The Trail

Her and I have walked this trail so many times that I've lost count. 

And since we've moved to town it became our weekly thing. And then... winter.  Which kinda slowed us down some. But thankfully that season is over and we can make more use of walking the trail again. 

And that’s exactly what my girl and I have been doing.

It’s simply wonderful! 

We can talk easily because there is no traffic except for the occasional fellow traveler or bicycle and it’s wide enough to push the stroller.

We can walk steadily with our dogs and sometimes we even let the dogs off-lead {shh, don’t tell} so they can sniff every tree giving them a good run. 

It’s perfect!  

With the trees budding, the grass getting greener, and the river flowing, it sure makes me appreciate even more how much I love being able to spend our time together walking the trail. 

Take Care

Are you talking to me?

Too often we’ll sit in a restaurant watching as one person would ask a question but because the other person was on their phone they never even knew they were being talked to and the potential conversation slipped away. Truth be told, we're all guilty of this from time to time. 

Conversation.

I think it's a dying art. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not talking about communication. We have plenty of that! 

Technology has made it possible to talk to anyone, anytime, anywhere in the world. But, there's a downside to this culture of instant communication. I believe we've lost the art of face-to-face conversation. 

In an instant, we can see a selfie, read a tweet, follow their board, write a message on a wall or post a picture. 

But honestly, does it really enhance my life to know that she’s doing this or that and he’s going here or there? 

Social media is a thief, making you think you will miss something important. And you do. You miss what is going on right in front of you. 

Quick chats just aren't my thing… I want deep dialogue. 

Intentional. 
Personal.
Meaningful. 

Time is precious. 

So when we are together, let’s be fully present - agreed?!?

Take Care

1500

Who would have thought, that I’d be sitting here writing my 1500th blog post - yes you read that right fifteen hundred! 

It was in 2007, when a friend first suggested that I should start a blog. To be honest I had thought about it, since at the time only a few people actually did this.  But then these two thoughts immediately went through my head. 

One; what will I write about? 

and 

two; who will read it?

Obviously number one hasn't been too much of problem… and number two, while I don’t have a huge following that’s not the reason why I write. Sure it’s nice when people leave a comment, so feel free... 

But you know, I really do it because I need to get my thoughts, ideas, hopes and dreams out of my head and on to paper, where it's concrete.

I want my blog to be a place where I can recall times of laughter, be encouraged by God's faithfulness in difficult situations and feel a sense of comfort as I remember the special moments.

It can feel good to revisit the joys and even the struggles in our lives, because God is working in us and building our trust through every circumstance. 

Blogging... it’s an outlet for me. 

I’ll keep on writing!

Take Care

Romans 12:12

 Because sometimes we need a reminder!

Take Care

Spring

Spring is not my favourite season. 

In fact I have to say it’s my least favourite. Or fourth favourite if you will. I really don’t like it much at all, it's one of those must get through it kinda seasons. 

Sure it brings bursts of colour and bright skies and the fresh air smell when we open windows, but it also brings the rain and the mud and the overcast days. 

I just don’t like spring.  

It’s really hard on some days when it’s rainy, gloomy and gray. Take this week for example, we first started the week with the warmer weather and summer-like feel for a few of the days, giving me reason to almost say I like spring. Almost.  And then BAM! rain and gray for the next few days...    

I’m ready for summer. I know, I know, we’ve hardly had spring. But, let’s just be honest, if I could skip this season I likely would.

And since, I’m not much of a gardener either, {like, at all} 

that makes this season harder to enjoy!  

But as spring is blooming all around, it got me to thinking.  To be content we must make a habit of being truly thankful and looking for the beauty that’s all around us, in all the moments/seasons in our lives...  even Spring!

How about you? Which season if your least fav?

Take Care

Be Still and Know

This winter, I was in an active cycle of my illness… again.   Winter is the hardest time of the year for those of us with Fibromyalgia. 

On my best days, I was able to get up and move about and still do a few things each day. On my worst days, I couldn’t even hold my phone while lying down. Needless to say, it was a trying time. I was frustrated by how little I could do. Becoming more and more aware of my limitations. 

Naturally I would worry about the many tasks left undone ~ yet there was literally nothing I could do. Despite my own desires, I had to force myself into habits of rest, sitting down or going to bed early for the sake of my own well-being and recovery. 

During that season, the Lord impressed Psalm 46:10 upon my heart:

Being limited is inconvenient, but sometimes God limits us so we learn to hear His voice. I found that reading the Scriptures can bolster my confidence in the Lord. He doesn’t confine us to be mean. His power is made perfect in weakness {2 Corinthians 12:9a}. 

The world would rather let us believe that weakness is failure. That limitations equal incompetence. As a general rule, we don’t like being dependent. We would much rather prove to everyone else we’ve got everything under control. The truth is, we don’t. In fact, very little, if anything is in our control. 

I didn’t choose to spend the past several months unwell. And although I wasn’t overtly happy or content during the midst of my illness, looking back, I can see God’s provision. 

Have you seen His power displayed in the midst of your weakness?

Take Care

Gadget Girl Genius

Do folks think you’re “techie” because you use Facebook? Or know how to edit an image on PicMonkey or create one with Shutterfly? But, you know and I know, this isn’t techie at all… 

Ok, let's be honest and just say that I am not the most technical person there is. Yes, I can look things up on Pinterest and I know how to put together the basics, navigate and use editing tools and all the things that come with having a blog. I can even send things from Pinterest to Facebook if needed.  But when I wanted to make an Instagram account, so I can follow my kids and comment or like their photos. I knew I needed to call in an expert.

That’s where I find myself. This isn’t a complaint, just a fact. 

Take Care