Be Rich In Love

This picture perfectly describes her love.

Her love is so big, so wide, and so rich, it is felt so deeply. “We are rich in love,” are words she said to us as kids that continue on as I now share the same truth with our kids.

Her deep faith and authentic love inspire me.

I know we don’t all get to be with our Moms, or children, today for various reasons.
Yet may the richness of the love we share bridge our hearts, no matter the distance.

Happy Mother’s Day to my sweet Mom, and to all you Moms out there.
Thank you for the love you share everyday. 💕🙏💐 

With gratitude and love,
Shawn

“Her children rise up and call her happy, her husband too, and he praises her. Many women have done excellently but you surpass them all.” - Proverbs 31: 28-29

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Look at the Heart

May we always look first into the heart of one another.💕🙏💕

With love and hope,
Shawn

“God does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.” - 1 Samuel 16:7

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Be Quick to Listen and Slow to Speak

“Hey Mom, it’s my bus,” Matt said excitedly as he pointed towards his bus on our walk last night.

In my head I created a story how he must be missing school, his teacher, classmates, recess with his friends, etc.

Then this morning we got word that our schools will be doing online learning for the remainder of the year.

When I shared the news with my kids, one cheered, one smiled and Matt said he was mad.

Replaying the story I created in my head from last night, I was preparing myself for a hard conversation about dealing with disappointment, and letting him know it’s okay to be mad or sad, etc.

Then I heard him say, “I am so mad the pool is closed.”

😳

I realized he misheard me so I let him know it was school that was closed. He cheered...

until I told him that the pool is currently closed too.

I am sharing this with you today because I had created stories in my head for my child that wasn’t his truth. As adults sometimes we may unintentionally do this to our kids. I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we do our best to listen to our kids before we are quick to assume what they are thinking and/or feeling. May we be willing to listen to hear the truth of their heart, and from there respond with love.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak...” - James 1:19

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Seek the Blessings In the Dark Cloud

“Regardless of how dark the cloud, it contains blessings.” - CH Spurgeon

May we never forget each day to seek, and give thanks for, the blessings that are in this dark cloud.

With love and hope,
Shawn

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You Never Walk Alone

here to walk beside you.

Stay well, friends💕🙏💕

With love and hope,
Shawn

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:11

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Let's Lift Our Eyes Up

This weekend our family went for a walk at a local lake where there is a dam. We stood at the base of the dam looking up at this hundred year old wall.

As I looked at the wall, my gaze kept moving up, and up, and up. This wall is enormous, and standing next to it, I felt so small. As I gazed up though something happened, the beautiful blue sky above grabbed my attention. In that moment all I could think of was a something I heard on a podcast a number of months ago...

When you come to a wall in life, rather than staring at the wall, look up. Look up for the hand reaching out towards you over the wall to help you climb over it. - Christy Wright

I share this with you today because this whole situation may feel like a huge wall in front of us. Or maybe we had already been facing a wall in life and this has made the wall grow taller. When we look at the wall in front of us, we may feel small and wonder how we are going to ever get to the other side of it.

I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

Yes, there is a wall standing before us. Yet we have a choice, we can stand gazing at the wall, entranced by its enormity; which, let’s be real, happens sometimes. Or instead, we can choose to direct our gaze up above the wall and seek what is above. May we seek God who is reaching out to help us in this time. May we extend our hand His way to receive wisdom to conquer this wall before us, and lead us to the other side.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord.” - Psalm 121:1

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Humbled By A Balloon

Yesterday I went to blow up a balloon for an activity for Matt, our youngest. As I held the balloon to my lips, I took a deep breath and blew out.

Nothing.

I tried again.

Nothing.

And again.

Same result, a deflated balloon.

Ugh. My obturator (aka my artificial palate). Sometimes I forget about it. And the reality is, when it isn’t suctioned right, things like blowing up a balloon, making a fishy or puckering up are simply not possible.

So I had to humble myself and ask our son to blow up the balloon for me.

