How Can I Help?

Tonight when Stephen came home he asked how I was doing. I was transparent and shared I am overwhelmed today with things I need to get done.

His response was four simple words, “how can I help?”

These words softened my heart. The load I was carrying on my shoulders was lightened knowing I didn’t have to carry it all alone. To have him walk in from his busy day and offer to lend a hand was a gift I didn’t know I needed.

I am sharing this in case you have a loved one who is overwhelmed too. I invite you to join me to…

pause. breathe. pray.

If we have a loved one who is overwhelmed, may we offer these four simple words their way in hopes to help share the load they are carrying. And if we are the ones who are overwhelmed and someone asks us how they can help, may we not say we are fine or try to do it all alone. Instead may we share with them something they can do that would help us and lighten our load.

Four simple words can make all the difference.

May we speak them, and/or receive them, with love and gratitude.

With love and hope,

Shawn

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. - Galatians 6:2

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Be Rich In Wisdom and Love

Has anyone ever tried to give their children advice and they completely resist it?

Me too. 

Recently when this happened rather than pressing my point I let it go, walked away and…

paused, breathed, and prayed.

This analogy came to mind that I went back and shared with my child. I am sharing it with you today in case it may be a bridge in a conversation between you and your kids too.

I asked my child if I was to offer them a handful of money would they take it?

Naturally they said yes.

Why?

Money makes you richer.

I then shared that when I am offering advice, it is something to make them wealthier too, not financially though, but richer in wisdom. They have a choice to take the advice or leave it. I can’t control what they choose. Yet to leave behind sound advice is declining something that will make them richer within.  And although that may not be the riches they seek or want, being rich in wisdom and love is what we all really need in life.

Whether our children receive our advice, or not, may we continue to plant seeds of wisdom into their hearts and minds and trust that God will help those seeds grow within them in time.

Also, may we recognize that who our children are to us if often who we are to God. May we too be willing to humble ourselves to receive God’s wisdom. His truth and love are the true riches we need in our life.

With love and hope,

Shawn

God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.

- Psalm 145:8

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May We Never Forget...

May we never forget…

…every life lost that day.

…every family impacted by the loss of a loved one who carries the memories of them in their hearts everyday.

…every survivor and their visible or invisible wounds.

…every selfless soul who ran towards the danger, including every first responder.

…every person who was a part of the rescue and recovery.

…the empathy and the compassion we had towards one another.

…we didn’t see each other’s race, ethnicity, religion, political views, etc, that day.

…we saw each other as the human beings we are.

…we stood beside one another in solidarity.

…and out of this tragedy, we united in love.

I invite you to join me to take 9-11 minutes to…

pause. breathe. pray.

May we pray however the Spirit leads us. And as we look to the past may it give us wisdom for the present.

With love and hope,

Shawn

“…mourn with those who mourn.” -Romans 12:15

*posted on 9/11/21

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I am Not their Only Teacher

Today when Matt was tying his shoes, I had a flashback to years ago when I had tried to teach him to tie his shoes. There was frustration on both our parts at times. He really wanted to figure it out on his own and I really wanted to show him how to do it. The process was long until one day we were at a store getting shoes and Gavin randomly said, “Hey Matt, want me to show you how to tie your shoes?” Matt accepted Gavin’s offer.

Matt tied his shoes in one try.

This was one of many moments I’ve had as I Mom where I realized that I am not the only teacher for my kids. I may plant the seeds, but others reap the harvest.

Can any of you relate? If so, I invite you to join me to…

pause. breathe. pray.

May we give thanks for all the people God has placed in our kids lives to teach them along with us. May we continue to plants seeds but remember it doesn’t matter that we are the one that get credit when they learn. What matters most is that they eventually learn whatever it is they need to.

With love and hope,

Shawn

Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true.

- John 4:37

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Heading to HS

I am having a mom moment - this guy started high school today!

Watching our kids grow is a gift, I just wish time would slow down a bit.

Here is to a new adventure!

Gav is ready.

I’m working on it

With love and hope,

Shawn

Teach me to number my days so I may gain a heart of wisdom. -Psalm 90:12

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Gifts from the Heart to the Heart

Gifts from the heart to the heart are the best kind

I received these thoughtful gifts from a dear friend. It’s not the things she gave me that I love but the prayers and perspective she gifted me as I head into this new role.

I thought I’d share these messages with you in case these words would be a blessing to you as well.

I invite you to join me to…

pause. breathe. pray.

