I was in yoga class last winter and the instructor was reading a phrase that resonated through my body.

You know how sometimes you hear a certain song or hear a specific phrase and you just know it must be for you?

Well, this was it.

I went to this class weekly, and it seemed as though the instructor said this multiple times in a month. “Ok, ok, You have my attention, Lord”.

Each time, the energy through my body became stronger.

Almost electric.

So much so, that I found a photo of it and have it saved on my phone.

This was something I needed to remember.

“A Lighthouse doesn’t go around the island looking for boats to save, it just stands there shining “.

I get it now, God….and I give thanks.

“Watch for the Lighthouse “.

I found “her”, in a most unexpected way.

Quiet, steady, and bright.

I already knew of her Light and have blessed to be encompassed with it, in an even deeper way, the past 8 months.

I dedicate this to my dear friend, Jul. ♥️

She was the lady at the front desk at my office that I laughed with, cried with and shared daily life with for almost 16 years. I often said she knew me better than my hair stylist…and they seem to know a lot about their clients. Haha.

She watched my children grow up, she was a constant through my divorce.

She had a front row seat to the love story that Brian and I created.

And through it all, she just stood there….Shining.

I’ll be honest, I sometimes took her for granted.

….Until the day we realized our time with her was becoming limited.

I still remember sitting with her, shortly after she found out she was ill.

She said, “ I just can’t believe you are here”. I was baffled by that. I said, “Jul, why wouldn’t I be? I am showing up for you the way you did for me all these years.”

I can only hope she knew the mark she left on this world and the people around her.

Let me tell you a bit about her Light.

She made birthday cakes for my husband every single year.

She almost flew out of her chair with joy every time she told a story of her kids or grand babies.

She exuded happiness whenever anything good happened to anyone.

She was loyal.

She was honest.

She was true.

She was Light.

In the beginning of her journey, I wanted to find a way to give her something to hold onto. I guess it was my way of “giving back” to her for all she had done for me.

I was signed up to run a marathon in May of this year, but due to the pandemic it was delayed. In December, as we laughed and reminisced, I asked her to make a promise to me.

I asked if she would meet me at the finish line of the marathon on May 3,2020. She promised to be there. We even made a pinky promise.

With Jul, you knew a promise she made to you was worth more than gold.

That promise we made to one another gave me more power than I knew. To do things I didn’t think I could.

She was a warrior and I knew she would fight for that date.

And she did……and surpassed it by almost 2 more months.

Her strength and determination was humbling.

We sure had fun cheering one another on. Our motto became a staple of our daily text messages. “You fight and I’ll Run”.

And on we went.

I endured cold runs and she endured grueling chemo.

She spent 6 days in the hospital and I ran 12 miles per her request.

We shared prayers, songs of joy, and what I found in her will remain a part of me forever.

Her belief in Jesus deepened my Faith.

I watched another human let go and allow His mighty hand guide her Life.

I witnessed the absolute Peace and Trust she had put in her Savior.

And I can’t say that I have ever been so blinded by another soul’s Light.

For those who truly knew her heart, they would agree.

An Instrument of God.

I believe we all are instruments…and as Bette Midler sang, “we are instruments, marching in a common band”.

He is the composer and coordinates it all.

Who you encounter, where you go…all a part of the masterpiece.

To live a life is a blessing to one.

To live a life that gives life to another is a blessing to many.

That was my Jul☀️

To put into words how her time here touched others is more difficult than I thought it would be.

It’s too extraordinary. Too beautiful. Too big for a blog or a book.

To watch another soul encompass the darkness of pain and fear in absolute peace and Light is something I cannot describe.

All I know is that her life changed mine.

It changed my heart.

The way my eyes view the world and others around me.

My heart will always miss her wonderful laugh, her giving personality, and her lighthearted stories.

However, I believe nothing will ever dim her LIGHT☀️

Rest In Peace, dear friend.

And thank you 🙏 for sharing a part of your world with me🌈

#Run4jul

I’ll see you on my next run….I know you will be right beside me.

We are instruments of love and peace, here to learn and help guide one another to be our best selves.

And as Juls last message to me says,

“Always keep the Love of Jesus in your heart”.

I promise,Jul….♥️

Don’t waste a moment waiting to LIVE, friends. LIVE by faith, not by sight.

And always, always see everything through the lens of LOVE 💕

Much love to all,

Linda 💜

I hate this.

I hate this year, this time, this virus.

I hate that it has taken lives, stopped the world in its tracks, and ruined so much.

I feel like I can move past this and adapt to what now is.

However,

What happened last week….I just don’t think I can move past.

I just don’t understand.

This is one of the first times in my life, I don’t have the words.

I truly don’t know what to say, how to fight, comfort, or what to believe anymore.

Lately, I feel like we are all one big kindergarten class without a teacher.

The world has gone wild.

And so, I have collected my thoughts and gone back to my classroom, with my Creator, Teacher and Savior.

I hate how humans mistreat other humans.

I hate the violence.

I hate the anger and sadness.

I hate this.

But, I believe in Him and I know I have to find a way through this.

