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What if we got the exact wound we needed?

My quarantine gave me time to reflect on how I arrived at this abundant place—belonging to this new husband, enjoying this lovely, peace-filled home, this graced season.

I arrived via woundedness.

What if you got exactly the wound you needed in order to become the person you have become, to fulfill the destiny you are called to create, that ‘sacred wound’ in which you were hurt in exactly the way life needed you to be? – Joie Foster

Photo by Joe Gardner on Unsplash

But I like it here on the couch

It would be so much easier, so much more comfortable, to set aside my goal of a published book and simply write blog posts and magazine articles. From the couch.

Honestly, I like our couch. It’s super comfortable. The view out the large picture windows is green and woodsy. There’s no stress or anxiety on this couch.

Photo by sarandy westfall on Unsplash

What are you doing with all those rocks?

When we added on to our home, I had originally hoped for a covered front porch that would say, “Welcome … stay a while.” The contractor pointed out our low-hanging eaves and that our entry was already dark. “A covered porch would make it even darker,” he said.

So he and his crew got creative, and the result is an entry with pergola and pavers that give the impression of a front porch while still letting in the light.

What if we stopped celebrating being busy?

The weather report called for intermittent rain over Memorial Day weekend. Of course. It’s Oregon.

But rain has never deterred this Johnson bunch. They’ve been camping together for the past fifty-some years (minus COVID 2020).

Photo by Alice Davies on Unsplash

What does editing our stories look like?

About a month before I met Dan, I came across a quote from Susan Statham:

Your life is a story. Write well. Edit often.

This quote gave me pause. How does the editing process work?

Photo by Adeolu Eletu on Unsplash

Coffee beans, coffee grounds … what’s the difference?

I smiled to myself as Dan went about the business of making his morning coffee. We were camped at La Pine State Park in our new (pre-owned) adventure van and had just awakened from a good night’s sleep.

Thoughts from a weekend at a men’s retreat

This past weekend, I attended a men’s retreat in the Ochoco Mountains. Well, I didn’t actually attend the event. I helped with meal prep, serving, and clean-up.

Photo by Ivana Cajina on Unsplash

When taking the long way around isn’t your plan

This past weekend, I strapped on a helmet and—putting my life in Dan’s hands—hopped on the back of his motorcycle.

He didn’t share his flight plan, but I knew our destination: a tiny country store east of town. So why was he heading in the wrong direction?

Photo by Jakub Sisulak on Unsplash

Saying ‘Yes’ when life takes a sharp left turn

At the time of this writing, we’re nearly a month into spring. Dan put away the snowblower, we positioned the Adirondack chairs around the fire pit, and I arranged matching cushions. It was 78 degrees. We were expecting guests. And it was spring.

But at least three mornings this past week, we woke up to fresh snow.

What would it look like to slow your pace?

We filled our hydration packs with water, made sandwiches on sourdough bread, tossed in tangerines and trail mix, and grabbed layers of outer wear. It had been too long since we’d hiked in the wilderness.

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