Month: July 2012

Living Well….

I spent today in the hospital while my Aunt had surgery.

There is something about eight hours in the surgical waiting room that gives life perspective. It was an interesting day as I watched people come and go and respond to information shared by doctors….

I was thinking about how with each interaction I observed, I was left to wonder and fill in the blanks of what I thought might be unfolding. I find it fascinating to watch interactions of people and often guard against trying to figure their situation out but instead wonder about they mystery of the unknown…

At the end of the day, I was on the Oncology floor and the feeling is very different. There are many patients walking the floor attached to IV poles administering chemo. Some bodies appear frail and tired. Others walk the halls or watch the Olympics and the only sign that they are battling cancer is their smooth bald head…

I find that I prefer the mystery of the unknown story in the surgical waiting room as opposed to the reality that is evident on the Oncology floor. And yet I am reminded of my Aunt whose story, even with cancer, is anchored in hope. I am reminded of her short hair which speaks of life after chemo. I am reminded that she is much more than her diagnosis and disease. I am reminded to see beyond the IV poles and bald heads and remember the Oncology floor is not only a place of stories that hold sadness but stories of men and women who live their lives with bravery and courage.

I could simply feel sorry for each patient I encounter, but somehow that doesn’t seem good for me or honoring for them…

I want to bring kindness to each person I encounter while visiting my aunt over the next five days.

I want to allow my eyes to meet theirs and share a moment of connection….

I want to remember that life is a gift and each of us lives with the reality that our  days are numbered…(All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
(Psalm 139:16))

Tonight it is my hope, that in sickness or in health…I want to live well!

A Dutch good bye…

 

 

Tonight I said good-bye to our friends from the Netherlands. I had a delightful time with them and tonight feel some sadness at how far away the other side of the Ocean is…

But I am also reminded of Dr Seuss’s words…Don’t cry because it is over, smile because it happened….

And so tonight, my heart holds many good memories and I have images in my memory of travels to Northern Michigan, biking on hot days and  gezellig moments in conversation and connecting. (For you non dutch readers, according to Wikipedia, “A perfect example of untranslatability is seen in the Dutch language through the word gezellig, which does not have an English equivalent. Literally, it means cozy, quaint, or nice, but can also connote time spent with loved ones, seeing a friend after a long absence, or general togetherness.”)

But perhaps one of my favorites is the Dutch good-bye. I have experienced this often with my own relatives. It is not just a quick good-bye, but it is a standing and waving until the car is out of sight. It is not a simple wave of the hand, it is an all out full arm wave, full of emotion…(as much as a wave can be). It is the looking back and seeing them still waving and the feeling that they have not turned their backs to resume activity, but they are sending you off with their full attention….

And so, I sent off my friends tonight with a hug and shared words and a wave in my memory that seemed to go forever.  I love the dutch good-bye!

 

 

 

Sunshine on my shoulders….

 

Makes me happy….

Tonight I went to the Picnic Pops featuring hits of John Denver….

It was a great night…

It was beautiful weather after a very rainy day…

It was engaging and reflective…

As I laid my head back on my beach chair, I watched the clouds move, the moon appear, disappear and reappear, and sang along with 1000’s of other people to Country Road take me home. There was something so right, so cozy, so perfect in my West Michigan home town at the ski resort tonight…

And then I thought of Aurora Colorado and the Olympic opening ceremonies, and people who are starving, at war or those dealing with loss and grief and life events that change their outlook on life. I was struck by what a big world we live in and I realize how blessed I am….

I don’t ever want to forget to count my blessings…

What about you…have you counted your blessings lately….

Give a try, start a blessing list today…and as you list your blessings, play John Denver’s song Sunshine on my Shoulders make me happy…it will be a sweet moment!

 

The English Language….

I had a great time a few weeks back traveling with Aly and Tjeerd and my Mom and Aunt. 

I think the most fun part of the trip North was listening to the four of them speak Dutch and experiment with what I was picking up.

It was also fun to try to identify words and translation and it was clear that some words just don’t translate.

And so tonight when I read this, I was struck by our English language and all the peculiar rules we have….

 

 

Change my heart o God…

As I read this Franciscan blessing today I found myself humming one of my favorite songs…

Change my heart O God

Make it ever true

Change my heart O God

May I be like You…

I invite you to pray this prayer in the coming days and weeks, for yourself and for those you love, and pay attention to where God is answering….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amen and Amen….

The four agreements….

I found the four agreements on-line today. They are written by Miguel Ruiz. They are written with the following intent: to advocate for personal freedom from agreements and beliefs that we have made with ourselves and others that are creating limitation and unhappiness in our lives.

Now I have to say that I really like what these agreements encourage and wonder how you and I might live differently if we embrace these and live them out…

The four agreements are:

1. Be Impeccable with your Word: Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using words to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love. (what a beautiful way to use words, to promote truth and love…)

2. Don’t Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering. (I do believe that we are impacted by others and that is all a part of being in relationship, but I also believe there are times we choose to engage as a victim and that is not healthy nor a good way to live as an image bearer of The King!)

