Tag: getting organized

• Oh, the Conflicted Month of February

  Oh, how I long for the “Merry, Merry Month of May.” But first I must struggle through the conflicted month of February, and then March and April. I’m tired of winter. There I’ve said it. But huge piles of snow and sub-zero wind chills just represent the most obvious burdens of February. It’s the time…

  Marian

  February 10, 2015

  Celebrations, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  accounting, bread heart, catch up on accounting, conflicted month of February, favorite month, February, friends, getting organized, happy childhood memories, heart-shaped box of chocolates, heart-shaped slice of bread, joy, joyful month, life challenges, love your neighbor, merry month of may, mid-morning snack, QuickBooks, reflections, selecting valentines, spirituality, terrible month, tired of winter, Valentine, valentine box, Valentine’s Day

• 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

  August 26, 2014

  God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  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

• I can’t put it off any longer

  It’s time. I added it to my to-do list on January 1, 2014. It’s well past time to pull out the 13 bulging folders from the file drawer, the folders labeled “January 2013” through “December 2013” and “Misc. Tax Info.” I haven’t clicked on the QuickBooks icon on my desktop since last February, when I…

  Marian

  January 28, 2014

  Goals, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  accounting, Chasing Joy, Edward Hays, getting organized, goals, ironing shirts, life challenges, Mark Twain, Pablo Picasso, Presbyterian Student Center, procrastinating, procrastination, put off until tomorrow, putting it off, QuickBooks, reflections, reward, the day after tomorrow, to-do list, University of Chicago

• Why did we do it?

  Sunday in church our pastor announced to the congregation that Mim and I were married in Minneapolis last weekend, after living together 40 years. Seated on the organ bench, which is near the front of the sanctuary, I looked out over all the people who had great big smiles on their faces as they applauded…

  Marian

  September 24, 2013

  Celebrations, God’s Love, Life’s Challenges, Personal Retreats

  Augsburg College, Bible study, Blessing Ceremony, change in my life, church family, Commitment Ceremony, friends, getting organized, goals, God’s love, legal protections, life calling, life challenges, Minneapolis, power of attorney documents, real wedding, reflections, same-sex marriage, wedding, wedding day, wills

• The Magic of Books

    Three years and three and a half months ago I started writing a book on hospitality. Last Wednesday, 1200 days after starting the project, I signed off on the book with the publisher. In a week or two I should hold the first copy of the published book in my hands. Why did I…

  Marian

  June 3, 2013

  Book Recommendations, Goals, Life’s Challenges, Reflections

  1200 days, accomplishments, Angela Carter, Christmas Mountain, container of an idea, empty nest syndrome, exploring new ideas, getting organized, goals, God’s love, God-given gifts, hospitality, life challenges, listening for God, reflections, spirituality, writing a book, writing retreat

• The 4 Best Books I’ve Read Recently

  I’m sitting with three books and my Kindle on my desk right now. Within the past few weeks I’ve finished reading the three books. The fourth book is on my Kindle. All four books are excellent, and I want to tell you about them. Maybe you’ll want to read them, too. Over the past year…

  Marian

  March 4, 2013

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

  Andrew You died to soon, Bible, Bible stories, Biblical womanhood, book review, Corinne Chilstrom, daily devotions, devotional book, gay Christian, Gay Christian Network, GCN, genesis to revelation, gentleness, getting organized, God’s love, God-boy, godly woman, journey through the bible, Justin Lee, kindness, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, love your neighbor, Rachel Held Evans, reflections, Rescuing the Gospel from the Gays-vs-Christians Debate, sarah young, spirituality, suicide, talking with God, Torn, virtuous woman, what the Bible says, Year of Biblical Womanhood

• A Time to Change Plans

  Yesterday afternoon I wrote a blurb for the back cover of my new book on hospitality, COME, LORD JESUS, BE OUR GUEST. I plan to submit my edited manuscript along with cover suggestions to my publisher, Inspiring Voices (a division of GUIDEPOSTS) this afternoon. I’m pretty excited. This is the book I’ve been working on…

  Marian

  February 18, 2013

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

  Abbey, assisted living, be kind, blogging, busy, change in my life, change plans, Come Lord Jesus Be Our Guest, Corinne Chilstrom, Country Comforts, Country Comforts Assisted Living, friends, getting organized, God’s love, hospitality, kindness, life challenges, life changes, listening for God, reflections, spirituality, suicide, talking with God, to-do list, whispering winds

• Attitude

  In today’s reading of “The Monastic Way” Joan Chittister, OSB, said, “The attitude we bring to every day will determine the character and quality of that day.” For me, that’s a timely statement to read on a Monday morning. That’s when I look ahead to everything on my calendar for the week and everything on…

  Marian

  February 11, 2013

  Assisted Living, Celebrations, God’s Love, Lent, Life’s Challenges, Music, Reflections

  assisted living, Country Comforts Assisted Living, daily devotions, getting organized, God’s love, hymn sing, Joan Chittister, Lent, lenten hymns, Lenten Music, lenten season, life challenges, listening for God, love letter, Monastic Way, monday mornings, Mother Teresa, Oscar Wilde, pencil, play day, reflections, seasons, spirituality, Valentine, Valentine candy, Valentine card, Valentine’s Day, writing God

• Learning to Count by 35

  Last week I did a lot of thinking. I was at our Christmas Mountain timeshare in Wisconsin Dells to focus on writing my book on hospitality. I’ve been working on this project for almost three years, and the end is finally in sight. My goal is to complete it by January 31. I think I…

  Marian

  November 19, 2012

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

  35, assisted living, change in my life, Christmas Mountain, Country Comforts, Country Comforts Assisted Living, getting organized, give thanks, give thanks in all circumstances, goals, God’s love, growing up, growing up on the farm, hospitality, life calling, life challenges, life changes, on the farm, reflections, selling eggs, spirituality, Thanksgiving, whispering winds, writing book

• Great Expectations for this week – 7 of them!

  For several weeks now, a friend of mine has been posting a list of three things she’s thankful for each day. Usually the lists are just that – three words or short phrases in a simple list format – just a quick statement of things she’s particularly thankful for that day. That practice got me…

  Marian

  July 2, 2012

  Blogs, Celebrations, Jail Ministry, Music, Reflections, Uncategorized

  blogging, church music, getting organized, goals, God’s love, great expectations, great-great-nephew, jail ministry, life challenges, life changes, Messiah Lutheran Church, monday mornings, past and future, personal retreat, pipe organ, reflections, retreats, safe travel, website changes, weekend guests, whispering winds, writing retreat