Breathing Deeply

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Oh, the plans! The goals! The lists! The git-er-done before the sun comes up focus! Nothing can stop me! And then … OVERWHELM. The word itself creates a feeling, doesn’t it? Especially the “whelm” part. I feel my arms filled with large, heavy, grey rocks that weigh me down from the muscles in my neck, through my back, and into my calves. They’re boulders, actually. More weight than I can realistically carry. I keep trying to move them to … someplace … and I don’t consider that perhaps I could take just one at a time. Too many Continue Reading

The Season of White Legs

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It’s that season… The one that comes every year when the snow is gone in Minnesota. The Season of White Legs. I haven’t gotten around to creating a bucket list yet. But if I had one, you can bet “tan legs” would be on mine. Every year I hope…wish…dream…and wonder if a miracle will surprise me and pigment will show up in my legs. Hasn’t happened in a real long time. Even when a farmer’s tan appears on my arms and face… My legs stay white. Pure white. Not even egg shell white. White legs are a constant in my Continue Reading

Like Playing Jazz

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Good grief. I took them all so very seriously… The piano competitions. (You’d think that my entire life depended on playing Für Elise without a mistake.) Months of practicing all boiled down to five minutes in a noise-less room that echoed when you pulled the piano bench forward on the wood floor, empty except for a baby grand piano, an oblong table with judges sitting behind it on folding chairs with pencils raised, and a few extra chairs for the very anxious parents. The competition. The judges. The nerves. The desire and need to Continue Reading

Time for Something New?

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On most days, it’s just a simple pair of workout leggings. You know. The spandex kind that I should never ever ever wear in public with a short top. The kind that holds everything in tight and you actually feel like there is no more fat to jiggle. That kind of simple leggings. But last Tuesday morning, those leggings became a little more than that. They were a statement to myself. You’ve probably heard that we’ve had a verrrrryy long winter here in Minnesota. And as I write this little note in mid-April, we’re waiting for another Continue Reading

My Joanna Gaines Moments

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Awe-struck probably best describes my reaction. I was watching Fixer-Upper, the episode when they develop their new restaurant, the Magnolia Table. What can Joanna Gaines NOT do? She was designing the floor mural, creating the flow of the space, picking out the perfect palette of colors, deciding on the table shapes, and creating special decorating touches that made it look ... like Joanna Gaines did it. And then. Then she started developing the menu. Aaaand creating the recipes. And deciding how to use kale and strawberry honey Continue Reading

Everybody Has a Secret

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It was a birthday to remember. Celebrating all seven of my years on this earth, we drove to Fargo, ND to be on the Captain Jim show on KXJB TV. My sisters and I and a few girlfriends giggled and fussed and tried not to wrinkle our dresses as we drove the 52 miles to meet the man who was captain of the plywood ship, the Sink Knot. A regular part of the show was for Captain Jim to interview birthday boys and girls from the “ship.” I remember how excited it was to be on TV. When it was my turn as the birthday girl, he asked me about my Continue Reading

Jesus Sees, Feels, and Meets Your Needs

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You see a small child sitting in the middle of the Target aisle. Hunched in a ball, his knees at his chin, his little fists are rubbing his teary eyes.  He’s lost. You can feel how scared his heart is. You protectively kneel next to him, one arm on his shoulder, while someone sends a message out on the PA system. The woman in front of you in the check-out line looks like she hasn’t slept in days. You see her tears threatening to spill over onto her cheeks. The child sitting in her cart doesn’t stop crying. And then the clerk says she is Continue Reading

Life is Too Short to Wait

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So, this will be new. Different. My perspective has shifted. And it’s a game-changer for me. You know how sometimes that “Ah-ah!” moment strikes you like a lightning bolt slashing through thunderclouds? That deep insight or brilliant idea seems to smack you on the side of your head and you can hardly believe how smart you suddenly became. And then there are those “Ahhhh…of course…” moments that sneak up on you. That deep insight or brilliant idea slides right alongside you and you can only pause and wonder why it took you so long Continue Reading

Reset and Recalculate

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My energy tank was on empty and I was coasting on fumes. “Frumpy” and “worn out” were self-describing words that I heard repeatedly in my mind. Muscles ached, and neither “fresh” nor “radiant” described my complexion. I felt ... old. And then I heard an interview on the radio that sent me into a “You’ve got to be kidding me!” moment. The young woman was talking about her high school experience — 15 years earlier. She coyly said, “That was when I was young! Let’s not talk about how many years ago that was!” And then she added a Continue Reading

Unclogging Drains and Hearts

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The maintenance guy running the “snake” down mom’s kitchen sink to find the clog seemed to be having a very, very bad day … again. Bless his heart. It must be so uncomfortable living in such misery. Every single time we see him, he is upset. Angry. Blaming. His world is just … miserable. You’ve probably experienced the same consistently-bad-mood attitudes in your world. It shows up in so many ways, doesn’t it? The driver who cuts us off in the Fast Lane.  The grumpy sales clerk.  The co-worker who can’t find one good thing happening in Continue Reading

Live Today With Care

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This little message is what God was saying to me early this morning. Perhaps these words will encourage you too? Good morning, Gaye. Today is a gift I am giving you. What are you going to do with it? You will have options – how you spend your time, who you spend time with, the work you do. And you will make choices – what you focus on, what you eat, what you think about. Consider your options and choices intentionally. Every decision you make is creating your life. At the end of today, will you look back and know that you Continue Reading

Start. Do the Work.

