Some Days Just Don’t Play in Sync

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My sister Lori once performed a piano piece in two completely different tempos at the same time. Her right hand raced ahead. Her left hand lagged behind. It was…remarkable. The event was the annual piano recital. Here’s a little set-up to the important performance ... His glasses were always perched on his forehead, and his legs were always crossed. Mr. Anderson was an extremely gifted piano teacher who reminded us that music was more than notes and that any God-given talent was intended to be developed. He would bang out our weekly Continue Reading

Personal Note: Red-Letter Days Ahead!

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It’s my birthday today—January 1—and there are only 31 more years until I’m 100! I did the math (with a bit of internet help, of course). That’s 11,323 days still waiting to be lived. Days filled with moments to be noticed and savored. A whole bunch of potential red-letter days. Oh, my. When you think about it like that, there are so many good moments, days, and years still ahead. And although I can often skate into optimism pretty quickly, I know there are going to be days it feels more like I’m wearing mukluks, trudging through nine Continue Reading

Please Pass the Grace

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Hi! If this is your first Thanksgiving here in our community of encouragement, welcome! I’m glad you’re here. And, if you’ve been here a while, this week’s note may have a familiar ring to it. It’s one of my most favorite things I’ve ever written, and the message is always timely. Sending it to you is an annual tradition. Blessings of gratitude to you, my friend. ❤️ It’s the guest many of us bring to Thanksgiving dinner. The guest that can turn a beautiful get-together into a swirling chaos of frustrations, silent tears, and sour Continue Reading

Lefse Plates and Fairy Tales

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Cooking is not my happy place. Any meal that needs more than three ingredients and a stove sends me searching for takeout menus. Thankfully, at Thanksgiving my sister hosts a family feast, which means I get to show up with something safe: lefse already buttered and divided into brown- and white-sugar plates. But here’s the thing: I feel guilty about not cooking. Like there’s some unwritten rule that says “real Thanksgiving women” spend three days in the kitchen, humming hymns while basting turkeys. And that little twinge of guilt? Continue Reading

🌱 Ready to Reignite? Let’s Plow the Field Together

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Ever wake up and think, “Lord, if You’re giving out refills of energy and enthusiasm, I’ll take a double pump.” Yeah, me too. Some days my motivation packs up and heads for vacation without me.  But here’s the good news: if you’ve ever felt that same “where’s-my-spark?” slump, I’ve got just the thing to help. I’m so excited to open the cover of Reignite Your Spirit! A Companion Guide and show you what’s inside! It’s like a spark plug for your spirit. We’ve all been there. There are days … and then there are days, right? The ones Continue Reading

✨ Feeling Invisible but Not Forgotten

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Have you ever felt like you suddenly became the Invisible Woman, minus the cool cape and superpowers? One minute you’re right there in the mix—talking, contributing, showing up—and the next you’re standing by the potted plant, holding someone’s purse and silently mouthing, “I’m actually very interesting!” If you’ve ever had that “am I even here?” sensation, you are in good company. We’ve all whispered the same thing. It’s just that most of us say it quietly … because we don’t want to make a fuss. (Right?) And you know, sometimes the Continue Reading

💦 A Splash of Encouragement

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You know that moment when you think, Sure! I can totally do this! And then five minutes later you realize, Oh dear. I cannot do this. I have lived that moment.  Dog-paddle with me back to the early 1990s to a weekend church retreat when my roommate Lynn and I created a synchronized swimming routine. Good grief. What on earth were we thinking? Here’s the instant replay: We donned our colorful swim caps, tightened our nose plugs, and set our boom box on the edge of the hotel pool. We’d practiced, of course—on our living-room rug. Not Continue Reading

If God Had a Fridge

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It’s such a joy to spend time with groups of women who love to laugh a little, grow in their faith, and leave with their spirits a bit more refreshed. Honestly, it fills my heart right up. Whether I’m in a church basement where women are spreading colorful tablecloths, setting out centerpieces, and arranging salads, bars, and buns, or at a retreat center where the lake sits still and the trees stand quietly outside the window, one thing I’ve noticed again and again is this: deep down, we all long to know we’re loved and that our lives Continue Reading

Life’s Too Short for Sticky

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My two weeks at one of my most favorite Happy Places have come to an end. Aahhh, how I loved working at the Minnesota State Fair! The fair is known for its collection of all things food—much of what you can eat on a stick. And every corner seems to have a cotton candy stand. The bright, gluey mass of sugar spun around a paper cone is a fair-goer’s favorite. (My favs are Sweet Martha’s Cookies and Peters Weiners. But that’s a little off topic. So, back to our cotton candy corners.) I watch moms trying to clean sticky kiddo fingers Continue Reading

Life is Good. Settle In.

