A place of life exploration, sailing journeys, and piece of thought
Sunday, October 19, 3025
Missions around the world
Global engagement
Variety of flavors and smells
Milk teas and jasmine
Children trying beetles and bugs, fish heads and treats
Joy filled the warm, still air
A room filled with joy of Christ being shared
Monday, October 20, 2025
My youngest son peeked over the side of the pier, belly flat against the wooden planks, hands dangling toward the brown water as he exclaimed, “Look, Mom! I can see them eating! They’re opening and closing their mouths, those sharp things on the pillar”. He had discovered barnacles and had caught them in the act of devouring their evening meal. His wonder at the small crustaceans infused my heart with peaceful tenderness. I don’t often get time with just my youngest, and this was a gorgeous evening. The deep sun shown forth in all its splendor, so I handed my son my camera and told him to take some pictures. He has an artistic eye for photography. His perspective through a lens.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
Ups and downs in one day,
High compliments and encouragements with kids
Difficult emotions to navigate
Humans… we have emotions.
Dear Lord, lead us to You through it all.
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
May we bring hope to others and beware of greed.
Thursday, October 23, 2025
A mama bear and her two cubs have been running up and down our street these past two days, in broad daylight too, when there have been many people outside. What an incredible sight for the children to see. Squeals of delight and shouts of excitement echoed across the yards. Yet danger lurks. These bears are not tame, nor cuddly as they appear.
Friday, October 24, 2025
It is a skill to recognize small improvements. Small changes make great gains over time and with consistency. Without this recognition of minuscule differences, it can be difficult to feel motivated to continue pursuing a course. It requires teaching oneself to analyze minute details. I celebrated today seeing the veins of my foot by the base of my middle toe. The swelling obscured that detail of my foot until today. Five months have passed since my toe injury and I must take joy in the baby steps of progress or I would give up. Small improvements matter and make the difference.
Saturday, October 25, 2025
The euphoria of time spent with like-minded but different people. Funny how even the arrangement of furniture can reveal a similar thought process. What are the strands of thoughts that link the pieces of our lives together? Same friends in the past, similar schooling approaches, church choosing, book pursuits. It was an interesting bliss and yet pleasant dissonance, recognizing their lives are not our lives.
Sunday, October 26, 2025
Gloomy skies lent themselves to the perfect day for pumpkin carving and baking delights. Our youngest proclaimed that he is the youngest kid in the family to carve a pumpkin by himself, while the middle kiddo gently pondered that he is rediscovering his love for baking. The aromas of the house layered upon themselves as pizza crusts and pumpkin oats and salmon, delicata squash, and broccoli filled the air. It was a day in autumn, and we drank it in.
Monday, October 27, 2025
“What do you think I will be when I grow up?” Asked my daughter. That was a tough question for me. Let me think on that one. Your brothers I can take a solid guess. This one will be a therapist who uses animals to help his patients. This one will design something fast, be it cats or airplanes, or perhaps fly a plane or do something in technology. But you, daughter…. I’m just not sure. There have been many challenges academically and I am still scarred from some of them. But you have grown so much these past couple years, I mean, so much!! It is exciting to see what you can learn!!! Honestly, if you put your mind to it, you can do anything. Your work ethic is impressive and you’ve overcome much. God has an incredible plan for your life.
Friday, October 31, 2025
The earnestness of a child. Have you seen it in their eyes? The intensity with which they gaze into your eyes, locked in for better communication. Their eyes are open and innocent. They share with concentrated excitement. It is full and rich, complete when we return such direct and focused attention to them.
Leader
Will you lead through the fire?
What when the fire dies?
Who are you leading and do you know your why?
Do you promote yourself above others?
Or do you look and see others, weaving talents together to yield a cloth of multiplied strength?
Deceptive is the idea that the best leader is one most skilled in his craft (be it flying a plane, designing technology, etc).
Perhaps leading others is a skill in itself.
Look just below the highest performing worker… for the one who watches, observes, encourages, challenges the team to grow.
Can an intrinsically skilled leader of people lead in multiple contexts, regardless of his/her specific job training?
Leader, lead people and know why you lead.
Life is Sailing 