Month: January 2021

I just placed an Amazon order for stimulating dog toys. I wan’t going to blog about this, but I can’t quite believe i just did that. The descriptions talk about your dogs IQ and the people say the results are amazing.

Now I thought my first lab Dutchess was amazing and pretty smart, but we stuck to peanut butter Kong’s and lots of fetch. I am really working to keep Willa in her healthy weight range, so I am learning that it would be beneficial to find dog toys that use her daily food allowance or toys that are not food focused.

Willa has learned to love frozen carrots in this teething stage she is in. She also is pretty interested in new toys, but can she do puzzles (as in dog puzzles)? Only time will tell!

I don’t really need or want to get into how smart my pup is. She is delightful and agile and clumsy and annoying and brilliant and dumb all in a day’s work. She brings me joy, makes me laugh, is good company and snuggles, what more could I ask for.

Willa is all puppy, and a well behaved one at that, but I would like to see if these kinds of toys can capture her attention. I am excited to see if they occupy her and challenge her or if she will sniff them and walk away.

And so come Friday, Wilhelmina Hope will have new toys to unpack. Toys that will occupy her, develop her, and challenge her. I hope they are long-lasting and delightful. But I will say that I stopped looking on Amazon when I got to the dog Pajamas. Somehow that just seemed like it might be going a little to far!

Tomorrow I get my first COVID vaccine. I am eligible because I work with Seniors. I find it interesting that I hold a bit of guilt that I am in line before so many others. I feel grateful that I have access to the vaccine. I feel relief that I have so far managed to get through the pandemic without testing positive.

I found myself on the Air BNB site last night. I began to think about travel and getting away. I have missed the opportunity to travel. I want to first go to New Jersey to see my brother and sister in law, as they moved during COVID.

I want to visit my nephew and his girlfriend in South Carolina and my niece in Colorado. I want to go to Canada and the Netherlands to see my family there. I would like to spend time with my friends in Texas and my cousin in Huntington Beach. There is a perfect spot on Little Gasparilla Island that I would like to return to visit. Yes, I have missed the opportunity to travel.

I am looking forward to seeing my sister and her family, who live close, but we haven’t been together. I miss my friends, and I realize that as I consider some positive changes on the horizon, my heart begins to feel the depth of the ache for all we have missed in the last year. I feel the risk of hoping, wondering if we are moving towards change? Even with a new normal, at least there might be a sense of routine and possibility!

And I am reminded that so many people deal with the long term effects of COVID. There is the physical and mental struggle, financial impact, and loss of life. Yes, I have missed travel, and I am grateful for the vaccination, but so many live with lasting and painful reminders of COVID 19.

I do not think it is wrong to hold gratitude and embrace what becomes possible again. But may I never fail to grieve what some others are left holding. For so many, the reality is that there are ruins as a result of COVID. I do not want to miss the beauty of what lies ahead, but neither do I want to forget the pain that sadly can not always be left behind. I invite you to live in the tension of acknowledging both of these truths. Yes, the vaccine feels hopeful, but it does not remove the pain that many now have embedded in their souls.

May Grace, Mercy and Peace be yours,

Blessed Be His Name,

Trish

I have thought often about this saying in the last months. As I watch the news and pandemic numbers climb, as we have lived amid volatile political times, as I have lived out Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years’ Eve 2020 without the gathering of my dear family members, what other options do I have?
Well, I do know that despair is an option. And in full disclosure, I will admit that as good as it sounds, I am not always clinging to hope. Sometimes I have to talk with myself and remind myself that I have an option of how I move into unknown and uncertain times.
I have found it most helpful to have a few tangible and easily visible things to remind me that I can choose hope, even on the worst of days.
A few things that remind me are:

The future generation brings me hope.

Those who have gone before us bring me hope. My parents’ stories remind me how history repeats itself in so many ways, and wisdom, discernment, and action can bring good change.

Courage and peace bring me hope. Sometimes I have to dig deep and find it within my own being. A reminder that God has provided me with a good mind, a compassionate heart, and a deep faith. Often hope is a choice!

And so I wonder what your Hope reminders are.

This song removes despair and invites me to infuse hope!

 

What or who is it that reminds you that Hope anchors your soul?

Blessed Be His Name,

Trish

 

I have been reminded quite often lately about the power of music.

