Cathedral Builders

This is a story for all of the invisible cathedral builders commonly

known as mothers...





I'm invisible.

It all began to make sense - the blank stares, the lack of response, the

way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store.

Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" Obviously not. No

one can see if I'm on the phone or cooking or sweeping the floor or even

standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.

I'm invisible.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can

you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being.

I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?"

I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?"

I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30 , please."

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the

eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude -

but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen

again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a

friend from England ..

Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on

and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking

around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to

compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style

dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean.

My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could

actually smell peanut butter in it.

I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a

beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this."

It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe . I wasn't exactly sure

why she'd given it to me until I read her

inscription: "To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what

you are building when no one sees."

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would

discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after

which I could pattern my work:

-No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of

their names.

-These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see

finished.

-They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.

-The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes

of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the

cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny

bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are

you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be

covered by the roof? No one will ever see it."

And the workman replied, "Because God sees."

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was

almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see

the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No

act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've

baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a

great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become .."

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a

disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my

own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As

one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see

finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The

writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever

be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to

sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend

he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4

in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a

turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That

would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him

to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his

friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're

doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will

marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been

added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.



Great Job, MOM!

Kabuki Homewares

I have joined Kabuki Homewares as a consultant which is very exciting!! I already have a few parties booked, but I am happy to take more in the Townsville/Cairns area :)

Arent these products just gorgeous!!

Inspire Me

Please come and join me on Inspire Me, a new blog, uploading a page a day to inspire you!

http://inspireme2007.blogspot.com/

Spoilt Part 2

How happy was I to come home after an awful days work to find a stack of parcels on the step?? Well actually they were [placed] over the fence near the mailbox- think the parcel lady is scared of the dog too.....

There was a big box with goodies from Katrina www.littlelalas.blogspot.com who was my partner in Shannons cotton and candy swap.

She sent me vodka mudshake mmmmm, chupa chups, a fling....,the most gorgeous tea towel ( I am so going to buy some of these- how cute is it) and scrap supplies, and a cute lingerie bag!

How spoilt am I!!!

Spoilt Part 1

The apron swap

Isnt that the most divine crocheted apron you have seen????

Anyone for a tea party?

Please come join in the fun at www.makeminepink.blogspot.com

Monday itis

Well TArni got student of the week! Was very exciting, but I had to work so I missed the assembly :(

Here is her certificate though! Will take a pic of her with it tomorrow.

Also some more pages....

More pages

Just because I know you all love to see my pages so many times, here is another hehe

IMHO

I have been doing the challenges at www.thisismejournal.blogspot.com

This is the In My Honest Opinion page, this is such a great little me journal, not supposed to be perfect yay! I am going to do my hobbies so I am up ready to go for the next challenge, which is out on Mondays and Thursdays.

Coco

This is the crazy cat.....or grumpy cat....and this morning he was a very wet cat, who fell in the pool when sitting on the edge. All we heard was a big splash....and then saw one soaled cat come flying out of the pool and up the stairs. Poor Coco...

Saturdays

Saturdays are our sort of lazy days. Last night we had a barbie which was wonderful, had a great time with friends, and didnt get to bed till midnight.
Today we had a lunch barbie with Mark, Alisa and the kids, which was wonderful and relaxing, we dont do it often enough. I love to eat and drink and relax with my friends.
Then Rick worked on his car while the kids slept and I ended up doing this weeks challenge for CPC. And yep, a self portrait..the kids insisted!

Exciting news!

Tarni lost her first tooth!!

Shabby chic

This is the shabby chic class at Scrapbook Shenanigans

Scrapping Day

Tuesdays are the days I have the wonderful ladies over for scrapping day :)

Today I did a few things, here is one page for the new album- just Rick and I, starting with our wedding pics!

Going back to work tomorrow, just three days a week for now, see what happens, 15 hours a week plus weekends isnt too bad really.

Congratulations!!

WELCOME Bailey and CONGRATULATIONS Cal, Kirsten and Ardyn

I completed another

I finally got around to completing another project out of my OTP crate. I have done about 5 so far, and doesnt look like I have done any! This one is the Create monogram circles- arent they lovely

More pages

Another mini album, and Another page, and I completed this envelope album too, but no pics of that yet.

And yet more

Ok there are something like 40 little pages in this album- but its done. Started and finished today, adn so much fun!

Memories Ribbon Album

How cool is this album? I did it this morning- you can find everything for it in the designer kit at www.countrypapercraft.com.au

Shiny Book!!

I pinched this idea off the wonderful LaLaLees blog http://www.blognow.com.au/LaLaLee/


I remember how my books and school diaries used to look, I used to have fun decorating and doodling in them, and somewhere along the way that part of my inner child has been lost! So its time for that fun messy creative side to come back out and play! Thanks so much Lee for the inspiration. You are so right- might not be perfect but its soooo much fun!!!!

And some more

Candy came over to scrap, so did a few more pages

Love being your mum

Another layout I have done today, its not dry yet but its got lots of fiddly bits :)

You and Me

Tarni

One of the Pixifotos of Tarni, put it in a challenge, so its a bit different, but I like it.

Yep still scrapping- can you tell Rick is away this weekend?Yet another course....over yet another weekend......

This weeks layout

OK here it is.
Title- You colour my world

The journalling says



You'll never see a dark cloud hanging 'round me
Now there is only blue sky to surround me
There's never been a gray day since you found me
Everything I touch is turned to gold

CHORUS:
So you can color my world with sunshine yellow each day
Oh you can color my world with happiness all the way
Just take the green from the grass and the blue from the sky up above
And if you color my world, just paint it with your love
Just color my world

Just as long as I know you're thinking of me
There'll be a rainbow always up above me
Since I found the one who really loves me
Everything I touch is turned to gold

(chorus)

Sunshine yellow, orange blossom
Laughing faces everywhere, yeah

(chorus)

Color my world, color my world

More house pics

Just cleaning today for a house inspection, and moved furniture around, and realised I hadnt posted the pics from downstairs.