Unfortunately, sudden crises or unexpected traumas are a part of life. A child needs medical attention. A friend wants extra support. Your finances require retuning. Clutter becomes an unwanted guest. The car falls apart at an intersection. Death comes knocking and decisions need to be made. So, what do you do when life throws a significant, unwanted curve ball? What if you try to open a door, and it comes right off the wall? In that moment, do you panic? Do you know how to get immediate resources and parse through key decisions? I confess, this is an area I…
Captivating Resilience
Part Five of the Lockout Series Moving into Freedom’s Fullness Every morning, a sweet hummingbird greets the day from the branches of our backyard plum tree. He is faithful to protect his territory. He is elegant in his stance, high above his grounds. He never leaves his watchfulness to others. He protects his domain from predators and keeps his mate in safety. He enjoys sweet delights and plays well. He is beautiful to watch, with his bright red throat and sweeping gestures. To me, he is resilient. It is both deeply centering and challenging to watch his dance in and…
Escape the Quicksand of Heartache
What is heartache? I’d define it as that sinking feeling when a difficult topic arises with a friend. It can be connected to relationships or experiences, but it’s that quicksand of loss and hurt that surrounds you when the topic or person comes up. So how do you transform your emotions after a season of loss? Let’s review the first three steps of this Lockout Series. First, look in your lockout, or virtual emotional storage unit, and see if there’s anything lurking in corners that needs to be dealt with. Discover your areas that need focus and attention. Second, discern…
Lay Down Old Luggage
Part Three of the Lockout Series It’s spring so perhaps you’ve been tidying up as we have in the corners that grow stacks like bunnies and need a fresh approach. It’s a continual struggle for me, this rearming, refocusing, and getting rid of things. I’ve spent time recently sorting out, yet more to go, but I don’t want to miss an opportunity because I’m holding onto something it’s time to part with, and hopefully help someone else along the way. I once heard a speaker talking about the best ways to help others. He described how impossible it is to…
Are You A Double Agent?
Part Two of the Lockout Series When I say the word “undercover” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? For me, it’s secret agents, or double agents. I like spy movies and intrigue. But here’s a tricky thought: are you your own double agent when it comes to dealing with trials? Are you improving over time or remaining paralyzed in pain? If you stuff down rather than press through, you may have secretly, stealthily been hampering your own progress. How’d a double agent get here? When you’re going through a rough time, sometimes you and your loved ones are…
Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award
I’ve been nominated for the Sisterhood of World Bloggers Award by a writing friend, Jodie Wolfe. Jodie and I met through the Craftsman’s courses with the Christian Writer’s Guild. I was pleasantly surprised to find an email in my inbox this morning saying she had nominated me. I love the way Jodie encourages readers with her true-life stories and book reviews. You should check out her blog at Digging For Pearls (http://diggingforpearls.blogspot.com/) and her updates and features here (http://www.jodiewolfe.com/). There are some rules with this nomination. The Rules: 1. Thank the blogger who nominated you, linking back to their…
Goodbye, Mr. Leonard Nimoy
When I found out about Mr. Leonard Nimoy’s passing this week, I had to pause our series to say goodbye. Although we never met, his iconic scenes in the original Star Trek, and especially the recent Star Trek films, have left such a warm and lasting impression on me. I appreciate his contribution to pushing the boundaries of fiction and creating new avenues for expressing ideas. Soon after I heard the news, I reached out to my father, a serious Trekkie, and had a nice conversation. It might not have seemed like anything earth-shattering, but somehow the Vulcan has always…
Resilience Or Lockout?
How do you reinvent your trials by fire? I’ve been polishing my proposal for the manuscript now that the novel is complete and needed something to keep the super book I’m reading open. I reached in the desk drawer and saw this heavy lock. I laid it down with a loud, THUNK! Without realizing it, I’d put possibly the hardest iconic item right on my future dreams—the lock from our storage unit after the fires. EEK! What a word picture. This one object protected the photos and items the fire fighters grabbed as our home was in flames. We were…
Under The Waterfall
To escape the hectic pattern of life, where is your favorite place to uncover beauty that feeds your desire for meaning in life? If you can’t answer this question, or can’t remember the last time you tried, read on. For Valentine’s Day, my husband and children and I all visited a favorite place with gorgeous gardens, interesting libraries and science exhibits, and pretty weather. As we walked around, the serenity of the place and beautiful scents from flowers made me smile. Watching my boys chase fish in the coy pond helped me find my girlish giggle once more. After a…
Beautiful Moments
Valentine’s Day brings out mixed emotions for most people. At best, it’s a way to remind those you care about how special they are to you. But sometimes it can place unwanted pressure to be perfect or stir up difficult memories. If you are caught in the latter, I encourage you to seek out a beautiful moment either alone or with loved ones this weekend. Whether it’s trying a tempting new type of tea, going on an outing with loved ones, or doing something creative that reawakens old dreams, bringing beauty in can be so refreshing and peaceful. It dusts…
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