Is there such a thing as over-learning? Lately, my brain has been a learning machine. Hope it counts as exercise. 1) During my upper GI the other day, I was given fizzy stuff to drink followed by, "Don't burp. Swallow the burp back down." I learned that I should've practiced burp swallowing before the test began. 2) A way to J's daughter's heart is to allow her to paint his toenails. (I think he forgot to take it off this morning so I sure hope he doesn't have to take off his socks while at work.) 3) Almond milk is addicting! 4) I'm in awe of Jotta's talent. God definitely has given him a gift.  5) After going through the artwork and homeschooling work that my daughters did when they were little, I feel like I really DID help them to reach for their passions and creativity. 6) Even though it looks like surgery is in the near future for me, I'm actually anxious to finally get rid of the chest pains and other symptoms that I've de...

Matthew 11:30 The Message (MSG)   28-30 "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Bolded by me.) I'm mainly talking to myself here but if you want to keep reading, I could sure use the company! There has been more "heavy" moments than "light". But I can see that there is a pattern here. In the midst of the "heavy", I have failed to look for the "light". A few weeks ago, J's stepmom passed away. In spite of it being a difficult one, there were a few moments of lightening up. One, I don't usually view the body in the casket. I would much rather remember the person before they passed away....

"No one has ever loved me the way that you love me. With you by my side, my whole world is complete." I listened as J spoke those words to me, tears filling my eyes. I understood what he was saying because I FELT it too. The last few months have been hard to put into words. Yet, he's been by my side, every step of the way. With every test and doctor's appointment, he's been there to hold my hand and whisper words of reassurance. Although I feel his love, I feel a sense of guilt to be so very blessed. You see, two weeks ago, two people close to us, lost their spouses. The thought that resonated in my head as I wrapped my mind around their loss was that here I am feeling, "lost" while they are living it out loud. My "lost" is temporary, yet their "loss" is so much more. As articulate as I can often be, I couldn't find the right words to bring them comfort. So, I decided to focus on their lives while they lived and not their ...

My daughters were in some ways, atypical from most kids when they were growing up. We wanted them to be kids and not allow society to grow them up quickly. We placed limits on what they watched on tv and how often they played video games and encouraged them to use their creative minds. They read, created, played. When they were outside, they found adventures waiting for them. They climbed trees, played in the mud, wrote stories, made cookies and used their imaginations. What made their adventures that much greater was their friendship. I still remind them to this day, "Your best friend will always be the one that has stuck by you from the very beginning and that friend is your sister". When it was time for them to make friends on their own, I worried how it would affect them. Would they find friends that appreciated their loving spirits and their quirky personalities? Would their friends really "get" their jokes? How about their fears? Would their friends reach ou...