I love this time of year - pumpkins, bonfires, crisp air, cinnamon and nutmeg...too many soul-refreshers for just one to be chosen. All around us, the world just seems fresher, more alive and vibrant. The best of what can happen seems more possible. And life is filled with reminders of God's love sprinkled through each and every refreshing moment. For me, these love reminders begin with the choosing of a pumpkin...or two. I don’t rush the process because finding the perfect pumpkin takes time. And perfect for me doesn’t mean free of blemishes or uniform in shape and size. I’m looking for the kind that’s going to remind me all season long of one simple, refreshing truth. I’m looking for the kind with scars and bumps and dents. With deep ribs and visible character marks that Continue Reading
Prepare Your Child for a Blessing with Big Picture Thinking
When it comes to big-picture thinking, it seems there are countless more parenting books and resources promoting the concept of living in the moment. And while I'm all for learning to appreciate these singular gifts and even continue to count them myself, I believe limiting ourselves to the here and now of motherhood also limits us and our children. How easy it is for just one moment to consume and drain and overpower us faster than we consume our first cup of morning coffee. How quickly we lose focus and motivation because the impact of a moment knocks us off-balance and even off course. And how unexpectedly we find ourselves held captive by the drama of a moment we can't seem to escape. Instead of marking our moments, they leave a nasty smudge on us and our day. We become the mom Continue Reading
Why Laughter Always Follows Tears & Grief Doesn’t Have to Get the Last Word
It's difficult to imagine in the midst of sorrow and tears that anything good can ever be waiting around the corner. When the tears run raw and hot and salty, and the sobs reach deep. It's hard to imagine a smile will ever part our lips again. But it does. When the grief twists and squeezes our heart and our breath can't find its steady rhythm between the pain. It's hard to fathom that laughter will find its place in our world again. But it does. I lost a dear friend this week. Her life wasn't nearly long enough and my heart aches at the cruelty and timing of death and how there's no easy way to say goodbye. And I wince at the shattering left behind, of the lives held together by this one. How death delivers such a blow, and the heart longs to wish it away. To sleep and awake to Continue Reading
How to Become a Curator of Good Things and Reach Your Goals
Investing the time for dreaming and visualizing our future is one of the good gifts we can give ourselves. Every year, I spend the entire month of January doing just that. Dreaming and brainstorming how I want to change and grow helps me anticipate, hope and birth more faith. Usually, it involves a vision board filled with pictures, quotes, scripture, and tangible items that draw my attention to the goals and changes I want to make. I know I won't accomplish everything on my board. I also know the things I do accomplish won't go exactly how or when I planned. That's not the point. The point is to intentionally move forward in my purpose. To grow. To change. To create space for God to work. Most importantly, for me, it's a tangible record of how I taste and see that the Lord Continue Reading