I am sharing this with you today because we all have our limits. We all have areas where receiving help from someone else would benefit us. Yet it can be humbling and hard to admit our limits and to invite someone in to help us.

I invite you to join me today to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we be willing to accept our limits and invite someone in to help us when we need it.

As humbling as this moment was to ask our son to blow up the balloon for me, my hope it gives him permission to ask for help too when he has met his limit, and needs an extra hand.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“God is our refuge and strength an ever present help in trouble.” - Psalm 46:1

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Stay Connected with Sam

Hi friends,
Today I wanted to say thank you.

Thank you for walking beside me, through the ups, downs and plateaus in life. I am honored you have invited me beside you.

I wanted to connect with you also because my past couple of posts were Sam related. I had a pull on my heart to remind kids, and their parents, teachers, grandparents, or whoever they were reading the book with, that they matter. In this unique time, I just don’t want any of you, or the kids in your life, to forget your worth and value, in your family, or in your community. Yet I know going between the adult and kids messages here may be a disconnect. So I wanted to invite any of you who would like to stay connected to Sam’s messages to follow Sam on Instagram at www.instagram.com/aplaceforsam or sign up to receive emails from Sam by going to www.aplaceforsam.com , and enter your email when the pop up appears.

Whether you join Sam and I, or not, I am thankful and honored to have you join me here. I look forward to walking beside you through whatever life brings, with God as our guide, His hope our anchor, and His truth as our light.

Stay well friends, inside and out💕🙏💕

With gratitude, love and hope,
Shawn

LET'S STAY CONNECTED

A Read Aloud of A Place for Sam

Hi friends,
As I have been thinking of ways to encourage others during this time, I wanted to be sure I also included a message for the children in your life. A read aloud of A Place for Sam is now available, as you see above! There are also fun printable activities on www.aplaceforsam.com for your child to do, including:

- a coloring page
- a family puzzle
- a printable to write someone they love a letter

Plus, there is a printable you can share with essential workers, and/or their families, to remind them their puzzle piece matters.

It is all free.

We hope you will join us in sharing Sam's encouraging story with others who need to hear that:

- You are beautifully unique
- You are valued
- Your puzzle piece matters in our family, our community and in the world!

Lastly, at the end of the book, and on the website, there are questions you can use as a conversation starter for you and your child. We hope your child learns it is okay to not be okay, and to hold on to hope and reach out for help when they need it, trusting they have a place and purpose in this beautiful world, just like Sam.

Stay well, friends and remember, your piece of the puzzle matters too!

With love and hope,
Shawn

PS Jan, Sam and I wanted to invite you to join us to help kids in need get food right now. There are three options to donate; locally, in the US, or towards a global effort. To learn more, visit Sam’s website. We appreciate anything you can give. Thank you💝

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When We Fall, Let's Get Up and Try Again

Two years ago, we taught Matt how to ride his bike on this trail. As I watched him ride the other day, I watched him hop on his bike and take off, without a thought. It wasn’t like that when he first started.

As when any of us started riding our bikes, we hopped on, and pedaled once or twice before we fell off. We’d get back on and try again, and again, and again.

We patiently persevered to find our rhythm in this new routine.

I share this with you today because when I watched Matt ride the other day, I realized that I am the kid learning to ride my bike right now; except instead of riding my bike, I am learning a new rhythm in my daily routine. I am waking up each morning ready to go, yet I have moments when I fall off track, whether it be with parenting, school, work, etc.

Yet, I keep getting up each day, and trying again, and again; some days seeking to press a reset button, multiple times a day.

I know we will find a rhythm that will work, but as with riding a bike, it will take time, patience and perseverance.

I share this with you in case some of you can relate. I invite you to join me to...

pause. breathe. pray.

May we give ourselves permission to fall. To be imperfect. Yet may we too have the patience and perseverance to keep getting up, and trying, again and again. It may not be easy but one day we will find ourselves, like Matt on his bike, experiencing less falls and more joy in the journey.

With love and hope,
Shawn

“We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.”

- Romans 5:3-4

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