Pastels, pens and pencils. Watercolors, canvas, easel and brushes. Chisels, angles or whisks. Mirrors, lens, makeup or muffin tins. Wood, stone, seeds or soil. Old roses, lace, a box of photographs. Violins, a garden stroll, vintage love letters.

What tools do you possess? Your wisdom, your talents, your joy. Still. Tools and talents only represent potential. Unless you use your tools and talents, nothing to treasure ever happens. Blend your skills, tools and talents, even your limitations – combined with joy, the results are nothing short of miraculous.

Let me prove it with a story… One of the greatest storytellers of all time, as a child actually wanted, to build cardboard castles. He had scissors, paper and glue- the problem ? He was limited by his thumbs which had one joint. His physical defect enabled him to draw illustrations and to write… just not build cardboard castles. He said-

‘It was this that forced me to write. I longed to make things, ships, houses, engines. Many sheets of cardboard… I spoiled, only to turn from my hopeless failures in tears. I was driven to write stories instead… You can do more with a castle in a story, than the best cardboard castle that ever stood…’

As a result of using the tools he had, the ability to write and draw, Lewis blended those with a stellar imagination. the great C.S. Lewis wrote the ever classic children’s fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia. Certainly far more than cardboard castles!

Don’t fret over your limitations, do not neglect the gifts within you… it’s ultimately your treasure. What’s in your treasure chest is the sum of your personality, talents, tools and imagination.

Approach your talents with love, awe and appreciation- for talents are your unique means of expression to the world. Something no one else can do quite like you!

Be careful and wise as to how and when to offer your treasures. When you do, give the full measure of reverent abandon, humility and lavish joy, within your power to employ. Do not fear being fabulous. For as much as we may enjoy the shy muted approach of a sunrise, who wants a halfhearted sunset? Give us the blazing glory; the majestic marvelous magical you.

Love y’all, Camellia

*Quote by C.S. Lewis- from his amazing book- Surprised by Joy

A message from Brenda

* Several months ago, I was asked to help with some updates for an online class I was taking. The question was posed- ‘Do you ever reuse content or photographs?’ My answer was, ‘Yes. My photographs are my treasure chest. Something I dig into over and over again.’ Photographs can be edited to use an ingredient, color or focal point, then reverted to the original. I also have used a photo on a solid white background adding a quote.

And while I rarely reuse content, I have re-blogged a favored or timely post. I have used the feature offered by WordPress, called ‘Sticky’ which enables me to use a seasonal post, a recipe, an inspirational piece to stick to the front of my blog, as the opening post. I also wrote a book published in 2013, from which I occasionally use quotes. And, often I’ll use almost all of the content of a blog post in a corresponding Instagram post. I think of reusing content and photography as an expansion of the ‘tools I’ve been given’ which are unique to me. Artists, photographers, food stylists and content creators often send a sample of their work to prospective buyers, editors of food or travel publications, as a way of generating passive income. And, it’s not uncommon at all, to take a series of stories, poems, even recipes, then compile that series into book form. Reuse of your own material is the best and most efficient use of your time.