Blog: Overwhelmed and Undervalued
Posted: February 17, 2012
My husband Jack and I have a blended family of 5 children, and 9 grandchildren. They are all active, energetic ambitious people and they either go to school or live in different cities all across Canada and parts of the United States. We feel very helpless when our children call us and let us know there is some kind of trouble; perhaps illness, struggles in school, feeling overwhelmed, financial breakdown or a divorce. We feel vulnerable because we are not there to help them. Fourteen years ago, this feeling of helplessness caused us to make a decision that has empowered our lives in a way we could never have imagined. Jack and I made a radical, bold choice to meet each morning for bible reading and prayer. We could never have anticipated the beauty and power of our morning encounters. The bible tells us that: “The earnest prayer of a…
Posted in: Beauty from the Inside Out, Beauty through Boldness, Communication, Encouragement, Fear, Finding Truth, Forgiveness, Good Marriage, Hope, Intimacy, Life of Jesus, Making Wise Choices, Overcoming Struggles, Overwhelmed and Undervalued, Prayer, Respect, Tension, Uncategorized, Understanding each other, Valued
Read More
Posted: September 5, 2011
Just in the last week several people have died because they were distracted while driving a motor vehicle. Recent statistics show that many motor vehicle accidents are no longer due to alcohol; but because the driver is distracted. Some of the distractions listed were, of all things, watching TV, texting, on the phone, reading or just not paying attention. Bottom line; because of a distraction they died. Our marriages are bombarded with that same game of jeopardy. When we recognize that this little piece of wires and plastic, (our cell phones, iPads or computers) takes precedence over “eyeball to eyeball” conversations, we’re on our way to a marriage wreck. I have witnessed couples out on a dinner date and the husband (or wife) looking at the top of each other’s heads as they are clicking away on text messages or checking their e-mails or Face book messages. Really, can this…
Posted in: Balancing life, Beauty from the Inside Out, Communication, Control, Encouragement, Expectations, Finding Truth, Forgiveness, Freedom from Busyness, Friendship, Good Marriage, Intimacy, Kindness, Life of Jesus, Making Wise Choices, Overcoming Struggles, Overwhelmed and Undervalued, Pain Pleasure, Resentment, Tension, Understanding each other, Valued
Read More
Posted: June 10, 2011
Tension in a marriage can be good. But by the time some people finish reading this blog about tension they may be shouting, “Get rid of the jerk, he/she’s not worth it.” Apparently they were worth it at one time; the day you were both all dressed up in your finest attire, surrounded by family and friends and declaring your love for each other for the “rest of your lives.” Our modern day lifestyle plays havoc with our marriages; especially during the years where we are cultivating our careers, nurturing our children, trying to stay in the black in our bank accounts and carving out some fun recreational activities. I believe that much of the tension arises by both spouses feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, frustrated and then angry. Instead of throwing in the towel and saying, “I don’t love you anymore, and I’m leaving”…see the tension as a golden opportunity for…
Posted in: Balancing life, Beauty from the Inside Out, Beauty through Boldness, Communication, Expectations, Finding Truth, Forgiveness, Good Marriage, Intimacy, Kindness, Overcoming Struggles, Overwhelmed and Undervalued, Tension, Uncategorized, Understanding each other, Valued
Read More
Posted: June 4, 2010
A balanced life is over-rated. Before you call me a fanatic and burn me at the TIME MANAGEMENT whiteboard; I want to ask you. “So how is time management” working for you? Over the past ten years we have been saturated with “how to” steps for managing our most precious commodity – time. It wasn’t until the day I threw my palm pilot into the garbage that I realized I had become a slave to time management. With all the time balancing, de-cluttering, workshops, fat day timers, Microsoft calendars and every piece of technology known to mankind to help us with our 24 hour days, we are still rushing, sighing and feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. A balanced life sounds like a wise, wonderful concept; but what happens when all of our best laid “one hour increments” in our day timer fall behind and we fall apart? In a question…
Posted in: Beauty from the Inside Out, Beauty through Boldness, Freedom from Busyness, Obligations and Offenses, Overwhelmed and Undervalued
Read More
Posted: December 21, 2009
Your very own “Broom Tree” Once your “Merry Christmas Train” has arrived at the designated station, been unpacked, untangled, re-organized and cleaned up; it’s time to start looking around for your very own broom tree. You deserve it; and it guarantees to bring the sparkle back into your eyes. When I see the furrowed brows on women’s faces during the harried Christmas Season, I often wonder if some of us feel like Elijah. Elijah, a prophet in the Bible, had been working very hard for God. He had been busy performing miracles, winning wars, overcoming relationship struggles and being obedient to what was expected of him. (Does any of this resonate?) Now he was worn out, hungry, feeling overlooked, and a tad depressed. He felt depleted and done. I can visualize him sighing deeply and then flopping under the nearest broom tree. I wonder if he was muttering like some…
Posted in: Beauty from the Inside Out, Freedom from Busyness, Overwhelmed and Undervalued
Read More
