During this year of COVID, it may seem odd to cheer for a pregnancy. In fact, when I heard about the youngers in my family planning for babies, I wondered Really? Now? Who would plan for a pregnancy, for a hospital stay with possible complications, for a new babe during a time with multiple COVID …
As I drove up to the multi-storied house, the “Estate Sale” sign reminded me of my mission. Look for something I could use at work — something that might bring encouragement to the women I coached: a pot of flowers, beautiful cards, a trinket to give away. What I didn’t expect to find was a …
Oh, God! I was so afraid! During the sixth month of pregnancy, thirty plus years ago, I finally ventured out of the bed where I spent the first five months — hoping, begging God to let me keep my baby. With years of infertility and two miscarriages in my medical chart, the chances for a …
An encouragement often shared on my blog is the phrase, “Stay in hope.” No matter how life unravels, stay in hope. What does that statement really mean? Is hope possible in today’s messy world? What does it look like, feel like? Or is it something so ethereal, we cannot find it — fail to grasp …
It was a gift — an unexpected pleasure on a discouraging day. I had just pulled up my Amazon book sales report. Not enough sales for the month, not even close to my goal. Then I looked outside and laughed in delight. My neighborhood is blessed with several feral cats. One big guy — all …
In her best-selling book, Moving On, Sarah Ban Breathnach lists the seven senses. The usual five we know: sight, sound, touch, taste and smell. But then she adds knowledge and wonder. A working definition of “wonder” is “Surprise mingled with admiration caused by something beautiful, unexpected or inexplicable.” As we age, I think we can …
My mother taught me to love reading. After the farm chores were completed, the supper dishes washed and the homework finished — everyone in our family sat down to read. This discipline meant we drove to the library every week and checked out stacks of books. Then an important milestone changed my reading habits. When …
We barely knew each other, the guy in the adjoining cubicle and I. As a mere temp worker, I did what I was told, edited the website, made few friends. Tried to survive as a single mom in the corporate jungle. Doug was a full-time guy with plenty of responsibilities, a loving wife and four …
I come alive in March. In fact, I count off the weeks during January and February, looking forward to the day I can flip the calendar to March. Why March? Because it signals the beginning of spring. The days are longer. The sunshine is brighter. For years, I didn’t know how to define my problem …
A national magazine asked me to write an article about becoming emotionally overwhelmed. So I hammered out 1600+ words. Yet, even as I wrote, another reminder of self-care interrupted my busy life. It has taken me so many years to write this truth and believe it: Self-Care is a spiritual discipline. Somehow we think if …