My Soulmate

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Someone older and wiser than I once told me that in order to really get to know someone you should date them in all four seasons before getting married. While one year of dating doesn’t sample all possible joys and challenges life will offer, it does give you an glimpse.

My husband and I dated 50 weeks before we were married. Not quite a year. But we had been friends before that and had even traveled in groups together. Looking back, I remember things about him that attracted me to him even before I realized how much I cared for him.

He is a strong faith-driven man. He loves me and would lay down his life for us. It’s scary how much we think alike when it comes to family life, problem solving and some of the curve balls life throws.

When we married, he immediately became a step parent. For nine years he has handled this role with wisdom and love. Never rushing the relationship, he has become a mentor and dad to my son. He has sacrificed date nights, trips and things he wanted to do when parent-duty called. All because he agreed with me in the beginning that raising a confident child who would always know parents who love and support him is a priority.

Today is our ninth anniversary. I love our life together. Doing life on the busy days and the super-slow-stay in beds days, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. We haven’t quite gotten to the point of finishing each other’s sentences, but it will come. Becoming soulmates has taken time, love and trust.

The next decade will bring a new level to our relationship. At some point we will be empty nesting and planning for another season. I have no doubt that we will do so holding hands, praying for each other and laughing about our secret jokes.

This week’s post honors my husband, Jay. Happy anniversary, honey. I love you.

K.

Everyone has a 4th of July, Americans have Independence Day

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Every country in the world has a 4th of July, but in America, we celebrate it as Independence Day. The day our founding fathers drew a line in the sand and said, no more! We will make our future as our own nation, our own country providing freedoms no country has offered their people in the history of the world. Men went to war so we could have that freedom. Centuries later and many wars later, we still want to protect those freedoms provided for us some 240 years ago. It’s getting harder. Wars are just as ugly. The definitions of freedom are getting skewed.

This weekend like many churches, ours held a special music program. It was all the songs that celebrate our free country. I stood in a sanctuary with 6,000 others singing about being a proud American. I am proud. We are a blessed nation. And I’m thankful for the millions of soldiers who chose to fight and continue today to defend our boarders and freedoms.

I heard the story of one veteran who was watching someone burn an American flag in protest. He said that everything in him wanted to stop the flag burning, but he was reminded that whether or not he agreed with burning a flag, he fought for that other person to have that freedom. The veteran didn’t understand why the protester did it, but he agreed in the freedom.

Being a proud American isn’t a political decision. It is a decision of citizenship. To live within our boarders, by our laws and participate in a community of people. You raise a family here, work and contribute to the greater good. Within this framework there are hundreds of choices we get to make — preferences on the kind of work, relationships and life we want as individuals.

So while you are grilling out, or playing yard games, look over at your neighbor doing the same thing. They may likely not share your faith, your lifestyle, or your skin tone. Give him a smile and a wave or a little head nod. In that moment you are both just Americans, celebrating freedom.

Happy Independence Day.

KK

GED Grad Day

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 Today we celebrate with GED Grads everywhere. Too many times we take for granted our education and the support we had from family to complete high school, college, or trade school. Get a skill and make your self marketable to employers. Easier said than done for some who live in our communities. It is very possible that you live or work within steps of someone who struggled in school or didn’t have the support of parents to complete even the most basic education. Those individuals either give up and settle for a minimum wage job (that doesn’t come close to supporting someone) or by their own fortitude they set their goal and found the resources to finish their high school education.

Today we say hats off to you. Congratulations on sticking with it and completing your GED.

What’s next? Set your next goal and go for it! You may not know us, but there are thousands of us cheering you on.

Please share this post with #GEDGradDay and encourage someone today.

All the best,

KK

In the silence

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The silence must have been deafening. After the yelling and the beating; the women crying. Jesus yielded his life. He died. Day turned into night. All was silent.

 

 

 

Heading: The King on the Cross

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This week, many of us are preparing our hearts for Easter celebration. Prior to the ressurection festivities we can’t ignore the events leading up to it. Jesus was crucified. It was the end of his human existence. While we usually focus on the fulfillment of prophecies, consider for a moment Him being fully human and fully God. He served as the perfect sacrifice for salvation. Tonight I was enlightened to the completion of Christ’s human purpose on earth.

Jesus had earthly parents. While his earthly father, Joseph, more than likely died earlier, this left Jesus as the oldest male in his family. He was responsible for his mother, Mary. The Gospel of John recounts an endearing moment with Jesus and His mother.  While hanging naked and humiliated on the cross, Jesus is concerned about His mother. In John 19:25 – 27, Jesus entrusts the care of His mother to John (the disciple who He loved).

In the final minutes of His eternal purpose, verse 28, Jesus says that He is thirsty. Spirits don’t get thirsty. In His human need, he is given sour vinegar.

