Petals of Friendship

  The work of a floral designer can be perceived as dreamy and romantic. The truth is, it’s really not like that at all.  It’s a satisfying form of creativity and just like any other art form, a great deal happens before the “beautiful” emerges. What isn’t seen is the messy process that precedes the beautiful outcome. If you’ve ever worked in a floral shop, you know what I mean. Flowers arrive to a shop packed in boxes. They are strategically and protectively arranged to protect and preserve them from damage while in transit. If mishandled, flowers can be bruised. The job of the floral designer begins here. The goal? To carefully unpack the flowers and transfer them to another safe place, a cylinder container filled with fresh water. Before the stems are submerged in water though, essential things need to happen. As the flowers are unpacked, the stems are cleaned, then given a generous new cut. This is done so that when they’re put in a bucket of water, they can “drink up”. The new

  Living a disrupted life Everything has changed. Our lives have certainly been disrupted. And if you really think about it, nothing over time is new. When I think about the many changes and challenges from the beginning of time, I am led to several of the stories in the New Testament where peoples' lives were disrupted by many things, especially as Jesus appeared on the scene.. When Christ showed up, it was a definite disruption to the life and culture of the day. He created a stir and things changed. People tried to figure out who this man was. Many recognized that he was "The Way", but there was so much to learn and sort through. There was mystery and misunderstanding. Did he come to break the rules or give new ones? Jesus crashed into the lives of people who were outcasts, hopeless, and in desperate need. He fought the establishment and made a way for those who needed love, compassion, and grace. Stepping in when the culture was ready to convict those same people, Jes

It has been a tough winter, hasn't it?  We are more than ready for a new season!  For some of us, it might mean a change in a season in our lives, and that could look like many different things. Maybe it's simply a time to get back to the basics of understanding how deeply loved you are.  To really allow yourself to rest in that and to fully invite God into your journey.  Baby steps, my friend! This post include a devotional to help you take one baby step.  You will enter the story of Jesus' interaction with the woman at the well, and will explore the kindness and grace of God. Be bless on your journey- Re A Walk to the Well Devotional - click here

Purpose.  It’s a word we hear and we can either run to it, or run from it.  If you are drawn to it, then maybe this post is for you.  If you are already thinking this isn’t for you.  Give it a chance.  If anything, you might find a piece of your heart. So, I’m really not going to talk about purpose so much as I am going to talk about the foundation underneath it.   And while we have heard the word purpose a lot, we may not have heard the idea of crafting a personal mission statement. Businesses have them, typically.   But in real life, who really has one and does it resonate the truth of who you are?   I am not suggesting that this becomes a self-serving exercise.   It’s actually the opposite. There is a nudge or stirring in each of us, especially when we reach that midpoint in life that adjusts our focus to look forward to our "second half".   Some people think it's retirement.  Or, maybe you haven't reach that midpoint in life.  That's okay.  The n

The agave plant is beautiful. It grows in hot, dry climates mostly in the southwest.  Close to home, we might be acquainted with it as a sweetener.  The agave has many other beneficial uses, but it is also poisonous and can lead to problems if it punctures the skin.  Aren't we the same?  We possess both the bitter and the sweet. The poison that can pierce a heart and the ability to speak sweetly and convey love. Beautiful and ugly, good and bad. Each quality resides in all of of us.    What do we do when we've been hurt by someone we love?  Strike back with our own woundedness? Run? Retreat? Shut down? That's what I tend to do. I nurse my wound and feel sorry and angry at the same time. It's not a healthy place to be. In my head, I believe I have to figure it out on my own. And in that place, I usually remain stuck. Only until my heart starts to listen to the nudges of the Holy Spirit, do I stand a chance to make progress.  And so I have to run.  Not away from my

A bold white line on the right side of my lane and a bright yellow line on the other side.  Orange cones warning me about fresh paint.  I was driving down a freshly striped road. Great.  Now I have to really focus and make sure I don’t veer out of my lane.  I felt a little nervous. If I veered just a little bit, well…I’d be creating a disaster. If you have ever driven over fresh road striping paint, or seen a car that has, you know it really ruins a car’s paint job.   Please let me stay within the lines .  That was my prayer.  Isn’t that how we sometimes try to live our lives?  Staying within the lines so we can have proof that we are doing it right?  I go outside the lines so many times.  It is easy to do and I don’t even recognize it at times because I just go about my merry way.  Yet, I veer off in seemingly simple ways.  By comparing myself to others, by putting myself down, through my attitude toward others, my words, my actions…shall I go on?    I thought about Peter

My husband has a knack for finding used exotic cars.  Head turning cars priced to where the average Joe can afford them.  And he’s done this a few times.  One of those cars was a beautiful Jaguar.  It was luxury beyond what I’ve ever sat in and we enjoyed that car for many years.  He appreciated it because of its fine qualities and features.  Everything about that car was top notch, inside and out.  He knew every aspect of the car and meticulously cared for it, especially its signature British Racing Green paint job.  Over time, the elements started to invade the paint and caused it to breakdown and fail.  It began to fade and discolor in areas and the luster of the paint was completely missing in many spots.  The only thing that would truly help “fix” the erosion was a restoration.  The car really wasn’t worth putting that kind of money into it.  Reluctantly, he sold it.  We can be affected by so many things in our lives.  We are a one of a kind creation that comes into the world