Vocation, such an empowering, yet overwhelming, slightly idealistic word. Merriam-Webster provides the definition as “a summons or strong inclination to a particular state or course of action.” From the Latin root vocare, to call, vocation is often used as a beautiful encouragement to pursue jobs that utilize specific gifts and skills to meet a need …
Category: Author: Wendi
The Birthday of Unexpecteds
Another round of birthdays is currently in full swing at my house. As I prepared gifts, cakes, and decorations to celebrate my kids’ birthdays and make their days special, I reflected on my own birthday and how the past few have been filled with unexpecteds. I don’t usually make a big deal out of my …
Finding Compromise Together
Disagreements are a part of life. Even when we feel like we essentially share everything in common with someone, we ultimately still disagree on something. Sometimes, disagreements turn into frustration over the conflict, disgust with the opposing viewpoint, or apathy and avoidance if the difference feels insurmountable. Sometimes, disagreements provide an opportunity to listen, communicate, …
My Break from Facebook
Facebook and I recently took a long break from each other. To clarify, I’m not a Facebook hater. I maintain the same account I opened over ten years ago when my alma mater joined the community. I used to enjoy posting updates and photos. It was exciting to see the number of “likes” increase and …
Making a Difference through Love
We are fully immersed in the winter season here in Minnesota, complete with dangerous windchill that discourages outside exposure longer than five minutes. Through these frigid months, I’ve been searching for beauty. Something to bring joy in this cold reality. Somewhere in this search I started thinking about the similarities between weather and people. Specifically, …
Time to Be
Entering a new year offers a ceremonial opportunity to initiate change and establish new habits. Visions of goals and new routines fill our minds and planners and many of us will enthusiastically pursue our resolutions, at least for a time. In our pursuit to make our lives more healthy and balanced, while simultaneously less stressed, …
Refocusing on Joy
There are many things that I look forward to during the Christmas season: listening to Christmas music, anticipating family gatherings, admiring beautiful decorations, and inhaling delightful scents of the season. However, I also get caught up in all the busyness, stress, expectations, and to-dos that accompany this time of year. This holiday season can produce …
Balance.
I have this idea that at some point in my life I will achieve perfect balance. I daydream that I will eventually find the ideal combination of time and energy for exercising, preparing tasty and healthy meals, maintaining a perpetually clean, well-decorated house, dressing in cute, affordable outfits, and, most importantly, being a supportive wife, …
Finding Quiet Time
As an introvert, I require regular alone time in order to continue functioning as a (mostly) rational person. Growing up in a family of introverts, logging the necessary quiet time was never a problem. Moving away from home as a young adult, I was still able to frequently carve out space to rejuvenate emotionally and …
Wendi’s Unexpected Ever Afters
I was never under any illusions my life would fulfill all the highpoints of a fairy tale (maybe a tiny part of me secretly hoped it might). However, when I first started daydreaming about my future, I did expect to cross off a few big items, ideally by the time I turned thirty: marry my …
