Last week, hurricane Helene made an unexpected detour from her projected path and veered toward North and South Carolina. I guess she wanted a dose of Carolina hospitality, but she surely was an inconsiderate guest! Massive flooding, spin-off tornados, uprooted trees, and widespread power outages were left in her wake. I am grateful my house […]
Living in a World of Unrest
How do you handle living in a world that seems to be in a constant state of unrest? We can exist on the edge of fear and panic, or move forward with our lives, savoring each day as a gift. Uncertainty at Home and Abroad Last week, a man killed 18 people in a shooting […]
Dealing with Life’s Unexpected
Last week, my husband had surgery. The anticipated overnight stay post-surgery evolved into three nights. On the day of discharge, the process dragged on for hours, making us arrive home late. A few complications landed us in the ER the next night. Unexpected. Several people special to me recently received cancer diagnoses. Unexpected. I know […]
Slaying Your Giants
Do you have giants in your life you can’t seem to overcome? Right now, the giant we are facing is my husband’s upcoming surgery. Unknowns exist. Some aspects are a little scary, especially since the surgeon gave him a backout opportunity at the pre-op appointment. But we are going ahead, with faith, and trusting God […]
On Waiting Well
I am experiencing a time of waiting—for my foot to heal, for the day I can drive again, for the return of writing inspiration, and waiting bedside with a loved one, who is hovering between earth and eternity. I should be able to wait well. After all, I wrote a book on life pauses […]
5 Keys to Navigating Clusters of Difficulty
Have you experienced times when difficulty comes in clusters? My husband and I are navigating such a season. Physical recovery, providing care for an aging loved one, and other stressors combine to make it feel as if we are swimming in a sea of icebergs. We know eventually all these situations will moderate, or end, […]
Post-Surgery Reflections
Last week, I finally had foot surgery after putting it off for years. Now that I’m on the other side of the surgery, I’m thankful it’s over and wish I’d done it sooner. Following are thoughts on why we delay and the benefits of having a hard thing behind us: Causes for delay: Fear of […]
Seeing the World from a Childlike Perspective
One of the advantages of having grandchildren is the joy of looking at the world from their perspective. I did this to some extent with my children, but grandchildren put a whole new spin on a child-eye viewpoint. What we learn through the eyes of little ones, enhances forward motion. Following are some of the […]
Top 10 Tips for the New Year
The New Year is like a blank sheet of paper. We have fresh opportunities to make changes, set new goals, and write new chapters of our lives. As you begin this year, consider these ten tips to help you focus and maintain forward motion: Temper Actions and Words – Often we behave certain ways without […]
Promoting Personal Peace
Do world events disturb you? The turbulence of hostile government takeovers, an ongoing pandemic, and personal challenges loom large and threaten to rob us of peace. Often, it takes effort to avoid being pulled into the vortex of tumult and succumbing to fear. I’m not suggesting we shut ourselves off from what is going on […]