Category: Travel
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Packing for a trip
When thinking about what I’ll need on a trip, I live in anticipation and it doubles the joy of traveling, I always liked packing. As far as I can remember, I packed my own bags. I know some people need a list, so they don’t have to think about the necessary stuff. And I now…
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Naming that small fox
This weekend I got to read and be encouraged by a blog post and it made me reflect further on my own life. A wise woman builds her house, does not destroy it with her own hands. A seed of doubt was planted many seasons ago in my heart. In darkness and humidity, it sprouted…
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Goodbyes
A month and a half of family time. Sweet and real, challenging and emotional, hard and deeply beautiful. We are saying our last goodbyes. The girls have never wavered in their joy and delight of being here. Not even once. It gave me permission to feel all my emotions, and at times I wished I…
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Reflection on Brian’s Thursday question
Have you ever experienced a sudden insight or experience of God’s transformative grace when you were in a dark place?If so, what aspects of God’s character did you experience? Traveling far away to honor our parentsTo spend quality time of joy and celebrationAnd not come together when it feels too late for fun or connection…
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Practiced skills
I can bring myself to solve complicated math problems, from whatever state of mind. Even if I just woke up, or I am hungry or concerned or sleepy. I have had the practice of focusing my attention and doing what needs to be done. But I can’t write on demand. I studied science not creative…
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Conversation
Nobody ever accused a good listener of being a boring. When I worked at Apple, my job was not to show off how awesome I was, but to make our customers feel heard, seen, have their problems resolved, make them feel welcome and to want to come back again and again. Approach with a personalized…
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Traveling to Austin
The flights I booked had short layovers. We buy what’s available. And it seemed reasonable. With all the delays issues this year, I prayed we can make it smoothly to Texas. And we made all our connections. But our luggage didn’t. Here we are, having washed out traveling clothes to have underwear to wear on…
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The cost of raising kids
On a warm summer day, we were sitting on the sidewalk with the other moms, talking about having kids. And how many kids is manageable financially. Many parents I know took their kids to private kindergartens and private schools, which cost more money than we spend on a monthly basis. When we paid off our…
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Balance without apology
I don’t take initiative out of a great sense of ability, I do it because of my realization of how inadequate I feel. In the same breath I am convinced that if I feel so inadequate, then others must feel the same. So I take a step forward. While doing this unaware, and using a…
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Two weeks away
My parents stepped up to the plate. When we left the kids with them for three days they coasted together, without firm boundaries, letting us catch up from where we left, with the routines of rest, food, washing. This time they had to rise to the challenge and not wait for us, but actually make…
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Recognition
In my formative years I did not witness healthy balanced and consistent words of appreciation. I learned to make do without. I even insulate my heart from desiring such encouragement. But I do enjoy it in small doses when it’s not premeditated. After the hike, when two people were particularly recognized and appreciated for their…
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Back to reality
Though the comfort is luxurious, and the conversations thrilling, the company enjoyable, I miss the simplicity of my life, of my home, of my home cooked meals. Brian went from steady determination to do a difficult hike, many days in a row, to a wild let loose have fun, be silly, tired but exuberant. Ken…