I love everything about this picture. Must be 1971. Beverly Hills Village, in Birmingham Michigan. Most of our clothes were made by fabulous-mom. I know the skirt Annie’s wearing was originally part of a full set of Singer-crafted, floor length Christmas “gowns” for each of us. I’m wearing an ultra-hip, extra-wide, cherry-red Jan Brady watch. Alice’s culotte-jumper was likely made out…
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There is a gap… and we hope we are standing in it. My beautiful 13 year old girl is on one side… Knowledge, Confidence, Security, Purity, Achievement, Direction all reside on the other side of the gap. Distraction, peer pressure, foolishness, juvenile understanding, media are in the swamp between. As it turned out, the texting from Foolish Boys continued and…
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we rightfully marvel we rightfully marvel at the crazy wild blooms that popped up everywhere today! One tree still clings to Christmas lights because they have helped bring beauty to a dull February landscape. No longer dull.
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Lets see, we pay the Verizon bill for her cell phone/texting appendage. And she’s 13 (an 8th grader!). Her behavior is high caliber and she’s not done anything to challenge our trust. We believe in the mantra that our children will rise to the occasion of our trust and honor. We know our job is to teach boundaries. We also…
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Even though we’re all motivated, talented, focused creators of our art, sometimes we have to PUSH THROUGH RESISTANCE, don’t we? When I need a kick in the keyboard, I reach for my EMERGENCY INSPIRATION file. I titled it READ ME FIRST and I keep the brilliance fresh by switching out quotes from authors and thinkers that are particularly helpful at…
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One of my favorite ideas is Parker Palmer’s way of teaching ABUNDANT LIVING. Living Abundantly means having no fear of scarcity and understanding the larger concept of the flow of goods – or goodness. This means that our world’s logic is turned upside down. Gripping tightly brings less and letting go means [we get] more. My great husband sometimes wants…
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Now I step committed into a new course of study. My first assignment: absorb the teaching that’s housed in a book thought up by Dr. Henry Cloud a few years back. (Not to toot my own horn, but once again, it’s all connected.) GRACE ……. TRUTH …………… TIME All three essential: each one with particular and custom proportions for each…
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SUNDAY 6PM. We pull into the driveway with two over-tired kids. Riley played in this weekend’s volleyball tournament with her whole heart and she rose to a whole new level of skill. Eighth grade, right? She’s growing powerful right before our eyes. We emptied the giant vehicle “Frank” and I poured a sleeping Jack onto the couch. We love our…
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Maybe we should be committed. (hmmm… does it negate the “committed” part if we say “maybe”?) Scratch that; let’s keep going. Saturday: Today we have a two-hour drive to Riley’s weekend volleyball tournament, and we accept the opportunity to ponder yet another transformational life-moment. This week we made some key decisions. We settle into the truth that both Steve and…