New Years Changes

We spent the last few weeks of December looking at resolutions.  Now, firmly resolved, we stare 2019 in the face and ask ourselves 'is this going to work?'  Lets set aside that fear laced question and instead look at what we are going to change.  If you didn't give yourself enough of a head start on your resolutions then you've probably been thinking about them or implementing them this week.  I've been thinking about mine a lot.

2018 was about rest.  God has been teaching and testing me in this area to remind me of the importance of obedience in rest.  The last quarter of the year was more intense in this area as God asked me to give up noise, technology and entertainment.  I spent a lot of the year wondering when it was going to be over...the rest, not the year.  Even in those moments of impatience God was teaching me how like a child I am.  The 'are we there yets' of my spiritual journey are so similar to the impatience I've seen in little ones.  God took great care to keep telling me to rest, to wait, to relax, to stop worrying, to stop being anxious and to not fret.

Near the end of December, God started to reveal what He was going to be working in 2019.  It's going to be a lot.  It's going to be a ton of learning, growing, and working.  Just thinking about it got me all worked up and ready to whip out to do lists, organizational aspiration sheets and a paper bag to breath into.  Okay, maybe not that last one.  I like being busy.  God taught me a lot in 2018 about where I find my value.  I know I was finding my worth and value in what I could do.  Without that (ugh, rest) I had to meet with Jesus about what that meant.  Being released from rest was like lifting the first gate at the races.  I near ran into the fence in my haste.  Because God gave me a year of rest, a year of coming back to a baseline of peace, I know that my resolutions are going to have to reflect what I learned last year.  In anticipation of what I think God will do with my year, I have made some resolutions and goals based on growing towards areas that I want to see if God has given me a passion for, to remind me of what God taught me was important in 2018 and to test doors and see where God is moving.

So what does that all mean.  I'm going to be writing more and blogging less.  Dotted lines, at least for now, is going to be moving to a once a month format.  Don't worry.  I have a year or mores worth of blogs for you to go back through if you need something to read ;)  In addition, Dotted Lines is going to be starting a YouTube channel!  Why?  Well, a few reasons.  One of them being the fact that humor and sarcasm tend to read better with facial expressions and I might translate better to you, the audience, face to face as it were.  I have some exciting publishing and contest news to announce already for 2019 but I have to hold my hat a little bit.  Since submitting more articles and contest pieces is one of my resolutions, I think that bodes well for the year ;)  My final resolution is to have my priorities straight.  In other words, time with God has to come first, without limits.  My time is His and without that source I won't be able to create, stay unafraid or hold on to peace.   That's my top priority this year.  To approach the potentially frantic with the sense of peace and calm that only comes from time spent with the Prince of Peace.  It is going to be a straight up test of what I have learned in 2018 so I am praying and working hard to establish some good habits to support this resolve.

Video seems to be the direction for the year.  I am going to be doing a lot of learning in this area through multiple outlets as I serve others and work it out for myself.  It's going to be tempting to fall back on negative self talk (I hate feeling dumb and I am going to feel dumb a lot as I learn) and frantically trying to complete an ever growing to-do list.  That's why my word for 2019 is Balance. 

So what is your word for 2019?  Have you started well this week or do you need to reset?  Either way, I hope you will join me.  The mission of Dotted Lines is still to embark on the amazing adventure of searching for God in my every day.  That won't change no matter where we move!

Secrets Revealed

Some time ago I vaguely hinted that I had been asked to participate in a secret project that I was very excited about.  It's about time I revealed it to all of you for two reasons....

1. It's in print and available for purchase.
2. It's launched a new season in my life.

What is "IT" you ask?  Good question.  

Introducing Overcomer, a Journal of Hope for Women who Hurt.

Kim has said this project was a God thing and it was.  Even the bits I got to contribute came from a heart prayerfully asking God what He wanted me to say.  I was blessed and excited to be a part of it and I am so happy to be able to share it with all of you.  Whether you need a place to work through your story of trauma or you know someone who needs it, I can personally recommend this book.  

My friend Kim is an amazing author but more than that she is an amazing woman of God.  Before I knew she was an amazing author she spoke God's truth into my new marriage and into my walk with Christ and she is one of dearest people to my heart.  I would encourage you to visit her website for many reasons, including her other books, but also for the information she shares about fighting human trafficking and struggling with chronic illness.  

