In my young adult years, I had a hard time being seen for who I was.
I was always identified by where I grew up, whose sister I was or who I hung out with. Although I loved those aspects of myself, I was more.
As years went on, I had to make choices for my happiness. Choices often opposite of what I thought was expected of me. That meant becoming vulnerable to change and criticism.
That shift came with a yearning to experience more of what life had to offer. I began to look outside the walls put in place by others and myself to live a life God wanted me to live.
I began to capture these experiences in my writing. This became a way for me to purge, process and heal.
This blog is that journey and it continues. A journey full of love, tears, pride and lots of laughs.
Thanks for joining me.
Two Weeks with the Daily Examen
A few weeks ago, I was introduced to the Daily Examen while attending a worship service. The service focused on prayer, silence, and the Daily Examen, a five-step process to awaken our awareness of God in our lives while reflecting on the last 24 hours.
Maybe Not As Easy As I Thought
On March 24, my brain began to create a plan of transition and I wrote down all pros and cons for me to look at and consider. While absorbing the lists, a signal was sent to my brain to create a timeline. That plan also included the possibility of my husband and I living separately for six months.
Love Offerings from the Kitchen
When I grew up, we had dinner together around the dining room table. In the kitchen, my mother was the primary cook of all the meals.
There were times me or my sister had to get dinner started if we arrived home before our mother. I made many mistakes, but they were never criticized at the table. But we all knew when it was bad; like the time I fried the chicken too fast.
Grateful
Have you ever considered what happens when we decide to give thanks to God when we are going through a hard time? Have you ever been aware of what happens when we find something to be thankful for?
My awareness came during sixteen months of darkness.
It began in May of 2016 with my Dad’s diagnosis of stage 4 cancer.
Monday, Monday
One early Monday morning, I proclaimed to my husband, “Today will be a great day.” He asked, “Why?” and I told him I decided it would be.
Later when I arrived home at the end of the day, I asked my husband,” Was today a good day?” He paused like he was thinking and said, “You know what? Yes, it was.”
The Capacity to Forgive
In the late 1930’s-1940’s, a young boy was raised by his maternal grandparents in a rural town.
When he was born, the boy’s parents split, moved to separate cities, and started new lives without their son for reasons unknown. The boy was left to be raised alongside his uncles like their brother.
Life was tough. His grandfather was strict, and he had to work in the field tending tobacco and possibly other crops. He went to school, may have gotten in a bit of trouble, but nothing too serious.