Month: December 2011

I wonder how you are doing on that Christmas shopping…..

I came across a list that is well worth considering. I believe that this list may be the most easily accessible and yet the hardest to offer at times.

As you rush through these days, stop, pause, and consider who you can offer some of these gift suggestions to….

“Christmas gift suggestions:

To your enemy, forgiveness.

To an opponent, tolerance.

I love words….

It is no secret when you walk into my house or office. Words are painted on the wall, covering the fridge, stitched on the pillows and there is always the stand up letters that make words, throughout the house.

I find that words often ignite my passion and/or cast a vision. Words can also bring comfort, invite laughter or provide the perfect atmosphere to visit for hours on end.

I find that words often create a bridge between a concept and an outcome. Words are a part of our every day…either written or spoken, words are often spoken first thing in the morning and continue on until the moments before we sleep….

I invite you to consider offering a gift of words this Christmas. My family has a wonderful tradition of presenting our adult gifts with a one of a kind poem, read to the person whose name you have,  before the gift is opened. Another option is to share a tribute that speaks to what you respect, value and love about them. Your words can also be used to offer a blessing over those you love.

It maybe that you found the perfect gift and I imagine that gift will bring much joy for a moment. I believe the words we offer have the potential of impacting someone’s heart for a life time!

Are you tempted by all the great deals in Groupon, Living Social, Very Jane, seize the deal, Etsy or Fab.com. I find that if I follow every good deal, I will be a great example of someone who goes broke saving money. Perhaps you are one who finds yourself in this dilemma when shopping at Good Will or one of the many other second-hand stores.

I am feeling quite convicted and see the need to simplify my life in 2012 by resisting all the good deals I come across. Often these good deals are fun gifts I am able to give away and share in my great finds, but I know that even in my fun and resourceful gifting, I can find ways to grow my savings and still share my heart. I may only be 41, but saving for my later years and retirement are important to prioritize now. In my every day I deal with seniors who do not have enough to provide for their own care needs, and it is a difficult situation to be in.

I wonder what it would look like for you in 2012 to grow your savings and plan for retirement and still enjoy what today holds. I believe there are many ways I can enjoy today AND save for the future. One specific way is to remove the shortcuts to all my deal saving web pages. I hope they stay in business after I pull out, but I will leave that to them to worry about! 🙂

It is my hope that in the days between now and January 1 you will take time to think about how you would like to live intentionally in 2012. Remember to challenge yourself and stretch your faith in new ways.

Today I was witnessed the wonderful impact of curiosity.

I was reminded how when questions are asked, conversation is created….

As I engaged in some of this conversation and listened in on the rest, I was thinking about what a good reminder it is as we move into a few weeks of holiday gatherings. I would guess that most, if not all, of you will have times of conversation with family and friends. I invite you to enter into these conversations with questions of curiosity, inviting someone else to share something you don’t already know. There is an art to curiosity and I believe it takes practice, but as we all know, practice makes perfect, and I can think of nothing better to be moving towards perfection, than curiosity in others.

And, it is a fun fact that the one who modeled this today, all day long, is my sweet five-year old nephew Isaiah. It was in questions like Beppe (Frisian for Grandma), do you remember any dutch words you can teach me?”, “Aunt Trish, can you tell me about your Christmas tree” and Isaiah asking his cousin, “what is it like to be a teenager?”

And so, dream of some conversation starters that model curiosity and invite stories to be told….Enjoy!

Brace yourself and stay positive. Facebook changes are coming in the next few days and I anticipate, once again, people will find lots of reasons to complain. If you want to explore this change and educate yourself, visit https://www.facebook.com/about/timeline. I went ahead and upgraded my profile page by following the enclosed link. Somehow it works better for me to make the change, as opposed  to it updating for me.

I find it interesting and perhaps strategic that Facebook makes the changes around the holidays. Perhaps people will be more occupied with people and less occupied with Facebook on their computers and phones. I invite you to check out the change. Educate yourself the best you can and prepare for what is to come. Remind yourself that Facebook is free and optional. If you find that your frustration is taking energy from you, I would recommend you walk away and invest your energy into something that really matters! Breathe deep and enjoy the journey, even if you don’t appreciate the scenery right away!

I often tell myself that the day Facebook becomes more of a headache for me than the simple joys it brings, I will walk away. Until then, I will roll with the changes and stay positive!

In the midst of the busyness and the shopping, the stress and the activity, the family joy and family tensions, it is my hope and prayer that you will feel the joy of this holiday season. Somehow this picture just is joyful….may it be the holiday dance of your heart!

It is always fun to travel and always wonderful to be home…

It was a day of adventure and surprise. We benefited from Delta overselling the flight and four of us were upgraded to Business Class for the 8 hour and 20 minute flight. I had no idea what it was like behind the curtains that separated my economy seat from Business Class. I will write more soon, but tonight I will tell you that to lay down and sleep while traveling is such a fun luxury. Oh, and to have a plane seat that has air massage really makes for a comfy ride. And to have David come and take your order, and to enjoy bottomless diet coke or beverage of choice and to have a fully feather pillow and a full size quilted throw blanket. And to have outlets by every seat for plugging in the computer allowed for my Christmas Letter to be written. Oh, what a ride!

It was a fun surprise and a wonderful way to travel. It has been a long day and I am feeling the time change a bit, but am thankful to be home and ready to celebrate the Visiting Angels of West Michigan Clients and their families and Caregivers and their families Thursday evening at our Christmas party. It will be a full and wonderful day….a day of celebration and festivity! What a full life I have! I am tired and I am grateful!

