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Category Archives: life

[TELEGRAM] When Temptation Taps You On The Shoulder

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“We nurture the intensities of joy not by seeking new pleasures, but by practicing an old obedience.” -Eugene Peterson

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The Conclusion of the Heartbreak Series: Saying Goodbye

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Photo Credit: 2008 christopherleonard/flickr. Use does not represent endorsement by the photographer.

They say grief is a journey, and I’m ready to agree with that.  It has been a long one for me.  They say every journey has a destination.  That’s true as well. The time has come for this journey to end.  I have to say goodbye to the baby I lost to a miscarriage, and let go of this heartbreak once and for all.

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When Heartbreak Ruins Friendships, and My Letter of Apology

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Photo Credit: Flickr/chicagophotogirl . Usage does not represent endorsement by the photographer.

Over the last few months I’ve written about heartbreak: my initial heartbreak in Heartbreak and Hope, and I’ve also talked about how that heartbreak actually strengthened the relationship between my husband and I in Marriage and Tragedy:  How Heartbreak Brought us Closer Together.  But today I’m here to talk about a side of heartbreak that does not really have a silver lining.  I’m here to tell you how heartbreak has hurt some of my closest friendships. Perhaps you can relate.

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[TELEGRAM] Notes from a Blizzard

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“Courage is fear that has said its prayers.” -Dorothy Bernard

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[TELEGRAM] When A Parent Dies, and You’re Next in Line

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“It is a wise father that knows his own child.” -William Shakespeare

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Holidays with the Narcissists, and What to Do About It

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Photo credit: flickr/brendan-c

As the holiday season arrives each year, some of us find it to be a time that almost triggers the worst in those people around us who are a taxing, burdensome presence rather than an uplifting presence. As the recipients of this draining energy, we find ourselves bewildered and frustrated, often in ways that are difficult to articulate. But maybe this year can be different.

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I’m Searching for Something Healthier Than Wanting It All Now and Watching It Not Happen

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Photo Credit: flickr/hto2008

What are you thankful for?  It is a question that gets asked every single year, without fail, at almost every single family gathering that occurs on November 24th. Were you ready for that cliche question at the Thanksgiving table this year?  Because I was not, and I’m here to remedy that.

I was told by my husband the other day to perhaps see if the store I was going to for some retail therapy sold “cans of sunshine” because I seemed to be out of it.  And, I’m ashamed to say, he was correct. My attitude has been anything but sunny.

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You Are Already Thankful

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Photo credit: flickr/Fabiana Zonca

It’s Thanksgiving time, a prompting to pause and be grateful. Sure, maybe we need all the reminders we can get, and yes, perhaps Americans tend to be too unappreciative in general, but I’ve also noticed how easily we beat ourselves up over such things. Sometimes, I think we are more thankful than we realize. Maybe we just express it in different ways.

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[TELEGRAM] The Devil Found Your Address and Followed You Home

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“It’s hard to dance with a devil on your back so shake him off.” -Florence + the Machine

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When the Occupy Movement Makes You Late for Dinner

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Photo credit: flickr/kosmosxipo

I stood alone on the street corner of Fourth and Cedar in downtown Seattle after a day at work, waiting for my bus to arrive. Like most nights this week, it was blustery and cold outside. But unlike most nights this week, Fourth Avenue was eerily quiet. I paced impatiently, knowing there was a hot dinner waiting for me and bills needing to be paid at home.

Later on the bus, I overheard two others in a conversation. The Occupy Movement had tied up the downtown intersections and traffic heading in my direction was stalled. I would be late to dinner because of this nation-wide gathering. The Occupy Movement directly impacted my life, and that has troubled me in unexpected ways.

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