I love to read. And memoirs are at the top of my list. My favorites are typically written by a not-so-young woman whose story reads something like this... Her life was filled with hope-filled dreams. Exciting expectations. Blue skies and sun-filled days. She had energy that made skipping in her summer slip-ons easy-peasy. Then life happened. Her skies got cloudy. Disappointment replaced those dreams. Skipping was totally out of the question. Frankly, some days putting on the slip-ons felt like enough. The next section of her memoir Continue Reading
Notes From My Emergency Board Meeting
So, I had a little meeting with myself this afternoon. Kind of like an emergency board meeting when something is bubbling up that needs to be addressed right away by those responsible for overseeing all things, before the situation gets out of control and does more damage. Since I’m CEO and chief overseer of my life, I scheduled the meeting, put myself on the agenda, prepared a snack (chips and salsa), and called the meeting to order. The agenda item? Moving out of the swirl and finding fresh strength. Have you had those days Continue Reading
When Life Hands You Lutefisk
My sisters and I were 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 the hot Continue Reading
Age Doesn’t Disqualify Us
A grocery store helper called me a “little old lady.” I'm sorry... WHAT? 😄 The young guy helping me with my groceries was feeling a bit chatty as we walked towards my car parked beside one of those trucks that could probably pull my entire neighborhood behind it. I opened the trunk of my car and he exclaimed with quite surprise, "Oh, I thought we were going to that truck. But then I thought, "I can’t imagine this little old lady driving a big truck like that." Let’s just pause right there. Little old lady? I laughed in that moment, Continue Reading
Hold On. Sunday’s Coming.
This is personal. I’ve lived the Fridays. I’ve waited through the Saturdays. I’ve felt the hope of Sunday. I bet you have too. I never tire of sharing this note. It’s truth. It’s encouragement. It’s hope. Please read it and then share it with two people you care about. People who need an extra dose of HOPE this week. ❤️❤️❤️ Hi. Scoot your chair a little closer. And if you’re in a comfy armchair and scooting isn‘t an option… lean in. Imagine that I’m talking softly - almost whispering. The kind of whisper a mama uses to soothe her Continue Reading
Am I in the Right Lane?
Matt Emmons. Twenty-three years old. Olympic competitor in 2004. He had already won a gold medal in the 50-meter rifle prone event — even after someone had tampered with his gun and he had to borrow one from a teammate. The guy was steady. Skilled. Focused. Two days later, he was positioned to win another gold in the 50-meter three-position event. Kneeling. Prone. Standing. By the time he lined up for his final shot, he was so far ahead that all he had to do was land it near the center. He fired. Perfect shot. Only… it wasn’t his Continue Reading
If God Had a Fridge
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
Back to the Basics
So then this happened. Last week my pancreas got real ornery and decided it was just tired of working like it should. So, I spent several days in the hospital treating it with very loving care. Convincing it to just calm down. To take a rest. I sure didn’t see that coming. If you’ve had trouble with this enzyme-producing gland, you know that it has a big deal effect on your digestion process. The doctors couldn’t identify why it was acting up, so the most important thing I could do was just give it a break. They took tests and Continue Reading
Swirling and Settling
It’s too bad that I wasn’t in a “Who can walk the most steps?” contest. I would have brought home the trophy. My goodness. I was up and down and in and out of my chair like a mama of four toddlers at the supper table. I wandered around the kitchen, looked at my bookshelves, checked to see if the mail had come, opened and closed the dishwasher, and just … wandered. Aimlessly. What was I trying to do? Write. Ooftah. That thin, little black cursor just kept blinking on the white sheet of paper on my computer screen. The words Continue Reading
The Hokey Pokey and Tap Dancing
Back in the day, when I was younger, my definition of “a cool girl” included her ability to dance. Oh my. I’d watch those cool girls at the dances in our school gym, and I marveled – yes, marveled – at their ability to make dancing look so effortless. And fun. And so cool. I wanted to be cool too, so I practiced dancing at home in front of my bedroom dresser mirror before heading up to the school dance. (Please, someone tell me that you did this too.) Good grief. That was just plain … good grief. My dancing skills were better Continue Reading
A Call to Action
The note I’d written for you this week is sitting in my writing collection, waiting to be shared with you another day. It’s a good message, I think, but its spirit and lightness feel “off” when our Minneapolis area is experiencing such pain and turmoil. This little space here on the internet and in your inbox is intended to refresh your faith. Thank you for sharing this space with me. Most of the time, my messages bring a little humor. And there are a few times, like now, that my notes are a bit more contemplative. My faith journey has Continue Reading
Behind Closed Doors
It’s one of my favorite books in the pure entertainment and fun category. And it's a memoir. (That's my always favorite category.) Little House in the Hollywood Hills: A Bad Girl's Guide to Becoming Miss Beadle, Mary X, and Me by Charlotte Stewart. I remember Charlotte Stewart as the actor who played Miss Beadle on Little House on the Prairie, and vaguely remember her as Betty Briggs from the Twin Peaks TV show. Miss Beadle was the delightful school marm that taught Laura and Mary in Walnut Grove, the single teacher who always presented Continue Reading
Take a Break for Hope and Inspiration!
Are you looking for some joy for your soul, faith encouragement for your heart, and some giggles? Yaasss! I’m providing some of that online next Wednesday, February 10th. Join me and some other faith-and-fun-filled women! I’m doing a Zoom talk for the Fellowship of Christian Business and Professional Women. We’ll gather online from 12:00 noon – 1:00 CST. Take a lunch break, settle back and nourish your spirit! Good news: You don’t need to register. It doesn’t cost you a thing. You don’t need a Zoom account to join; you can also Continue Reading
Sigh. And sigh again.
Sigh. Can I say it again? Sigh. Do you find yourself exhaling as you say that word? Me too. And in my head, I say it in a whisper. There are some days that I just need to sigh. Exhale. Today has been one of those days. I know you and I want to know joy. We want to feel it in our bones. We want to wrap it around our hearts. And you know? Sometimes joy doesn’t show up in the giggles or the parties or the fun times. Sometimes we find the joy in our sighs. Author Kay Warren defines Joy as “the settled assurance that God is in Continue Reading
Enjoy Where You Are
The encouragement phrases like, “Live in the moment” and “Be fully present” can be a bit … uncomfortable sometimes. Perhaps even annoying. Right? But there is truth in them for sure. There is power in those statements. I share them with friends and groups. They are little lights along our path that lead us to living a full, rich life. I’m a fan. Here’s the deal … Showing up fully present, paying attention to the people and activity around me? It makes me a better person. A more alive person. A more grateful person. But I admit Continue Reading