Use the Space Wisely

My mom gave me the book Gift from the Sea by Anne Lindbergh years ago. I usually read it in the summer while at the beach. Yet this week I decided to pick up the calming, quick read, to nourish myself with some of the nuggets of wisdom in it.

As I read through the final chapter there was a line that really captured my soul that I wanted to share with you. It read,

“Here on the island I have had space. Paradoxically, in this limited area, space has been forced upon me.”

This made me pause as we have all been put on our islands during this pandemic. In our limited areas, space has been forced upon us. This insight lead to me the question, “how am I using this space we have been given?”

Am I using it to be and learn from this space forced upon us?

Am I numbing myself in this space in some way?

Am I filling the space?

Am I serving just myself in this space, or others too?

Am I using this space wisely?

I share this with you today, as you sit on your island, and I on mine. I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we take note, without judgement, of how we have been using this space. And ask ourselves, “when we look back on this time, will we we wish would have used it the same, or differently?” Then may we take the insight the answer to that question provides and step into this new day, into the space we’ve been given, and use it wisely.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise.” - Ephesians 5:15

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Hope Restored

Happy Easter💜🙏💜

On Friday hope was lost.

Today hope was restored, for always and forever.

With love and gratitude,
Shawn

“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.”

- Matthew 28:6

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Great Love Has No One Than This

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends.”
- Romans 15:13

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He Washed Their Feet

Something that always makes me pause is the humility of Jesus and how He walked the walk. He isn’t a leader who simply tells others what to do, he lived it out. He wasn’t one to give a suggestion and then say it was optional whether he would do it or not. He would live it out as a way of saying, “I am in this with you, in every way I can be.”

And at the last supper, which we recognize today, Jesus got down on his knees and washed his disciples feet.

This is so backwards from what culture often demonstrates today. More often than not, we would witness the opposite; the people washing the leaders feet.

And this is the backwards love Jesus presents to us today, and everyday.

I invite you to join me today to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we ask ourselves these questions:

Who are we following?

Will these people lead us, and love us with a selfless love?

Would they be willing to put themselves before us?

Would they be willing to sit at our dirty feet and wash them?

May we ponder these questions, as a way to sift through who may be best to follow over who isn’t.

May we each consider putting Jesus on the list. And when we are ready to, placing him at the top of the list of people to follow. As his selfless love is like no other and his humble leadership is transformational.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“Now that I, your God and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” - John 13:14-17

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The Healing Puzzle

The Healing Puzzle

Those who will help in the healing will be of all races, ethnicities, faith walks (or none), shapes, sizes, etc.

We will each do our part to help in the healing.

Each of us matters.

Each of us has value.

Each of us is serving our greater purpose, in our own unique way.

I share this with you today to shine a light on how walls, that sometimes are created, fall down in the midst of a struggle. Instead of a wall, we build bridges between hearts and come together to accomplish the common goal; to love others as ourselves.

I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we give thanks for each individual person who is part of this healing puzzle for the Coronavirus, from those on the frontlines, those working behind the scenes, to those of us at home. May we recognize that the healing will not happen when we go at it alone. It is when we join together that we will make the greatest impact in this battle.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“Love your neighbor as yourself.” -Mark 12:31

PS This puzzle was made for me by a dear friend after she spent a week with me in Boston during my treatments. She met the people who were a part of my healing from cancer and gifted me this beautiful puzzle. Today, one of my incredible nurses from Boston will begin her shifts caring for COVID patients at Mass General. Her courage and selflessness are evident as her primary focus is to give her patients the best care she can. When you think to, please pray beside me for her, and all the other essential workers, and their families, as well as every patient and their loved ones too. Thank you💕🙏💕

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A Lesson from a Selfless Soul

We had put out items for people like Bill, our UPS person, John, our mailman, and the other people who are out there every day working, so we get to stay home. It may not be much, but we wanted to extend some love their way as a thank you for their selfless service. We are trying to minimize deliveries, as I am sure many of you are, to keep them well, yet we were getting low on food and so we had groceries delivered yesterday.

I saw the woman come drop off the groceries so I went to the window to thank her and remind her, as the sign says. to please take whatever she, or her family, needs.

Later on when we went outside, I noticed she only took a water and a pair of gloves.

Yes, 1 water and 1 pair of gloves.

When I saw this I just smiled at the glimpse she gave me into her selfless soul. She took what she needed and left more for the next person💝

This struck me because this IS the mentality of our essential workers. They are putting their lives out there to help keep others well and they see what is really needed rather than letting their desires get the best of them.

I share this today, to invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we receive this lesson given by this selfless soul. May all of us who get to stay home also only get what we need, so that we help there be less deliveries for them, and also so we may leave more for others too.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
- Philippians 2:3-4

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Selfless Love

This week there will be a lot of posts about Jesus, with Easter around the corner. For those of you who that drives nuts, I get it as I have been in your shoes. Yet once I finally laid down my preconceived ideas about Jesus, & decided to learn more about him, I became intrigued because his ways were so backwards to what we would expect from a leader. 