3. Don’t Make Assumptions
(All I can say to this is AMEN!)

4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret. (We want this from our youth, but do we live it out as responsible adults?)

These four agreements are packed with possibility. I encourage you to choose one new way to move through your day and experiment with it. How might your tomorrow be different from today if you commit to not making assumptions. How might your relationships be healthier if you find the courage to ask questions and express what you really want.

Live responsibly and live well and find what might be creating limitation and unhappiness in your life and address it. Trust me, it is a worthwhile journey!

 

 

 

 

19 already….

While I was taking my 31 days of rest my oldest niece Janneke turned 19….

Janneke has always been a creative, joyful, musical kind of kid….

Janneke has always been engaging with her eyes, her personality and her conversation…

Janneke has always been gifted in drama and music….from Mary Poppins to Dr Seuss….using her gifts for entertainment and the arts and leading worship…

Janneke has always been passionate about travel and more in the last number of years, about Missions….

Janneke has never lacked in friendships, opinions, or the ability to have a conversation….

Janneke has taken big risks in the last 18 months, spending a semester in London England and Ghana.

Janneke has grown in her maturity, spirituality, understanding of herself and others. She has embraced a vision for the woman she wants to be and the impact she wants to have on her world. She has found a handsome, delightful, kind Englishman to be in relationship with for now (and maybe longer) and I can honestly say, Janneke Ruth, you make my heart proud!

Continue to live with boldness, kindness and delighting in the moment….

Continue to use the gifts God has given you to engage others and serve others….

Continue to deepen your faith, increase your capacity to love and always remember that Jesus is your Redeemer, Savior and Friend!

I love you tons and tons forever and ever Janneke Ruth….

May your 19th year be filled with wonder, delight, rest, risk, contentment and God’s presence, provision and protection!

Love,

Aunt Trish

Celebrating Life…

I am often surprised when I hear someone say that their family doesn’t really celebrate birthdays anymore. In my family we have always done birthdays well. It is not marked by big gifts or annual parties. Our celebrations are marked by family gatherings, the birthday person special and celebrating the journey being traveled.

Today we celebrated my brother-in-law Andy with his favorite pizza and a small office party. I appreciate him for the husband he is to my sister Suzi, the father he is to Peter, Isaiah and Johanna, the great accountant he is for Visiting Angels and the friendship and support he offers me.  I hope this year holds many blessings and lots of glorious moments with those you hold dear to your heart!

Refilling the shelves…

Somewhere in the creation of my being, I believe I got an extra dose of networking….

I love to identify a need and network a group of people to meet that need….

Now, as you well know, there are needs that surround us each and every day, but I believe there is also an abundance of people who are willing to help meet a need, if the need is clearly communicated.

And so, tonight I am here to clearly communicate a need, and to ask for the assistance of my readers.

My nephew’s attend Living Stone’s Academy. Living Stones has been instrumental in the young lives of Peter and Isaiah and I am thankful for a group of parents who are committed to doing Christian education in an affordable fashion.

“We are living stones called by God to restore and renew our community and world. We are an affordable, faith-based school in your neighborhood.”

“We will work together as a community to provide a transformational education by nurturing excellence, partnering in service, and radiating hope.”

And I love what Living Stones is about…the restore and renew. The affordable and faith-based. The working together as a community, transformational education, nurturing excellence and radiating hope…I love all of those very foundational principles…

And so, this is where I see a need for Living Stones this coming school year….

Living Stones  is renting a Grand Rapids Public School  building and they have taken all of the library books to use at another school building!

Do you have any books you could donate to refill the book shelves at Living Stones Academy?

Would you be willing to support the cause with a donation so books can be bought?

Would you join Living Stones in developing young readers….

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” ― Dr. Seuss

If you would like to join in this venture, please send books or funds to

Living Stones Academy

1250 Sigsbee St SE

Grand Rapids, MI 49506

OR

Visit the website where you can also make online donations

Living Stones Academy

Thank you for participating in this venture to refill the shelves…

Let’s see what we can do between now and August 15, 2012!

The power of print…

Recently I ordered a book of my blogging….

I began to realize that the collection of my blogs is part of my legacy…

My blogs are the journey to my heart and are written about my own journey and my relationships with those I hold dear to my heart…

I decided that I didn’t want to just store them on a website that could go down and I would lose the collection of writings, so I ordered a book.

While I was recovering from my surgery, one of the moments embedded in my memory is my nieces and nephews sitting on my couch and reading the blog books…

They flipped through and read the entries…

They looked for their birthday tributes and laughed and reflected as they remembered the events of which I wrote…

It was a moment in time when the printed book created a very meaningful memory…

I will keep writing because some day my writings will be story starters for their children and grandchildren…and that gives beautiful purpose to my blogging!

And so, in the coming days I will be writing birthday tributes to Janneke who turned 19 and Sonta who turned 14 during my break from blogging….

And so if you have pictures or writings that you are keeping electronically, consider printing for enjoyment today and remembering in the years ahead!