Prologue: This morning as I read more about the fellow humans who were killed in Texas on Sunday, I was—like I’m sure many of you—overcome with emotion. Their personal stories, not unlike many of ours, are simple, unpretentious and real. They leave behind earthly dreams that will be unfulfilled, and loved ones whose lives will […]
Tag Archives: love
Each day as I get out of bed I say, “Thank You God”. (Many of you already know that.) Then, in my more aware moments, I tack on some of the perfunctory—superficial, easy—“thank you items”: the sunshine, my health, my family, etcetera. Those aren’t insincere “thank yous”; it’s just that they’re so darned easy to […]
I came away from a Women’s Retreat weekend with a renewed awareness of how different our individual journeys are, in spite of what often seems like a lot of sameness. In day-to-day life we, sometimes, just “go through the motions”. Our routines take us from point A—the time we get up, until point Z—when we […]
I received quite a few comments and questions about the post from two weeks ago, so today I’m going to “unpack” Going Home. What was the muteness/polio symbolism? The little girl was born with a “handicap” (being mute) and inflicted with one (having polio). I’m sure that most of us have a “handicap”—an impairment or restriction—of […]
Many years ago I had the wonderful privilege of being with people who are—on the surface only of course—different from me. I was in La Entrada, Honduras on a mission trip with others from my faith community. It was a time that was rich with emotion and learning. In spite of speaking mostly through an […]
There are lines (sometimes very fine) between embracing fully, accepting, settling and giving up. Today, let’s talk about giving up. It’s easy to imagine abandoning hope when you: feel scared or vulnerable, hide in the shadows, don’t have the support of those who are “supposed” to love you, are victimized or minimized or give […]
The bright day turned suddenly, with total abandon, handing her reins over to the sky; moving from bright to dark in just a few moments. As rain crashed against windows, lights flickered then went off, thunder rolled, and temperatures plummeted 20°. Tumultuous, screaming nature dances without restraint, reminding me of a human displaying every emotion in one day: […]
‘Twas the day after Christmas and all through the place, the din of the last day, now a quieter space. The presents are stacked, although all now unwrapped, and the family—well, they really could use a nap. The children were playing with all their new toys, while they remembered gladly the fun and the noise. We sat with […]
Giving thanks or being thankful is something we hear about often. But, in spite of that repetition, how often do we truly give thanks? Depending on where you live “thankful” is not only expressed differently, it’s felt differently. Many of us have the privilege of being able to be thankful for people who love us, good health, financial stability, a […]
It was a quiet house this past weekend and on Saturday evening, my daughter, Erin came up so we could watch a movie together. It was a real tearjerker with an outcome we didn’t immediately anticipate. At the end we were both sobbing; a moment shared as we looked at reality through a different lens. […]
Where do you find joy? Why does joy often seem so elusive? What is joy? “Joy” and “happiness” are not the same. Happiness is a response to something. We experience feeling happy when we’re having fun, spending time with people who make us smile, watching a funny movie, taking a vacation in a place we love, or even completing […]
“Love people and use things, not love things and use people.” I’m not sure who first coined this but, sadly, it can’t be said enough. Organization, and the lack of clutter, are an integral part of a calm, joyful home—or organization. It’s tough to get to Peace if you’re surrounded by chaos. That chaos can be created […]
There’s a Native American legend about two wolves. As the story goes, inside our hearts we have two wolves: a wolf of love and a wolf of hate. The wolf of hate is filled with anger, sorrow, ego, fear, pride, envy, arrogance, greed and superiority. The wolf of love is filled with hope, humility, generosity, […]
Do you dream? I’m not asking about the images and thoughts that occur while you’re asleep—although that subject is fascinating. Do you dream during your waking hours; imagine possibilities that are different from your current reality; think about places you’d like to see; entertain “what ifs”? Or, have you given up on dreaming; instead choosing […]
My granddaughter, Lauren, read me a story this morning, about the devastating tornado of 2011 that struck Joplin, Missouri. “The Evil Swirling Darkness” is a narrative of a family that lived through that twister. One of the three children was on the way home with his Aunt, Uncle and cousin when it hit. The truck they […]
Twelve is often considered the “perfect” number. Some of that stems from the Judeo-Christian tradition. For many it’s symbolic of God’s authority and perfection. There are also “twelves” in other religions, the human body, feng shui, and science. For example: In The Bible there are 187 references to the number twelve. Jacob had twelve sons […]
“I am a journeyer. I travel through this life, in the world in which I walk, looking and seeking and searching and learning. I pick up things as I journey- a book, a photograph, a card and I put them in my backpack. Sometimes I take those things out- mostly at night, mostly when I’m […]
It’s widely held that St. Valentine’s Day honors a priest named (you guessed it) Valentine who lived in Rome in the third century. According to one account, he was killed for performing weddings for soldiers who were forbidden to marry. Another story relates that the imprisoned Saint Valentine sent a letter to a young woman he […]
When I looked up an antonym for peaceful, all I found was “unpeaceful”. Okay, that’s fair but I was thinking of something a little more descriptive than that. How about “chaotic”, “draining”, “tense”, exhausting”, “scary” or “stressful?” I’m sure you could add other words to that list. What emotions do you feel when your home […]
