Category: Goals

• Something I Started To Think about in Fifth Grade

  I was about ten years old when I first tried to understand what the terms “socialism” and “capitalism” meant. My fifth grade teacher was Mrs. Borgerud, and she very patiently tried to explain to the class the core beliefs of each political/economic system. Back in the ‘50s, we all knew that the United States was…

  Marian

  January 31, 2017

  Goals, God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  America first, capitalism, do justice, early church, fifth grade, inconsistencies, justice, kindness, Love Kindness, Mary Borgerud, me-first, mercy, Mrs. Borgerud, role of government, selfishness, socialism, walk humbly, work hard

• Special Words for 2017

  Floey came bounding down the stairs, ran over to my desk, and sat down on the floor right next to me. “Good morning, Floey,” I said. “Good morning, Mom. Is it time yet?” Floey asked. “Yes. I think the time has finally come, Floey. Are you ready to talk about our special words for next…

  Marian

  January 3, 2017

  Goals, Life’s Challenges, New Year, Reflections

  2017, Abbey, chance to be successful, Doris, economic harm, Floey, friend, hope, hopeful, Jesus Lives, kindness, meow, perfect word, physical harm, presidential election, sarah young, scared, special word, stubborn

• Two Thousand “Ducks in a Row”

  Just imagine 2,000 ducks waddling around a big pond. Some wood ducks. Some mallards. Some plain white farmyard ducks. Some old. Some fluffy little yellow ducklings. And they’re all mixed up. Now imagine that it is your job to organize them by species and subspecies, and then line them up alphabetically by name – from…

  Marian

  July 26, 2016

  Book Recommendations, Goals, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  2000 books, bookcase, books are friends, bookshelves, Country Comforts Bed and Breakfast, down-sizing sale, ducks in a row, favorite authors, give-away library, lending library, library, Max Lucado, organizing books, Philip Yancey, whispering winds, Whispering Winds Retreat Haven

• Dot-to-Dot Life

    Dot-to-Dot books were my absolute favorite activity books when I was a little girl – even better than coloring books – well, maybe my Red Ryder cowboy coloring book was the best of all – but other than that, dot-to-dot pages were my favorites. I could spend hours drawing lines from number to number…

  Marian

  July 5, 2016

  Book Recommendations, Goals, God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  50th high school class reunion, 50th reunion, activity books, career aspirations, career changes, career dreams, Catherine of Siena, class reunion, coloring books, David Viscott, destiny, different gifts, discovering our gifts, dot-to-dot, dot-to-dot books, early writings, Firstlight, God’s gift to us, high school reunion, Joan Chittister, Lee Kampstad, life calling, lifelong adventure, meaning of life, Merton, Monastic Way, Navy Parachute Rigger, one dot at a time, our gift to God, parachute jumping, purpose of life, Red Ryder, ripcord, selfhood, St. Catherine of Siena, Sue Monk Kidd, That First Step, The Monastic Way, vocation, work of life

• Talking with Floey about Forecasts

  Floey jumped off the love seat in my home office, trotted over to my desk where I was sitting, and sat down next to me. “Mom, it’s been a week, and you still haven’t told me about the third thing you were thinking about during your getaway at your Christmas Mountain timeshare last week. Can…

  Marian

  June 7, 2016

  Goals, God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  25th, 25th of month, Acme Boot Company, actual results, Buckingham Corporation, buget, Christmas Mountain, coca cola, Coca-Cola Bottling Company, coke, Cutty Sark Scotch, Floey, forecast, Fruit of the Loom, long-range plan, Mouton Cadet wines, New Year’s resolutions, Northwest Industries, personal plan, planning, Sears Tower, special word, Union Underwear, Willis Tower

• Making the World a Softer, Better Place

  

  This past weekend I kept checking Facebook on my smartphone, waiting for news and pictures. It was a big weekend for my family. My great niece Mollie was in Fort Worth, Texas, competing at the national championships for gymnastics. Meanwhile, her twin sister Katie was on the prom court of the Cambridge High School Junior…

  Marian

  May 10, 2016

  Goals, God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  African proverb, Cambridge High School, Facebook, Fort Worth, Gracie Korth, guardian angel, gymnastics, It takes a village, It takes a village to raise a child, Joan Chittister, Junior Olympic National Team, junior prom, Katie Korth, Kevin Korth, kindness, making the world a softer better place, Mollie Korth, Monastic Way, national championship, No act of kindness, No act of kindness is ever wasted, Olympic coaches, prom court, Shawn Korth, stilts

• Another Piece in God’s Puzzle

  

  A couple weeks ago I received an email from Karina Sibrian Zepeda. She’s the new Director of Development for Casita Copan in Honduras. The subject of her email was “Why do you support Dulce Maria and Leydi?” This is part of her email: My name is Karina and I am the new Director of Development for…

  Marian

  April 26, 2016

  Goals, God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  casita, Casita Copan, children’s home, Christmas baskets, Copan Ruinas, daycare program, Dulce Maria, gift baskets, God’s puzzle, Honduras, internship, Leydi, mission statement, orphanage, piece of the puzzle, scholarship, separate checkbooks, sponsor, sponsor a child

• Congratulations to My Great Niece Mollie

  

  I was inspired and I learned a lot last Saturday – actually 2 Saturdays ago. It was a great day! Prior to that Saturday, I had never been to a gymnastics meet. I guess that doesn’t make me a very good great aunt, since my 17-year-old great niece Mollie has participated in gymnastics since the…

  Marian

  March 29, 2016

  Celebrations, Goals, God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  athletic scholarship, born with springs, congratulations, great niece, gym class, gymnastics, gymnastics meet, kindness, Mollie Korth, National Gymnastics Meet, Regional Gymnastics Meet, rope climbing, springs for bones, state champion, State Gymnastics Meet, stiff neck, summersaults, tumbling, University of Kentucky

• Meow?

  

  Floey came running up to my desk and stood beside me. “I’m ready, Mom. Let’s get started. I can hardly wait to start blogging about my special word for 2016.” Floey was wagging her tail so hard and fast I was afraid she might knock the landline phone off my desk. “Okay, Floey. We can…

  Marian

  January 5, 2016

  Book Recommendations, Goals, God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, New Year, Reflections

  2016 word, Debbie Macomber, Floey, gratitude, joy, kindness, meow, Mim, One Perfect Word, patience, play, special word, wait, waiting

• The Life of a Farmhouse Continues

  Last Thursday was a very big day for Mim and me. We sold our farmhouse. This is the farmhouse where I grew up, and where my mom grew up. The farm had been in my family for over a hundred years – since 1908. Mim and I moved to the farmhouse in 1992, after my…

  Marian

  August 25, 2015

  Goals, God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  assisted living, Captain Kangaroo, Country Comforts, Country Comforts Assisted Living, Country Comforts Bed and Breakfast, farmhouse, FH, Grandfather Clock, hiatus, hospitality, house blessing, Martin Kenseth, moving out to pasture, peaceful, retreat house, Selma Jacobson, spiritual retreat center, stewardship, supportive living, welcoming guests, whispering winds, Whispering Winds Retreat Haven