By Pamela Bishop (guest blogger) As I reflected on what to write about, quite a few potential topics came to mind. In the end, the theme of the month of November in the United States kept gently nudging at the corners of my mind and my heart. Thanksgiving. What else can this theme be called? Words like gratitude, appreciation, tribute and acknowledgement are listed in the thesaurus. The word...
Guest post by Pamela Bishop What do you think about small courtesies? Do you appreciate a “please”, “thank you”, “excuse me”, or a “how can I help”? I appreciate these, as well as a smile, or when someone pauses in conversation to let me actually answer a question they have asked. These and many other small courtesies can help make life a little gentler and more enjoyable for everyone. It's easy...
By Marianne Clyde What was your first reaction to that title? Yeah, right! Baloney. "Really, where is it, then?" Or was there a glimmer of hope that it might be true? Well it IS true. There is a benevolent force in the universe that loves you, wants you to be happy, and created you to be a co-creator with it. You are one with this force of love and joy and wisdom. At your core, you are...
by Marianne Clyde Oh my God! I will be 70 in 2 days! How does that happen? Suddenly, it seems like time is short. There's more urgency to my life. I'm actually done with a few types of behaviors that always seemed proper or necessary. Now I recognize how important it is to ask the question: Who decided these behaviors were proper or necessary? Other people. What other people? Well I probably...
By Marianne Clyde We have about 60,000 thoughts a day. I have a friend who is VERY creative. She writes books, movies, screen plays. She oversaw the building of her mansion as a general contractor. She clearly knows how to do stuff. She has tons of ideas. One day, she said to her husband, "I have an idea!" He said, "You have more great ideas in a day, than most people have in a life time. You...
By Marianne Clyde Do you ever just wish someone would come along and tell you what to do? Take this path; go this way; write a story about this; call that person; turn left. NOOOOOO! Not THAT! Geeez. Even when I'm working with a coach, sometimes it sure would be nice if they just say, "Here, this is what you have to do, in this order, to manifest your dreams." While that would be nice sometimes,...
by Marianne Clyde “Hold everything in your hands lightly, otherwise it hurts when God pries your fingers open,” Corrie Ten Boom famously asserted. After hiding Jews from the Nazis in her home in the Netherlands, Corrie and her family were arrested and sent to a series of prisons, finally ending up in Ravensbruck Concentration Camp. A woman of deep faith, she lived her life on purpose. She lived...
By Marianne Clyde I just found a journal from a few years ago, filled with my daily thoughts and little whispers from God. It was a book I started writing before COVID shut us down. I thought I’d dust it off a bit and dribble these thoughts out occasionally. I hope they bring you strength. I’m afraid, God; afraid that I don’t have the skill, the tenacity, or a strong enough vision to see my...
By Marianne Clyde I was visiting my friend Susan at her home in Hilton Head a couple of months ago. Before I left, she asked me to join her in the sitting room. As she sat there, looking me in the eye, telling me how much she valued our friendship and the wonderful life we have had as friends, she said, “I have to tell you something.” “I’m not afraid.” That’s when the tears started to run down...