Recently my dear friend Phil, age 87, underwent major surgery. He went through and picked 50+ of his favorite songs, and we made a playlist. To be alone in the ICU and unable to have visitors, experience difficulty communicating due to extensive jaw surgery, and feeling the mental fog of pain medicine and anesthesia; we decided music was a soul reaching method of bringing peace.

In the absence of Worship during the pandemic, I find that putting on worship music and letting it resonate deep in my soul reminds me of the sweetness of being with my faith community and friends on Sunday mornings.

And this past Christmas, I found a beautiful gift for my mom. I was able to purchase a song written for her by Ken Medema. Ken has a fantastic ability in writing personal songs that rise out from a few facts, a creative mind, a beautiful voice, and I would have to say Holy Inspiration. Oh, and another tidbit about Ken’s incredible journey is that he was born blind. Yes, he is impressive and has been using his gifts to influence generations of people for many years 

I sent Ken the following, and I will leave you with the song he wrote, paired with the pictures my niece and I put together. 

I told Ken:

• her family immigrated from Friesland

• she is one of 12 children

• She paid for her Christian Education because she wanted to attend a Christian school, and her parents could not pay for it.

• She wrote a High School paper: Conform or Think, and won a competition that led her to present the Young Calvinist Convention. My Dad heard her give it, invited her on a date, and their life began together.

• My Dad died in 2018 and my brother in 2012,

• her favorite verse is Micah 6:8

• she lives by a few key phrases:
  • It matters not (which I think he interpreted as it matters, but she believes that also) 

• • Live into it and 

• • The Birds will sing in the morning

If you are interested in putting a story to a song, see Ken’s information below.

http://kenmedema.com/personalsong-2.aspx

With a song in my heart I share this with you!

Blessed Be His Name,

Trish

Somehow my post from January 7, 2021, has disappeared and so I am reposting it. It feels like an important message for all that is unfolding when I reflect back on what 2021 has held.

Tonight I watched Dateline. It was the raw and honest stories of 3 of the many families whose lives have been tragically affected by police brutality.

Everyone has a story and from my perspective, nothing in these stories warranted the outcome that they now have to face every day!

Yesterday was a day of disturbing events…

Tonight’s show was a reminder of horrific pain during more disturbing events.

As I watched, I remembered this quote. May we all commit to living it out. May we each individually make our world a better place. If we commit to this individually, we will be surprised by the change movement that will come about.

Lord Have Mercy, 

Lord Hear our Prayers

Blessed Be His Name,

Trish

What a disturbing day in our Country.

So many feelings and emotions are swirling within me and within so many of us.

How did we get here is an important question ?

How do we ensure we are working towards something different, much different, when we are a divided people in so many ways?

I am not often at a loss for words and tonight I feel at a loss.

There is one song that has echoed in my soul since mid afternoon.

Let me leave you with it!

Lord have mercy!

Blessed Be Your Name,

Trish

Let me tell you a little bit about the Kuborgdebos group. They are a group of people that I call my tribe. As my family has grown through marriage, we needed a way to refer to our group as a whole.

Our original group was all Borgdorff’s but now we were more than just Borgdorff’s And so Kuborgdebos was born!

KU is for Kuperus. This is my Mom’s maiden name and Aunt Dot, who has always been one of our crew but the reality is she is all Kuperus. And so the KU starts us off!

Borg is for Borgdorff. This is the core of our origin(with Kuperus of course) and clearly includes my parents. Additionally, my oldest brother Len married Marcia and with their four bring life and excitement to the group. Now Noah and Liv are bringing Sam and Lauren and we just become better because of new members. Nick married Jonna and added the brilliance and personality of Andrew and Ryan. Throw me into the mix and the Borg represent many in number.

De is for Dekam. Arlene Borgdorff Dekam brought in Dan and five kids into the clan. Now Janneke brought in her husband Matt and two sweet kids The De group is steadily growing in numbers.

Bos is for Suzi Borgdorff Bos who married Andy and with their three kids, they finish us off with strong presence and personality.

I wonder who you would be if you birthed a name representing the way your family has grown and changed. It is fun to refer to us as a group, honoring the many represented.

For Christmas 2020 we put together a book inspired by Jonna. She wrote the cover poem and I want to share it here. I share it to invite you to consider who your family has been in 2020, as we reflected here. There will be more about the book project in the coming weeks. But also, I share it to keep it in my fields forever Jonna captures us well, living through the year 2020.

