Just as the moon shines light through the darkness so does hope. Sometimes the moon shines bright, other times it is difficult to find. Hope also shines bright at times and at other times one has to search for signs of hope. Although we don’t always see it, the moon is always there. So too, hope is always present. During the dark, difficult times, finding hope can be a struggle. But hope is present for those who choose to have faith. I can remember times when hanging on to hope was difficult, but it has always paid off. One…
More often than not the anticipation leading to an event is equally as fun as the event itself. As a family, we love to anticipate what adventures are ahead of us. We think about, plan, and dream about what might occur at the actual event. I love that my girls find joy in thinking about what might happen, and are able to dream about different possible outcomes. Not only does it enhance the imagination, I believe it strengthens our overall ability to enjoy the event. As a family, we talk about various places we would like to go and think…
With spring comes all the beauty of new blossoms and beginnings. Just as we are getting restless with our old winter routine, renewed life and beauty arrive. In comes spring! Allowing yourself to blossom and reach your potential is something that we all have an opportunity to learn. It takes a conscious decision to do things to help us achieve our potential. We can choose to live our lives at our current potential or to take ourselves to the next level. Often we look to reading self-help books, listening to motivational podcasts, and reciting daily affirmations to help us…
One might say that I am in the zone or maybe that I have tunnel vision. I have this habit of focusing on the task at hand to the point of being somewhat oblivious to other things around me. Sometimes this can be a huge asset and other times it can be rather embarrassing. I find it rather humiliating when my tunnel vision takes over and I don’t see or acknowledge people that I know when I am out and about running errands. Partially at fault is the fact that my corrective eye surgery is wearing off. But more…
What makes a day great? What makes one day better than another? What is it that energizes us to smile and say, “That was a great day!”? How can we make our days as great as possible? We often tell each other to have a nice day or maybe even a great day. Although those are pleasant comments that I use daily, I also like to challenge myself to, “Make it a great day.” The one-word difference makes us put action into our day. It assumes that we are going to set out to turn the day into something…
Sometimes doubt prepares us for what is ahead, sometimes it produces fear, and sometimes it offers an opportunity to change direction. Have you ever experienced feeling apprehensive about something you are about to do or say? It is that feeling of doubt that sends out a warning signal, almost like an SOS, giving one an opportunity to stay on course or change direction. Preparing us for what is ahead. As uncertainty sets in so do the feelings of discomfort. What am I getting myself into? Suddenly a feeling of panic and the question, am I doing the right thing? That…
I will never forget the day that I was painting the master bathroom. I had just finished with the last of the painting. It was late, I always painted late at night when the kids were little. Of course, I was tired and thrilled to be finished with the room. All that was left was to clean up. As I went to remove the ladder from the bathroom, I was unaware that I had left the open can of paint on the top of the ladder. I carried the ladder out of the bathroom into the bedroom so I had…
Although I have numerous acquaintances and very good friends, there have been times in my life when I have spent time alone. A time when no other adults or friends were around. On one hand, I treasure the time I have had alone, and at the same time, it was always a challenge. I remember feeling very alone while getting my master’s degree. I was in a dorm filled with graduate students, primarily those studying law. I had friends and people all around, but I still managed to feel alone. I was not lonely, I was too busy studying…
Somehow God has always shown me ways for which I can be very grateful for all that I have been dealt. When things appeared to be unsettled or off track, I have always found a path that brought me back to a grateful place. Feeling fenced in? What is it that makes us wonder what it would be like to have something different than what we have chosen or the life we have been dealt with? To want something different in life than what we currently have been experiencing. A different job, better health, more suitable spouse, more caring children…
We are quickly approaching a day that for many people is filled with expectations. Some of our expectations are realistic and some are not so realistic. Although I have high expectations for myself, I work hard at not forcing those expectations on others. It is not that I set the bar low for others; but when I don’t have preconceived expectations, I find myself grateful and able to enjoy the moment. Clearly, there are commitments, job requirements, etc, where a level of expectation is necessary. However, I am writing about daily preconceived expectations. My expectations of my husband were…