"Sometimes it feels like hope has no snowball's chance in hell to survive. In our day and age, with generations of skeptics and cynics, it seems voices from various sources want to kill this concept in its infancy. Perhaps we can look to an ancient word for some wisdom."
Read moreFavor is for her.
Sometimes you just need a break; other times, it feels as if you are breaking through for something bigger than yourself. In a season of long-suffering, short or lengthy, there are a few key components I remind myself of.
Read moreMoving on from the brook.
As my youngest and I are settling back east, others are preparing to move onto their next place. The Lord in heaven is emphasizing to me the importance of moving on from a place where the "brook has dried up" in order to be repositioned and in the right place to be blessed. The prophet Elijah did just that when his "brook", the place he was fed and nourished, could not sustain his future any longer. I think for many it's difficult to recognize when this happens, but when you repeatedly feel dried up, it's time to move on.
Read moreAim at heaven
C.S. Lewis wrote, “Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.” Men are as afraid of the light as a child is of the darkness and so light must be presented in small portions so they can get acquainted with it instead of being startled by it.
Read moreInfluence.
I've noticed an alarming trend lately: people aren't reading. Friends have been commenting on articles that I share without actually reading them, and sometimes without even clicking through the link to see the entirety of what I've shared. I know this because their comments reveal that they don't know the contents of what I've shared.
Read moreBasics and Bounties.
I was always taught to put others before myself, as a sacrificial way of living and giving. For me as a young mother and wife, it became very natural to nurture my sons and daughter so each could be healthy and their best. In the meantime, I neglected myself more than I knew.
Read moreThe Voice
After my recent bout with dehydration, did I see the lingering signs of loss still exist in those I love. The fear in the faces of the young reminds me of the impact we have experienced. The shift in the positioning of our lives has forever been altered...... but we are finding alignment.
Read moreImagine.
Life is a series of adjustments. My daughter had an epiphany, after the loss of her father which led to our physical move to the west coast, in pursuit of developing our dreams. After a friend commented to her, "wow, you moved your whole life to California," did she realize that was not actually the case.
Read moreEconomic Recovery
In a time when knowing your direction in life and what your "economic" prospects look like is invaluable, focus is key. The world is filled with varying voices and opposing opinions, making the issue of forward motion a difficult pursuit.
Read moreStep by Step
In an era of vain imaginations, it's very easy to look at an image and think you want what another person has....... not knowing what it's taken to get there. You have to create your own "reality"...... not envy that of another. If you can't find your own purpose, you will aimlessly follow after another person's dream.
Simple surroundings and humble beginnings are where I've come from... doing the right thing when wrong was done to me.... and trusting God to take care of everything. I learned early on I wasn't in control and I couldn't fix everything, nor was I meant to..... I found the direction I was looking for in life.
As a young woman, I had many ideas of what my future would look like, but nothing quite turned out as I expected. I didn't have the luxury. As I've grown up, these unmet expectations have enriched my life and given me a wealth of perspective. This perspective now keeps life fresh and allows me to appreciate the ordinary, because I see the extraordinary in the everyday.......
Keep reaching...... and imagining better days.... they are ahead.
My Path.
The process of grief can take a long time....... for many, it lasts a lifetime. Flashes of images and memories can bring a smile, or a tear, or the combination of both. Not only do I walk through my own, but I lead my children through...... to be winners rather than suffer the pain of a lifetime of loss.
There is always the concern that we will not make it..... that we would stop moving. Any one of the stages can overtake the healing process, hindering recovery. An aimlessness can set in at any moment; I can feel overwhelmed.... wondering what direction I should go. What path should I take.
In many ways, I am a pioneer; I am finding my own way, navigating uncharted lands, unknown places, and taking territories I have never been to before. I have not had the benefit of having a guide directing me, telling me how to feel, how to behave...... no one knows how to respond but one thing I know.... hope springs eternal. There is always a promise.
The beauty that comes from grief is profound....... art, poems, songs, and writings are pouring forth. I can feel resistant to learning new ways and concepts because I am stretched thin, but the more I stretch, the more my mind expands...... and my heart enlarges. My spirit is exhilarated. My soul engaged.
As I write, my focus is intentionally universal.... the realities of loss, of any kind.... and the possibilities that come out of it... as we overcome.
"Deep calls unto deep....all your waves and breakers wash over me." (Psalm of David)
Transformation 2014
In the pursuits of purpose in life and goal setting, strict training and sacrifice are required to be a true competitor.... and winner. This is in the heart of any "athlete." What is your will to win?
"If you run aimlessly and with no purpose, what's the point. I beat my body and make it my slave, believing I can do what is beyond my natural ability. In a race, all winners run, but only one gets the reward so run to win!" (my interpretation of 1 Corinthians 9))
When coming to Southern Cal the end of June 2013 as part of our trip to Junior Olympic Nationals with Logan, we were on a scouting mission. The possibility of a relocation here was in the forefront of our minds........... we needed to see if the territory could be ours.
I knew this would require great sacrifice, on all our parts, as we would be leaving so much behind in the East Coast. Roots we established. History we made. But it is in the "move" that I've found great sacrifice leads to great transformation.
There are mental, physical, and spiritual changes undergone when one is determined to reach a goal set. Habits need to be broken; patterns have to be altered in order to become the person you are meant to be....... it is so painful. In many ways, the person you are will be radically transformed into who you are to become.
As I continue to allow my attitude to evolve, I continue to adapt. You gotta get up and move.