I've been thinking a lot about the Apostle Paul and the change that came over him on the road to Tarsus.

He wasn't a good guy before that, but once he got the call, everything changed.

We're a lot like that, I believe.

We tend to think that everyone is better than us and more spiritual, etc, and that we're no good.

That isn't true.

You are a Holy Vessel filled with the Light of Christ.

The Lord has work for you to do, and it is no less important than Paul.

He was a chosen vessel. So are you.

The term 'Family Vacation' is an 'F' word.

It is.

That's not a vacation. Not for us moms at least.

It's a working vacation at best.

As we look toward traveling again, let's all take a moment to remember vacations past where we moms found ourselves on the edge of collapse while I children whined about wanting to go to Disneyland instead.

Parenthood is hard.

Let's get that out there right up front.

One of the hardest things I've found is when my kids suffer failures and defeats.

I know those are good things that will make them stronger, but it still is painful for both of us.

It got me thinking about our Father in Heaven and how he feels when the same thing happens to us.

Join me, and let's talk about it a bit...

We're coming up on the one year anniversary of the pandemic shutdowns and all the craziness that took 2020 and ran it through the wringer.

This is a good time to put asside all of the negative we feel and look at the positives that have come from it in our lives.

That's the thing; even in the darkest times there are things that will light our way and bring us joy.

There is nothing wrong with appreciating those positive things even as we mourn the negatives.

Sometimes life goes well and we kind of get stuck on autopilot.

We don't really progress, we just enjoy our time in the sun.

The Lord has a way of challenging us though, taking us from a relaxing life of lounging on the beach and invites us to be more.

It may not be fun to pull our feet out of the sand, but if we're to become who the Lord wants us to be, we need to leave the beach.

Let me tell you a little about myself. I was a widow with five kids who decided I had a story to tell.

Now I'm an author, video producer and public speaker with a degree in Human Development & Family Sciences.

Over the past decade, I have dedicated myself to cancer awareness and helping families process their grief. My published works include my nonfiction book Wherefore Didst Though Doubt? A Caregiver’s Story, detailing my experience with sorrow and heartache. I also currently host a series of uplifting and inspirational videos through YouTube and other social media.

Join me now for some irreverent spirituality!