Category Archives: Encouragement

15 more — I’m doing my part

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So our goal was 100 posts and 100 followers by December 31st.  Many of you have done your part, there are 64 followers. I’m doing my part, this is post number 85.  There are 15 more coming.  I promise.  A few have been drafted others are still rolling around in this red-headed head.  You know, natural-born red-heads are dwindling in number…but I digress.  Here’s how you can help:

First, be sure you are following.  Just click the “Follow” button to the right right arrowof this post.  Second, you could share this or any of my posts on your Facebook page inviting your friends to follow as well.  Thirdly, you could copy and paste www.kkscandor.com in an email message telling friends and family that you are offering them a subscription to my blog for the holidays.  Yes, I know it’s free, but the value and thought are what gift giving is all about, isn’t it?

Finally, enjoy the impact you could have on helping me accomplish my goal and in return you are giving friends and family a gateway to encouragement.

Thank you.

All the best,

KK

Be still Like Eli

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sssshhhI’ve mentioned the many lessons our dog, Eli, has taught us in the three years he has been a part of our family.  He’s older and more mature now.  So are the lessons.  Several times a week before I start my work day I go in the living room and I sit for a few minutes of prayer.  The opportunist, Eli, comes with me and sits at my feet knowing a scratch behind the ears will be offered.

As I have my conversation with the Father and invite him to lead me through the day, Eli gets comfortable.  His head is up.  He is still and just looking around.  He is listening.  I’m sure he’s hearing things I don’t.

Watching Eli made me think; how often we do we just sit and listen? Imagine, being still and simply existing for a few minutes.  Breathe.  What would come to mind?  Would someone come to mind with whom you haven’t heard from in a long time?  What dream would you remember?  Would you make a decision you’ve been putting off?  Would you notice something about the room you are sitting in?  It’s a room you’ve been in a hundred times before.  Maybe, just maybe you will hear that still small voice answering your prayer, giving you guidance, leaving you with peace.

SSSSSHHHH,

kk

6 Things I’m grateful for – One at a Time – Number 3

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Today I find myself thankful for the storms of life I have journeyed through.  Yes, I said storms.  It’s those rainy, cloudy and gloomy times that allow for great potential of patience, fortitude and faith to blossom.  The hardest part of these storms is that there is no RADAR in which we can know how long they will last.  We can be driven into a dark tunnel.

Every minute we are in the tunnel we have tunnelchoices: to move forward and find the other end or to just sit down, never finding the joy and peace that lurk on the other side.  Sometimes groping our way through the dark is uncomfortable and awkward.  While we feel our way through, the rough edges leave us with a new roughness on the outside, but also leaves us different as we emerge.  In the storm and the dark tunnel we find we are tougher than we thought, on the other side we learn how wonderful being changed can be.

Emerging on the brighter other side, we either move forward dragging the puddles of the storm with us, or we move forward standing tall having survived, but not without a few painless scars that only show when we choose for them too.

Today I am thankful for several storms I have overcome.  They are long behind me, but today I was able to reach into the tunnel to shine a light for a friend in need of knowing the storm is only on one end of the tunnel.  Today, I am grateful for being comfortable enough with the journey I have made, to be very real with my friend.  I will gladly shine the light on her path until she emerges.

All the best,

KK

6 Things I’m grateful for – One at a Time – Number 5

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Today I am grateful for those long hot days at the ball field watching my favorite 13 year old player.   Some think our summer ball schedule is insane, two or three nights a week on the field and tournaments on the weekend.  The sunshine, fresh air would only be replaced with chores, errands and house work if he didn’t play.  By the time we get home our skin is laced with sweat and remnants of dirt that blows off the field from sitting behind home plate.  We get cleaned up and my son comes proudly into the living room boasting about the ring he left on the tub.  The evening is filled with talking about game highlights.  Even when it rains and we get soaking wet, it’s a good day.

All the best,

KK

6 Things I’m grateful for – One at a Time – Number 6

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Anyone can do a top ten list, but a top 6 list, that’s original – and it’s not because I couldn’t come up with 10 things.  For the next six days, there will be a post a day with something I’m grateful for.   They are not in any priority; all are equal.pencils and paper

Today I am grateful for those days when I give it all and at the end of it I am completely spent.  The activities for the day can be full of work, writing or volunteer projects. Those days have been plentiful recently and for that I’m grateful.  There is something wonderfully fulfilling about working hard, giving my all with excellence.   I can do a string of these days for a while, but when I start looking forward to time off that I know I’ve maxed out.

