your story

I recently finished a book by Frank Delaney entitled The Last Story Teller. I've never been too captivated by "storytellers" but found the background and the story itself very interesting. What captured my attention most was this paragraph.
"Every legend and all mythologies exist to teach us how to run our days. In kind fashion. A loving way. But there's no story, no matter how ancient, as important as one's own. So if we are to live good lives, we have to tell our own story. In a good way."

 I think of my book "Broken by Addiction, Blessed by God-a woman's path to sustained recovery" as my own story woven into an approach to long term recovery-a way to run my day. I think it is useful and healing to "tell our story" ---even if I only tell it to myself. How did I arrive in this place? Who was involved and important? How were they involved and important? What choices did I make that impacted where I am today? Is there something I want to 're-decide?'

Can you tell your story in a kind way...in a loving way?

Blessings-Penny

skipping

Walking in downtown St. Louis the other day I watched a mother and daughter cross the street. The daughter was about 8 years old and holding her mother's hand. About halfway across the street the child looked up at her mother and broke into a skip. She smiled and looked so filled with delight. I wondered what the mother had said or what thought had entered the child's head.

When did you last feel like breaking into a skip? When did you last say something that might have filled someone with delight- so they felt like breaking into a skip? To feel like skipping we have to feel "light"-unburdened. Can you lift someone's burden today? Can you give up some of your own burden?

 God shares our burden-He promises. Take time to remember that today. Give it to Him. He would love to see you skip.

Blessings-Penny

Decisions

Within the last month both of my sons have declined major opportunities in their careers. Their decisions to decline those opportunities are based on what is best for their children. In declining those opportunities they have essentially ended their military careers and will retire. One will retire this month, the other sometime later. I am so impressed. For each of them the opportunities offered were things they would have enjoyed d and would have been capstones to their careers.

One son said it was really no decision. It would have meant transferring to another state and leaving his family where they are-no decision. The other son wrestled more-his decision would have meant a family move and with a daughter in high school and a wife with deep family roots where they are- he decided "no."

How do you make decisions? Who do you consider in the process? How do you talk with them? do you pray for God's guidance?

During the time my sons had to make their decisions, I told them I prayed they could feel God's presence with them, that they would be guided by His grace, that they would feel His peace whatever they decided.

I am so very proud of them-no matter their decisions.

Blessings-Penny