Find the Common Thread

Recently I was behind a car that was decorated with a lot of bumper stickers. This person is definitely passionate about his point of view on certain topics. I was looking at each bumper sticker and then saw one that was of submarine dolphins, which made me think of Stephen who was in the Navy on a submarine while we dated. Seeing this intrigued me. I did not agree with everything on the back of this person’s car, yet this sticker was a common thread I had with this person.

I share this with you today because it reminded me of the importance of making connections with others.

We won’t agree with everyone about everything, yet that doesn’t mean we can’t connect with one another in some way.

I invite you to join me to…

pause. breathe. pray.™

It’s okay that we have differences but let’s not allow that to define our relationships with others. Instead let’s seek the common thread that can bridge us together so that we live more connected than divided.

With love and hope,
Shawn

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.
- Mark 12:30-31

The Joy in Giving

My kids say there are two sides of me, I am 8 or 88. I’m either having a dance party and ready to play games or I’m all serious talking about things like the purpose of life. I think it’s a healthy balance yet I haven’t let you in much to the playful side of me, for no reason other than I’m in the habit of sharing what I write - which is more the 88 year old me😊

So I thought I’d share some fun and how I’ve been spending my mornings last week and this week…

I’ve been starting my mornings “flocking” seniors as they head towards graduation and I am having so much fun doing this! I get to drop off the flamingos, I say a little prayer in my head over the senior and their family wishing them all well, and I move on to the next person. I’ve been getting up earlier yet am full of energy each day. Spending the start of my day living out love by dropping off the flamingos just knowing they will make some of the seniors smile, makes my heart smile.

I love to have fun and live out love, yet often day to day life and circumstances can put a cloud over having fun. Personally I can get focused on the mundane things or challenges I forget to look up and out to live out love towards others.

The past couple of weeks have been a reminder to me that joy is accessible daily, and we will experience it more when we live aligned with our greater purpose, loving God and loving others- even in the form of flamingos.

I share this with you today in case would like to experience a little more joy within. I invite you to join me to…

pause. breathe. pray.™

Let’s choose to start our day spending time with God and living out love towards someone. For example, we can leave a note for a family member to read when they wake up, drop off a card to a friend, visit an elderly neighbor, bring in pastries for our co-workers, etc. Let’s look for ways to make someone else’s heart smile, for when we do, we often find our own heart smiling as well, having received nothing ourselves except the joy from giving - like I have while flocking the seniors🦩

With love and hope,
Shawn

“Rejoice always,  pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances;

for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

There is a Last Time for Everything

Last week I went on a field trip with Matt’s class. As I drove there, it dawned on me that this is likely the last field trip I get to volunteer for as next year he will be in Middle School.

Three kids and all the fun times as a room mom, chaperone for fields trips, etc. It is crazy how quickly it all passes.

I was grateful for the awareness as I drove there. It was a cold and rainy day and I could have complained about that but instead I shifted my thoughts to gratitude for being present and aware of this moment with Matt and his friends.

With Kate leaving in a few months for college, and Gavin heading out next year, I am growing in awareness of these “last” moments, opportunities and traditions I have beside my kids. Through the years you just get use to what you do with your kids, you don’t think ahead that there will be a change of seasons where some of what was comes to an end.

As I notice these moments, I am prayerful to remain grateful for experiencing them, and remember just because one season is ending, doesn’t mean what to come isn’t more beautiful, it will just be different.

I know those words sound good to say, and many days I believe them and feel at peace. Yet I do have moments of sadness for what was as it’s been a sweet time raising these three kids and getting to be there for simple yet treasured moments beside them, like on a field trip.

I share this with you today as time, and time beside our loved one is the most precious gift. I invite you to join me to…

pause. breathe. pray.™

May we keep our eyes and ears on God each day to help us remain in the moment, and absorb the goodness of our people and the time with them. And when we are reminded of these “lasts,” may we give thanks for what was, what is and for what is to come. Then, may we we no longer look back, or ahead, but instead pray to be in the present moment beside them, where peace, joy and gratitude will meet us and guide us each step forward.

For more encouragement, be sure to listen to this week's NEW Pause. Breathe. Pray.™ podcast episode HERE.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy;

at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
- Psalm 16:11

The Power Of Prayer

Last night I was driving home with Matt and I said a prayer out loud for something we passed on the road. He said, “I never thought to pray for something like that.”

I said, “well it never hurts to pray.” Then I went on to share with him what someone shared with me once, how even though we may never see the results of our prayers we can at least put them out there. It’s like the flap of a butterflies wings that change the quality of the air near and far, our prayers do the same thing.

I know prayer isn’t a go to these days like it used to be yet I have experienced the power of prayer and want the same for you, whether the prayers are for yourself, or for someone else.

I share this with you today as a reminder of the power of prayer. Prayer doesn’t mean we always get what we want. And like a child and parent relationship, not every parent gives their child their desires because they see the bigger picture. In life, we are the children and God is our parent and prayer is our conversation with God.

So today, whatever is on your heart, I invite you to join me to…

pause. breathe. pray.™

May we be willing to share our desires, wishes, worries, fears and doubts with God. Like the flap of the butterflies wings, may we trust in the unseen, and that our prayers can change things. God hears our hearts. May we rest in knowing that God loves us, listens to us, is for us, and will do what is best.

And whether we see the impact of our prayers or not, may that never stop us from asking, or believing in their power.

With love and hope,
Shawn
For more encouragement, be sure to listen to this week's PBP podcast episode "Please, stop telling yourself lies! Three steps to renew your mind."