(You can find her website here http://www.kimberlyrae.com/)

Getting to contribute to this work has sparked a new desire to write.  You may have noticed an increase in the regularity of my posts.  I couldn't have had a better launching pad than this book.  So wait with me and see what the Lord does!  Let the Adventure begin because Overcoming obstacles is all part of the grand quest!

Beginnings and endings

It has been a very long time since I could say I've had a good start to the year.  I really can't remember a time I had a great end to the year.  I am fully aware that I am a pessimist (or as any pessimist would say, a realist).  I don't know about you, but by the time I get to the end of the year all the little stresses, drama and things that go wrong set me in a mental place that says "this has been a crappy year".  Does that happen to you?  A few things going wrong at the end of the year color how I see the rest of the year and really set my mentality for the coming year.  I've allowed this pattern to continue unnoticed for years.  Looking back now I can see that this was a result of exhaustion from over working myself all year and the stress of expectation at the holidays.  Can anyone relate?  I can look back at it because this year was different.  Beautifully, wonderfully different!

Here's what changed.

I have some amazing women of God in my life.  I have been blessed, even though they are now in different states, to continue to study the word of God with them.  Last year we read a book on advent which was really good.  This year, to continue the practice of anticipation of the coming Savior, we decided to practice gratitude.  Every day in the month of December we would text each other something we were thankful for.

It was GLORIOUS!

Not only did I search my days for something to be thankful for, even the bad days, I got to share in the joy of my friends.  As I searched my days for gratitude, I found it.  That gratitude allowed me to look back on the rest of my year with the same.  It's even spilled over into how I am starting my new year.  I have never had such a close, vibrant walk with the Lord.  (There are a couple reasons for this but for the purposes of this blog it all started with an attitude of gratitude)  

I've been told over the years that thankfulness and gratitude were necessary to a vibrant life.  My grumpy Gus self grimaced at this.  I was not required by the Lord to be happy, I only had to have Joy.  Joy is a choice, not an emotion I would smugly say.  Yeah, I know...sad.  I was.  I still struggle with sorrow.  But today, and for the last month and a half, I have had joy.  I've had abundant life!  I've even been....giddy.  While the happy, giddy excitement may be gone tomorrow, the practice of joy and gratitude will stay with me.  I feel light because I have exchanged my burdens of worry, stress and annoyance for the much better gift of gratitude.  

For those of you who are not predisposed to joy...it's okay, you can get there.  For those of you who have happy in the bag, good on ya.  This will still help you.  Whether you've set your resolutions for the year or not you can still set goals and intentions that will help you throughout the year.  So here's my challenge to you.

Find someone you can email, text or talk to every day for 30 days.  Every day, share with each other something you're thankful or grateful for.  If you don't need a full 30 days (to be honest I think everyone could use a gratitude refresher)  or if you have done a 30 day and need a gratitude booster, then try a 7 day.  Don't worry if some of your hard days leave it hard to find something to be thankful for, search anyway and come up with something.  I kid you not, one of my days I shared that I was grateful I was sick on Christmas.  I meant it.  I was grateful.  It took me a month of practice to get there but the previous hard days had taught me to search every new situation for something to be thankful for so I had something to share.  You can too!

Keep at it and by all means, tell me how it goes!

To my audience of One

Life is a constant state of learning.  I don't mean education per se.  I mean learning.  To varying degrees, depending on the individuals interest and motivation, we all educate ourselves formally or informally.  The modern age has given us educational videos that can teach us anything from how to shave a cat to how an engine works.

I've always seen myself as something of a Jill of all trades and master of none.  Being a perfectionist is a very awkward combination for that particular trait.  If I'm not instantly good at something, I will most likely put it off until I can't possibly do a good job or give up in a melodramatic pity dive into the bed.  You think I'm kidding...ha ha...yeeeeah.  This is not a mature thing to do.  I know this.  I've never had the discipline or stamina to practice enough to get really good at something.  I try stuff, I fail, I half succeed and mostly I fill in until the people who are actually good at this stuff get there.  That's my place.  The in betweener.

This hasn't really inspired a purpose.