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It’s too bad I wasn’t counting my steps. I would have gotten that cute little trophy icon award on my walking app.  My wandering had taken on a life of its own. I sat at my desk. Walked to the fridge, opened its door, and took a peek. Closed the door. Checked on mom. Back to my desk. Got up to see if NCIS re-runs were scheduled. Threw out the garbage. Back to my desk. Up and down. Around and around. Two things were unsettling me: I was starting a new, exciting project. I’ve been waiting to start it for the last month. Now it’s time. Continue Reading

You are Amazing

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You are amazing, you know. Don't let anyone ever tell you something different. Think about it... No one else in the history of the entire world is like YOU. You are unique. No one talks like you, moves like you, thinks like you, dreams like you do. And that makes you special. You are "God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works..." (Ephesians 2:10). His workmanship - his piece of art. His sonnet. His most beautiful colors on a canvas. A creation He dreamed of, created, brought into being, and loves. A Continue Reading

Checking My Heart

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It was one of those mornings. My intentions were good, the desire was there, I was ready. Ready to study, consider, pray, prepare. Ready to talk to God about my joys and my messiness, share my gratitude and listen for direction. And yet, the distractions came like the thunder shouts outside. I heard mom in the other room and I got up to check on her. Then I got cold and wanted a blanket on my lap. Then I got too hot and had to crack open the window. Then I worried that the rain would dampen the sill. Then I remembered something to Continue Reading

His Ways Work

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When I get behind in keeping things organized, my work space looks like wind gusts of 55 mph just ripped through the room. The piles of papers and scratch notes and lists, lists, lists remind me that life has moved from "I've got this!" To "Good grief, have mercy." The same scenario plays out in my head when there’s just too much busy-ness going on. Priorities are up for grabs, broken hearts and broken bodies need attention and prayers, and I want to make everyone I love feel better. And the to-do lists...Oh! The to-do lists! They are Continue Reading

Living a Full Life

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Loved. This. My friend and I were sitting at a small table in the coffee shop, reminiscing about our days at Northwest Airlines. Catching up on where life has taken us since then. In the middle of updates and future plans, my friend very nonchalantly said, "I have a full life." Oh my. Those words made me pause. When was the last time I heard someone say that? Most conversations include... "Life is crazy busy." "We're hanging in there." "Too much going on." How my friend described his life was an ah-ha moment for Continue Reading

In Memory of Aunt Idelle

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My Aunt Idelle (dad's sister) was always full of life, focused on family, and brought the energy and spirit to every room she entered. She died on Friday, and although we will miss her terribly, she has left her fingerprints on so many hearts. A few years ago I wrote a short tribute to her. I'm sharing it again in honor of her memory. Aunt Idelle, you will never be forgotten. Thank you for loving so deeply. She’s 83. She lives in an apartment for senior citizens. She’s got more life than the energizer bunny.Meet my aunt, Idelle Continue Reading

Every Chapter Matters

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Tell me the story. I want to know the characters. Their dreams and disappointments. What they celebrate and what they grieve. Tell me about the people and what they went through to get where they are now. How did they survive? What did they learn?  I get bored with paragraphs filled with description, even when the words are beautiful and visionary. I don’t need 14 words to describe the flower petal or two pages to describe the scenery. It’s the people’s stories that capture my attention. In his book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Continue Reading

Live Free from Offenses

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The words below have been sitting in my heart and in my soul and in my mind for a couple weeks. They are truth! My friend, Wendy K. Walters, penned them…I’m so glad she did. With her permission, I am sharing them with you today. * You have the power to not be offended. Wow! Seriously, this is no small thing. You get to choose whether or not you pick up or carry an offense. You don't have to. Even when someone says or does something hurtful, careless, or outright mean ... you can choose to let it bounce off the shield of faith Continue Reading

My Running Trials

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Drift back with me… College years. Mankato State University. Trying to get my physical education required credit completed. I chose a class that included a workout program and running.  My grade depended on how many pounds and how many inches I lost. {Good grief. What on earth was I thinking?} Around and around the track I ran. And as I ran (I use that word loosely here), my mantra was that old hymn… Continue Reading

We Can Choose

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It’s been a week filled with choices, hasn’t it? Who should make or influence the laws we are asked to live by? How would we respond knowing our life will end painfully sooner rather than later? What responsibility will we accept for our actions that hurt someone else? The questions, the choices, the outcomes – they prompt me to whisper quietly into my soul…What do I think? What do I believe? What choice would I, should I, make? The bigness of life and its questions can make my heart and my head spin sometimes. You too? It’s Continue Reading

She is Amazing

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Several years ago I wrote a tribute to my fabulous Aunt Idelle, encouraging the rest of us to live as she does – living so each moment counts. This week we joined her in celebrating the life of her best friend and husband, my Uncle Roger. Aunt Idelle is entering a new chapter in life without her soul mate, and it seems appropriate to share this tribute again. Aunt Idelle, YOU ARE LOVED. She’s 83. She lives in an apartment for senior citizens. She’s got more life than the energizer bunny. Meet my aunt, Idelle (Nornes) Bagne. Continue Reading