"Know thine enemy." You may be familiar with the above phrase, which originated from the ancient Chinese general, Sun Tzu. But you may not be familiar with the full quote: If you know yourself and know your enemies, you will win a hundred battles without danger. If you know yourself but do not know your enemies, you will win one and lose one. If you know not yourself nor your enemies, you will lose every battle." Now let's put that light little subject on the back burner for a second. You know your fun party friend? the one who lives on the edge and gets away with everything? who's down … [Read more...]
Living Fully
A few days ago I saw a Facebook friend, who said to me, “Anita, you really know how to live. It’s good…‘cause most moms are so tied up with kids and work or housework and everything else, they have no lives of their own.” I immediately felt guilty, or ashamed. Shoot. Am I one of those people? Do I make my life look easy, happy and fun? Or worse -- make others feel their lives are so not? If so, I must confess – It’s A Lie. I’m just guilty of selectively posting the “best of” takes and capturing quickly fleeting treasured moments on camera. And I post often to simplify. How so? I’m not … [Read more...]
Life: Is it Gonna Make You or Break You?
They say the most stressful things in life are moving, getting married, having a baby, changing jobs, losing a job, getting separated/divorced, losing a spouse or loved one, or falling ill or disabled. And you know that list ain't all of it. What's even worse is when these big game changers hit multiples at a time, or one after another with no rest in-between. So. What do all these high stress generators have in common? They're all major life Changes. Transitions. Turning points. Rites of passage. Bombs (unexpected or even expected). Not easy. Even when they’re good or happy changes -- … [Read more...]
Valentine’s Day, My First Love and No Coincidences
As I wake this Hallmark holiday morning, when many will soon be celebrating “the one” who holds their heart, I lay still in the dark, reflecting on the love of my life. And my heart feels happily heavy. My thoughts are on God. Because His outpouring of love on us, each His purposefully unique creation - when finally recognized - is overwhelming, life-transforming. No other love tastes so heavenly, fills so fully, or heals so completely. How can I know? I’ve chased it elsewhere and learned it the hard way. So, as wonderful as my husband is, my thoughts turn first to my first love. Of course, … [Read more...]
Life Is Like an Onion
As 2015 draws to a close, I am reminded of Momma's famous line from "Forrest Gump": Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." But if I were to come up with some proverbial life-food analogy of my own, I’d say, “Life is like an onion.” If lived well, its many layers get peeled away slowly, gently, timely…just one leaf at a time. A few tears will be shed, and a few surprises – perhaps some bruising inside – may be discovered along the way. Even so, a good onion, after surviving some heat, will ultimately be sweet, not bitter, spicy, or sour. When I look back at my … [Read more...]