Pace Yourself

“Rather than grind yourself into the ground, learn to pace yourself properly, so you have the staying power to get everything done.”  – Laura Stack When my little brother was in elementary school, he was one of the fastest runners in his school. He ran in a competition and my family was allowed to attend. He had a tendency to start out strong and run hard, then lose steam over time. Some of the runners who started out full blast would stumble early on, some even just a few steps into the race. When the whistle blew, Shannon took off running at full speed. One of his teammates was clearly concerned because she started yelling at him, “Pace yourself, Shannon! Pace yourself!” I don’t know if he heard her or not, but he did slow his pace.  There were a lot of kids who started off ahead of him and … Read more

The Mother of Us All

Chubby little hands held my swollen face, deep hazel eyes looked earnestly into mine, “Mommy, I don’t care how fat or skinny you are, I still love you and think you’re pretty!” The words of my firstborn son melted my heart. Our third child was on the way and it seemed as though nothing could relieve the angst or discomfort, until those words were spoken. In his eyes, mother would always be perfect. Mother, so much sentiment wrapped up in one word. Often we think of the gentleness, tenderness, the nurture only a mother can give. Mothers always know. They know what is needed, when. Mothers can look at the faces of their children and know. They read the hurt, decipher the thoughts, sense the deep and intimate, translate the unspoken. The lady that brought each of us into the world has perhaps the biggest heart, for she loves each … Read more

Treasures

Do you have a favorite book; one book that you enjoy reading over and over again? There are a lot of books that I only read once and then never touch them again, but there are some books that I have read multiple times. “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” by Mitch Albom is one of those books. This book makes the reader think about how the choices they make and the ways they behave affect people they are connected with, whether by direct or indirect contact. I enjoy reading this book because it makes me think a little deeper about my actions and recognize that they do not only impact my life, but also affects other people. When it comes to the Bible, of course, I have my favorite stories. I love the story of Joseph and how is he was Israel (Jacob’s) preferred son, yet he was … Read more

Empty the Trash

A couple of months ago I was working on my computer when I got an alert saying that there was a system update available. When I clicked to begin the update, I got an error message stating that there was not enough memory available to continue the update. I am usually someone that is one step behind on the technology guru scale, however, I did know how to check to see what was taking up so much of my computer’s memory.  I had approximately eight gigabytes of memory available on the computer. My first solution for cleaning up space was to empty the trash bin. I thought it was a good place to start since the items were already deemed unnecessary. Once the bin was empty the memory increased to about 20 gigabytes of free space. What!?!? 12 gigabytes was trash!?!? That means that there were about 12 gigabytes worth … Read more

New Year Goals

Out with the old! In with the New (Year)! 2019 has arrived! Each year January 1st begs a most popular question, “What is your new year’s resolution?” For many people these resolutions are made haphazardly with no apparent strategy. Some of the most popular new year resolutions are: 1.) Lose weight/get healthy, 2.) Exercise, 3.) Save more/spend less (or get out of debt), 4.) Get organized, and many more. What is a resolution? According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it means, “The process of finding the answer to a conflict or problem.” It also means, “a formal expression of opinion, will, or intent…” Any time I make a resolution, my main goal is to make myself feel better. I promise myself that I will do something and in that moment, I feel good about myself. The euphoric feeling that a resolution brings is only temporary and I give up on it. … Read more

Gift Wrapping

Christmas is full of colors of reds, greens, silvers, and golds. Lights are twinkling like stars from rooftops and Christmas trees. Poinsettias, mistletoe, and holly are plants that fill the season. Bells jingle outside of stores and family and friends gathering together to share meals and exchange gifts. Christmastime is here! I used to be terrible at wrapping gifts. Everyone in my family always knew which gifts I wrapped because they were usually crumpled and held down with miles and miles of tape. However, I have a friend, known as the “Gangsta Wrapper,” who is notorious for her gift wrapping skills. I strive to be as skilled as her when it comes to picking the perfect wrapping paper and ornaments that will decorate the gifts that I prepare. While my wrapping has improved over the years, her level of creativity is still lost on me. Maybe one day I will … Read more

Give Thanks

The holiday season is here and that means excitement and celebration. Families are making plans to get together, meals are being planned, and children are beginning to think about their Christmas lists. For most people, the holidays mean love, joy, peace, and happiness. What happens when it is the opposite of that? For some people, the holidays may bring on a different reaction. For the person with no family, it may increase the feeling of loneliness. If you have lost a loved one, it may bring on those feelings of grief and sadness. If money is tight and you feel bad because you are not able to meet holiday expectations, you may experience disappointment. If you just got some bad news and you are not sure what the future will hold, you may feel scared. Maybe a situation you are experiencing has left you wondering how much time you have … Read more

While in His Presence

While in the presence of the Lord, I humbly knelt to pray. “Oh, Lord, My God”, my heart cried out. “Oh, Lord”, is all I could say. In the presence of my God, He gently spoke to me, “Victory comes through prayer, While on a bended knee.”  In His presence, I feel His touch. His spirit is so sweet. He breathes hope into my life, As I bow at His feet. In His presence, I receive peace of mind And my conscience becomes clear. In His presence, where I love to be, He takes away my fear. While in the presence of Jehovah, My heart begins to sing. In triumph I do rejoice, While in the presence of the King.

Overwhelm Me

It’s been a long time since I felt you close. My soul is dry and weary, Lord. Refresh me, Holy Ghost. I have been distracted By all of my responsibilities. School, work, deadlines, and more All push me beyond my capabilities. Yes, I am overwhelmed By all of life’s cares. I long to be overcome by you. This is my desire; my only prayer. I know the fullness of you Man cannot contain, But one glimpse of Your glory, Lord, Will renew me again Overwhelm me with Your Presence. Saturate me with Your Love. Let me feel your anointing, Lord. Sweet Jesus, Heavenly Dove. Overwhelm me.

Above the Falls

Seeing Niagara Falls has been on my bucket list since I was a little girl when I first learned they existed. At the beginning of June, I took a road trip with some friends and our first stop was Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada. Not only was this my first time to see Niagara Falls, it was also the first time I visited Canada. As you can probably imagine, I was replete with excitement. Tourists can view the Falls from an elevated sidewalk. With waterfalls at about 180 feet high and flowing at about 35 miles per hour, it is truly a beautiful sight to behold! The sound of the water falling made me feel relaxed. I had such a peaceful feeling as I stood there looking over the sidewalk. The rush of the water made me feel quiet and calm. There are different tours you can choose from so … Read more