I am delighted to be a part of the amazing Kuborgdebos group!

Blessed Be His Name,

Trish

I find this to be such a good thought to reflect on early in 2021. At Visiting Angels of West Michigan we say to our caregivers, let your yes be yes and your no be no. I wonder as you move into this new year if you are aware when you get those words confused.

Consider perhaps one gift you can offer yourself and to those you love in 2021 is to be clear in letting your Yes be Yes and your No be No. Say no to pleasing, perfecting and performing and yes to being true to your own integrity!

Blessed Be His Name,

Trish

 

Recently I turned 51. I am enjoying my 50’s.

Turning 50 was marked by 50 days to 50 arranged by my sisters. It was a delightful way to spend one on one time with so many dear people with whom I shared a part of my story.

Turning 51 has me in a different space. I find that my first thought was a bit of panic, thinking, oh no, 60 is right around the corner. Not that 60 is old, but I was surprised by my thought process. I decided I need to embrace 50, like embracing my gray hair and live my 50’s with intention and purposeI have decided to mark my 50’s with a couple commitments:
Wellness for mind, body, and spirit.
Activity that is fun and has a bit of flair to it whenever possible.
Being intentional about spending time with those who are life-giving to my soul.
Enjoying the quiet spaces that surround me.

I have really enjoyed a nighttime routine of doing Lumosity.
https://www.lumosity.com
Lumosity challenges my brain in fun and challenging ways. The games are engaging and remind me of where I am strong and where I am not. My Mom also has a daily practice of Lumosity, and I see the benefit for all of our aging minds.

I work in a field where dementia and Alzheimer’s are very prevalent. Therefore, I am committed to ensuring that my brain is as healthy as it can be for as long as it can be.

If you are looking for a fun way to challenge your mind, give it a try. I think you will enjoy it.

More to come on other ways I am living well in my 50’s in this coming year!

Well, I committed to writing every day this year, but on January 1, I was busy doing nothing, so I missed my strong start. Instead of getting thrown off, I just decided to write my first two on January 2, 2021. At 51 years old, I am learning not to get derailed so quickly and certainly not on day 1! 🙂

I was struck by how many comments have been about the strong desire to close the door on 2020. I want to invite us to consider something different.

I’m not too fond of the idea of leaving something behind. After all, 2020 and all of its happenings are now a part of our story. The pandemic shaped every last one of us, and even that makes 2020 unique and fascinating. When can we ever say that one pivotal event was in all of our lives? And yet, how it shaped us is as individual as every one of us. How COVID impacted us, what it offered us, what or who it took from us is unique and should be embraced, even if it was painful or wearying.

I wonder what 2020 offered you that you want to hang onto? How did you grow? What did you discover about yourself or others? If you had someone watching you and they were now going to write you a one page summary of what they learned by watching you, what might their observations include? Would it be a reflection that makes you proud or one that you would tuck away, hoping not to share?

I am aware that as prevalent as COVID has been in our world, for some people, COVID was not their primary memory of 2020. For some, it may be that life was altered or enhanced by some other significant event. Have you been curious with others about what they are holding as they walk into 2021?

I hope that we will not close the door on 2020 but stand at the doorway of 2021, aware of what we are holding. Carry everything that has shaped you, softened you, made you wiser, funnier, or lighter with a heart full of gratitude.

If you are coming into the new year with sorrow or heartache, please do not hide that, we need to hear your story.

If you are coming into 2021 with an abundance of joy and an excitement for every morning, please let your joy be contagious.

If you have a heavy heart or a sense of weariness, come into 2021 trusting that there is hope for something different.

If you are coming feeling bitter, angry and resentful, I hope and pray that kindness will come your way in a way that you feel honored and heard.

If you are coming into 2021 with a fear of the unknown and wondering if we will be able to re engage our worlds like we used to, you are not alone. But please don’t live in fear, but live into each day, trusting that just maybe there are surprises in the waiting. And do not lose site of the fact that you have changed in the months of COVID and so as much as we long for our old normal, we live into it with new perspective and understanding that we did not have pre-covid.

I invite you to name what you are holding as this new year begins in the comments below. Your comment does not have to have many words or any context, for there is something to just simply putting words to where we are at. And then, we will live into the unknown of 2021 and see what will unfold for each of us individually and in our lives together.

Blessed Be His Name,

Trish