Living With Intention

Today I watched as my youngest child gave her last piece of candy to her brother because he dropped his on the ground. She did it carefully as if she pondered what it meant. Then I watched as her demeanor changed from happy-go-lucky to proud. I noticed her sacrifice. As mothers, fathers, employees, service men and women, first-responders, last responders, we all sacrifice. Some sacrifices are greater than others. But, something amazing happens when we choose to sacrifice

"Hey Mom, if you turn the "W" in the word We upside down, you get the word Me", exclaimed my youngest child. I love learning things from my kids. As I pondered this innocent statement, it resonated with me. I had been a part of we for so long, I had lost my me. I knew my me was in my we somewhere, but I was having trouble locating her. I have been a wife for over 22 years. I have been a mom for almost 15 years. I love every minute of being a part of the we in my life.

Living with intention takes focus and preparation. It doesn't really happen naturally for most of us. We are too busy and distracted which usually leads to days where we are "winging it" and hoping for the best. We certainly have good intentions. We have to-do lists, planners, and apps for getting organized. But the "fires" in our days seem to overtake our good intentions at times. One of the best ways to improve our day is to make a shatter-proof morning routine. I hav

I have been to a few movies that have made a huge impact on me. They added value to my life. Then, I have seen some movies that were a waste of time. Others still were so weak that they stole IQ points from me during the time that I watched them. Movies remind me of our interactions with others. Sometimes we add value to others through our conversations, words we use, and our input. Sometimes our interactions are less than valuable. I often ask myself if I am adding val

My children and I drive for a Meals on Wheels program each week. Every Friday we head out to home-bound seniors and deliver their meals for the day and the weekend. Most of our seniors don't have the opportunity to get out of their homes much and for some, we might be the only visitors they have. I love seeing their eyes light up when we approach. They are often waiting for us at the door with a sweet smile. It is truly an honor for us to be able to deliver meals to our

All Spring, I have watched our beautiful Robins build their nests for upcoming chicks. All day, one twig at a time, they build that nest. The male watches out for predators and danger while the female gathers the sticks and twigs and builds and builds. They never cease. They are quite intentional. They know the purpose for the day and set out to achieve it. I often think about animals when pondering the meaning of being intentional. Purposeful. Skillful. Meaningful.