Journey to my heart….

I wonder if you have experienced the power of seasons—not the four seasons but seasons of relationships. When I thought of my friendships as a season in my life, I could celebrate them much more fully!

Sometimes, a friendship “ended” due to life circumstances, and I felt a profound loss. Sometimes, life shifted in a way that friendships just drifted out of my life. Sometimes, I could explain why, and others, to this day, I can’t quite put words to why.

In my 20s and 30s, I would have labeled these losses as rejection. I could not figure out why this happened. However, in some honest reflection, I began to understand that life events cause transitions. When my friends were getting married and having kids, and I remained single, perhaps it was more about transitions than rejection! Perhaps there were seasons to friendships that, instead of being grieved, can be marked and remembered as memorable and good!

Tonight, I read this quote! I was drawn to:

IF IT COMES, LET IT COME.

IF IT GOES, LET IT GO.

There is something so fluid about living with the ability to let people, thoughts, and life come and stay and then go.

And perhaps the most important last step in releasing and letting go is to give the releasing the right name…not rejection, but try on transition or redirection. I think it is healthy to have a life that has regular redirection. It is not always welcome, but do not cling to what must be released.  Embrace the redirection! ❤️ trish

Meet anger with…Sympathy

Contempt with…Compassion

Cruelty with…Kindness

Greet grimaces with…smiles

Forgive and…forget about finding fault

Love is….the weapon of the future!

I wonder if you have your love weapon ready to go for the week? Are you prepared to engage those you meet in a way that invites them to pause and wonder about how you are engaging them…

May others experience your Love weapon today!  ❤️trish

Thursday was one of those days—a deep-breathing kind of day. It was not because life was overwhelming but because every transition I made in the day caused me to marvel at the mystery of God at work.

Heather and I started with breakfast with a dear friend who lost his wife 15 months ago. We met to listen to his reflections on Heather’s question: How can we best support someone who has just lost someone close? He came with such honest answers and experiences. It was a breakfast of profound impact, listening to how God provides amid grief and heartache and provides comfort and release.

Then Heather and I met with a dear woman with ALS. We were in a warm room on a sunny day since her medication caused her to be cold. We were privileged to listen to her story, to engage in her struggles, to hold her concerns, and to invite her to trust us with the vulnerable spaces of her heart. The disease is cruel and unforgiving. This woman has so much courage. As we walked away, my heart felt stuck wondering why, at 54, my body has had issues that can all be addressed, and a dear 50-year-old in front of me has lost the use of arms and legs and will have continual decline. The mystery of God felt so all-consuming.

Then we met with a rugged, compassionate 88-year-old tender-hearted fellow who enjoys life, but as he was sharing with us, he became overtaken with emotion. The small cross on his wall, the cross he sees every day, reminds him of his wife, who died almost six years ago. The simplicity, the richness, and the meaning of this cross remind him every day of amazing grace. We talked about living in a broken world and the powerful anticipation of eternity in heaven. Oh, the mystery of God.

It was a good day!

After a busy week, I have some catching up to do with my blog writing. Each night, I started a blog but didn’t manage to finish any. Juggling multiple tasks, I kept putting the blog aside. Now, I’m determined to find my rhythm and complete the blogs I had begun.

Memorial Day weekend was a time for preparing for summer – we cleaned up, raked, uprooted, and planted, all within 48 hours. We tackled weeds, spread mulch, and even moved rocks that had surfaced during the winter frost. I’m amazed by the feeling of running my hands through the dirt and pulling up the long, tangled web of roots. It’s truly satisfying to witness the transformation in our surroundings.

Memorial Day weekend was a different rhythm for me. My nails were black, and my skin was stained from the dirt I had dug in for the afternoon. I could feel the worms that slithered through my fingers and my back could feel the twisting movement of tossing the mulch. At the end of the day, it felt good to know I had moved and worked differently.

My Mom is amazing in how she knows how to be one with the earth and bring about beauty. This picture is a glimpse of one of those spaces. I am grateful to have spent some hours in the dirt!

I received a check in the mail today.

It looked official, and I wondered who was sending me money.

Last week, I went on the unclaimed property website and found that I had something to claim. Lo and behold, today, I got a check!

I want to share it with you as I think many people have a check hanging out there and are unaware of this website. I did some research, and you can google unclaimed property for your state, and the same website will surface. Remember to check all the states you have lived in.

I hope you get mail soon, too! If you’re not in Michigan, Google unclaimed property for your state.❤️trish

unclaimedproperty.michigan.gov

I believe this to be true with every fiber of my being. Shame is powerful and is hard to shake free of. But somehow, I have experienced and witnessed that in safe spaces, shame will dissipate before our eyes. But shame can creep back and return. Safe places must be found and nurtured in our lives. I wonder if you know your safe spaces? Can you name your safe people? Can you see their faces or identify how you feel with them? In today’s world, I believe everyone of all gender orientations should have some time to name and claim safe spaces and faces. This is a critical concept for physical, mental, and emotional safety. It is imperative to live free from overwhelming shame!

I hope you will take time to inventory your safe places and faces today. If you don’t have them, take time to do some work to find them. If you do have them, take some time to express gratitude for the ways you can shed your shame in the presence of these safe people and places. ❤️ trish