Simple acts of kindness

I have been enjoying spending time with my great-niece and great-nephews. The oldest two, ages 5 and 4, are in Pre-K and have learned so much about kindness and social awareness of others in the past year.

When I read this, I realized that this would feel very clear to a four and five-year-old, but somewhere along the way, we lose sight of these simple acts of kindness.

Maybe we can all take a little more intention in opening our eyes to those around us and have the eyes of young children who notice when someone is falling behind or feeling left out. Take time daily to speak words of worth and value into someone else’s life. It is the kind of thing that can change you and them!  ❤️ trish

May be an image of text that says 'if you See Someone falling behind, Walk beside them. if you See Someone being ignored, to find a way include them. Αγαιε of their remind Worth. One Small act could mean the World to them.'

How big is your world?

I read this today and reread it more than once. It has me thinking. At Church, we are talking about how we dwell in the world. How do we build relationships with people who are different than us in some way? Where do we meet those individuals, and how do we engage in conversations and build relationships?

I have been thinking and praying about this, and this is what I came across. This may be the answer. It is not a surprise to me and reminds me that it is not as hard as I want to make it. It takes intention, effort, and commitment.

How big is your world? Do you dwell in a community of people just like you, or do you dwell in the world? Consider the invitations below and expand your horizons. I want to grow, will you grow with me? ❤️ trish

Sunsets and provoking wisdom…

 

“I never met a sunset I didn’t like.” ~ Unknown

 

 

 

“Sunsets are like God’s paintings in the sky.” – Unknown

 

 

 

“Softly the evening came with the sunset.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 

 

“It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream.” – Bern Williams

 

 

 

“May every sunrise hold more promise and every sunset hold more peace.” – Umair Siddiqui

 

 

 

“There’s always a sunrise and always a sunset and it’s up to you to choose to be there for it.” – Cheryl Strayed

 

❤️trish

Breathe…

Today, we took a yoga class as one of our team activities on our work retreat. These are two things we DID NOT do. We are beginners at Yoga and did an hour of meditative Yoga. The hour-long class was a positive experience for all of us. We return on Thursday and are eager to learn more about what we experienced. Tonight at dinner, we talked about how the process of Yoga challenged us in ways we did not expect. Sometimes, it was about our balance or flexibility, but more often, it was about something deeper within us. The invitation to release our thoughts and tension and bring peace and kindness to our bodies and minds. One segment of the workout was thinking about ourselves and speaking a kind message to ourselves.

What I walked away with was not new, but a reminder was definitely needed. I have been thinking about the importance and power of breathing since our session ended this afternoon.We started with an awareness of our breath. We went into feeling our breath in our lungs, inhaling and exhaling. We held certain poses for a certain number of breaths. We learned about the power of breathing and the extreme goodness it does for our mind, body, and soul.

I have come off of a year of a failed double Achilles surgery and double knee replacement, and now have one of two Achilles surgeries completed. Six surgeries in the last year have left me feeling tight, limited in my mobility, and discouraged with my fitness goals. One yoga session today did not propel me into success, but it did remind me of what my body is capable of. It reminded me how much restorative healing can happen through simple movement and the decisive exercise of paying attention to my breath!

How aware are you of your breath?

Pay attention today.

When is your jaw clenched?

When are you breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth?

When do you slow down your reactive nature with a slow, calming breath?

Be kind to yourself today in your thoughts and actions and


❤️ trish

Unexpected Beauty….

I am currently enjoying a little work retreat with my staff. When our office navigates nonmedical home care and finds that it serves our clients and caregivers best if we are the ones who answer calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week, then sometimes it is good to get out of the office to reset. We are working from here, and it feels completely different than being in the office. It is so good!

Of course, we would love perfect weather, but we have not experienced that. It has been rainy, cooler temps, and windy, and we have had shorter bouts of sun. We have found the variety to provide us with options of resting, reading, and puzzling, and it is all good!

One piece of unexpected goodness came tonight, reminding me of the surprises that can arise from the unexpected. From rain and sunshine come beautiful things. I may always hope for a sunny day, but I will never forget the beauty that follows when rain also shows up!

 

 

Joy Chose You…

I found this, and it resonated with my soul…some of my favorite phrases are:

Joy sneaks in…

Joy is supposed to slither through the cracks of your imperfect life

You can not truly invite her; you can only be ready when she appears.

