Walk On

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The longer I live, the more convinced I am that at least 75% of our success will be attributed to the fact that we kept moving.

Not that we just kept busy, necessarily.

But more that we kept moving through experiences, instead of getting stuck in them.

Do you recognize the places you might be tempted to stop?


Photo by James Douglas on Unsplash

When you feel disappointed? Frightened? Worried?

Isn’t it ironic that in the most undesirable “places” we are most tempted to slow down, turn inward and stop walking?

{In the places we least desire to be you’d think we’d move as fast as possible to get free!}

I hope that as you are processing the experiences of your life, you will never stop moving. Never stop trying. Never give up.

We’re here to experience, so that we can learn.

Move through all of the learning, the light, the dark, the pain, the joy!

Learn, and walk on.

Always, there “is hope smiling brightly before us” waiting for us to see her.

Always, there is peace available, waiting to be chosen.

Love to you today,

“I keep moving, especially through challenging experiences.”

“I practice declarations every day.”

“I am making progress.”

“I love my life – I am grateful to be alive!”

“The mission of Lioness at the Door is to uplift, strengthen and encourage women of all ages to magnify health, hope and happiness at home. We do so boldly, with humility and gratitude for the opportunity.”

Gathering Light

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Photo by frank mckenna on Unsplash

Keep trying.

Keep moving.

Keep asking.

Keep deciding.

Keep rowing.

Keep loving.

Keep growing.

Keep shedding.

Keep learning.

Keep evolving.

Keep praying.

Keep soaring.

Hope is smiling brightly before you.

Close your eyes and see her there!

With love,

“The mission of Lioness at the Door is to uplift, strengthen and encourage women of all ages to magnify health, hope and happiness at home. We do so boldly, with humility and gratitude for the opportunity.”

Nurturing Civility

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Civility: politeness, courtesy, respect, mannerliness, graciousness, consideration, gentility.

Think of what can be lost when a family doesn’t practice civility at home –opportunities to connect; to work as a team; to support one another; to learn patience and self-control.

As our culture declines in it’s expectation of and commitment to civility, it becomes even more crucial that as family leaders, we expect and commit to teaching our children civility.


Photo by Alvin Mahmudov on Unsplash

And we do that best with our example.

When and where do we have opportunity to shine in this regard?

All the time. And everywhere.

When we are driving.

When we are having a conversation.

When we are learning or teaching something new.

When we are shopping.

When we are cooking.

When we are cleaning.

When we make mistakes.

Parents who behave in civil ways will be teaching their children without words. {The. Best. Teaching. Ever.} Children who practice being civil to their family members and friends will become anchors of strength in society.

What ways are you teaching this important principle at your house?

Could it be part of our validating mantra of kind, gentle, respectful and FIRM? I think so!

I hope you are well! Keep moving forward, I know you’re making progress!

Love,

“The mission of Lioness at the Door is to uplift, strengthen and encourage women of all ages to magnify health, hope and happiness at home. We do so boldly, with humility and gratitude for the opportunity.”

“Finish It Flaversham!”

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Ha! This is one of our family’s most frequent movie quotes. Do you recognize it?

It was hissed at the clock maker, Hiram Flaversham, by the evil Professor Ratigan. Do you remember that part of The Great Mouse Detective?


Photo by Arno Smit on Unsplash

Many years ago, I had a conversation with my husband about feeling like I couldn’t keep up with all the work there was to do at home. I listed the myriad of maintenance items that needed to be done daily and weekly and I asked for his input. He quietly suggested that maybe I could focus on finishing the tasks I start.

As I looked back, I could see that I was running from job to job, with a dozen interruptions or chores in between; making a meal or helping a child or changing a diaper or whatever need was highest on the list at that given hour, and consequently, I seldom really finished anything!

This is the time that I did my best to shift my focus from just diving in and getting whatever I could done and leaving the rest for the next day, to starting only what I felt I could start and finish in the time I had.

So instead of ending the day with three loads of laundry in a pile needing to be folded the next day, (and we all know that laundry that is unfolded is at risk of never being put away and may even end up on someone’s bedroom floor and may end up getting washed and dried again, just because it has merged with the other clothes in the room!), I might end up with only two loads of laundry done, but they were washed, dried, folded and put away.

This inspired idea has helped me so much!

Instead of seeing unfinished everywhere I looked, I could see peace beginning to emerge because I wasn’t trying to swallow every chore in the house in one bite!

Not long thereafter, I started time-blocking and we started dividing up the household chores with the kids, and that meant bite-sized pieces of work for everyone. Hurrah!

Today, when I do a load of laundry, I take it from the dryer, pour it onto our bed, fold it and put it away immediately. No waiting in the basket. No sitting around in piles. No unfolded laundry lurking anywhere!

Finish it Flaversham! It’s a recipe for peace when we start what we can finish and finish what we start.

I hope you are taking good care of yourself!

Love,

“The mission of Lioness at the Door is to uplift, strengthen and encourage women of all ages to magnify health, hope and happiness at home. We do so boldly, with humility and gratitude for the opportunity.”

I just had to add this picture, ha!…this guy came up when I was searching for a picture of “folded laundry.”


Photo by Sander Wehkamp on Unsplash

Consider This

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I was reminded this week of something I believe about you.

You may not agree, or you may feel that the evidence of your life as it is today may suggest otherwise, but here it is:

I believe you were prepared for the joys and challenges you are experiencing right now.


Photo by Nathan Fertig on Unsplash

Not only prepared by the things you have previously experienced and learned during your life, or even prepared in a way by the gifts and talents you were given.

But even bigger than either of those wonderful, preparatory and helpful things, I believe you were prepared before you came here.

What do you think?

Could you have been prepared for the children you have? For the joy? For the choices you have made, including the challenges you may have in your marriage or work or health or extended family?

I’m not suggesting that by preparation, I think that we are bound to be wildly successful at everything we touch. But, what if our challenges were known before we came here and what if we will be blessed to learn what we need to learn by them and that, through our desire and work, we will ultimately fulfill our life’s mission?

I’m sending you my love and confidence that with God’s help you will continue to move forward and you will continue to learn and be strong.

Be joyful!

“The mission of Lioness at the Door is to uplift, strengthen and encourage women of all ages to magnify health, hope and happiness at home. We do so boldly, with humility and gratitude for the opportunity.”