Being Brave

My friend and colleague, Mary Felch, MFT, does wonderful work with art and therapy.  I received her thoughts regarding "standing on the steps of bravery" and wanted to share . . .

To be brave does not mean one doesn't feel fear...it means that you've decided something else is more important than your fear. And so we step forward, knees shaking, voice cracking, tears swelling and we refuse to hide. We move out and own the life we only hoped was possible. Bit by bit we find we are much stronger than we thought we were. Sometimes to our own amazement we find we are still standing through the battle. And there are these undeniable moments where we feel God is with us.

If you are struggling today and the wind and the waves are tossing your fragile heart about, stand firm. Take one brave step forward, and do it today. Remember what you already know to be true. Reach out and find support, and know that just like the mighty redwood trees who are said to be holding hands under ground, whose roots grow into each other under the earth, we can stand taller when we take the hand of a friend. So take that deep breath, and let yourself be brave! 

We all have those moments when we are staring fear in the face.  Living and loving well takes great courage.  I pray you will have the courage to take heart and take a hand.  In doing so you will find that on the other side of fear is freedom.  The world and wonder of God's provision will open up to you as you put feet to faith.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.  

 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

To visit Mary Felch, MFT, click here.  

The Universe Is Dancing

I recently came to the realization that (wait for it...) God's ways are not my ways!  Hey, I'm only 40.  Some things take awhile to sink in.

I like to keep things moving.  The motto in my family growing up was "Suck it up and drive on!"  So when God slows me down, sometimes I'm kicking and screaming about all the things that need to get done; things He's called me to do, after all.

When God lays something on my heart, I assume He means for me to get on with it.  Like, right now.  I forget about Moses tending sheep, Israelites wandering the desert, and David hiding in the hills.  I forget that God moves differently than I do.  God has rhythm.

Everything He's made pulsates.  The tides roll, the breath moves, the seasons change.  Light and energy move in waves.  Even an atom shimmies. To be sure, there are some sour notes ("groans" after the Fall), but I believe creation from God's viewpoint is a beautiful dance, a symphony of sight and sound.

God's rhythms for humanity can be found in His injunctions to rest and party (i.e., His "appointed times").  Humans are not designed for endless exertion.  Contractions are more productive when the muscles relax in between.  We work better when we Sabbath.  And waiting reaps rewards all its own.

Admittedly, I have two left feet when it comes to this kind of dancing.  Still, I'm practicing.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven . . .  

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Enjoying the Journey

I'm zipping along in the carpool lane, silently thanking God for the two little bodies in the backseat and wondering if there is anything in the fridge that will qualify for dinner and allow time for a bath before bed.

A voice from one little body intrudes, "Mommy, can we go in the rush hour?"  "Hmmm?" (I'm slightly distracted.)  "I want to go over there, into the rush hour."  Oh, he means, "traffic."  Is he kidding?  "Pleeeease, mommy?!"  Apparently not.

"Why, honey?"  (A stall tactic, though I am legitimately curious.)  I'm trying to figure out how to navigate this request and still make it home in time for dinner.

He proceeds to describe what he loves about car rides: telling stories, singing songs, playing car games, a sense of community with other drivers on the road (and this is my introvert!), and being together as a family.

"Hmmm..." (Now I'm really listening.)  We compromise and I merge into traffic an exit before my own.  I try to wait patiently and experience it the way my child does.  Maybe we should start singing.

Sometimes life is all about perspective.  May we all find ways to embrace the journey, allowing ourselves to more fully love and live in the moment.

At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children."  

Matthew 11:25

"Holi-daze" and Holy Days

Staring 2012 straight in the face now.  Hoping for more grace, more patience, more hope.  Hoping for more Holy days in the unholy craze.

We all know that “Happy Holidays” are not always happy.  Whether it’s a tragic anniversary or a painful reminder that life is not postcard perfect, many of us struggle to get through the year’s finale.  

And all the hustle and bustle makes it a challenge to parent our adopted, sensitive and traumatized children who do not respond well to stress.  Hard to show the love and thanksgiving, peace and joy, when we’re frantic and tense.

In a children's book by Anna Dewdney, the cure for Llama Llama’s “holiday drama” is a hug from his mama.  Remember to stop and hold your loved ones close (in whatever way, shape or form).

Take a deep breath, count your blessings, and kneel before the Christ-child: a perfect way to start the New Year.

I have set the Lord always before me.  Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 

Psalm 16:8

Daddy Love

This morning I overheard a conversation between my husband and my 3 year old. My son was expressing his undying affection for his daddy. It went something like this: