My Thoughts
Joyful Grief: 4 Reasons I Find Joy in My Grief
Joy and grief are opposites for most people. But for me they go hand in hand. My mother passed away last Monday. It left a huge hole in my heart. Mom lived with my husband and me for the past nineteen months because it was no longer safe for her to live by herself in the farmhouse where I grew up. Mom was becoming frailer due to back pain and other health problems. However, her mind was good and she insisted on living life to its fullest—sometimes much to our chagrin. The last two weeks have...
Control: Who has it?
My life is out of control. Can you relate? My good intentions are sabotaged with the demands of daily life. The unexpected takes over. My husband forgot to tell me about a change in his schedule, Mom wants to start a new project, or the dog gets sick on the living room carpet. You know what I am talking about. We all experience similar interruptions daily. Interruptions are not necessarily a bad thing. Some are fun. Some are frustrating. Some provide surprising opportunities to witness...
What Did You Say?
Do you listen to hear or do you just let the sound hit your eardrums? Is your mind on what is being said or on what you will say next? Or even worse, are you thinking about a completely different topic—what you will eat for supper, who will win the World Series, or the misbehaving kid across the street? I, like most people, am so poor at listening—truly listening—that I miss the blessing of hearing with my heart. Yes, I listen. But often it is surface listening. I am “protecting my turf”...