Choosing the right path: answering the question

Photo by Jamie Street on Unsplash.

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. ~ Proverbs 3:6

How do you know you’re on the right path? The closed doors—or in our case a power outage—seem obvious. Yet what about when details fall into place, doors open, it looks like a done deal and then…[read more]

Synchronicity at work: trusting the power of prayer

Photo by Vladimir Fedotov on Unsplash.

syn·chro·nic·i·ty | \ ˌsiŋ-krə-ˈni-sə-tē , ˌsin- \ plural synchronicities: the coincidental occurrence of events and especially psychic events… that seem related but are not explained by conventional mechanisms of causality… ~ Merriam Webster

In my post, “Divine interruptions,” I wrote about a power outage—an incident that occurred summer of 2021 when my husband and I embarked on a new venture, and which involved…[read more]

Quit forcing the issue: a study in contrasts

 

During a solo hike on the Sonoran trails last month, I sought—as a matter of course—divine guidance pertaining to my vocation, my relationships and my spiritual, physical and emotional health. Oftentimes, it requires miles of silence, a veritable test in patience, for me to gain any type of clarity. That afternoon proved no different and, while I navigated the ins and outs of a new-to-me trail system, I sensed clear instruction: Quit forcing the issue. Although not quite the message I’d expected or hoped for, I understood the directive. For a planner like me, however, to sit back and go with the flow also illustrates a study in contrasts—not unlike the vibrant desert blooms fixed against a backdrop of rugged terrain. Yet, the moment I quit forcing the issue created space: to either freak out, or to growth within. To wallow in the challenges, or to celebrate the victories. Most important, it allowed the magic to unfurl.

What issue do you need to quit forcing?

On resolve and regret

[Image credit: digitalart]

I’d rather regret the things I’ve done
Than the things I haven’t done. ~ Lucille Ball

Remember the flutter of anticipation you’d feel first thing in the morning upon waking, like you’re on the cusp of something big? And then you’d recall: today is my birthday or I’m leaving for vacation or I start a new job. None of these moments are in my peripheral vision at present, but I feel as if I’m teetering on the edge of something big; several little changes and life experiences appear to be leading toward a shift in direction. I wish GPS would offer me a bit of guidance right about now, but at some point we’ve either prepared ourselves for this journey or we wing it. Or, we do nothing at all and wait for life to pass us by. That’s a choice each of us has to make. And it could get messy. But I know what I’d regret the most.

Is your path paved with resolve or regrets?

In silence, the heart speaks

[Image credit: icanhascheezburger.com]

The best conversations with mothers
always take place in silence, when only the heart speaks.
~ Carrie Latet

Just when I think I’ve got it all figured out, I realize I don’t.  My daughter came to me looking for counsel a few nights ago and I truly felt inadequate.  Not because I haven’t lived through similar experiences, but because she really values my opinion and I’m afraid of saying the wrong thing — possibly steering her in a direction she shouldn’t go.  And right now, my track record in the area she needs guidance with is not exactly impressive.  So while I’m feeling the sting of incompetency, she’s telling me it’s okay if I don’t have sage words of advice; she simply appreciates my willingness to listen.  I can do that.  And I’ve got the hug part down, too.  It’s encouraging to know I’m still needed, but not expected to have all the answers.  Hopefully, we both keep learning as we go.

Do you have it all figured out?