I see faith through the Sabbath.

Now I did not come from a Christian background, but the Sabbath is universal and universally sacred. We all need time to rest. In this busy world we are said to be human doings more than beings. 

But I need to be. 

To be with the sunshine, the morning dew, catches with the dog and a strong heart.

I reject the hungary ghost, always consuming but never full. We don't need things as much as we need to use what we have. 

To enjoy what is here now and to love.

Rest is essential. But when things get hard and rushed it is the first thing that we give up, that we relinquish is sleep, time off, time together. We give up these necessities all to get work done, to strive towards the joy, the peace the fulfilment we crave. 

The secret is, it is ours for the asking the moment we ignore the clamouring voices, turn away from the hustle and bustle and stop.

Joys come in rest, the things we crave, we need, we hope and pray for can only blossom when we stop pushing for them.

Sabbath is enoughness, radical trust that things will be ok, if you let the world take care of itself for a time. 

Let go. It existed before you and will after you. 

We are waiting for you on the other side where it is peaceful. Ease your responsibilities down, circle those tense shoulders. Let your breathing deepen. It is time.

Sabbath is celebration, we don't notice joys, magics, the tiny gorgeous moments of new bird song, crazy kitty or dog or child antics, funny smiles and sunrises if we are looking forward all the time. 

Sabbath is that second when your heart lifts in sheer joy at the glory of our world and your own humanity.

Sabbath is mindfulness, it is being fully alive, fully present. Not on your iPhone or thinking about making the dinner next week. Here and now and the peace within this moment.

Sabbath can be a cup of tea and a moment of release after a long day. A deep breathe before a difficult journey. A phone call with a loved one. An extra half an hour in bed, warm soft and sleepy. 

Sabbath can be half an hour with your journal, an afternoon on your project, on painting your toe nails, time spent on something which will not earn you income, actively heal your body, tone your thighs or gain you another qualification but will bring you peace.

Sabbath is not a day in which we are prohibited, it is a retreat, an oasis, a guarded time of solace, to be.

Your creative spirit cannot be fuelled unless you feed it. Nourish your soul with space, gift yourself sabbath.

I was invited to blog about faith by the wonderful Jennifer Wells Mccullough (you can find her over at www.livefromyoursoul.com). She is launching a super new e-book called Claiming the F-Word: Thinking, Writing, and Talking About Faith which I am so enjoying exploring. 

Jennifer has kindly offered a copy of this book to one of my readers. So, competition time darlings, email me how you celebrate the Sabbath to grace AT gracequantock DOT com to win a copy. I will choose my favourite description, and will announce the winner at the end of May. 

To faith, to sabbath and to your sweet hearts! 

:: People talking to Linus over my head, as though I cannot speak or understand, even though I can not only understand, but understand in 4 languages thank you very much.

:: Wheelchair access bathrooms down a flight of stairs. Because, you know secretly, wheelchair users can fly!

:: Bathrooms called "disabled" bathrooms - because I'm no long a man or a woman but a new gender of disabled. And let's not get started on the fact that not everyone falls into the "man" or "woman" categories, not to mention taking children with you - at what age are boy children "men" and can't come in the women's lavatories with you?

:: Accessibility being made a big deal, never just a part of life.

:: The retreat centre that wouldn't let me come as my they make everyone take their shoes off on the special sacred floor and so they couldn't allow my wheelchair wheels on it.

:: The social worker who told me I would never work as I am "too limited" to ever be able to do anything. That no one would ever hire me.

:: People who think it is ok to push my wheelchair without asking or drape themselves over it. My dear, if you wouldn't drape yourself over me - and I really wouldn't recommend it as it will not be well received - get off my wheelchair.

:: People who think beep beep noises are funny (you know what I think is funny? Hitting your ankles sharply, that is hilarious to me).

:: Strangers asking what is wrong with me, and if I will ever walk again. I don't ask about their unfortunate style choices, awful haircut and other personal observations I make so who are they to enquiry about me?

:: Radio reports on how people on disability benefits are scroungers and need to go and get jobs now (what jobs? How?).

:: Disability hate crimes, murders, attacks.

:: The genocides we have seen through history. The sterilisations. The new 'cures' which are not cures but technology to abort babies before they can be born disabled. I am pro-choice but that is my choice, you are welcome to yours. The point here is, that is not a cure. 

Every person who sees me, the person not the wheelchair. The woman rather than the aid I use to get around, they give me hope. Thank you all. You know who you are, and if you are not someone like that, if you are living with a stereotypical viewpoint then you had better be here to bust your stereotypes otherwise get off my website! Thank you.

Hiding in plain sight. How we cover and how we love our bodies. 

How proud and happy are you with your body? Ill, or well, impaired or non-disabled? There are very few people who can say they are fully happy with their bodies. Otherwise, why would spanx just have made a million? 

We hide in plain sight every day. In 'slimming' (invisible, stealthy, look away) black. In reducing the looks of our differences. 

I adore these photographs. I pictured them in my mind before we ever shot them. But is it fair for me to shoot photographs of myself up like this, when out of sight of the camera are people waiting to catch me if I fall, seconds away from me, so I am up for the shot and then held a moment later? Is this
hiding my challenges, or is it the nature of art?

I don't normally go about dressed in wellies and chiffon, but I thought the contrast would look wonderful here. I dressed this way for these photographs, I posed this way for the photographs, but I couldn't do it daily.