Slowing down recharges me for the next wave.

All the best,

KK

I Caved…

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So you know I feel strongly about giving Thanksgiving its due honor.  I do.  Our lives can get so cluttered that we don’t slow down often enough to give thanks.  In protecting this 24-hour vigil of gratefulness, typically I don’t listen to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving.  Let’s face it, Christmas music the day after Halloween is a plot by retailers to get us shopping early and often (just ask Lucy from the Peanuts).

Well, this year I caved.  The second week of November I was flipping radio stations and there was one of my favorites was playing, “What Child is This?” – such a wonderful melodic song describing the gentleness of our Savior.  I was drawn in and then I was hooked.   So many of the Christmas songs are as praiseful as many of the worship songs we sing in Church.

Sunday in church we had a guest worship leader, Michael O’Brien, an outstanding pianist and man of God.  The pre-Thanksgiving michael oChristmas music listening slope steepened when I found out that his Christ-mas CD was available.  UUUGGGHHH.  Let’s face it, I didn’t have a chance, there was no going back.  The CD is great, and full of Christ-centered music that celebrates His arrival.  Check out all of Michael’s music at www.michaelo.org (free shipping).

True confessions, my iphone, ipod and ipad are now fully loaded with Christmas music.  You will find me in traffic (when alone in my car) singing at the top of my lungs as if I’m right there with the likes of Margaret Cloud while she sings one of my other favorites, “Oh Holy Night” or with Whitney Houston singing “Little Drummer Boy.”  Ok, full confession is that when I’m alone cleaning (or cooking) it’s the whole singing and dancing thing.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, be grateful for the joy that music brings and the transformational message of Christmas.

All the best,

KK

P.S. — The Christmas movies stay in the box until the 29th!  I think.  I’m going to try…

Reading Your Way Across America

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books across america

Since June I have been in a reading slump.  My favorite authors haven’t published anything recently and the books I’ve started I can’t seem to get into.  This feels something similar to worse case of writer’s block a person could have.  I tried reading through first novels but got hung up on a really bad first novel from a Kentucky author.  There is restlessness in my soul that is a longing to be taken away to another time and place by a novelist’s ability to make today disappear and paint pictures of places I’ve never been.   I want to become friends with the hero and get frustrated with the villain.  You know the feeling when you finish a good book and the next day you are wondering what the characters are up to only to realize they are gone.

I found this list that intrigued me.  This is a list of books that are set in each state.  Many of these books I have already read; others I think I may try just to scratch this itch.  It’s important for writers to read.  Really, it’s important for everyone to read.

Who is your favorite author?  Any suggestions?

Missing a good read,

 

KK

Thought Provoking…

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“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”

― Benjamin Franklin

 

There are those individuals who in their 20’s after graduating college are true go-getters.  They work hard, get involved and are all about their upwardly mobile status.  But somewhere along the way they slow down and begin to cruise; maybe they gain a little market knowledge and begin to think they know a little something.  They get into their routines of life, work, family, children — all very important.  But in doing so, they don’t get involved, they just fill their time being busy — or rather they let their time GET filled with stuff.  But are they continuing to learn and expand their mind and life-experiences.  Are they watching life go by on their television screens or are they engaging in interesting and meaningful activities? Are you an active participant in life?  This quote from Benjamin Franklin made me wonder…

There is a line from the movie Shawshank Redemption, “You either get busy living or get busy dying.”

So, what are you doing today?  Are you expanding your experiences and knowledge of life, love and all there is in this great big world?  What are you doing?

Happy Friday,

KK

A Child Being Mistreated

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sad childOk, what would you do? I was sitting in a fast food drive-thru, had paid for my food and was waiting. Just as they passed in front of me the “mother” grabbed the little girl by the back of her head and yanked her hair clearly mad at her for something. The little girl screamed and began to cry. I almost came out of my car to grab the mother’s hair to see how she liked it. The scene hurt me to the core. The mother let go and went into the restaurant with the “grandmother” and the son. I still wanted to go after the mother, but decided all that would do would cause a fight with the woman not resolving her heart issue.

I said a prayer of protection over the children and for God to deal with the mother. I watched as the father comforted the child and she settled down. As they walked in I noticed on the girl’s t-shirt the saying, “God is on our side.” May she always know that saying as true.

What would you have done?

KK

Patience or Permission

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hand of god

Don’t mistake God’s patience for permission.

I don’t know who said this, but it made me think.  Where does it take you?

All the best,

KK