As I look forward to the next part of my journey, I know I'm going to be super critical of anything I create.  I don't want my critical nature to stop me from taking the journey and I know part of that is going to be educating myself on how to do a good job and practicing.  So here's to making the effort.  Here's to learning how.  Here's to trying anyway.  Here's to casting aside doubt and negativity and fear.  Here's to life.

Advent

The holidays can be a challenging time of year for many.  The lists get longer, the stress gets bigger and the demands on our time grow.  My friend, Pam, and I decided this holiday we were going to do an Advent Bible Study.  In addition we are going to pray specifically for requests that line up with the weeks of Advent.  I am personally adding in a month of prayer discipline.
The end of the year tends to be, at least for me, filled with some annoying stressful things that make me think the entire year stunk.  (This is helped along by the fact that I usually haven't given myself a period of rest from the never ending tasks on my to do list).  This year, I don't want to be focused on the stress.  I want to focus on my Savior.  To participate in the anticipation of His coming.

So here's to an end of the year filled with anticipation not of things but of hope!

Here's to an end of the year meant to set up the beginning of the new year with success!

Here's to growth in areas of value!



As far as the prayer discipline, I wanted to share what I'm doing.
I have a hard time praying for a few reasons.  The first being that my head is so full of tasks and thoughts I can't seem to maintain a quite time of prayer for any length of time.  The second is I've had some heartbreak in the area of prayer I thought was answered and seemingly isn't.  I'm working on these in two ways.  I'm going to start a prayer log.  I think typing out my prayers will force me to focus and help me keep a record.  I'm also going to allow my brain a period of time to think about everything I have to do that day and I'm going to write it down.  I'll give it a  to do list to show my brain I heard it and I'll get to it in due time.  My prayer is that this will allow me the space to focus on God.  So here's my to do list for today.  Now to prayer!

How to "How to" cosplay

Let me begin by saying I am not a professional cosplayer.  That's not what this blog is about.  I will not show you tutorials on intricate and skillful works of art that you wear.  I have an "every man's" perspective on cosplay.  So, for the regular Joe, this is for you.

I have been asked many times over the years to help people get started with costumes.  Most people don't wear them on a regular basis. (I know, weird right?)  That overwhelming sense of not knowing where to start is intimidating.  So I have been thinking of how to condense the getting started of cosplay to take the fear out and start on the path.  That means its LIST TIME!!!!!