I wonder where joy made an appearance for you today? Keep your eyes attuned and share with someone 3 times this week where Joy found you! ❤️

May peace and JOY find you today and every day!          ❤️ Trish

 

 

Celebrating Anneliese

 

Today, we celebrate the life of Anneliese, one of our Borgdorff bunch, who turns 28 today!  Anne has always been very solidly her own person. She cares deeply, but she may have been mistaken for aloof in her teen and young adult years. I have come to understand Anne and her strong commitment to being faithful to the woman God has created her to be. Through Anna’s choices in the last eight years to serve on YWAM and in leadership at 51:10 in Beuna Vista Colorado, in management of a landscaping company where she was self-taught and so respected, and then in her move to Atlanta where she managed a team of migrant workers and mentored them into having a voice and understanding working hard but ending the day in good time, knowing you have put in a good days work, I have seen her grow in her faith, her skills, her leadership and her love for God’s people.

Anne has a heart for family, takes time to connect, and listens well. She cares deeply about her people and is showing up to be a fantastic Aunt to her first three nephews and one niece. Anne rarely lets a fun time pass her by and enjoys life in all seasons! She will spend winter on the ski hill or snowboarding but also enjoys outdoor sports and activities in the sun, alone or on a team. So maybe you get a sense of our well-rounded Anneliese. She is kind and honest, a hard worker, a faithful friend, and a Christ follower! Our family is better with Anne in it. The world is a kinder place with Anne in it. I am excited to see where the future leads Anne, and I trust God to prepare a way for you and Joseph in your future together. I am so proud you follow God’s call and live your life to the fullest! Keep it up! You are growing up so good!  With love, ❤️ Aunt Trish

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Too good not to share

I am so fortunate to have nieces and nephews who are all gifted in various ways. I did not know I could enjoy them more than when they were young, but I find their adult presence equally entertaining and stimulating!

I wish I had time to spend hours with each one every week or month, but I take whatever time I can get with them whenever possible.

 

I am grateful daily to work alongside Olivia at Visiting Angels in this season of my life. This has been a season for me that has brought me so much more joy than I ever anticipated.

One thing that I have always enjoyed is reading Olivia’s writing. Tonight, I asked her permission to share the following with you. It is thought-provoking, beautifully written, deep, tender, and true!

a novel that takes place in Lesbos, Greece, jogged my memory tonight of my time working on the ground in the Syrian Refugee Crisis. Bodies seeking shore, seeking safety. Disaster and displacement, and the unrelenting spirit of survival. Pursuing safety like sunflowers stretching for light, despite corruption, despite dangerous waters, despite not knowing what comes next.

my plant took so so so long to propagate after i moved that i thought it was effectively dead, just green because its water source hadn’t dried up. life support, essentially, but wouldn’t produce new life on its own. and then one day, seemingly all at once, roots. a root system. growth. it sits by my desk, works alongside me every day, its effort invisible. and again, its new leaf surprises me, delights me.

life is prevailing.

there is so much bad and hard and danger and brokenness and dysfunction and manipulation and violence everywhere. i don’t think it’s a sign of the times, i think humanity always has and always will reckon with itself, the good, the bad and the ugly. social norms change, vocabulary changes, what we agree upon as acceptable changes but themes of wrongdoing can be found in any era, every era.

grief transcends generations. so can cycles of destructive behaviors. so can assault, and cultures of silence and systems founded in a country fueled by slavery.

but life prevails, too. resilience. the inherent pursuit of survival.
things are, can be, are, so bad. full stop.

and yet.

i want to give everyone a hug. i’m so sorry for all the things no one ever apologized for. i’m so proud of you. protect your tenderness. the world is burning, yes, and yes, life is prevailing.     written by olivia borgdorff

thought provoking, honest, tender and true. i love you olivia grace and I am so grateful God chose me to be your aunt.                                              ❤️ Trish

 

 

There is hope in light…

I saw this today and thought about the hope in light…it is essential to believe that brighter days are ahead!

The amount of sunlight in January in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is minimal. This was posted in mid-January: The startling fact was shared by the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids in mid-January, which noted that the region had gone an entire month without any meaningful sunshine.
West Michigan Sunshine Drought Continues – 99.958% of the Last 10 Days has Been Cloudy

 

This concludes Grand Rapids’ 30th day in a row of cloudy or mostly cloudy skies. Other parts of West or Mid Michigan may have had a sunny day or two, but not us. Direct sunlight has totaled 728 minutes, about 3 hours less than we can receive in a single day in June.

For the ten days preceding February 1, the city of Grand Rapids has only seen 6 minutes of sunshine. So here are the numbers: There are 1440 minutes in a day, so 14,400 minutes in 10 days. 14,394 of those minutes were sunny.

Meaning we were cloud-covered 99.958% of the time.

So, it is true that we live in Pure Michigan. A place where Lake Michigan is vast and like no other. A place where Spring, Summer, and Fall bring unforgettable days and allow for outdoor memories for all ages. Pure Michigan is bright, picturesque, and a beautiful place to be….except in January!:-)          ☀️ Trish☀️❤️