-
What Will Today Teach Us?
Do you believe that births, deaths, sickness, crisis, tragedies, life-altering moments, life-giving moments have something in common? Would you agree with me that when you experience any one of these life moments, there are opportunities to learn at least one new thing? I don’t know how you feel or think about trying to glean a lesson or a life skill from life experiences and events, but maybe you can give me a few minutes to provide you with what I am trying to write today. Before I start, I want to make it clear that these life events for me have not always immediately dropped the lesson or new perspective…
-
Who Knows What the Children May Become?
If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn. If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight. If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy. If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty. If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient. If a child lives with encouragement, he learns to have confidence. If a child lives with praise, he learns appreciation. If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice. If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith. If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself. If a child lives with acceptance…
-
Three Million New Blood Cells
” Have you ever watched them (children) watch? Their mouths may hang open; they’re not, like adults, aware of themselves- they’re only aware of what they’re watching… And your child is in process, as a person. Every eight days he gets a new layer of skin. Every eight years every cell in his body has become new. Look at that child right now: since this time yesterday he has three million new blood cells.” Children are Wet Cement, Anne Ortlund If the above quote doesn’t stir something inside of you, then my words today may not make sense either. When it comes to babies and children, I am a firm…
-
Choosing to See
“Raise me again to health with a heightened sense of thankfulness for the unmerited gift of well-being…” Every Moment Holy, “Liturgy for a Sick Day” Every morning I receive a “Liturgy of the Day” from the Every Moment Holy App on my phone. The above liturgy came this morning. I woke up with a migraine – I believe in God’s Faithfulness. You can make your own judgements, but I stand by my belief. A couple weeks ago I took a much needed “brain pause.” A few things led to this pause: summer weather rubbing me wrong- not my greatest health season- which makes life challenging at times, longing for Lucy…
-
These things you don’t forget…
“Society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” Greek Proverb The above quote has been among my favorites for a long while. I believe this because I have been blessed to have had multiple men and women who have prayed, encouraged, invested their time in my life. On our back porch last month we had a small glimpse of seeds being “planted” that were not intentionally planted, yet they fell on good soil and bloomed. Let me give you a little background on our soil. Before we plant anything in our back porch area, we have to dig a big hole…
-
Brain Pause
This week I will be taking a pause from writing for a few reasons, but the most important reason is that it is what is needful and healthy. I believe wholeheartedly that Jesus gives me “speed bumps” in life to slow my pace, especially when I am not seeing that I need to slow down. So I am breathing deeply, unclenching my fists, and fighting the urge to check off my to do list. (I would love some prayer in doing these things, if you feel led 😊) The picture and scripture today, I have on my desk as a reminder that He does not create confusion, but peace, the…
-
Play School. What more do we really need?
Today, I have a somewhat weighty question for you: What does the world need more of? What does our nation need? What do we need? I’ll be honest with you. I am a history lover, and in the past elections I have watched most all coverage of all the debates. In the past I have been an advocate for children watching important historical events. No, I wasn’t the child who was excited to turn in an assignment the next day. I am just a believer that children should know what’s going on and who our nation’s leaders are (and local leaders). However, I have grown appalled at the conduct that…
-
Schultute, Read on 😊
Schultute is a “back to school” tradition originating in Germany in the 1800s. The tradition was started by grandparents and/or godparents, and would happen on the first day of school all across Europe. Each school would have a certain tree or either a metal tree in the schoolyard for grandparents/godparents to come and hang school cones for their children to welcome them back for the first day of school. Originally the cones were made of paper and would be decorated according to the child’s interests, along with the child’s name. The cones would be filled with candy, school supplies, small toys, and even clothing. One of my favorite things is…
-
Standing Still
Do you ever feel like life is speeding past you, but you are at a stand still? It could be because of circumstances, brain fog, overstimulated, over scheduled, grief, happiness, choices to be made, creating moment memories, sickness – whatever life is throwing at you at the time, you simply are in a zone, time is standing still while the lives around you continue on. Sometimes when you are in the hard moments, you feel as if you are hanging by a thread. Sometimes in the good moments, you feel as if you never want to let go of the very moment you’re in. Lately I have been bouncing between…
-
Conversations with my Jesus
Prayer. A conversation with God that never ends, at least on God’s end. As humans we tend to shut it off when we don’t see the “need,” this is a big lie we tell ourselves. It is a conversation compiled of words, silence, tears, walking, kneeling, laying down, sitting, deep breathing, cries. Words often spoken: please, help, why, come, near, save, wisdom, need, want. Lately I have been reflecting back on being a kid and how the culture has progressively gotten to be extremely fast paced, and now is constantly pushing a narrative of something or someone being “better.” As my mom wisely reminds me, “everyone is equal at the…
