Dear Chris,

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Dear Chris,

I can’t pretend that I know you in an everyday way.  I keep up through Facebook and Christmas cards.  I’m on the very outer fringe of your life yet I’m deeply saddened by your death.

As I peek into your life and the stories that people have told on caring bridge, I can begin to understand a theme–you were gentle, kind, loving and respectful.  You did your best to enjoy life to the fullest.  What a great legacy to leave behind.

But why?  Why did you have to leave?  What about your husband or your kids?  What will happen?

What is the purpose?  I’m not sure.

Thank you Chris for the gift of your wonderful smile.

Be Blessed.

Renee

A few years past my severely handicapped step-brother was killed in a crazy accident involving a train.  I spoke at this funeral about how his life had meaning and purpose, even with so many challenges, he made a difference in each and every life that he touched.

I do not have any answers to the WHY? we die question but I can say that I have a better understanding of WHY WE LIVE.  I think of my step brother as a great teacher–he taught me that everyone has a purpose and each life has a plan.

I know that when he died it gave my life a new perspective.  I dropped my personal agenda and started living life in a new way.  I decided that I wanted to be genuine, authentic and transparent to my Soul.  Some days are better than others–sometimes it is  easy and comforting to go back to my cynical, competitive, and sarcastic ways, I find myself matching the cynical/sarcastic word/actions rather than being joyful and loving.  I’m thankful that a new day dawns so I can start over.

Thank you God for this life and for the life of Chris.  God please grant her loved ones peace, understanding and courage to meet each day.

Miscellany Monday
Hear it, Use It
Playdates with God
Multitudes on Monday
The Better Mom
Motivating Mondays 

On Your Heart
Soli Deo Gloria
Hip Homeschool Moms
Top {Ten} Tuesday
What I Learned This Week
Titus 2sdays
Teach Me Tuesday
Heart and Home Linkup

Walk With Him Wednesday, Deep Roots At Home

Whatever Wednesday,God Bumps and God-Incidences,Unwrapping His Promises Living Well Wednesday,Women in the Word Wednesday,Works for Me Wednesday,wip-wednesday,

Company Girl Coffee, Friday Favorite Things, Faith Filled Friday, Just for fun Fridays, Consider the Lilies, in courage

{Mindful Mothering Mondays}, Mercy Mondays

Dear Chris,

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Dear Chris,

I can’t pretend that I know you in an everyday way.  I keep up through Facebook and Christmas cards.  I’m on the very outer fringe of your life yet I’m deeply saddened by your death.

As I peek into your life and the stories that people have told on caring bridge, I can begin to understand a theme–you were gentle, kind, loving and respectful.  You did your best to enjoy life to the fullest.  What a great legacy to leave behind.

But why?  Why did you have to leave?  What about your husband or your kids?  What will happen?

What is the purpose?  I’m not sure.

Thank you Chris for the gift of your wonderful smile.

Be Blessed.

Renee

A few years past my severely handicapped step-brother was killed in a crazy accident involving a train.  I spoke at this funeral about how his life had meaning and purpose, even with so many challenges, he made a difference in each and every life that he touched.

I do not have any answers to the WHY? we die question but I can say that I have a better understanding of WHY WE LIVE.  I think of my step brother as a great teacher–he taught me that everyone has a purpose and each life has a plan.

I know that when he died it gave my life a new perspective.  I dropped my personal agenda and started living life in a new way.  I decided that I wanted to be genuine, authentic and transparent to my Soul.  Some days are better than others–sometimes it is  easy and comforting to go back to my cynical, competitive, and sarcastic ways, I find myself matching the cynical/sarcastic word/actions rather than being joyful and loving.  I’m thankful that a new day dawns so I can start over.

Thank you God for this life and for the life of Chris.  God please grant her loved ones peace, understanding and courage to meet each day.

Miscellany Monday
Hear it, Use It
Playdates with God
Multitudes on Monday
The Better Mom
Motivating Mondays 

On Your Heart
Soli Deo Gloria
Hip Homeschool Moms
Top {Ten} Tuesday
What I Learned This Week
Titus 2sdays
Teach Me Tuesday
Heart and Home Linkup

Walk With Him Wednesday, Deep Roots At Home

Whatever Wednesday,God Bumps and God-Incidences,Unwrapping His Promises Living Well Wednesday,Women in the Word Wednesday,Works for Me Wednesday,wip-wednesday,

Company Girl Coffee, Friday Favorite Things, Faith Filled Friday, Just for fun Fridays, Consider the Lilies, in courage

{Mindful Mothering Mondays}, Mercy Mondays

explaining your soul

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Today is Saturday–I do not write on the weekends but today is a tribute to 2 things.  One is that both my daughters scored goals in soccer today.  They both wanted to “commemorate” the day with something special.  One wrote a beautiful entry in her gratitude journal about her goal.  I thought that was the end of it.

But when I tucked her in tonight she was extremely upset–she wanted a celebration of her accomplishments.

I held her and waited for the Holy Spirit to guide my tongue–finally I explained it this way:

We all have an outside self and we have an inside self.  For me it would be the Renee that everyone sees and my inside Renee or the Soulful Renee.  The Soulful Renee only cares about how God will respond to her actions.  The outside Renee does tons of things but no one is cheering me on!  I clean toilets, wipe butts, take out the trash and make sure the inside of the garbage can is clean!  Does anyone but God notice?  Should anyone notice?  Should it matter that anyone does or does not notice?

The girls are giving me blank looks.

I again waited for the Holy Spirit to help me out:

Sometimes we smile on the inside.  When we smile on the inside and feel happy our soul is happy.  When we close our eyes and remember how we felt when we scored the goal, finished a project or made someone happy–all without anyone noticing or making a fuss–that is our soul smiling.

I think they got it.  I explained to them that all the things that I’m most proud of in my life have had nothing to do with getting applause.  I did it for myself.  I didn’t have a Mom to tell me about my soul.  I’m glad that I can share that with my girls.

I’ve had a few conversations about “my soul” with some very wise women.  What I get is that my soul is God living within me.  The God that created me lives in my soul.  Now that I get that–I need to figure out how to dance with my soul, how to sing with my soul and how to smile with my soul.  Somedays are easier than others . . .

. . . how can my soul be happy when I’m yelling at my kids to get in the car, or when I’m mad at my husband for no reason, or when I eat that bag of potato chips . . . my soul isn’t happy but . . .

it gives my life purpose.  My soul is the friend inside me that helps me be a better person.

Thought Provoking Thursday
Thoughtful Thursday
Thankful Thursday
Life in Bloom
Thrive at Home Thursday