Paint in My Wedding Rings

It's happening. After 1 day on the market, our house sold. We are moving. Moving from the first house we lived in as newlyweds and the home Emily has grown up in. It's bittersweet. Sometimes I get a little teary thinking about leaving. It's been almost 10 years since Randy purchased our house and there are so many memories, too many to name but all hold a special place in my heart.

After a weekend of painting and sprucing up, I looked down at my hands while at work and noticed I had paint stuck to my wedding rings. I chuckled as I thought about how hard we have worked to get to this point-both to have our house on the market and as our life as a couple. How lucky I am go to through life with a partner who is as dedicated to me as I am to him and is committed to making a good life for our family.

We've cried, laughed and fought our way to where we are now. It's been quite a journey and who knows were God will take us next (especially considering that as I type this, we have yet to find a home to buy). Wherever it is, I know we will be alright and brighter days are still ahead.

Farewell, good house.

The Grasp of Your Hand

Last month, the 18 month journey of my Leadership for State Based Advocates came to an end. I cannot begin to articulate how challenging, reaffirming, rewarding, inspiring, difficult, and life changing the experience was. That's probably for another post. 

In our last session, we were given several beautiful gifts by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, most of them leadership books. One of those books is entitled Leading from Within: Poetry that Sustains the Courage to Lead. I was straightening up my office earlier today and opened the book to a page that contained the words below. They are inspiring and timely for me and may be for you as well.

The Grasp of Your Hand

Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers,

but to be fearless in facing them.

Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain,

but for the heart to conquer it.
Let me not crave in anxious fear to be saved,
but hope for the patience to win my freedom.
Grant me that I may not be a coward, feeling Your mercy in my success alone; 
but let me find the grasp of Your hand in my failure.

-Rabindranath Tagore 

*M

Hello, 2016

A new year and a new look for the blog!

Wishing you love and peace and happiness in 2016.

*M