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I’m writing this on the week the great Minnesota State Fair begins. Ahhh, this is one of my absolute Happy Places. Free music, barns full of animals, people-watching galore. What’s not to love? Some of my best family memories are tucked into those fairgrounds. And every year, I plan my schedule (and give myself a talking-to about deadlines) so I can savor my two-week job in Guest Relations without guilt. Honestly? I love it. And that brings me to this note to you. Because while I usually write with encouragement for the hard stuff in Continue Reading

A Summer Rhythm Refresher

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Well, hi there! Summer rolled in like it owned the place, didn’t it? Sun blazing, birds chirping, and my ice cream melting faster than my plans to “be productive.” Being productive is my usual default. But these summer months? They invite a more fun, slightly adventurous spirit, right? I’m craving a sunshiny rhythm that keeps the business going but leaves plenty of time for ice cream runs, long walks, and a little daydreaming. You too? This morning I asked God, What does this season look like for me? He reminded me of the image Continue Reading

Bologna, Butter, and the Beauty of Ordinary

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My sisters and I spent last week walking the beach, lathering up with sunscreen like it was our part-time job, and letting the rhythm of the waves do their slow-down, soul-soothing work.  One afternoon, while we were sunk low in our little beach chairs, feet buried in warm sand, sun visors tilted at just the right angle, Julie turned to me and said, “Wouldn't a bologna sandwich taste good right now?” I hadn’t thought about bologna sandwiches in years. But just like that, I was transported back to sitting on a towel spread across Continue Reading

Hello Spring, Goodbye Michelin Woman

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We (ahem...Steve) mowed our lawn today, so it’s official: no more snow! Cue the confetti and the lawn chairs! I’ve been waiting twelve whole months to share this note—because this one’s a favorite. 💛💙❤️ This Minnesota girl is feeling hopeful! Just listen... Do you hear it? It’s a sweet, breezy melody that sounds like hummingbirds humming hope — bringing lightness, sweetness, and a whole lot of gleefulness. And it’s just warming up. Over the next few weeks, that hum will swell into harmony -- giggles, outdoor music, and Continue Reading

Don’t Miss the Conversation

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Girl, you really need to clean that out. The young man offering this undisputed advice was right. My billfold was stuffed, and its zipper was caught on a corner of a receipt. This vault of receipts, cards, and chaos had officially gone on strike. I bet his billfold was crisply organized with no slips of paper peeking out. He certainly appeared more put together than I was. I had gone into the Verizon store with a headache and a cell phone that wouldn’t send text messages.  When entering this land of gadgets, they introduced Continue Reading

Choose Your Noise Wisely

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"If you're allergic to this medication, do not take this medication." (TV ad) “Remove child before folding stroller." (Instructions) "Caution: Hot coffee is hot." (Sign) Good grief. It's scary that we need these messages, isn't it? Somewhere along the line, common sense was apparently set aside. Did you know that we receive between 4,000 - 10,000 advertising messages alone in a single day? That's just mind-boggling! And that's just ads! Then there are emails, social media notifications, text messages, billboards, TV commercials, Continue Reading

It’s Time to Plow

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Growing up in a small farming community, my sisters and I knew we had really started to “get older” when dad let us plow the field with his beloved John Deere tractor. Getting the field planted depended on that plowing—turning up the soil and breaking up the weed roots. Timing was everything. Weather-watching was all-consuming. Rainstorms weren’t helpful. You’d work all night if the conditions were right. You couldn’t waste a moment.  Plowing brought farming to a whole new level for my sisters and me. We would actually drive the tractor Continue Reading

Once Upon a Time, She … What?

