2010 in Review, 2011 in Focus
Last year I shared a rather personal note detailing my joy at leaving 2009 behind, and spending a few moments reflecting on the blessings and challenges we faced as a family. My hope for 2010 was peace and prosperity and in most respects it exceeded my hopes and surprised me in many ways. The year began with finishing all the paperwork needed to send Kelsea to the college of her choice (and dreams) Trinity University. She applied to one school. One. No backups. This left me gripping the rails, so to speak, as I considered her perfect Reading and Writing SAT scores, and her less than stellar Math score. I think my comment was, “You could have gotten the same score just by showing up with a pencil, Kels.” Not my finest Mommy Moment. But she got in, and...
Read MoreMental Remodeling
Within the last two years, my capacity for forgiveness has been stretched, challenged and tested. Beyond what I thought I could bear. Beyond what I was sure I could take. By a trinity of people very closest to me, in the most gut-wrenching ways that others might think wasn’t really a big deal – but to me, huge. Mammoth, even. Contrary to my instincts, my choice has been to “fake it ’til you make it,” smile sweetly, say, “I forgive you.” – and pretend to mean it. Then I put the issues (and, mentally, the person) in a little box, wrapped the box in pretty tissue paper, put the box into a drawer in a dresser in a mental closet, shut the door and then wallpapered over the door in a lovely Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Rose...
Read MoreCan Anyone Spare A Time Machine?
Every single Summer of my childhood I looked forward to the last day of school, knowing that within 2-3 days after that final day my Grandma GG would show up and whisk me off for “THE SUMMER” to a place where it stayed light until 10pm, fireflies lit our night sky, we could see every star in the universe, we stayed out late to play freeze tag, I worked at an ice cream parlor with her, and I had an endless supply of quarters for Defender and Skeeball in the village arcade. Growing up, nothing much changed from year to year. The same kids came back, like a refugee summer camp. I had friends from the Palisades – the neighborhood where my GG had lived since the 1950′s, friends from Orange County whose parents owned major Jaguar and Cadillac...
Read MoreI Am Pretty Freakin’ Sick of This.
Image by portorikan via Flickr Cancer Sucks. It’s a battle-cry of the mighty group of committed volunteers I work with on the Relay for Life committee but it was also for the better part of five years the thought that woke me in the morning, and knocked me out at night. Statistically, it’s probable that you know someone with, or affected by cancer. There’s no Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon here – you probably have one degree at best. This disease is no respecter of race, age, maritial status or parentage. It kills mommies, babies and sweet old ladies that have never done anything to anyone. My degree of separation is one. I have never been diagnosed, but I have lost more loved ones to this disease than anyone should have to bear....
Read More2009 – Extreme Life Makeover. 2010 – What’s Next?
WOW. 2009 is gone. I’m sure everyone is tired of the constant break-downs and analysis of the year in terms of business and finances, as well as Jon & Kate, Kanye & Taylor, New Moon and the other ongoing drama around the country. I know I am. Personally, 2009 has to go down as the worst year ever – at least the first half. At the end of the day I can point to a lot of external factors, but if I’m being honest it comes down to a lot of emotional burnout, coupled with my own lack of “get off your butt and fix this” syndrome. It’s just that simple. If anyone reading this ends up writing a book on the perils and pitfalls of caring for a dying loved one, I’m your poster child. It almost cost me my marriage and health....
Read MoreAN OPEN LETTER TO THOSE THAT BROKE INTO OUR CHURCH AFTER SANDSTOCK
AN OPEN LETTER TO THOSE THAT BROKE INTO OUR CHURCH AFTER SANDSTOCK You didn’t get anything. Actually, I’m a little sorry that you didn’t get anything – but I’m not talking about the money that was not yours to take. What you didn’t get was that the amazing youth of this community, from different churches, traditions and faiths, along with their dedicated role models and mentors from every church spent thousands of hours trying to make sure you did get something. We brought in 12 bands to share God’s love for you through music. Different kinds of music, hoping that everyone would have “ears to hear” something for them. Bands that played for next to nothing, in the heat of the day, some with little to no sleep...
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