With love and hope,
Shawn

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God..”
- Philippians 4:6

How there is Wisdom and Strength In Silence Sometimes

Yesterday our family went for a walk in a park. While we were there we witnessed a heart-breaking yet powerful moment from afar.

As we were walking we heard one man screaming, he was so loud that we heard him across the park. His voice was filled with anger and rage. When we stopped walking to see what was going on. This man was was standing about 10 or so yards away from another man who was innocently walking two dogs. The enraged man was screaming profanity at this other man for no reason at all, and what he was screaming was awful. The man with the dogs kept his composure, and distance, saying nothing back. The out of control man eventually walked on, continuing to rant, rave and scream upsetting things. 

Two people, who were close to the scene, approached the man with the dogs. It was lovely to see what appeared to be strangers checking in on him. Then they held up their phones to him - my gut was that they had recorded what happened and shared it with him.  A little while later we saw the man with the dogs was with the police. He was holding his phone up to them. The police car soon headed in the direction of the enraged man who was still wandering through the park. 

Witnessing this heart-breaking yet powerful moment made me think of real wisdom and strength. The man full of anger was saying all sorts of things in a loud voice that would appear to make the words strong yet what he displayed was lack of wisdom and weakness, tearing down another human with his words.

Wisdom here was the man with the dogs who chose to say nothing. And strength was in his ability to not react to the awful words being spewed at him. Rather than addressing the man himself, he responded wisely letting the law enforcement approach the man.

I share this with you today as reminder that our words and actions - and silence and inaction - are powerful, and we need to chose to use them wisely. Inspired by the man of integrity yesterday, I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.™ 

May we all learn from his healthy response that we don't need to react to noise, hate, and lies. Instead in our silence, may we gain insight and strength from the Lord to know what we are to say and do, or what we need not say and do so that we don't feed the fire, but instead help diffuse it in one another, like this man did yesterday.

For more encouragement, be sure to listen to this week's PBP podcast episode "Please, stop telling yourself lies! Three steps to renew your mind."


With love and hope,
Shawn

“The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouths of fools pour out folly.”
- Proversb 15:2

Look at What Is In Front of You

Sometimes the best view is the one right in front of you😎

With love and hope,

Shawn

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Take a moment in your day...

Take a few moments in your day to…

pause. breathe. pray.™

And state a few things you have to be thankful for💕🙏💕

With love and hope,
Shawn

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”
- 1 Thessalonians 5:18

How to Stop Resisting Change

As I sat in my prayer chair this morning, I was watching it hail/snow - which my kids are thankful for as their schools have delayed openings.

Weather in New England is a roller coaster ride - just when we have a beautiful 50+ degree day, you get snow a few days later. I am not one to check the weather and just go with the flow of what comes each day.

It’s funny though because I’m like this with the weather and other things yet change is something I resist in some areas of my life.

When I see the budding trees, the weather, our kids growing, change is beautiful, and inevitable. I’ve been asking myself, “how is resisting change at all productive?”

And the answer I keep coming to is, “it’s not.”

As my eyes are opening to my resistance to change, I am seeing I need to let go of what was and trust God with what is to come.

“Better is one handful with tranquility than two hands grasping the wind.”
- Ecclesiastes 4:6

This verse reminds me to keep my palms open to change rather than grip to what was. With this choice, we will have greater peace within.

I share this with you today and in case you’re like me and resist change in certain areas of your life. I invite you to join me to…

pause. breathe. pray.™

Instead of resisting change, may we be prayerful and open our hands to let go of what was. May we trust God is doing something new and has our best interest at heart. The peace and joy within we seek will come not from resisting change, but by opening ourselves to it and resting in the truth that God is beside us each step of the way.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“Better is one handful with tranquility than two hands grasping the wind.”
- Ecclesiastes 4:6

Real Growth Takes Time

On a walk tonight I paused to look at the buds growing. Seeing them was a reminder that growth doesn’t happen overnight, but happens slowly overtime.

I share this as a reminder to myself, and anyone else who needs to hear this, that growth takes time.

I invite you to join me to…

pause. breathe. pray.™

May we learn from these buds that real growth is slow and takes time and patience. May we be patient with ourselves and others, remembering we all have the capacity to grow in some way, every day, if we allow it.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“Love is patient,” 1 Corinthians 13:4

Happy Easter!

He allowed himself to be taken away,
beaten,
tortured,
ridiculed.
And not once did he use his position of authority for his personal gain.

He was chosen by the crowds to be hung.
He did not fight the verdict,
defend himself,
or try to escape.
He humbly and courageously walked towards His fate.

He carried His cross while bruised and bloody.
It was heavy.
He fell.
He got back up,
and continued on.

As He hung on the cross dying His pain was great,
Yet His love for others, including you and me, was greater.

When He took His last breath he chose to breathe life out of himself and into us,
by taking away our sins so that we could have a relationship with God.

Today we remember the day Jesus died.
All was lost
-or so it was believed.

And then Sunday came-
He rose,
bringing hope…
even to death.

His life showed us how to live out love.

His death showed us the depth of His love for us.

And His resurrection showed us when all seems lost, there is always hope, with God.

I invite you to join me to…

pause. breathe. pray.™

If you haven’t considered following Jesus yet, consider leaning in and learning more for yourself, like I did.

Following Jesus has transformed my life over and over again, because by looking at Him I see love, life and hope - even when all may seem dark and heavy - and I know following Him will do the same for you too.

Wishing you a blessed Easter, friend💕🙏✝️

With love and hope,
Shawn

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life.’” - John 14:6