy *wink*, perhaps that's the old Hippie in me, I don't know? *LOL* But I am one dedicated vignette-keeper! I spend a lot of time arranging and re-arranging my vignettes and displays and decorating, it's like big girl play to me. While housework bores me half to death and interests me not one iota... and I can never seem to quite keep up with it, which is rather a downer... decorating inspires and uplifts my Spirit and is a total Joy no matter how many hours have to be spent at it! You should see me just prior to a photo shoot of anything I'm preparing to share with you all... typically I want or need to photograph it twice... because even if the 1st attempt turns out perfectly... I discover that... well... it's also showcasing my lack of Domestic Skills!!! *Gasp! Smiles and a big sigh* It is perhaps an oxymoron that in my Home you will often see beauty side by side with dust and even some clutter. I'm not proud of that mind you and I always try to do better and not fall short, but I'm definitely a work in progress, even after all these years. And I don't quite understand it because I'm not a lazy person, I always work very hard and have all of my life. I have had quite a measure of success in the Corporate World, but not so much success at keeping a house clean and as organized as I think it should be or could be. I've always been a person who works at a career with excellence and great organizational skills, but housework... I really seem to suck at that!!!!!! And it's somewhat embarrassing to admit and confess to you. You see, I'm utterly amazed and impressed at how absolutely pristine the majority of the Homes are in Blogland! And part of the reason why I hesitated to join the ranks of Bloggers was that I knew most of the time my Home would not be photo op ready! *LOL* That's actually an understatement... sure, we're pretty good at doing a marathon tidy-up if company is coming so that the place is presentable... but we are a laid back bunch. And if you're tight with us, well, we know you'll accept us 'As Is' and so you could walk in without prior notice and it will not bother us. And since you'd be like Family, well... we might even ask you to help get the place in shape a bit... please... 'cause I could certainly use all the help I can get! *Smiles* And though I would love to enjoy a pristine, always tidy, immaculately clean Home... so long as I have all this stuff... and the Crew... it isn't likely to happen anytime soon. Sure, I make the heroic attempts, almost daily, to have "that" Home like you see in the magazine spreads... and in many of the Posts I swoon over... but then Life happens in here and well... I gotta go with the flow of my reality instead of the dream. *wink* And perhaps that's why I need an extra dose of Faith and Spiritual strength dear ones... to take care of all that I have been entrusted with... and go about it in the best way that I'm able, while still making the Journey an enjoyable and memorable one for us all. Because I suspect at the end of my Life it isn't likely that my Friends and Family may remember how tidy and clean a Home I kept... but that it was filled with memories, much Love, good times and good people... and so I'm content with that and Hope the Lord will welcome me when I pass from time into eternity with those words the Faithful long to hear... "Well done My good and faithful servant!"... Dawn... The Bohemian