When reality falls short of the ideal,
When our best-laid plans fall through,
When sunny forecasts turn stormy;
When deep sleep is interrupted...
We can look at these as setbacks and be discouraged, or we can open ourselves to the idea that maybe there is even more available than we thought. Ma...
A fetus develops for about 37-40 weeks before anyone sees what she actually looks like (minus some rough scans, depending on where the mother lives and what her healthcare coverage is like).
The mother knows her baby is there, without any doubt. The more time goes on, the more she feels that reality...
Peace and light are available always, as a natural result of alignment with God. No matter the circumstances, this is an available state. This is freedom. Trust, calm, creativity, flow...it's all as normal as oxygen when you're aligned this way. We need this.
It's easy to look at life like a big lon...
You can decide whether or not you'll exercise when you wake up in the morning, or you can set out your clothes + shoes before you go to bed, making the commitment before you need to. Chances of success go up significantly when the choice is made before the brain has something more compelling (like s...
It's impossible for a newborn to fly a plane.
It's impossible for a kindergartener to discover a cure for disease.
It's impossible for a high school junior to run for President.
Impossible is based on the present moment and existing resources. With design, focus, time, and connections -- magnifi...
There's the type of education with books, pencils, notebooks, desks, and assignments/tests from an authority figure.
But that's not the only kind. (I would argue that, in many cases, it's not even the best kind.)
Does the fact that a person hasn't sat in the same classroom as another person make t...
Of course it didn't go perfectly. How many times had you done it before this?
It's easy to feel disappointed in ourselves when we fall short of the level of excellence we expect. Holding ourselves to a high standard is a great way to grow, but we also have to be reasonable.
Capacity is expandable, bu...
I grew up singing a children's song at church that has guided many of my decisions, but it wasn't until a couple of weeks ago that I found a new, even more powerful way to apply it. Here are the lyrics:
If the Savior stood beside me
...
Would I do the things I do?
Would I think of his commandments a
Every spring, over 1.5 million people visit Washington DC to see the 3,000 cherry trees blossoming along the tidal basin and National Mall. We're about 30 minutes outside of the city, so my girls and I met up with my niece in the city this weekend to join the fun.
As I sat under one of the cherry tr...
When something comes to an end, especially when it's special to you, it feels like a massive loss. You feel a gaping hole in your life where it was, and life as you knew it is gone. In that moment, all you can see is that loss. It's one of the hardest parts of being human. We'll often go to great le...
It's finally spring here in Virginia, and my youngest loves to play at the park after school. Today, we had to come home first to change clothes and grab a snack. As she was changing, she had an idea:
"I want to ride my bike to the park!"
"Sure!" I agreed.
"And we'll have an adventure!" She added.
"Abs...
Each one of us is offered a role from God, and it's up to us whether we choose to accept it or not. It's a starring role that will push us both outward and inward. It is the role: Beloved Child of God.
This might sound like fancy old-fashioned language. Simplified into plain ol' American English, it ...
