Have you ever thought something nice about someone but never told them? Yesterday, I was praying for various people at my church when I realized how much I missed a certain lady! I thought about all the wonderful things I love and admire about her. Then I realized- I have never actually told her. So, I sent her a text expressing all the lovely things I appreciate about who she is as a person and role model in my life.
Continue reading Do Unto Others
Nine years ago today I made a decision which changed the trajectory of my life. I was a backslider who had decided to come back to church. It wasn’t Easter, Christmas, Mother’s Day, or any other special day of the year. It was just a beautiful, springy Sunday morning here in the Pacific Northwest.
Continue reading Come as You Are
I was at work today, minding my own business, when the secretary started playing The Judds in the front office. Immediately, I began getting flashbacks of growing up in Texas.
The Judds was the first concert I ever attended. I must have been in first or second grade. I remember being so far away from the stage that we had to use binoculars to see anything! It was a time that I will never forget. Wynonna was standing in one place, playing the guitar while her mother, Naomi, danced around the stage singing. To my young mind, Naomi must have been the daughter since she was dancing around. My mother just laughed at my confusion.
Continue reading Bittersweet Memories
It’s 8:30 a.m. on Monday morning. I am sitting at my desk in the school nurse’s office, checking my work email, and finishing my green tumbler of tea from home.
Normally, I would unlock the cupboards and grab the medication binder used to track when students come for their meds, but I won’t be needing that today. Next, I would check my mini fridge’s freezer to make sure I have a stock of ice packs ready to go before recess; I won’t be needing those today either.
Continue reading Hollow Halls
Saturdays are pretty busy for me. Since I work Monday through Friday and go to church most of the day on Sunday, Saturdays are for cleaning and errands. This past Saturday, my two youngest kids got some time away from home for five hours.
Almost as soon as they left our apartment, I noticed something profound. It was quiet–very quiet. Instead of going about my to-do-list, I just sat and soaked up the silence.
Continue reading Silence is Golden
When I first came back to church in 2011, I was obsessed with “finding my purpose” in life. The book “Purpose Driven Life” was still popular around that time. I not only read the book- I took extensive notes in a special little hard-cover notebook that I bought just for the occasion. The notebook had the poem “Footprints” recessed into the wood on the front. It was very nice; I still have it and all the notes.
I would love to tell you that after reading and taking notes on every page of that book that a light bulb went off and I knew my life’s purpose. But, alas, I was still clueless.
Continue reading How I (Finally) Found My Purpose