Gratitude is the only word that comes to mind for 2011 – just simply thankful for all God’s done in my life and that of my family. I thought I may share just a few very brief thoughts with you here of a few of the milestones our family reached:
- My son turned 16 years old — wow! I’m WAAAAAAAAYYYYYYY too young for that.
- My oldest daughter entered high school. Continue reading »
“There will be things in life that one must do that are bittersweet but remember it is sometimes necessary to experience the bitter before you can truly appreciate the sweet.” Michele DeVille
With another Christmas behind us and a new year quickly approaching I have been in a reflective mood and I must admit I will be more than happy to close out 2011 and welcome in 2012. It seems that every year I find myself anxious for the new year and every year I welcome it with faith and hope that it will be a year of new beginnings and my best year yet. As with any year there is much to be grateful for but there are also many things I would like to put behind me and would certainly change if I could. With that being said, I also know that without the rain there would be no sunshine and as I wrote in the quote above, “it is sometimes necessary to experience the bitter before you can truly appreciate the sweet”.
While much of what we do in life comes down to the choices we make it does not always make it easier when we are faced with tough decisions, consequences or change. So much of what we must face is often bittersweet and yet I have come to believe that we can’t truly have one without the other. There are truly two sides to every coin and so much of what we must experience in life brings the gift of polarity and it is a complex part of our existence. Continue reading »
As the song says, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”. Christmas has always been my family’s favorite holiday. The kids are out of school and we get to spend a lot of time together (we drive each other crazy after the first week). We have several different traditions such as the candlelight service at our church on Christmas Eve, or going to Granny’s house afterwards and allowing the kids to open one present, knowing full well the gift they open will always be their Christmas pajamas to sleep in that night. We have many more traditions we honor during this time, but there are none more important than reminding one another of the reason for the holiday.
There are 2 topics which are a bit taboo for us to write about, religion and politics. I am going to touch on religion for just a minute. I’m giving you prior warning, so you can change the channel now if it’s going to offend your beliefs. Continue reading »
I wrote this blog last year and it seems to still hold true. Things are still changing, rearranging, and thankfully getting better by the day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlfGNZTOozs Continue reading »
May God richly bless your family during this holiday season. May it be a time to enjoy your special family, whatever its size or content. May you remember the true reason for the season. Make it a point drive around and stare a little too long at some Christmas lights, sipping hot cocoa. Read the Christmas story to your kids Christmas morning, no matter their age. Concentrate on what you have, not what you don’t. And………may peace be with you! Merry Christmas, sweet friends!
Jennifer Maggio is a sought-after speaker, critically-acclaimed author, and founder of The Life of a Single Mom Ministries. She has been featured on more than 100 radio and television shows and has a heart to see single mothers living the life God intended. She specializes in helping churches form or grow their single mom ministries. For more information, visit http://www.thelifeofasinglemom.com. Continue reading »
This past weekend was filled with shopping, decorating, holiday parties and concerts and it was both festive and in ways nostalgic. One of the things that touched me the most was attending a concert at First Covenant Church and hearing the amazing voice of Robert Robinson. He sang a variety of songs but the song that I most enjoyed and will remember was when he sang “I Hope You Dance”. The words served as an important reminder about life and what truly matters and in this holiday season it is a song that is a blessing to all.
The holidays are a magical time and in this season of blessings and holiday cheer one would hope that each and every one of us would feel peace, love and joy. Unfortunately, the holiday season can sometimes be one of the most stressful times of the year and instead of bringing peace and joy, people often feel lonely, overwhelmed, sad and in despair. The holidays can be filled with chaos and financial pressures can reach all time highs. Family issues, past hurts and regrets can resurface and instead of it being a season of forgiving people find themselves drowning in bitterness and crisis. While it is impossible for me or anyone else to walk in another’s shoes or ever assume it is easy to forget the pain life can sometimes bring I do believe it is important to try and find the gifts that truly matter in this season of what can bring hope. This can be tough to do amidst the chaos of the holiday season but just like any time of year there is always wisdom, priceless gifts and blessings to be found whether things feel good or bad.
The song “I Hope You Dance” is not what one would necessarily consider a holiday song but when I heard it the other night it seemed quite perfect for this time of year. We all get so busy with life and immersed in just trying to live and take care of everyone else that we sometimes forget to take care of ourselves. It is also far too easy to lose sight of what truly matters in life. The holidays can make it even harder to find balance and time to just breathe. While it is fun to participate in all of the holiday cheer it can also leave people feeling exhausted and like there is not enough time in a day. We become over-scheduled and sometimes get so caught up in the festivities that we forget the simple things like saying “I love you”, kissing our kids goodnight or sharing a simple act of kindness with a stranger. Continue reading »
I originally posted this blog one year ago. I wanted to repost it again during the Christmas week, as a reminder to all of you how blessed you are to have people in your life, no matter how difficult they may make your life. Families come in all shapes and sizes. Families come with happiness and saddness. Families come with challangees and success. No matter how difficuklt your family, your children or your ex spouse may be making your life, be thankful that you have them, because you never know when they will be gone. Merry Christmas to all of you…
Dear Sara;
It’s been almost four and a half years since you passed away, six years since we divorced and eight years since you left me to be a sole parent to Jack and Michaela. I figured that maybe now we should talk again. First let me update you on the kids. Continue reading »