For example, rather than being prideful, he was a humble leader. He didn’t choose to sit beside the high & mighty, but came beside the outcasts, & beside those who were hurting, inside and out. 

He came to serve, & not be served. 

I share this with you today because with Coronavirus, there are so many who are living out love, like Jesus did, putting others before themselves. Who are willing to sacrifice themselves to help someone else heal.

We see this powerful love in every frontline helper in this battle, the...

- Medical professionals 
- Pharmacists
- First responders
- Sanitary workers
- Truckers
- Factory workers
- Scientists
- Mailmen 
- Delivery people
- Military personnel 
- Law enforcement 
- Transit workers
- Grocery store workers
- Restaurant workers
- Gas station worker
- Utility workers
- Elder care workers
- Child care workers
- Community helpers
- Civil workers

And everyone else who is stepping out to help others right now and putting their well-being second. 

No matter if they are a person of faith or not, they are living out love like Jesus and teaching us all what this selfless love looks like in our world today.

So when you look at all the posts out there about Jesus and Easter, I offer for you to..

pause. breathe. pray.

And consider these words of Jesus,

“Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. - Romans 15:12- 13

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” - Matthew 20:28

And maybe consider, like I eventually did, to learn more about Jesus. I will say His love truly transformed my heart, mind and life, and I wholeheartedly believe His love will do the same for you.

No pressure. It’s an open invitation if/when the time is right for you.

With love and hope,
Shawn

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Grace is What We All Need Right Now

Our youngest came to me the other morning during his school time and asked if he could learn a song for his brother on the keyboard. He was intrinsically motivated to learn, so I said sure. And that was our music class for the day.

I share this with you because right now we need grace.

Grace for ourselves.

Grace for our children.

Grace for our teachers.

We have all stepped into an unknown together. I know I have not been the perfect mom, or teacher. I don’t expect my kids to be perfect right now as this is all new to them, and they are missing connecting in person with their friends. And as a former Health and PE teacher, I can’t imagine trying to teach my classes online to my students, so my heart is with all the teachers out there as they navigate these new waters, and teach remotely.

I share this with you today because we can choose to get frustrated with ourselves, our kids, our teachers, etc.

Or we can see that we are all trying our best, which yes, may not look pretty some days. It may be more like a dance, one step forward, two steps back, and then a glide to the side. 

I say this as well because not only are we trying to navigate learning from home, but we are in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, which is new for all of us too.

We have no idea if someone has loved ones who aren’t well, or if fear and worry about this situation is gripping their heart. Some days parents and/or teachers may be having trouble showing up for themselves and their loved ones, yet alone develop a whole new curriculum online, or teach it to our kids.

Grace.

It’s what we need right now to help us let go of judgement and meet one another with the loving kindness we would appreciate being met with on our hard days.

I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we make it a practice to extend grace towards ourselves, our children, our teachers, and beyond. By doing so, may we walk beside one another, not pushing or pulling one another along. Instead, may we meet each other where we are and take the next step forward together, one step at a time. We will get through this. Let’s get through it together, with grace leading the way.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” - Hebrews 4:16

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God is Our Bridge Over Troubled Waters

Yesterday we went out to the woods. The calm. The simplicity. How grounding it is.

When I saw this bridge, these lyrics came to mind,

“When you're weary, feeling small

When tears are in your eyes, I'll dry them all

I'm on your side, when times get rough

And friends just can't be found

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will lay me down

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will lay me down

When you're down and out

When you're on the street

When evening falls so hard

I will comfort you

I'll take your part, when darkness comes

And pain is all around

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will lay me down

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will lay me down.”

- Bridge over Troubled Water

by Simon & Garfunkel

I share these words with you today, because when I listen to these words, I think of God speaking to our hearts. He wants to be there for each of us; to be that bridge over these troubled waters. He wants to be there to comfort us during this time, whether we are at home alone or with your family, or are on the front lines of this battle.

I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we allow God to be the bridge for us over these troubled waters. May we not get swept up in the fear of this storm. Yet instead may we allow His love to comfort us. He is asking us not to stand on the bridge beside Him but to be our bridge on which we stand on; to give us a solid foundation to ride out this storm on. May we let go of trying to navigate this storm ourselves and accept His loving invitation.

With love and hope,

Shawn

“God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.” - Psalm 18:2

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Let Go and Serve Others

“What is something you had to let go of?” was a question someone asked me yesterday.

One thing for me was our dodgeball fundraiser that was supposed to happen today. And as much as I have enjoyed that day and raising money for our ACC community, we will get to play, another time.

Instead of holding on to what I was going to use for dodgeball, we transformed it into something that can be used for those in need today; our medical personnel.

With the donation of some of Kate’s headbands we created masks. We may not had the capacity to make many but every one made will help someone.

I share this with you today because we all have had to let go of something to stay home and be a part of the healing. I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we ask ourselves if there is something we have within our reach that we can use to help others during this time? Maybe it was something to were going to use, or money we were going to spend, etc. If we do have something, let’s offer it to where there is a need now, knowing everything we give up is replaceable, but the people we can offer to help are not.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." - Galatians 6:2

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