Back when my oldest kids were navigating the world of middle school, physical fitness was essential to our education. Soccer matches were a regular affair, and my husband, Gary, often led hikes and runs for those old enough. Meanwhile, I played a role in organizing the annual President’s Physical Fitness test. While some of my children excelled in this physically active environment, others faced challenges. Our family, like any other, showcased diverse builds. One of…
3 CommentsCategory: personal growth
I am not very interruptible. I want to be, but then someone or something comes into my day, and my contradictory reaction signals that I am not as interruptible as I want to be. It seems so astonishing for a mother of nine not to have figured out how to roll with a life of interruptions. I have received a fair number of interruptions, as I am sure you have been, with diagnoses, declarations, and…
2 CommentsWhen Gary and I decided to travel to our young friend’s wedding in Northern California, I was excited to put some national parks on the must-see list. We enjoyed our time in Oregon, visiting Crater Lake. We even hiked to the base in the cold weather to view the epic blue lake from the rocky shore level. It was a breathtaking time, and I couldn’t get enough of the cerulean lake punctuated by the sole…
Leave a CommentI am trying to remember how I developed an interest in letter writing other than the halting start of the obligatory thank you note for Christmas gifts to far away relatives. Even then, I remember joyfully caring about either making the card or selecting one that fit the occasion and the recipient. I have lovely memories of receiving letters. My mom wrote me during Plebe Summer at the Naval Academy. Even though I was just…
Leave a CommentHave you ever told others to do something that you have yet to grasp HOW to really do? I have spent the past year learning what it means to live in contemplative spaces. My work in spiritual direction has required an intentional slowing down for deeper thinking to replace minute-by-minute distractions. I am a person who loves to multitask and feels accomplished by the amount of things achieved in a day. So, even with my…
Leave a CommentI have a question. Have you ever, in the moment, prayed earnestly and then, over days, drifted to more dribble prayers? I wonder if God is not moved by our inconsistency in remembering what we ask for. This is just a meandering of mine for Monday. Because I placed my earbud in a location I forgot about — I began to look for it when I missed it. Because I looked in all the rememberable…
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