Blog
Ready, Set, Refresh!
Does September ever feel like January to you? At the beginning of the year we get a fresh start and a reset. September, like January, is the "start" of many things, school being the most obvious. At my age, I'm past the stage of keeping a tight hold on school...
The thought started small, and I assumed, innocent enough. After all, I’m just thinking what I’m thinking. But as it bubbled up, I didn’t put it in check, rather I watched it, or let it, too quickly come to a boil. The problem for me as a high verbal person, is...
Prickly on Purpose
I recently visited a friend in Prescott, Arizona. On our walk around the neighborhood, I stopped to capture an image of the blossoming beauties by the roadside. This high desert area is not just home to cactus, but oaks, cottonwoods, pines and junipers. Rugged granite...
Transported by Fragrant Memories
Nothing stirs my emotions like a favorite aroma. My mom used to make cinnamon bread on Sunday mornings before church. One sniff and I am transported to the place where I experienced the fragrant memory. I used a particular lotion on my first mission trip and every...
Comparison Got You Down?
But God, she's prettier, more talented, a better mom, wife, sister, friend … I used to think only the full blooming flowers earned the label of "beautiful". What about you? When I look at a fully blossomed flower, I can clearly see it's at a different stage of growth...
Controlling or Trusting?
I'm a fixer, a get it done girl, an advanced planner and someone who likes to think she has some control over situations and circumstances. As I prepare to share messages about Ruth, Tamar and Miriam, I've been juggling thoughts as I've been reading, highlighting and...
Imagine we were having a conversation and I said, “It’s a new year and it still feels like December.” I’m guessing you would say something like, “I get it. It’s okay if it doesn’t feel new yet. There’s no right or wrong way to feel about a new year.” I might say, “My...
In the Dark and Unknown Mary Sang
Even with all the hustle and bustle, my heart longs to sit in the glow of the fire light, and think about the journey Mary took to bring the Light into this dark world. In a situation most would crumble and cry, scripture tells us that Mary sang. She didn't sing...
Humbled, Again
Can I be honest? I found myself more than irritated with the "customer service" rep on the other end of the phone. I thought my request was simple enough, but I ended up with a bigger mess. Sadly, my irritation was obvious, and I was more direct than needed with the...
Why Age and Grace go Together
In my teens I thought thirty somethings were over-the-hill, ancient people. Then when I turned 30, it felt like a light clicked on and I understood life better. After all, I was the oldest I had ever been. My husband and I carried this phrase into parenting. We used...
How to Change the Inner Should Soundtrack
Do you ever get a song stuck in your head and you just can't make it go away? It plays over and over and over again. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ There's a track that plays in my mind, much like a familiar tune, on repeat. But this track isn’t a happy dance tune, it’s rather melancholy,...
The Right Shoes for the Job
I love my yellow boots. Although they are perfect for mucking through garden mud and planting pansies, they could hardly be called the “right shoe” for a day at the office or a night out when I need a more polished look. Understanding the "right shoe for the job" has...
When Real Life isn’t Like a Fairy Tale
Once upon a time there was a mom with three young kids who didn't know how to ask for help. Even when her legs and joints stopped working, as the pain of Valley Fever attacked her body, she put on the "I'm okay" mask and tried to carry on with life. However, in...
For someone who wants to be heard, I am a terrible listener at times. I'm determined to make a change in this behavior, so I started looking through my wisdom book (the Bible) for the word listen or hear. I discovered authors often paired listen with “they did not”!...
Why Stuck Sheep Need Saving
When was the last time you were out in a field in the middle of the night and the heavens opened with angels singing? Me either! It's no coincidence that of all the characters included in the Christmas narrative, shepherds received a center stage moment. I don't have...
How Do You Ignite the Wonder Inside?
I remember when my husband and I first moved to Portland, Oregon: Lush evergreens flanked our drive; the Cascade mountains, covered in snow, surprised us at every gap in the forest and two large rivers made its bridge city nick name obvious. I remember asking him if...
How are Your Survival Skills?
I don't have excellent survival skills. Don't misunderstand, I have my emergency food, water, flashlights, and batteries ready, but true compass use, as in my only option of finding-my-way from point A to point B, is an unfamiliar skill. My GPS and I are good friends....
Do You Long for the Comfort of Home?
STABLE - Christ is Our Home The stable wasn’t their home. How helpless Joseph must have felt as his young wife, Mary, labored in the straw with cattle nearby. I'm sure Mary longed for familiar sights and comforting smells as she brought God incarnate, the prophesied...
A Season for Everything
Seasons change. Suitcases packed, sitting by the door, and ready for the car. Intimidating thoughts creep into my mind as the last bag gets zipped shut: "What am I forgetting?" "Have I taught her enough?" Much less "When will we see each other again?" The frantic...
Don’t hesitate to knock
I fall into the category of people who find it hard to ask for help, advice, input or feedback. My short list: pride, shame, fear or rejection for lack of perfection. I get so focused on what I can to do to "fix" my current situation that I loose sight of the One who...