Yesterday, I posted a message about connecting the dots in our lives and following God's calling. I shared the beautiful story of Dr. Kent Brantly. Last night, I saw this update that he had written from isolation at Emory Hospital. His message continues to be so inspiring, and I wanted to share this with you. Please continue to pray for all of those battling this horrible disease.
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Posted on 8.08.2014 by Jody Noland
Did you ever work a “connect the dots” puzzle as a kid? I loved those little sheets that would turn into a picture once the dots were connected sequentially. There was a great sense of satisfaction that came with knowing exactly how to put things together and see the image emerge.
Posted on 8.01.2014 by Jody Noland
True confessions: I was on a downhill slide into full-fledged, middle-aged frumpiness. One of the best antidotes for my affliction was to begin watching the show “What Not to Wear” with my daughter. We started when she was in Middle School, that season of life when a daughter’s sense of self-worth is tightly coupled to her mother’s appearance. And although I never quite progressed to the rank of fashionista (not even close!), I did learn enough from watching the show to ditch the “mom jeans” and quit buying clothes from certain catalogs.
Posted on 7.25.2014 by Jody Noland
It was the 1930’s: the middle of The Great Depression. The family didn’t have much in terms of material things, but they shared a strong faith and a deep love for one another. His father had come from Poland as a 14 year old orphan, destined to a life working on the railroad due to his limited education.
As the oldest of six children, his plan was to graduate from high school and then immediately find a job. The commercial curriculum in high school aligned with that objective. Attending college was never even a consideration.
Posted on 7.18.2014 by Jody Noland
“It’s not about you.” So begins The Purpose Driven Life, and truer words were never spoken. Most of us nod our heads in agreement with that thought, but find living like we believe it a much different matter. I certainly do.
Recently, I looked at two simple kitchen tools, a funnel and a sponge, and realized that they were great metaphors for this tension.
A funnel provides a means of transfer.
A sponge soaks things up.
Here’s the question I’ve been asking myself of late. "Am I living like a funnel or a sponge?"
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Posted on 7.11.2014 by Jody Noland
When I was 16, I landed my dream job. I was hired by “the” jeweler in my home town of Annapolis. This place was a small town version of Tiffany’s, the exclusive spot where Rolexes and fine jewelry were sold. I can’t remember exactly WHY that job seemed so appealing. Maybe it’s because my work life to that point consisted of babysitting hellions and selling T-Shirts to impatient tourists.
Posted on 7.04.2014 by Jody Noland
One Sunday last summer, our pastor had a “selah” moment at the end of his sermon. He instructed each of us to pause,to sit quietly and to listen…and to see if there was anything we sensed that God was whispering to us.
One word came to my mind. The word “JUMP.” It was as though I had an inner billboard and the letters were big and bold and red and emblazoned across my mind. JUMP. And I knew exactly what that meant.
JUMP meant:
let go of thinking you aren’t “ready”
let go of thinking you aren’t thin enough
let go of fearing success
Posted on 6.27.2014 by Jody Noland
An astute and loving grandmother provided that response to last week’s post about parents of special needs children: Unsung Heroes. But that grandma was right. The siblings of special needs kids can easily be forgotten. And they, too, deserve to be celebrated.
Even the best of parents have limited capacity. We’re all human. And caring for a special needs child can be all-consuming physically and emotionally. It’s easy to assume the other children are on auto-pilot and doing fine.
Posted on 6.20.2014 by Jody Noland
The challenges of life ebb and flow for most of us. Seasons of extreme stress are often followed by periods of renewal. If you’ve been on that roller coaster, you probably have vivid memories of both the highs and the lows of life. I certainly do. I remember wondering if I would make it through one more day when feeling crushed under an emotional burden, and recall the incredible sense of gratitude for the seasons when God allowed a time of refreshing.
Posted on 6.13.2014 by Jody Noland
Have you ever heard of macular degeneration? It’s the most common cause of blindness in the elderly. To understand it’s impact, try holding a clenched fist up in front of your eye. You have peripheral vision, but can’t see straight ahead. That means you can’t see faces, read, drive, or participate in sports you once loved…like golf.