Random Thoughts
Power, love + self-discipline: a winning combination
For God has not given us the spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline. ~ 2 Timothy 1:7 While journaling during a recent quiet time, I was reflecting on a Bible verse when something clicked—an answer to a decades-long petition related to a mental struggle of mine. I’d even considered it…
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Another year, another birthday: what it means to me
This is my birthday week, and a friend recently messaged me an article published in our high school paper featuring yours truly. The headline read: Typing Touch Earns Chris Maday Dollars. As I read the piece, I tried to recall life as a 17-year-old junior with my shiny future spread out before me. At the…
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The universal law of attraction: becoming who we’re meant to be
Not long ago, I awoke in a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad mood. I debated returning to bed and crawling out the other side with the hopes it would help. Instead, I warned my husband, Bob that I was crabby. Thanks to wisdom gleaned over 36 years of marriage, he opted to maintain a…
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Grateful, thankful, blessed: finding joy in the midst of pain
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 This week, many of us are preparing for celebrations with family and friends, while others are feeling less than festive. Perhaps you fall into the latter category and…
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I’m listening: upping the communications ante
My husband and I recently opened up to each other about a couple of our frustrations. One of Bob’s is our combined loft workspace in our two-bedroom cabin. Because the area opens to the first level, he’s concerned about disturbing me when I’m writing. I’ve tried sound-canceling headphones and white noise, but I’m not a…
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Day in the life: swapping the creative hat for the tech hat
One of my least favorite, yet necessary parts of the writing life revolves around technology. While not overly savvy pertaining to anything more than simple formatting in Word and Excel, I can navigate Zoom meetings, Facebook and Twitter, though Instagram intimidates me. Several years ago, I created my first website, but eventually retained a designer…
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New month, new opportunities: holiday housekeeping
Happy November! In today’s post, I’m doing a little holiday housekeeping by offering a sneak peek on what to expect in this month’s newsletter—from a new release giveaway by author Tina Radcliffe—who I’ve fangirled over for more than a decade now—to a festive Thanksgiving-themed downloadable for the whole family, to a tasty holiday recipe you…
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Counting our blessings: the have’s vs. the have nots
It’s been a minute since I’ve counted my blessings beyond the three things I jot in my gratitude journal each morning. Which spurred me on to thinking how often I focus on the “have nots,” while failing to acknowledge the “have’s.” Like filtered drinking water (thank you, Brita!) and the sun’s warmth on a brisk…
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When to move on: lessons from a pine tree
When my husband, Bob and I bought our little cabin in Northern Arizona’s Rim Country in 2022, we transplanted our foot-tall Christmas tree, “Jack” on the back of our two-acre parcel. At first, our pine experienced transplant shock and it was touch-and-go for a while. We compared this to our own growing pains adjusting from…
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A humble life: considering others through intentional acts of kindness
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. ~ Philippians 2:3 Although I’ve been blessed with a 36-year marriage to my real-life hero, Bob, a sweet friendship with our daughter, Bailey Ann, plus wonderful family, friends and dreams come true, as another birthday sneaks up…
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