Rhyme and Reason from my Empty Nest

                                                                        We never outgrow no . Don't we wish we did?! Don't we wish there was a point in life where we no longer made any mistakes and didn't need to learn more life lessons?!  Did I just do that again?  I must apologize for that again? Really? Why do I keep saying that over and over? Why do I keep doing that over and over?  Messing up is no fun - especially when we view it up close and personal in ourselves. We can see a compilation of years worth of miss steps and maladies.  "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." Our mommy maybe isn't saying no to us anymore, but sometimes our God has to. We often must be stopped in our tracks gently or not so gently. We are never too grown to hear a divine no every now and then...

                                                                    Holding onto things in our lives is never healthy. Grabbing tightly only brings on sweaty palms and smooshed dreams. We must fully open our hands to surrender all that has been placed within our grasp. Nothing is ours to keep for very long. Children are created to create out on their own. Birds are fashioned to fly. Kites are designed to soar. Brand-new shoes can only take you where you want to go if you risk a little dirt on the sole.  A new car stays shiny and new while on the lot but it loses its purpose to stay there. Adorning jewelry out and about can be risky but why keep our sparkle all locked up?! It's true birds and babies are safer in their nest but think of all they'll miss if restricted there?! If words have been laced in my/your heart,...

                                                                           Hi, everyone! I have some super exciting news to share with you - my supportive friends and family. I have had one item on my bucket list for some time - to be a traditionally-published author. God birthed this desire in my heart many years ago. I also remember my Aunt Carol holding published authors in high esteem so I did as well. A published book can carry on your legacy and stand the test of time way past your prime. I want that and my God is blessing me with bringing this dream into reality.  You can bless me too. 😁 It has taken a couple of years of learning, writing, taking classes, attending book conferences, more writing, tear-filled critique group sessions, more writing, and hundreds of edits to bring me to thi...

                                                                                Labor. Been there. Done that 3x. Don't want to do it again. Don't have to do it again. Yay and a Hallelujah! Labor is for the young. It is worth every gasping breath and piercing pain but we don't want to do it again. No thank you. Aren't we glad we don't have to?! The build-up was exciting. The anticipation exhilarating. The execution a little too exhilarating. No fun at all. We women have to go through so much. Why? Because we're the only ones who will. And we'd do it all over again - back then - just not today. All the messy monthly mayhem. With me - since I was eleven. Trying to plan honeymoon, vacations, get-aways around it to only be surprised when it shows up anyway. No worry no more.  Do we stop to...

                                                                                                                                     Rest is super hard for me. Maybe it is for you. Once a Godly woman came up to me, out of the blue, and said God had given her a word directly for me. What, me? Yep. You guessed it. That word was rest. I frowned. I cringed. Shouted no!  Ultimately I accepted my word.  I needed to embrace much needed rest. I've never been good at rest. Never been good at slowing down. "Things will settle down after I accomplish this" and then more and more "this" takes place. It tempers me to filter my every yes through my husband's l...

                                                                                                                                      Have you ever thought of your Empty Nest as your Declaration of Independence? When you do, you'll find it fitting and true!  Our country's declaration was a unanimous decision by the 56 signers. We strive for unanimity in our homes as well. Our states and our children are "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights." All should have the freedom to "pursue Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." All best done without our judgement or unrequested feedback. Our role in our children's lives caused us s...

                                                                                   A good father may be hard to find. Did you have one? I didn't especially but I live with one now. Hope you do too.  A great father...think of the potential...the influence that goes on and on for many generations to come.  A Few Good Men on Father's Day - an endangered species - so all the more to be treasured. So much rests on their broad shoulders. The sad truth is they are not usually aware of their full impact. Society doesn't tell them so. Social media doesn't tell them so. TV shows depict the man of the house as the dunce of the house. Dads are the brunt of jokes in far too many scenarios. We have stooped low. We stoop no more! We don't call the dad of our house "brainless" as sitcom...