Petals of Friendship

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

It is a mystery.   My husband held his hand out and in it was a lovely sea shell.   He heard it land on the driveway from out of nowhere.   We both wondered where it came from. Maybe a bird found it and dropped it in flight.   Or maybe the shell was caught up by the wind and happened to find its resting place near where Joe was working.   It was the last thing he expected to see.   The shell appeared delicate in structure, and it would seem the fall alone could have chipped it, but it didn’t.   Researchers have learned that sea shells are formed with a strong and resilient design structure.   This design endures the stress of their environment and allows fractures to appear where they would do the least harm to the organism inside.   It’s all about protection.   Isn’t that amazing?   What a great picture of how God uses His strength and resilience in our circumstances.   How He takes on the stresses so we don’t “break”.   God has shown up this way in my life many, many ti

To be seen by God “Do I believe in God?  Yes!  When I am at work I feel like I am assisted by someone who leads me to do things that are greater than myself, greater than what I have done before.”  Henri Matisse Close to the end of his artistic career, Matisse embarked on creating “The Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence” (Chapel of the Rosary), a chapel in France.  He considered it the most significant work of his career, and perhaps one could say that something outside himself caused him to create this masterpiece.  As I read his thoughts, I am certain there was something more to why he created art of any kind. On the outside, his long-standing friendship with Monique Bourgeois, who he met as a young nurse, engaged and motivated him to take on this work.  Their friendship developed over time and lasted for years.  They remained friends as she became a Dominican nun, and his work took on life and breath when he began designing the chapel.  But was it more than this friendship that moved h

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

It was the end of the day and I had one more stop to make before heading home.  I was tired, but then I noticed the sky.  It caught my eye and it was a captivating view.  A rare display of clouds like I had not seen before.  Clouds held together by ribbons of pink shadows.  Stunning.  I parked my car and went into auto-pilot mode, making a fast trek to the grocery store entrance.  Then I stopped.  Something was tugging at me.  I turned around to absorb the view.  But that still wasn't enough, so I walked to the far end of the parking lot and stood in amazement.  I was in awe.  What tugged at my heart?  What called to me so loudly that it made me want to stop and take it all in?  The Bible talks about how we yearn for God.  How our heart seeks him.  It is not a coincidence that we find connection to him in his creation, or as I call it, his canvas.  So, I took in a breath, and took in the awesome view. And here we are.  It’s Christmas and I am wondering if you might be in a

When I said yes to God, I had no idea of the path it would take me on.   My heart and the broken places inside of me were a mess, yet I found hope in God and I was “all in.”    I found a God that offered a way through truth.   Truth that I was truly forgiven and fully loved.   Thirty years ago, I said yes, and looking back on the path, I see the inclines that have given me spiritual muscle.   I’ve seen grace and miracles come through pain, growth, beauty and love.    These days, though, I’m tired.   Because I often think that after all this time, I’d have some kind rest, maybe a little coasting.   But just like the physical body, if we stop working it, using it, we die.   Atrophy sets in.   Spiritually, I sometimes feel atrophied.   My spiritual laziness makes me feel even dead at times.   It is a place so easy to get to.   I rest on my own “goodness,” whatever that is.   And that’s the beginning of a new path that takes me absolutely nowhere.    Today.   Now.   I say ye

Lung cancer.  That was Tony’s diagnosis.  For Tony, this was just one small story on his journey.  He has many stories that reveal God’s faithfulness in ways impossible to explain on a human or earthly level.  On this leg of his journey, the lung cancer was just a minor detail. Tony already took action by placing his trust in God’s hands.  He had faithful believers holding him up in prayer and from one unlikely circumstance to another, the way was made for Tony to receive treatment for his cancer at Mayo Clinic.  That in itself was not too extraordinary.  What was extraordinary was how the timing of his treatment hurdled over the usual timeline for cases like his. Through this “unusual” timing, Tony was able to receive attention and care for his cancer.  Part of his treatment was a special type of radiation that made him feel quite afraid.   Even though there were doctors in the room, he felt alone.   As he lay still in the machine that would administer his treatment,

W inter is being stubborn.  Just a few weeks ago, spring teased us and we were happy and hooked.   On this one particular day, driving in to work, I said a few simple prayers, and decided to push back the cold with some color. I’m not usually one to splash on lipstick, but out came a tube from my purse.  It was practically new because most of the time, the color sticks to my teeth rather than my lips.  There must be a video on how to apply it properly, don’t you think?  I’m not a loyal user, but this dreary morning, it was my secret weapon.  I needed a lift. So when I walked into the office, I didn’t say good morning.  Instead, I said, “Get your lipstick on, girls!”  We had a good laugh as we complained about the cold and wondered how much longer we’d be tortured by the cold.  We needed to inject some color into the day.  It was a great way to battle the weather. Do you ever get up with awareness that there’s a remnant of "winter" trying to sneak in your day?