Good morning…
For my 60th birthday, my friend Ginna hosted a Soul Collage party for a small handful of individuals from various walks of my life. I knew each of the ten women very well, each represented special facets of my evolving story, but most did not know one another. Open to a creative adventure, we came together to celebrate life for ninety meaningful minutes during yesterday’s gorgeous spring afternoon. Ginna began our magical time together with a poem entitled “Here’s to the Friends” by Donna Ashworth.
Throughout her home Ginna had set out piles and piles of evocative magazine images – landscapes, people, animals, art, architecture, all sorts of images. We quietly walked around and picked up images that somehow spoke to our souls. Then we opened up our individualized boxes of supplies – glue stick, thick 5 x 8 card stock, a frame to center our background image, and plastic sleeves to protect our Soul Collage cards. Cutting out intriguing pictures, we arranged them on our cards. We allowed our creativity to run wild as we sat together on Ginna’s back porch, and we meandered through light conversation naturally led by the Holy Spirit tucked in our playful hearts.
Here are the Soul Collage cards birthed through me on my 60th birthday.
Each card represents a colorful sliver of me as I head into a brand new decade.
As our time together neared its end, I donned a birthday queen hat, Ginna served us a fabulous mermaid cake she had generously made from scratch, and we toasted to the joy of life over a glass of bubbly champagne. The souls of my friends, though strangers to each other, had come out to play in a vibrant way. I brought home extra supplies to lead a Soul Collage experience with our therapeutic community group at PAWkids on Tuesday, and, tenting with foil my sagging mermaid (you would sag too if your behind was sliced off). I look forward to serving leftover birthday cake to our Friday study group this morning. The gifts of our “soul friends” just keep on giving, day and night, week by week, year after year.
Craving guidance as we move ahead, now we turn our hearts to the God who wakes up our soul and sparks trusting friendships. Be generous with me and I’ll live a full life; not for a minute will I take my eyes off your road. Open my eyes so I can see what you show me of your miracle-wonders. I’m a stranger in these parts; give me clear directions. My soul is starved and hungry, ravenous! — insatiable for your nourishing commands (Psalm 119:24, MSG).