What an experience it was. My Mom and I went for a fish pedicure today while in England, but due to limited availability for pedicure appointments, we skipped the fancy pedicure and went for 15 minutes of fish nibbling on our feet. After the initial shock of what I was submerging my feet into, and the tickling sensation, my Mom and I were discussing how amazing this whole process really was. Although at times I felt like a participant on Fear Factor and at times I couldn’t help but let out a squeal or giggle.  There was something to the small carp like fish trying to nibble between my toes that was just more than a little odd. That being said, I am glad I ventured into this adventure. As you hear on the video, my last word really sums up those 15 minutes….just plain WILD….

I have included the brief video so you can get a sense for the experience!

Headed home to routine and adventure of a different kind as I prepare to celebrate so much this Christmas season!

I had a fun day. It wasn’t so much about touring around St. Albans, England, although that was wonderful as well. It is more about being with the people I am with. I find myself very blessed to be traveling with my parents and my Aunt Dot. And of course coming to visit my oldest niece is nothing but delightful. Today we walked and talked and shopped and laughed. The last few days have held much of that.

I am very aware that many people I hold close to my heart don’t have this opportunity. It may be that illness or death has robbed them of time with their parents or siblings. It may be that finances don’t allow for the free time to live as I am able, it may be that strained relationships or unresolved conflict stand in the way of laughter, conversation and adventure.

In the past weeks I have been reflecting on those I know whose lives are changed in an instant. A high school classmates who lost his wife suddenly, a friend whose son is enduring chemo as cancer continues to grow in his young body, the words of a Dr spoken saying life will never be the same. I am not sure what tomorrow holds, but I know that each moment I am able to live healthy and live well, both for myself and with those I enjoy and love, I am grateful.

I hope that you are able to celebrate moments in your life that bring your heart much joy this Christmas season. I have had seasons in my life where my heart has not always felt so full and I understand that holidays can also make one’s heart ache deeply. I pray that I will live with a grateful heart and with an awareness of how to enter into the feelings of others who surround me!

Ending my day with a tired body and very content heart!

We had a fun day going to Cambridge, England. It is a city of incredible history. I was struck by how this city has been built on the priorities of education and religion. Now, I know that a 90 minute hop-on hop-off bus tour does not near give me the stories that lie deep within this city, but none the less, it was a very interesting day.

The list of colleges runs long:

• King’s College and King’s College Chapel Grounds closed during exams (late April to mid June) though Chapel is open. Chapel opening times vary, ring for details. The most visited attraction in Cambridge, the architecture of King’s College Chapel towers above the town and its world-famous choir have spread its reputation across the globe.

• Queens’ College Founded by two Queens – Margaret of Anjou in 1448 and Elizabeth Woodville in 1465, the College stretches across both sides of the Cam, linked by the famous Mathematical Bridge. The myth goes that it was designed by Isaac Newton without the use of pins, screws, nuts or bolts, but when disassembled, the fellows and students couldn’t figure out how to put it back together again. This is sadly false, the bridge dates from 1749, 22 years after Newton’s death. The stunning medieval Old Hall is also worth a visit.

• Trinity College Large attractive courtyard and library designed by Sir Christopher Wren. The interior of the Wren Library is particularly beautiful and features medieval bibles, items from the possession of Isaac Newton, original manuscripts by Wittgenstein, a Winnie-the-Pooh manuscript by A.A. Milne, and notes by Bertrand Russell, among other things.

• St Johns College Formally the St Johns Hospital (13th century) before being refounded as a college in 1511, this college houses the oldest academic building in Cambridge (the “School of Pythagoras”). It has a number of large courtyards, and has the Cambridge “Bridge of Sighs”.

• Jesus College  Attractive grounds.

• Pembroke College: The 3rd oldest college in Cambridge, founded in 1347 by the Countess of Pembroke, Marie de St Paul, is well-known for its beautiful gardens.

• Clare College: The 2nd oldest college with pretty gardens, courtyard and the oldest river bridge in Cambridge.

• Saint Catharine’s College: St Catharine’s College was founded in 1473 by Robert Wodelarke, Provost of King’s College. The College was christened in honour of the patron saint of learning and was originally known as Katharine Hall. It was largely rebuilt in the 17th century with work on the Main Court beginning in 1673; the Chapel was completed in 1704. It is worthwhile to note that the College is renowned for its academic and athletic excellence. In spite of its modest size, the college’s three-sided brick Main Court is almost unique among Cambridge Colleges.

• Corpus Christi College: Uniquely, founded by Cambridge locals (from two town guilds). Its Old Court dates from the 1350s and is the oldest courtyard in Cambridge. Old Court rooms have no plumbing, so you may occasionally be treated to a student walking across the court in their dressing gown to get to the toilet complex..

The Churches and historical churches are also quite something. There were stories of how Chapels were built before cafeteria’s because our nurturing the soul was more important than the body. There were stories of how the train station was a mile and a half out-of-town so as to not distract the students from their studies, luring them to the other cities of London. Along with that, a student could be arrested for being in possession of a train ticket. And then the day one of the colleges’s opened it’s doors to women and the male student’s wore black and hung the flag at half-mast….

And so much of this tour focused on the quality of education offered in Cambridge. They spoke of how students used to be tested by oral exam in Latin and it was known as a very grueling process of testing. Then came the time when they switched over from oral to written exams. They assured us that did not imply a more simple exam. It remained a test of philosophical thinking. One exam simply had one question: Why?

I got to thinking about that one question. Why? There is something in that question that requires me to think deeply and invites me to think more. There is something in that question that requires me to struggle with my world view, my faith, my doubts, my beliefs and even my absolutes or Truth statements. There is something in Why that seems inviting and then there is something in Why that almost feels unattainable. I love the question and all it awakens in me….and I am thankful I did not ever sit before that question as a one question essay question.

I wonder how you would go about answering this one question….