Petals of Friendship

Blooming in the Gray by Re Kielar A few months ago, I made a huge decision. I decided to retire.   I use the word retired, loosely because I truly feel I have more of me to give in life.   The problem is, I just don’t know exactly what that is.   In January, after undergoing shoulder surgery, I was certain I’d be back to work and slide easily back into place.   Nope.   Not a chance.   The recovery time period was never really explained to me (maybe I wasn’t paying close attention), so I was propelled home after an unsuccessful return to my job.   I found the rest I needed at home, and after more time passed, I finally felt ready for a second attempt to return to work. I was all in.   Sort of.   Something in me was stirring and I wasn’t sure what it was.   I shared my thoughts I had with my husband and he matter-of-factly said a few words that seemed to set me free.   “Stay home,” he said.   I almost asked him to say it again, but I didn’t chance it.   Instead, I cried a str

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

Write your mission statement! In my last post, I talked about purpose.  More specifically, I talked about creating the foundation of your purpose by writing a personal mission statement for your life.  I realize this may sound daunting to some of you, but let's review the benefits of this exercise.  If you had time to consider your spiritual gifts, knowing what those are can be a great help to help you form your mission statement.  Your personal mission statement will: Validate your gifts. Give you direction on what you will and will not do in life. Be an inspiration to yourself, and it will inspire others as they see you working through the gifts God gave you. Give you freedom and clarity, enabling you to live through your God given gifts. Where do you begin? Set aside time for prayer.  Ask God to show you your gifts and talents. Write down moments in your life when you were doing something and you felt most alive. Take note of those moments as they

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