Rhyme and Reason from my Empty Nest

                                                                                                                                        I just got back from a trip. I don't particularly like trips until I get on the trip. This trip was no different. If you ask me if I want to take a trip, I'll most likely respond, "not especially." I'm basically a homebody. I have a lot of homebody responsibilities - as you do. It's a challenge for me to let these go. What about you? Another thing...There is so much prep work to be done prior to a major trip. Things to buy that you will need and things to take care of before you leave. Granted much fewer to-do's th...

                                                                         What's your word?  You know it's the trendy thing to do - to pick one word to focus on for the new year - one word in which to grow and to show you the way.  Can one word make a difference? I think so. I so hope so.  My last year's word was gratitude. Did I grow in gratitude in 2023? I'm not sure but I tried. My word for 2022 was love. Why love? God knew I needed to show more love. Did having love as my word cause me to give more love? You'd have to ask my family about that.  I've picked a new word for approximately 6 new years. I pray. I ask God. He delivers. This year I didn't even have to ask. I was directly given my word.  My word for this year is joy. I am striving to choose joy in the midst of life'...

                                                                            Do you remember what you were gifted last year for Christmas? Neither do I. Maybe there is that one gift - the bicycle at age 5 - but after that the memory becomes blurry. That collection of Beanie Babies we searched the world over to find. Now they collect dust in our attic space out of reach. We counted on them being worth good money one day...but that one day is today and no one is willing to pay. Tickle Me Elmo. Where is he now? Latest Amazon deliveries today will be the has-beens of tomorrow.  With that in mind, why in the world do we get frantic and fret and frolic to and fro to buy that extra special something for that extra special someone? They are merely going to quickly forget what was gifted to them...just li...

                                                                        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...