May we…

- take time to fill ourselves so we can fill others.

- organize and prioritize so we can focus on who and what matters most.

- share words of encouragement and affirmation with others.

- remind ourselves and others of truth

- make a permanent, positive impact on hearts and minds

- make others hearts smile, and our own, by practicing these things.

With love and hope,

Shawn

Do everything in love.

- 1 Corinthians 16:14

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My New Office

Welcome to my new office!

After being a stay at home Mom the past 15 years, I am heading back to the classroom, a.k.a the gymnasium, to teach Health and Physical Education, which is what I taught prior to being a Mom and writer.

This was not something I had planned yet the opportunity came my way.  As I explored the opportunity, one morning I was in my prayer time and just stopped reading my Bible, and asked God, "What do you want for me? Please help me know if this is what I am suppose to do. I don't want to do this unless I know it is your will."

After saying that to God, my eyes went back down to Romans 2 where I had left off and it read:

"...you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children..." - Romans 2:19-20

I smiled at God and said, "okay, I will go back to teaching."

Not every prayer I have has been answered like this one was, yet I have no doubt going back to teach is God's will for me right now. I am excited to be at a Christian school where I will get to teach faith based PE. Like in my Pause. Breathe. Pray. classes, I will get to weave in God's truth during our activities. If you'd join me to pray for the students to be receptive and for me to connect with each student, I would sincerely appreciate it.

I am excited for this new adventure yet I will continue to write and share with you the encouraging life lessons God teaches me along the way. 

The verse that God has been reflecting to me in this time is:

"We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." - Psalm 16:9

I share this with you in case you too have come to a crossroad and are unsure of your next step.  I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we turn to God and ask Him to reveal His will to us. May His word be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path and may we trust, in His time, He will direct our steps.  And may we follow where He leads, even if it's a detour from where we thought we were heading, trusting He knows best.

With love and hope,
Shawn

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Back to School Tradition

The start of school marks a tradition in our home that Stephen started years ago.

On the first day of school Stephen gives the kids two packages of Starbursts in their lunch box, one is for the first day of school and the other for the last day.

He does this because when he was in the Navy and would go out to sea on the submarine, he would buy two packages of Starbursts and eat one on the way out to sea and the other on the way home. He said it was always a reminder to begin with the end in mind.

Having that second package in their lunch box all year encourages our kids to do the same and teaches them patience, delayed gratification, to resist temptation and that there is always something to look forward to.

Have they always made it until the last day of school? Nope. A couple times the second pack was eaten around February. Yet the majority of the time they surprisingly have done it!

I share this with you today as I love this tradition Stephen started and figured if you too want to teach similar lessons to your kids it’s a fun way to do so!

With love,

Shawn

“The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride…”

- Ecclesiastes 7:8

Love grows

They keep growing and so does the love

Wishing everyone a blessed school year!

With love and hope,

Shawn

Live Close to God

Do you ever wrestle with having a joyful day when at the same time you know there is someone struggling?

While we were away this dichotomy was very present and on my heart. Here I was having a lovely time on vacation with my family, yet there were some tragic world events that were happening, and I was in touch with a couple of friends who are going through very hard times.

How does one live fully in their day when the heart is pulled in two different directions?

The one thing that helps me is praying for God’s truth to lead me. You see, if I let the emotions of either extreme lead me, I would most likely either have fun and forget reality or I’d be so weighed down by reality I wouldn’t be able to have fun with my family.

This is why knowing God’s word and letting His truth lead me is so important and helpful. By spending time with God in His word, I am able to see that joy is a gift God gives us to experience yet He is also real about in this world there will be trouble.

So how do we live well in the midst of these two extremes?

Let’s look at it in this picture. The light represents the joy and the dark the struggles. We often tend to be on one side of the other. Yet God dwells on the line where these two meet. And this is where God wants us to dwell, with Him in both.

I invite you to join me to…

pause. breathe. pray.

If we are experiencing joy, may we stay close enough to God to see the struggles in life and pray about what is ours to say and/or do to help others.

And if we are in a season of struggle, or know someone who is, may we not allow the struggle to rule our heart. Instead may we stay close enough to God so He will show us the joy that is still available to us, even in the times of struggle.

I know this practice is easier said than done. Yet I wouldn’t share it with you if I didn’t experience this truth myself and know it is possible for us to live in this space of grace beside God.

With love and hope,

Shawn

If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

- John 8:31-32