Sometimes it’s good to focus on what we’re doing right, rather than continually trying to self-improve. Of course, I struggle with bad habits, as we all do. But like brushing and flossing, washing my hands, and saying “please,” I have plenty of positive habits that make my daily life better. These are the habits I’m […]
Why I Stopped Drinking (It’s Not What You Think)
It wasn’t very long ago that I would brace myself for each afternoon rush. It began with a hard stop to my workday, after which I’d barrel down the turnpike toward home. I would pick up my children from school, running errands along the way. Then the day’s gear was transferred back inside. I’d let […]
Living in Alignment
I’ve got this theory I think many of us can relate to. Goes like this. We start out in the world at ease with who we are, confident in our God-given abilities, and free to be ourselves. But as we journey through life, something happens. We’re fed messages (directly and indirectly) from the media, our […]
Grounded to Grow
After reflecting on the past year I’ve noticed that I’m not the only one craving more purpose, simplicity, and new growth. If there ever was a year to put things into perspective, 2020 surely did it for me. In my morning journaling, I’ve been asking myself do we need to be grounded to grow? And […]
How to Live Well
There’s a difference between living and living well. Too often we equate living well with “having it all.” The big house, the fancy car(s), the designer clothes, the extravagant vacations. Our Facebook feeds look amazing, but what’s the real truth? Maybe we’re drowning in debt. Or we’re working ourselves to death. We might feel inadequate, […]
Training my Patience
When my grandson is waiting for a special event, like a birthday or a promised trip to the beach or the train museum, he loves to cross off each day on the calendar and sometimes wants time to hurry faster. But when he’s playing or being read to he NEVER wants bedtime to arrive – […]
A Simple Way to Make More Memories
I remember my husband on the living room floor, imitating our 5-month-old daughter’s attempts to roll over for the first time. She kept fruitlessly swinging her leg over her body, and he, so much larger, copied her every move as well as the little grunts of effort she was making. The pair of them were […]
Loving Light
I met my husband Randy two decades ago. We were both in our mid-20’s and living lives that were mostly light and free. I had moved to Michigan for what I considered my first real job out of college. Prior, I had lived in South America where I delighted in trying to come off as […]
Live Your Dash with No Regrets
My grandmother passed away on September 8, one week before my 41st birthday. As I wrote the poem that I recited at her funeral, I was in awe at what a full, amazing life she lived. The things that changed in her 102 years on earth are mind-boggling. But through it all, my grandmother stayed […]
The Consumption Train
There is a country song by Josh Turner called “The Long Black Train.” The premise of the song is that this train carries many of our vices and we should avoid riding it. I love a good metaphor. So as I was walking this morning with that song randomly in my head, the idea of […]