Embracing Grace & Gratitude in Hard Times
Part I: Grace & Gratitude Series As 2020 was winding down, I was preparing for a speaking engagement that focused on embracing grace & gratitude. These particular topics are near and dear to me. However, when we think of 2020, being grateful may be the last thing that comes to mind. The above picture lists a few of the crazy things that happened last year. We were isolated, scared, having to learn new ways of working and living, all while reassuring our spouses, kids, co-workers, bosses, and ourselves that things would be okay. I wish we could relegate this to a year, but the truth is it is still going…
Making Space
it is ill-advised to cram more into an already packed space. This is how things get damaged, chipped, and scarred. In order to receive you have to make space to do so. This is where regular purging comes in handy. I try to purge once a year. Usually in the week between Christmas and New Year. When I’m being more intentional, I purge as I head into Spring and the week mentioned above. However, this year I moved. Moving is a beast in and of itself. However, it does afford you the opportunity to purge. I got rid of SO MANY THINGS! Things that were old, unused, dusty, had cracks,…
The Gift of Dance
I’m not sure when it happened. I can’t place the exact time, moment, or event that took place. All I know is that one day I woke up and realized that I had lost my dance. So caught up in the mundane complexities of a life of service to others I sat in church one Sunday and realized that I hadn’t danced in YEARS. Yes, I said YEARS. For some of you, this will seem strange. However, I grew up in a culture, specifically a church culture, that used dance as an expression. An expression of joy, pain, victory, hope, praise, and thanksgiving. It wasn’t unusual to dance or “shout”…
Just Say No
Welcome to Confessions of a recovering “help-a-holic.” One of the hardest lessons I am learning during my sabbatical is how to say “NO” and not feel guilty about it. Recently, I received a request to preach. It was an odd request because of the demographic and it was not something I’ve done in at least a decade. When the request was made, I knew what the answer would be. However, it took me five days to say the word. I went back and forth, trying to figure out how to make it work. When I finally decided to submit to the inevitability of no, it took me another few days…
Monday Musings: Beach Cure
A few pictures of the magnificent beaches of Grand Cayman:
Monday Musings
All of us have experienced that embarrassing moment when an IT professional comes in and asks “Did you try turning it off and turning it back on?” It is embarrassing because of its simplicity. It is also embarrassing because most of the time it WORKS! My fellow human, you should give it a try. TURN OFF, UNPLUG, DISENGAGE!! I guarantee that when you restart or reboot you’ll perform better.
Learning How To Rest
Oxford dictionaries define rest as “ceasing work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength”. This sounds easy right? WRONG. I am amazed at how difficult it is to simply REST. Turn off the brain, set aside the to-do lists, and stop checking (and answering) email. I’ve discovered that I need to learn how to rest. I have to learn this because I’ve been conditioned to do and to produce. In fact, my self-worth and identity are intricately connected to my ability to produce SOMETHING. That something ranges based upon the situation at hand. It could be solving others’ problems, planning and programming events, helping those less…
Top 10 Quotes of 2018
These words inspired, challenged, and ignited my pursuit of Shalom! I hope they do the same for you.
Top 10 Books of 2018
This is by no means an exhaustive list of the AMAZING books that came out this year. They are simply my picks for ones that resonated LOUDLY with me in my pursuit of shalom. Please note: some of these were published before 2018. I just read or re-read them in 2018. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in World that Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living by Shauna Niequist Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown Overrated: Are We More in Love with…
My Grand Adventure
“I can put you on medication, you can change your eating habits and adopt an exercise regiment; but ultimately it will be stress that kills you.” My doctor said these words to me last Spring. They were sobering. She mentioned health issues that have plagued my family for GENERATIONS! I was going down the same path, but at an accelerated rate because of stress. Stressful job + inability to say no + a conditioned “martyr” personality + circumstances that contributed to flimsy boundaries = CHANGE OF LIFESTYLE! I needed to make some radical changes in order to be well. So, here I am on the cusp of a new year.…