• Figure out what you want to be
• For some people this step is easy.  For others, the plethora of choices can be paralyzing.  So here's me sub-list (arrrgh):
• How comfortable are you with your body?  (I'm a conservative, large, Christian woman so I will never dress in skin tight spandex but I've seen large, bearded men wear that look so...whatever works for you)
• How close of a copy do you want to make?  Choosing a character that has some similarities to you gives you a natural base to build on but it isn't necessary. Don't forget to consider that the more intricate the costume, the more time and money it will probably take.
• Do you love a specific character?  Some people dress as something because it's popular, some people dress as something because they grew up reading the comic/watching the cartoon and some people think long and hard about what is both obscure and recognizable so that they will be one of a few in 100's of thousands just so they get their picture taken a lot.  (If this is your thing then don't dress as the newest release movie, avoid joker and harley quinn and DO NOT dress as Deadpool....never dress as deadpool.)  You might even consider mashups.  This might be a stretch your first time out but look up taco belle cosplay or cookie monster storm trooper.  Gender bending a character or mashing it up with something clever or unusual can be awesome.  
• Do you have the skills or the finances to accomplish the look to your satisfaction?  
• You can use cardboard boxes if you want to, if you have the skills you can even make that look good, but it's one of many options.  Think about your expectations.  You will probably not be able to accomplish the look a professional has managed after a year or mores work, but you can produce something you're happy with.
• Don't forget to think about comfort and access
• Sure your character may wear 1.5" high stilettos but you will not last a con day in those.  Either prepare to have slippers to take a break in or face the consequences.  I once walked barefoot on a con floor most of the day because I didn't prepare.
• Think about the comfort of your costume.  Corsets and bulky armor may look cool but practical they are not.  It takes a great deal of negotiation to sit in a panel in some costumes.  Don't forget that, at some point, you may need to use the facilities....how are you going to get the necessaries free to use said receptacle?
• Hard to see through visors, small breathing holes, bulky layers that add to heat and "wide load" costumes need to be viewed in light of the fact that you will be in a fairly restricted space with 150,000 of your closest friends.  You can still attempt those costumes but don't expect those to be the "see the con" days.  Plan plenty of water breaks, ventilation and rest.  Professional cosplayers do not spend the entire day of a con in their costume.  
• How much do you want to spend?
• Some costumes have very intricate pieces.  The easiest course is to buy what you need.  The funnest, and most frustrating, in my opinion is to make it.  That means anything from altering found objects from the thrift store to buying expensive professional materials to make it.  In the beginning it will also take practice which will inevitably cost precious time and materials.  Set a budget and give yourself plenty of time to troll multiple thrift stores and online prices.  
• How much time do you have?
• If you have given yourself a month or less...Don't set your expectations too high.  Remember this is just for fun.
• If you have 6 months or more, don't waste it. Crafting a costume takes time.
• Make a list of what you need
• I always do a break down of the costume.  This helps me figure out what needs to be done so I don't get lost or overwhelmed.  List everything.  Socks, shoes/footwear, special undergarments, morph suits, capes, jewelry, wigs, crown/hat, sashes.  This forces you to focus on the tiny details and makes sure you aren't missing something vital at the last minute.
• Figure out what the iconic things are about that character,  What do you have to have.  
• Figure out which version you like the best (if it's a comic book character it's been through multiple costume changes in all likelihood) and then look at all the pieces you will need to construct, purchase or find.   
• Look up photo references from as many angles as you can.  If you can find a tutorial then awesome but most people don't like giving away their secrets for free.
• Choose a specific piece to start on
• I always prioritize by what I need the most time to accomplish.  This usually means I'm learning a new skill or have to figure out how to accomplish a specific look.  Pinterest is where I start but YouTube also has a great collection of tutorials.  From them I figure out what that awesome cosplayer used and then look at the cost of the materials.  We don't spend a lot on our costumes but even we are getting more interest by the year in worbla and EVA foam.  (Don't freak out if you don't know what those are)
• If you are starting off with special skills like 3D modeling or sewing, Great!  If you aren't, No Problem!  People who have a certain skill are likely to keep visiting that wheelhouse to work the problem whether it's the best solution or not.  Whether you have special skills or not, imagination and grace will be your biggest assets.
• Be patient and work the problem
• If you don't know what the word/material/skill is that someone has used...ask.  
• Ask the internet, ask the speaker, ask a friend.  No one knows in the beginning.  Don't feel dumb or ignorant especially if it keeps you silent when the knowledge is there for the taking.  Every job/skill has a specific set of lingo and insider terms associated with it from janitor to president.  Don't let the lingo intimidate you.
• Don't drown in the knowledge
• There is no one way to make something. There is a lot of information out there.  Don't get discouraged.  Find the way that works for you and then give it a try.  I have learned more at the convention after my costume is built than I did making it.  Sometimes you won't know what to look for before you see it in person or sit in a costume/cosplay panel or stand next to someone in line.
• Here is a short list of what I have found are the most common tools
• Pepakura (This is a tool that lets you take a 3D file, flatten it on a piece of paper to print and then cut out and glue back together into a 3D shape.  This is my hubby's go to.  There are also free online resources for the 3D files. It's not a guarantee but it can still be useful even if you can't make your own 3D file.  This does have a learning curve)  
• 3D Printing (Many libraries have 3D printers now.  As long as you have a 3D model, you can get 3D shapes printed for fairly cheep)
• Worbla (these are plastic sheets that can be heated and molded into shape.  It is used a lot in armor)
• EVA Foam (people mold, carve, shave and glue this high density foam into the coolest shapes.)
• Found object (Not everyone has the ability to turn a toaster into a pulse rifle but people make some amazing stuff out of the weirdest things.  Just sayin'.)
• Sewing (If you're making your own costume it is likely you will have to use a sewing machine.  If you can't, find a friend or hire a seamstress.  From body suits to intricate ball gowns, it is a skill that can not be overlooked)

 I hope that get's you started!  Ask away!  I can't wait to see what you make!