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God, you know me so well. And my goodness, you sure are speaking to me today. I’m listening. That was my silent prayer as I sat in church not long ago, taking in every word and nudge. Because I believe you’ll relate, and maybe even find it helpful in your own faith walk, I’m sharing a few moments from that Sunday.  A Theme That Drew Me In It started with the bulletin, carried through our community confession, and continued in a good conversation with Steve after church. The theme for the day? “From now on you will be catching Continue Reading

Farming Lessons

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I learned it first in farming. Farmers and families coming together when the fields were ready for harvest and the rain was coming tomorrow as sure as the sun would come up. Trucks and combines moving across dusty gravel roads in single file and descending on someone’s farm to help them get their crop in. Then the John Deeres and Massey Fergusons caravanning to the next farm with ears tuned in to weather reports while turning on lights to break through the dusk, and men and women in overalls praying for just a couple more Continue Reading

Today. Change the Ending.

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This has got to be the most extreme case of procrastination ever recorded. I mean, really. The “Plague of the Frogs” story in the Bible is almost too much to comprehend (Exodus 8). Check this out… Pharaoh is the new king in Egypt, and he really does not care for God’s people, the Israelites. He’s worried about the growing size of their group and potential strength. So, he “put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor.” (Exodus 1:11) Then Moses is born. (And if you haven’t read this guy’s story in a while, it’s a Continue Reading

Get Up and Go!

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I am spending two weeks at one of my favorite Happy Places -- the Minnesota State Fair. For a whole bunch of hours every day, I'm part of a small team that responds to all the feedback from fair guests (AKA complaints and kudos). I love it so much. Here's what's capturing my attention when I walk through the fairgrounds: The 300+ acres are filled with women, men, and young adults and kids who had a dream, and decided to go after it. Every day, regular people like you and me haul their products, animals, or food, to give their dream Continue Reading

Summer Storms

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Life has been filled with summer sunshine, lots of laughter, and friendship connections. And, it’s also had its share of “bad weather” for people I care about. This week my heart is thinking a lot about friends who are in the middle of some tough summer storms. The kind of storms that don’t end overnight. If things are pretty stormy for you right now, please let these words encourage you. If your days have some sunshine in them, would you please share this with a friend who needs to feel seen? Who needs to remember God’s promise Continue Reading

Wearing My Yellow Boots

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Today I choose life. Have you ever had a phrase – words of encouragement from a friend, words from a book, or words that God places on your heart – and you just know that you need to pay attention to them? You can almost feel the message behind the words? That’s how those words felt this morning. Today I choose life. Along with the words came the nudge: live like it then. Live like you’re choosing life. It’s a rainy day here, so when you look out the window you see a lot of gray. And clouds. Nothing too bright. And yet … With Continue Reading

The Branch is a Good Place to Be

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Have you had a moment like this? You’re reading a verse in the Bible that you’ve read a gazillion times before, but this time when you read it, it reads differently. The words are no longer black, small font letters on tissue-thin paper, and the message isn’t one to skim because it’s familiar. Instead, the words are posted on an extra-large, industrial-strength freeway banner, written in bright red letters highlighted in neon yellow. The message grabs my attention and says Don’t miss this! These words caused me to pull-off my Continue Reading

Keep Dancing!

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Back in the day, my definition of “a cool girl” included her ability to dance. I wanted to be cool too, so I practiced at home in front of my bedroom dresser mirror before going to the school dance. That was just plain…good grief. I can’t even. It didn’t look like dancing, and it certainly wasn’t cool. I wonder how they danced in the Bible days. We know they did a lot of it in worship and celebrations, right? “Praise his name with dancing, accompanied by tambourine and harp.” What variety! Dancing to the tambourine and a harp. I bet Continue Reading

Creating a Different Tomorrow

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I’m standing in front of Steve as he’s trying to read (I’m obviously being very annoying), peering over the top of his book, trying to get my face in the brightest light from his reading lamp, as I describe what I think the lines on the sides of my chin look like: Like the face on puppets…no…marionettes…no… Like the face on the dummies that ventriloquists use. Yes. That’s it. The look on his face tells me he’s worried there may be a trick question coming soon, and that he needs to think carefully about his response. These lines Continue Reading