Category Archives: Things to ponder….

People, events or things that cause one to stop and think.

Unplugged for 72 Hours…..

Things to ponder...., , ,

Seventy-two hours – no phone, no watch, no laptop, no camera!

I recently returned from a women’s retreat where those were the rules. I did not miss a watch, but there were so many times where the beauty surrounding me was awe-inspiring and I simply wished I had my camera to capture the moment. I confess, I found being without my laptop a little challenging. I was not aware how connected to it I had become.

It was a wonderful weekend! I’m still meditating on all that happened in those seventy-two hours.

I would like to share one impact the weekend had on me. As a culture, we are busy and in such a hurry. So much so, we rarely take the time to share with people why we value them, or what they mean to us, what we appreciate about them or how they have impacted our lives.

Late in the weekend, I was given a bag of letters written by people who knew me. I had no idea how or why they wrote the letters, but reading them was overwhelming! They filled my heart with love and provided an insight into what my life meant to them, or why they valued me. There were aspects of my life or personality that were validated through those letters. The power of the written word to speak life into another is so strong.

My husband and I have tried to implement a tradition at least during the Christmas holidays where letters are written to our children and their spouses and they are to write us highlighting something special about the person the letter is for. Our efforts have resulted in varying levels of success. It is a lot of work, and I have caught myself wondering if we should continue the task. My weekend experience was confirmation for me we need to continue writing letters of affirmation to our children.

I realized affirming others is something needed in our culture. Instead of just identifying this is a need in our culture I can do to promote a change even if it is only in a small part of our world. My goal is to write at least one letter of affirmation to someone each month.

Have you found power in the words written to you? Did those words uplift and encourage you? I would enjoy hearing about your experiences.

North Western Arizona topography always gets me thinking….

Intro to Change, Things to ponder....,

Growing up as a mid-western girl, I’m enjoying, astonished and overwhelmed with the western topography! The countryside is vast! There are such drastic changes in the landscapes. I have never been exposed to so much openness and ruggedness. In driving through North Western AZ on the way to CA, I have had the same thoughts impressed upon my mind every time we drive that way. The thoughts are different from each other, but consistently come to my mind.

  • …What is man that thou art mindful of him…. Hebrews 2:6 or Psalms 8:4
    The heights of the cliffs and the depths of the canyons are so huge. I feel so little compared to this landscape. I stand in awe that the God who created all of this loves and cares for me. The drive always invokes increased appreciation for the love and care of God our Father.
  • The land is so rugged and unwelcoming it leaves me wondering about our forefathers who traveled west by mule, wagon or horse. How they were able to traverse this rugged land leaves me amazed. I also ponder what motivated them against such obstacles. I wonder about the woman who made these journeys; about what their thoughts were and what their lives looked like. I believe a future reading topic will include women pioneers of the west. I would like to understand this experience from a woman’s point of view.

There are so many things about the west that interest me, I suspect I will be standing in awe many times and finding new things to research or read about for a long time. That means probably writing about it also.

Living a life of passion……

Things to ponder...., ,

I recently visited with friends I had not seen in 20 years. It was a memorable evening on so many different levels. When I knew this couple, David was a military chaplain and his wife Rose and I were involved in Women’s Ministries together. Twenty years later I find that David tried ‘retirement’ and did not find it satisfying. Something was missing for him. He is now working for the VA as a chaplain, ministering to soldier’s who return from war suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorders. It was a blessing for me to see someone who is 70 still pursuing the passions of his youth. His life is making a difference to those who want his help – and he feels blessed to be in a position to use his life’s experience to help these younger returning soldiers through difficult times in their life. There is talk that David may ‘slow down’ a little, but it does not look like he will be walking away from this job anytime soon! The visit has me thinking about passion, and wondering if many of us have something we are so passionate about we would change our way of living to fulfill. Are you willing to share your passions?