That is not anyone else's business though, and it is no one's business what impairments you are living with, and if you want to cover up or not. But you shouldn't have to. If other people are uncomfortable around you, then that is their problem - I know they make it yours, but if we begin with our proud intention that we are beautiful and ok then we move forward stronger. 

Your cane, your frame, your feed, your port are things that are helping you live. We can make peace and embrace the aids we
live with. 

You know what made these shots possible? A wheelchair, crutches and strong people around me. I am so grateful for that.

It must have been over 8 years since I had my feet in a stream, since I have paddled or had my toes on the ground of a field. So this is amazing for me. And these photographs are a celebration of that. I am so happy. 

How are you happy and celebrating your body today, with or without the aids? 

Outfit: 

Green chiffon dress - thift shop

Slip - vintage

Hunter Wellingtons (they are the best, Mum has red, little sis has silver and cousin has golden ones)

Necklace - handmade myself

Bracelets - Pin Curl Girls.

Scarf - sewn by Grandma Dean

Thank you once again to the amazing, wonderful Jon Hobbs for photography. 

Are you signed up to Sick Chick to Trail Blazers' Conference yet? It's tomorrow.

Get your ticket here now. 

Sick Chick to Trail Blazers Conference No.1:
Women Entrepreneurs working with Disabilities, Chronic Illness and Caring.

:: When your brand is around wellness/illness what happens when you get worse (or better?)
:: If you are not 'out' as living with illness, what do you tell clients when pain flares?

:: How can one balance openness and professionalism?
:: If you say you are sick will you still get hired?
:: How can your challenges help your business?

I know I am living with this.
It can be hard, and not talked about much yet.
Many are struggling, fear, shame and isolation are happening.

The conference will create community, solidarity, trouble-shoot practical challenges, instigate new realisations and shift consciousness towards self care, pride and empowerment.

Where: Online via Teleconference and secret Facebook group. If you can't make it live grab your ticket anyway and get the recordings and all the goodies.
When: Tuesday 24th April, 7pm (UK), 2pm (ET), 1pm

(CT), 12 midday (MT), 11am (PT).
What you get:
:: Monthly Teleconference.
:: Group and one on one coaching on the call.
:: Secret Sick Chick to Trail Blazer Facebook group.
:: Guest interviews.
:: Troubleshooting
:: Energy work

Ticket here now, darlings. See you there x

Welcome to Claire Wade from Holidays From Home who is participating in our From Waist Height & Wearing Project. Here is Claire and her experiences:

"I have struggled with clothes through out my life. When I was little I loved dresses, refused, absolutely, to wear trousers, until I discovered jeans in my teens and from then on I lived in them. I have ME and because of that I have had issues with my weight. Fifteen years ago they didn't do pretty clothes for anyone over a size 12, so from the age of 11 I stuck to baggy t-shirts in shades of black on black, trying to fade into the background. 

At sixteen I became totally invisible because I was bed bound for six years.
My clothes were replaced by pyjamas and I actually ended up with prettier outfits than when I had been going out. Bright colours, soft materials, sparkles, embroidery, ribbons, oh my! Not that I felt beautiful, I was too poorly to get washed and dressed, I avoided looking in the mirror because I didn't want to see who I had become.

As I started to get better I ventured out into the world again, to discover that big girls could now get beautiful clothes and I slowly started to experiment with embroidered jeans - yep, still love my jeans, sparkly tops and my first pair of shoes in years. They were agony, just simple black slip-ons; but I hated them, I felt like a toddler learning to walk again and in truth I was. The nip and pinch of the leather, the relief to be able to kick them off and go barefoot.

I started being able to look in the mirror again and it was like looking at a stranger. I had disappeared into my bedroom at sixteen and now I was twenty one, a grown up! My hair was long, my face shaped had changed, I'd lost weight and I was taller! Even today I still get moments when I look in the mirror and don't recognise myself. I expect to see an embarrassed teenager and there's a confident young woman staring back. The only things that never changed were my eyes, they have stayed the same through out. Sometimes tired, sometime sad; but often sparkling with life, a spark of life that would not be put out.

I love to shop for clothes, at first it was through catalogues and online; but now being able to go into
a real-life shop and try things on is so incredibly exciting! I've watched my style grow up as I have and now I've left the logoed t-shirts and sparkly butterflies behind and headed for something more elegant and classic, I still love pretty colours and soft materials; but I want shape and style to the clothes I wear. I want my clothes to make a statement, to be an extension of my personality.

In some ways I am still invisible, no matter what I wear, because the majority of time I'm in a wheelchair when I go out. You can wear the most beautiful outfit; but it's like you don't exist. I know because at times I can get out of my wheelchair, maybe just to walk to a table, and people notice me, their eyes don't slide past, as if I'm part of the furniture. It feels good to be seen; but it hurts to know that it's only when I look like everyone else. I want to be as visible on four wheels as I am on two legs.

Shrug and dress - Dorothy Perkins

Shoes - Evans

Necklace - Ted Baker

Bracelet - Lovelinks" 

Claire runs Holidays From Home. Holidays From Home is for social butterflies who have been grounded by life. People who would rather be out living, loving and laughing; but instead are stuck at home, feeling as if their wings have been clipped. If are frustrated at being pinned down, then come fly with me and I'll take you on an adventure. We'll travel, party and have fun, without ever leaving home. To find out more about the virtual holidays and parties visit http://holidaysfromhome.co.uk/

If you are a woman with illness or disability get in on our Sick Chick to Trail Blazers' Conference next week. Get your ticket here