With all prophecies fulfilled, Jesus died. He surrendered His life. Just like each of us will someday do.

Jesus’ eternal purpose was more important, but what makes Him relatable, was His human existence.

Your thoughts please,

KK

Two Days Shy of a Whole Month

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snoopy dance

Tomorrow brings in February. We flip the calendar page to a fresh month. Just as we looked with anticipation to January and the new year, look at February (or any new month) with the same anticipation. What will this short month bring?

We’ve settled into a new year. More than likely you’ve quit dating things 2016. The hype of resolutions is over. Let’s get something done. “They”, whoever “they” are, say that if you do something for 21 days in a row, it becomes a habit. I can say that there are things I do every day that are part of my routine that if I miss, I can tell. So, I would agree with this habit-forming method.

February is short of a typical month by two or three days. There’s a whole history on this that I won’t go into, but you can enjoy on YouTube. Today’s encouragement is for you to use this “runt of the months” to create or build on a habit. A good one preferably. Did you resolve to do something you haven’t started yet? Well here’s your month — or at least three and half weeks to get going.

For me, I will work everyday toward my exercise goals. There, I’ve said it and now it’s published for all to see. You have permission to keep me accountable. Two other things I will be doing daily is writing and reading. I’ve also developed a system for keeping my chores/projects around the house moving forward (Husband, consider yourself warned smile.) Might be a lot, but keeping these priorities may also eliminate some of the time I waste everyday.

Who’s with me?

KK

#goals

#goalsetting

 

 

 

Legislating Morality

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As citizens of the United States we are all given rights to our opinions and lifestyles. We have the right to express our opinions in a peaceful manner. We send representatives to congress on both the state and federal level. While their jobs are to represent what is best for all citizens, it is impossible for them to create laws to change the hearts of the people.

Let’s take gun control as one example. I had a person tell me that “no one NEEDS to own an automatic weapon”. Perhaps. But that’s not the point. As law-abiding citizens, we have the right, if we WANT, to own an automatic weapon. Guns of any kind are only as dangerous as the evil in the hearts of those who hold them. No law can change that.

Sometimes I wonder about those who protest certain legislation. Does their protest really solve the root problem? Are they communicating about a change that will make a real difference? Or are you just marching, carrying signs and making a bunch of noise? Maybe the answer is yes to the first two questions. But sometimes I wonder — is there a better way to make a difference and not only change laws but turn hearts.

Think about it…

KK

#legislation
#morality
#lawmaker

 

 

They are Written

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Today is January 8th. The first week of the new year is over. It was a rough one for me as I promptly came down with a sinus infection of sorts and spent a few days in a fog. UGH, feel like I lost precious time. But I digress. Today, I had a chance to get my house in order and sit down to write my goals. As always, I pulled out last year’s. I’ve already confessed that not many of last year’s goals were accomplished. Instead of scrapping them, I read them and renewed in my heart that these were the three areas I wanted to accomplish something in — Financial, Mind & Spirit and Healthy Habits. Under each heading there are one or two specific goals.

To strengthen my commitment to each category, I found Bible verses to go with each that would remind me of the goal. Each goal category and verse is written on a note card that I will see often.

Financial (core value: to be a good steward of all God has given) — Colossians 3:17 “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (the goal has to do with my work)goals

Mind & Spirit (core value: to be a life-long learner) — Proverbs 1:5, 7 “A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel…The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Healthy Habits (core value: to take care of myself so that I can serve others and be the best version of myself) — I Corinthians 6:19-20 “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? You were bought at a price, therefore glorify God in your Body and in your spirit which are God’s.”

Perhaps as a person of faith, adding the scriptures to my goals will remind me each day that while I am human and may not always have the strength or discipline to stay focused, I serve a God who is bigger and is ready to help.

So here we go…

KK

#resolutions, #newyears, #goals

 

Make a Mark in Time

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Friday, January 6th — The Epiphany — or 12th night. Six days into the new year. How are you doing? As I’ve shared before, I don’t completely commit to my new year’s goals or resolutions until the end of the first week. That time gives me the opportunity to settle in a little and really think about what I’d like to do in the new year. Tomorrow, I will write them down and put them in my planner. There they will be reviewed periodically and I will schedule time and action items.

Just as today is a significant day for those who celebrate the wise men’s visit to the Christ child, perhaps you mark on your calendar benchmark days for the goals you set a week ago. What will you have accomplished by Ash Wednesday (March 1st this year)? Or Easter? Perhaps your birthday or anniversary is in the spring, how far along will you be in your resolutions by then? March 21st is the first day of Spring? What about making a mark on July 4th or the day you leave for vacation?

Go ahead and put a target on some dates for you to have accomplished some or all of what you resolved to do in 2017.

KK

#resolutions, #newyears, #goals