“The celebration of Advent is possible only to those who are troubled in soul, who know themselves to be poor and imperfect, and who look forward to something greater to come.” -Dietrich Bonhoeffer   What greatness are you looking forward to this Advent season?  

Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another, and feeling with the heart of another. -A Place for Mom As we move into the holiday season, I’m reflecting on what it means to be a spiritual and religious person. Perhaps most important of all? To be able to feel…

“Travel opens your heart, broadens your mind, and fills your life with stories to tell.” -Paula Bendfeldt Having just returned from a grand adventure to Spain, Morocco, Portugal, and the Canary Islands, I will vouch for the above quote 100%.

  Gratefulness is the only appropriate response to that which is given…and this life is a given. Every human being can realize: we didn’t make ourselves, we didn’t even choose this life. If you train yourself to be grateful for everything, every moment, then when you come to something that you don’t like, you realize…

“Family” isn’t defined only by last names or by blood; it’s defined by commitment and love. It means showing up when they need it most. It means having each others backs. It means choosing to love each other even on those days when you struggle to even like each other. It means never giving up…

“A thing may be too sad to be believed or too wicked to be believed or too good to be believed; but it cannot be too absurd to be believed in this planet of frogs and elephants, of crocodiles and cuttle-fish.” ~ G.K. Chesterton

Since it’s almost Halloween when ghosts and goblins are filling the air and dreams turn into nightmares, let’s reflect on really scary things, like… love. “Love is a really scary thing, and you never know what’s going to happen. It’s one of the most beautiful things in life, but it’s one of the most terrifying.…

“Look, talent comes everywhere, but having something to say and a way to say it so that people listen to it, that’s a whole other bag. And unless you get out and you try to do it, you’ll never know. That’s just the truth. And there’s one reason we’re supposed to be here is to…

Forgiveness doesn’t excuse their behavior. Forgiveness prevents their behavior from destroying your heart. #beyondordinary  

“Maybe the journey isn’t about becoming anything. Maybe it’s about unbecoming everything that isn’t really you, so that you can be who you were meant to be in the first place.” -Butterflies and Pebbles