Category: Life’s Challenges
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ENOUGH
Last December when I told Mim about the idea of selecting a special word for the New Year instead of making any New Year’s resolutions, she caught my enthusiasm and decided to select a word for herself, too, a word that would help her keep focused on one particular area for spiritual enrichment throughout the…
Marian
A Fruit Stall, Christian Century, concentrate on today, enough, enoughness, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, God’s love, God-given gifts, Helen Allingham, hospitality, Joan Chittister, just enough, kindness, life calling, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, love your neighbor, manna, Monastic Way, reflections, sharing, spirituality, talking with God, The Christian Century, virtue of enoughness -
Awful August – except for …
Does it ever seem like your world is shattered? That life is suddenly broken? For some of my family members, that’s what August has been like this year. I guess I would describe August 2014 along two tracks of events. One track is affecting my broadly extended family. The other track is affecting Mim and…
Marian
93-year-old, amazing transformation, broadly extended family, car accident, change in my life, condo sold, Conrad Bender, Ecclesiastes, extended family, family, farmhouse, For everything there is a season, friends, friends and family, funeral, getting organized, God at work, God will take care of you, God’s comforting love, God’s love, God’s presence, God-given gifts, hospice, kind strangers, kindness, life challenges, life changes, life of the farmhouse, listening for God, love your neighbor, next phase, oven cleaner, reflections, retreat, sadness, Sandy Bender, self-cleaning oven, sister-in-law, spiritual retreat center, spirituality, talking with God, time to die, time to mourn, time to weep, track one, whispering winds, Whispering Winds Retreat Haven, will to live -
What a Gift!
It happened again Saturday morning. It doesn’t happen very often. But every once in a while I hear something so beautiful in a fantastic sort of way, that I can’t help it. My mouth forms itself into a huge smile, and it stays that way so long that my facial muscles begin to ache. That…
Marian
Ahreum Han, Alfred Brendel, attitude, Can-Can, CanCan, coughing, God-given gifts, grin, hospitality, Jacques Offenbach, Jazz Preludes, Johannes Matthias Michel, kindness, life calling, life challenges, noisy bird, organ concert, Orpheus in the Underworld, Overture Center, pipe organ, reflections, smile, smiling muscles, sneezing -
Blessed are the Arrogant
God in the form of the Holy Spirit came to chat with me while I was in the shower this morning. The hot steaming water was pretty noisy splashing on me and on the shower door, so I’m not sure I heard absolutely everything the Holy Spirit said completely right, but here’s the gist of…
Marian
accomplishments, Beatitudes, Bible translations, blessed, Blessed are the Arrogant, friends, God blesses, God’s love, God-given gifts, gun control, Holy Spirit, immigration, kindness, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, love your neighbor, nation’s borders, New Living Translation, outdated, peace makers, reflections, spirituality, talking with God, The Message, welfare hand-out -
UFF DA Revisited
A few weeks ago I blogged about taking “Mary” (one of the people we care for) to the Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles to get an official State ID card. She may need the Wisconsin ID to vote, but more urgently, she needs a State ID to cash in a U.S. Government Savings Bond. As…
Marian
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Abbey’s Dream
Abbey came running to see me this morning. “Hey Mom, I’ve gotta tell ya about the dream I had last night. You won’t believe everyone who was in it!” “Really, Abbey. Who was there? Tell me all about it,” I replied. “The dogs who used to live with you – Megabyte and Maia were in…
Marian
Abbey, Abbey’s dream, Aunt Marilyn, cats and dogs, dream, Eliza Hewitt, friends, God’s love, heaven, hospitality, Kimberly Kat, kindness, lessons from our pets, life calling, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, love your neighbor, Maia, Marilyn Huebel, Megabyte, reflections, Spiffy, spirituality, When we all get to heaven -
Another Lesson from Abbey
“Hey, Mom. Thanks for showing me Aunt Marilyn’s blog post last week. I’ve heard a lot about Millie and Aunt Marilyn’s two previous cats, and I’m sorry I never met them. I don’t remember that you’ve ever taken me to Chicago to see your old home and to visit with your old friends.” “Well, Abbey,…
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Imagine you have just been arrested! Now what?
Imagine you have just been arrested – for a crime that you may or may not have committed. Your life has suddenly been put on hold – for who knows how long. You may have small children at home. Who will care for them? You may have a job. What will happen to that? Think…
Marian
arrested, Backyard Mosaic, Backyard Mosaic Women’s Project, Chance Allies, change in my life, chapel, chaplain, concert, Dane County, Dane County Jail, David Allen, fundraiser, fundraising concerts, God’s love, humility, inmate stories, inmates, jail, jail chapel, jail ministry, Jazz for Jail, Jazz for the Jail, John Mix, Julia Weaver, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, Lucas Koehler, Lutheran Churches, Madison Area Lutheran Council, MALC, Maria’s story, Messiah Church, Messiah Lutheran Church, mistakes, pencil, silent auction, Tisha Brown, white collar crime -
UFF DA
Yesterday morning’s prayer in Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim by Edward Hays included these lines: Grant me the grace to look with respect upon all I will meet this day and upon every event I encounter. Mindful that I am a pilgrim, may I treat each and every one with reverence and love, as a…
Marian
advocate, assisted living, birth certificate, Country Comforts, Country Comforts Assisted Living, daily devotions, Department of Motor Vehicles, devotional book, DMV, Edward Hays, God’s love, good grief, hospitality, Illinois ID, kindness, life challenges, life mission, life mission statement, listening for God, mild expletive, mission statement, Norwegian expression, official state photo ID, oy vey, photo ID, pilgrim, Planetary Pilgrim, Planetary Pilgrim Prayer, Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim, reflections, spirituality, state ID, state photo ID, talking with God, uff da, Wisconsin, Wisconsin ID -
Surpassed in Giving
On Sunday I read the best story about generosity I’ve ever read. It was written by my niece, Michelle Kornelsen Hauge on her blog, www.strategicparenting.us. I asked her if I could share her story on my blog, and she agreed. If you would like to be added to Michelle’s email list to get regular notifications…
Marian
blogging, car for sale, fairness, generosity, generous, give, giving, God’s love, God-given gifts, guest blog post, guest blogger, kindness, life challenges, listening for God, love your neighbor, Michelle, Michelle and Kerry, Michelle Hauge, Michelle Kornelsen Hauge, reflections, spirituality, strategic parenting, surpassed by kids, van for sale
Whispering Winds Blog 