• Living Vertically,  Our Kids, Our Family

    Friday’s Word: TRIANGULATE!

    Seth Godin used it today and I knew right away I had to start a new game: The Friday Word.  (i do so love to be unexpected.) TRIANGULATING IS EVERYWHERE. Satellites triangulate global positioning and tell us which streets will get us where we want to go. Google triangulates web traffic and our clicking and also tells us where we…

  • Living Vertically,  The Mystery of Marriage

    One More Thing

    “Excuse me, Ma’am, I have a follow-up comment?” I will never pretend to know whether or not a struggling marriage can be saved or a person should stay and try to make it work, or dust their feet.  That is one of the most painful and personal decisions any person can make. It is true that God can do anything,…

  • Living Vertically,  The Mystery of Marriage

    Knowing Favorites.

    He sent us away because it would feed our hearts. When I gently mentioned to Steve that I so wanted to go see Erik play basketball at his Multnomah University in Portland Oregon – and that Erik was genuinely begging to have me bring Jack and Riley too – my gallant husband embarked on a mission.  Now you should know…

  • Living Vertically,  Our Kids, Our Family

    Commands Equal Love

    We leave for our seven day trip to Portland Oregon to visit Erik’s school and see two Multnomah Lions basketball games!  Since I’m outnumbered without Steve, we begin with a reminder of the instructions that are important for a six year old to hear regularly. [box] Stay close. We’ll be in crowded places and sometimes having to move quickly to…

  • Living Vertically

    If ; then

    If I’m meant to to listen to my heart and let my head figure it out later, then why is it such a long way from my head to my heart? No, seriously. We hear our calling in our heart; sometimes it feels like our gut. But it’s the thoughts of resistance that keep us from pursuing our calling –…

  • Our Kids, Our Family

    Most Likely To Get Someone Else Arrested

    Yesterday at school my sweet Riley was granted the esteemed honor of being named MOST ATHLETIC by the Middle School “Yearbook Most Committee” … which apparently determines the bestest and mostest of the most critical components of being in 8th grade. Peyton got Best Laugh Summer got Best Eyes Aine got Best Smile Two girls I don’t know were awarded…

  • Living Vertically

    every day, every day

    We decide what or who we allow to control us. Every day. We each allow someone or something to control us.  Good News: We choose what that is. That doesn’t mean we compromise or ignore or isolate.  It merely means we elevate the voice that leads us to a more vertical, freer presence with our self. It means we decide…

  • Living Vertically,  The Story

    Another Wild Ride

    Yehaaaaa!  Roller Coasters got nothin’ on 2011.  Good thing we love the ride and trust its maker with our life! Three family passings, and moment-by-moment opportunities to turn over our fear to our loving and creative God.  I don’t know where I’d find peace – as a parent of a traveling, far-away college athlete, a beautiful 13 year old who’s…

  • Living Vertically,  The Mystery of Marriage

    It Could Only Be God

    Today I honor my husband. One year ago today his decision changed everything. As magnificent head of our home and pillar of strength, he pulled in. He allowed it to happen.  He allowed God to invade deeper truths. We took time.  Weeks and weeks of study and prayer and growth. Sometimes painful and always holy.

  • Serving, Leading

    Leading through “What If”

    What if all my years in advertising agency management don’t belong in a box that I put on a shelf as I embark on this new journey of writing+God+women+growing? All those years of training in how people from myriad starting points can travel toward a beautiful new destination…    Shouldn’t I assume that those skills are exactly the tools I need…

  • Our Kids, Our Family

    Shoes Talking

    Recently, Steve and I hosted the middle school’s Wyldlife Club gathering in our home.  It was so fun and easy – we just had to feed the [fabulous] leaders and then stay very invisible.  Got it.  We kept ourselves out of sight during the entire 4.5 minutes that 50 kids arrived and scurried to the downstairs family room. Once the…

  • Our Kids, Our Family

    This Year’s Story

    Every Thanksgiving has story, right? And sort of a character all it’s own. Thanksgiving 2011 did not let us down.  My brother Mike and his wife Christine hosted their first Thanksgiving in their wonderful home; and with the size of our family, the commitment is daunting.  It starts with a tentative [timid] email to 40 people, presenting the idea of…

  • The Story

    Like Dew for Life

    Pastor Jim Cymbala uses a wonderful metaphor of the Holy Spirit of God settling on us like dew settles on the earth during those secret hours when nighttime brings it’s calm and cool. God’s Holy Spirit, coats us with a gentle presence, almost invisible to the eye, but nourishing and surprising.  It happens while we sleep and then first light…

  • Our Kids, Our Family,  The Mystery of Marriage

    Power Tools

    Something like six months ago I had a BUNIONECTOMY. It’s hard to decide which word is more ugly: bunion,  or its –ectomy. The kind and slightly-too-young surgeon used standard issue hardware to hold my metatarsal in its new place; redesigned to be straighter and more natural. Neat.  Power tools. (This makes my husband very happy and of the mind that…