I can visualize it now--my son, daughter-in-law, and my two young grandchildren walking that ever-so-long hallway at the airport--I can see them coming--I can hardly wait! I am filled with Joy! And then my arms are filled with hugs! I have happy tears. My heart is overflowing with love. Just thinking about it: my heart is overflowing with love. I can hardly wait. But I have to wait one month. That's okay. We will look at the moon and "our big bright star." I can hardly wait f

Do you ever have that feeling that your life is falling apart? You know things aren't going well. This isn't what you expected or hoped for. You're overwhelmed and don't know which way to turn. You don't know which choice you need to make. Is this what life is all about? Things fall apart. Things come back together, although perhaps not as they once were. It's like a cycle or the circle of life. Endings aren't usually happy times, but the Beginnings are happy and oftentimes

"Throughout the day I pause to empty my mind of stress and to invite Spirit to fill my heart." (Daily Word, Unity, June 10, 2016) Over the past 11 months I have recited this saying over and over again to myself. But sometimes I struggle to remind myself to pause and to breathe and to let go of stress and to invite Spirit to fill my heart. Pause......... Breathe.......... Have you found that sometimes it's just not very easy to pause or to empty your mind of stress or to rem

"Yeah, what do ya want?" Seems to oftentimes be the greeting on the phone or across the counter at a store, or even in the doctor's office. And that is really NOT okay. What has happened to treating all people with respect and dignity? What has happened to just being polite? What has happened to taking the time to politely listen, not to their entire life's story, but to listen to their excitement, accomplishments, pain, sadness, or worry? And to be supportive? All of these q

I've been asked that very question numerous times by children, and sometimes by adults. And sometimes it can be a hard question to answer. I mean, how old are you? Is it my age in numbers? I'm not sure I feel like my numbers age. Maybe I can compare my age to the Giant Sequoias, which can live to over 3,000 years. In that case, I am just a tiny baby. But I guess, it might work better, for comparison sake, if I focus on people and our ages. I started thinking about age, becaus

The last 10 months have been challenging, and the last two months have been VERY stressful! I keep trying to calm myself, and to not be or get too stressed out. But as you probably know, that is sometimes easier said than done. Breathe........ Pray without ceasing........... My husband was diagnosed with a perforated appendix last June, which required hospitalization and antibiotics. Per the doctors, his body was doing what it was supposed to do, with the help of antibiotics,

Does your imagination set you free, or does it hold you captive with drama and trauma from which you try to escape? Your imagination is a powerful tool that can be used to heal, create, dream, solve world problems, transcend your day-to-day reality, be courageous, and brave enough to step outside your comfort zone. Your imagination can also be used to forge an emotional and physical prison, most often based upon your past history of trauma and fears, and/or the world's trauma

Children are our future. We've probably all heard that saying. And yet, children are dying by the thousands in our world today because of war, starvation, lack of adequate medical care, abuse, pre-term birth, firearm injuries, mental health and violence (suicide and homicide), drug overdose, and vehicle accidents. These children are experiencing horrendous trauma. My heart aches for the children and their families. We've gotten used to and numb to the suffering in our world.

You were, you really were created to shine! Sometimes we forget that we were created to shine, and we start listening to our own inner critic, we compare ourselves to others, and we listen to what other people say about us. We need to remember: "Any critical thoughts about myself are like mud covering a brilliant gem." (Daily Word, Unity, August 13, 2015) Each person is unique. We sometimes forget that, too. We try to be like other people in whatever way we think would make u

Do you see yourself as a creator? Not THE Creator, but a creator or a co-creator with the Infinite, with God. If we pause and think for a few minutes, we must acknowledge that each one of us is a creator. We create stories, adventures, baked goods, friendships, a home, lesson plans, artwork, creative centers, youth hostels, sanctuaries for animals, medicine, music, plays, communication, quilts, clothing, all walks of employment are a form of creation, games, "the quad jump,"

What's love got to do with it? Everything! It's amazing the Herculean efforts a woman will go through if Love is involved, especially love of others. A mother's love of her child. A grandmother's love of her grandchildren. A daughter's love of her parents. A woman's love of special family members. A woman's love of friends. A woman's love of her spouse or partner. A woman's love of nature and the Earth. A woman's love of all children. A woman's commitment to humanity. A woman

As someone who has more life behind me than ahead of me, people sometimes ask me why, after 42 years as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I'm now working as a Transformational Life Coach. The truth is I love working with people, and I've been interested in coaching for about 15 years. And I figured since I was still alive, God wasn't done with me yet. I was being called to coach. So, I listened and took action. I made that switch (obtained training and certification i

Are you feeling a stirring inside, a yearning to do or to try something new or different? It can be something big or small. We are always called for more. We are being given the opportunity to grow and change. Are you listening to what is calling you? This kind of listening requires you to listen with your heart, which is easier said than done. Are you being called to be more patient, kind, caring, forgiving, or creative? Perhaps you're being called to volunteer, and share yo

Have you ever found yourself imagining living in a different time period? You know, like during the time of Pride and Prejudice, Narnia, Bridgerton, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars? Have you ever imagined yourself: *as one of the lead characters in a novel? *being a great artist or pianist or ballet dancer? *being an Olympic athlete? *finding a cure for a particular disease? *writing and publishing a book? *being a teacher? *as a chef? *being ca

You are one of a kind. Even if there is someone who looks like you, they don't have your particular thoughts or ideas or dreams or goals. You are unique, and that is just how God meant it to be. It would be pretty boring if we were all the same. You have your own gifts, skills, and talents. You are extraordinary. You see things in your own unique way. This makes your ideas, dreams and goals unique, also. You march to the beat of your own drummer. And sometimes you may feel li

"We are spiritual beings having a human experience." (Teilhard de Chardin) Many of us have forgotten we are spiritual beings. That's actually easy to do. The world, and all of its activities and all of our responsibilities, pulls us off course on a daily basis. But we need to remember that we are spiritual beings. Each and everyone of us is created in God's image. At least that's what "The Good Book" says. It's also easy to think and believe that people who look different fro

Desmond Tutu : " If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor." Elie Wiesel : " Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim." Howard Zinn : "You can't be neutral on a moving train." MLK Jr. or Dante Alighieri: "The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict..." Pastor Martin Niemoller: a Holocaust poem "First they came for the Communists And I did not speak out Because I was

If you stop and think about it, each one of us has all kinds of life dreams. Some of our dreams are very small, and some are very big. And each one is important. What are your dreams? Our age, our gender, our family, where we live, money, health, life experiences, and other forces, such as war and peace, can influence our dreams. What are your dreams? The small ones and the big ones? Think about it: Your dreams are different than a child living in a war zone, or a parent tryi

About 40 years ago a friend gave me a can with these words on the label: When You Can't.... God Can.* The can has a little slit on the top, like a piggy bank. You're able to put little slips of paper with your prayer requests, challenges, hopes, dreams, doubts, worries, or whatever you choose to write through that opening in the can. In essence, you are giving "it" to God. I've used that can many times over the years. But for too many years, the God Can was sitting on a shelf

We're at the start of a new year, which equals new beginnings for so many of us. So, the answer to, "What brings meaning to your life?" changes as each person's life changes. And we are at a point of change. For example: When a child is 8 years old, what brings meaning might be building forts out of sheets, coloring, watching bugs, playing with friends, cuddling with Mom, baking cookies with Grandma, or riding her bike. But if you are the parent of that 8 year old, what bring