Each year I choose a word of the year that walks with me, guides me, forms me, teaches me lessons along the way. This is a spiritual practice I have enjoyed for more than 10 years and find it deepens my self-knowledge, adds clarity and meaning, and helps me grow closer to God. Some years the word is fun; some years it is challenging. Some years I find a word easily; others I have to dig, wait, search for just the right one. But occasionally the word finds me. That happened this year. I usually begin in late fall listening and looking for what words sound interesting or keep reappearing. I start a list and keep it handy on my desk and jot down possibilities. Later I write them in my journal and begin to prayerfully consider each one, seeing if one bubbles more to the top. I may circle a few that draw my attention. I may write down a couple of new ones. One morning mid-December I quietly sat with my journal open staring at the words: hope, now, behold, walk, near…all circled. … [Read more...]

Being on the cruise ship for 30 days gave me lots of boat and ocean metaphors to dance in my heart. One of the strongest images was ANCHOR. Three times the cruise ship didn’t dock in the port but anchored off shore and we “tendered” on smaller boats to the islands.  “Tender” is another interesting word as they use the ship’s lifeboats to transport us back and forth from the boat to the shore and it is NOT often very tender to board these smaller ships from the larger ship with all the rocking and rolling of the waves up and down.  Yes, they had several large crew members standing on both sides of us, steadying us as we entering the smaller tenders to head to shore. But it was sort of scary to take that step from one side to another on such uneven, precarious shaking surface!  What an adventure. Like an amusement park ride thrill! As we enjoyed our time on the islands the large cruise ship waited, anchored in the port. ANCHORED but not still. The waves slowly moved … [Read more...]

Traveling offers treasures that enrich our lives and stays with us even after the trip is over. I have often said vacations come in three parts: the first third of the fun is the planning, imagining, creating all the arrangements. I love that preparing and dreaming about an upcoming vacation. Afterall I am a planner! The second part is of course, going on the vacation: enjoying the present and discovering surprises and the unexpected. Being in the moment. Savoring the time. But often the best part is the grand finale: the final third: coming home: ahhh, the comfort of home, and then the enjoyment of the memories that no one can take away. That someday you will look back and say I am sure glad we took that trip. No regrets! Where did we go this time and what treasures can I share? Here are a few tidbits: The Trip My hubby and I took quite the adventure this time: a 32-day Viking cruise from LA around Hawaii and French Polynesia and back to LA. Yes 32 days. Yes, lots of … [Read more...]