Last Friday, my emotions came to a screaming halt and were forced out of my mouth.

I cried so hard and so loud, as I lay on my floor, I swear the house shook.

I can’t take this anymore.

“Feeling more and more like everything’s goin wrong.

Running, running, I can’t keep running. Something …there’s always something.

Never gonna have control, I’m better off letting go”

I love that song. It is so perfect for how Life feels these days.

So

Out

Of

Control.

During my hour long breakdown, I texted my oldest daughter.

I told her how heavy things felt and how sad I was.

I said, “I just can’t carry all of this anymore.”

She brought me back when she texted me this.

“Hand it up to God on a silver platter”….”like you always told me”

Yes!

Give it to Him.

When it’s too hard to handle and too heavy to bear, drag it over to Him.

He will carry it and you will be free again.

….note to self: “they were listening “♥️

My beautiful daughter reminded me from where my strength comes.

And, in moments, the tears dried and I felt alive again.

He is my shelter and my strength.

I had what I secretly call a “dazed” weekend.

What that means for me is reflection. Introspective thinking. Going within to help rebuild myself and those around me again.

The photo and quote that I included on this blog is one I found many years ago when I was longing for forgiveness.

To forgive my parents, siblings and others in my past.

I now have it framed in my bedroom and see it every day.

It especially stood out to me last Friday.

We must learn to forgive and move forward in a new light.

A new beginning.

For all ❤️

We can no longer shuffle these injustices and the pain so many feel under the carpet, hoping it will go away.

Because it won’t.

And it shouldn’t.

Any problem we have in life is never healed until we feel and deal.

That’s my motto, feel and deal.

The bandage that has been slapped on over and over again all of these years has been torn off, only to reveal this huge, gaping wound that so many have endured.

So many.

It has never been healed.

And for all of those, my heart aches. ❤️

In order to move forward, we all, as one nation, under God, must come together and realize we are One.

I keep coming back to scripture for comfort and clarity.

We were ALL created in His Image. The image of God.

We are brothers and sisters.

I don’t understand how some can’t see that.

As you read this, please know that I write these words with absolute love.

I do not wish to argue, debate or have any negativity thrown at me. For those who know me best, know that I my only goal is to empower.

So, for today, I leave you with LOVE.

Know that I accept you for who you are, who you were and who you May be.

I honor your space.

I honor your life here and how you choose to live.

Hate has no place in my Heart or my Home.

I believe we were ALL created for a very specific reason and brought here in this time to give love and guidance to the present and the future.

It is our right and responsibility.

We have the ability, in this moment, to change the future.

For our children.

Our grandchildren.

For all of those to come.

I will continue to pray for each one of you, our nation as a whole, and for LOVE to conquer us all once again.

God is OUR refuge and strength, my friends.

❤️ 💜🖤🤍🤎💛🧡WE ARE ONE ♥️🖤🤍🤎💙💛🧡💚💜❤️💚💛🧡💙🤎🤍🖤💜❤️🧡💛💚

Much Love,

Linda🙏

I woke up with a thought in my heart today.

A pattern of thoughts scattered in my mind, with the urge to empower…if only just one. 💜

Ahh, I love rainy Sundays.

They are the perfect time for reflection, self care and stillness.

This Sunday is no different.

A gentle rain, the birds chirping their gratitude, and a hot cup of coffee by my side.

Here I go….

Last week, I saw a Facebook post reminding me of all the historic events others have LIVED THROUGH.

My level of respect went through the roof.

Humans that lived in concentration camps found the strength to conquer their circumstances and survive.

They went on to have families, make memories, and LIVE.

Many in the camps didn’t just sit and wait for their futures to be determined. They found ways to Live in the midst of their hell.

I don’t know that I would have the mental strength to endure what they did.

They are Heroes.

Then, we look at the Great Depression and all of the moving parts of that time.

Hunger, unemployment, rationing, fear of the unknown.

And, when the end of the Depression came, World War 2 began.

Can you imagine the hopelessness??

Perspective may have saved many lives.

How did they move THROUGH those trying times?

My best guess is that they didn’t just exist through them, but they continued to LIVE.

The Bubonic Plague, the Great Depression, World War 2….Real History.

After recalling conversations at different times in my life with my Grandparents, Aunts, uncles and parents, it came to me.

In order to thrive in this new environment we are in, we must find LIFE in each moment, in each day.

We must LIVE fully and not just be.

We are LIVING THROUGH a time that will be talked about by our great grandchildren, it will be written about and documented.

So many things we know and love have faded from our daily lives.

So much has changed.

We may not all be on the same page with our thoughts, but I know we have all had something consistent taken from us. Something that “made” us who we are.

However, the The Human Spirit remains the same.

Solid.

Resilient.

Made stronger by the storm.

I don’t have the words to express the strength, beauty and hope that my eyes have seen and my ears have heard the last few months.

Wish I did, so I could write it here today and look back years from now with a vivid picture of how the world “showed up”.

From the doctors and nurses risking their own lives to save others, the police officers and firefighters standing strong so we feel secure, to the retired lady bagging groceries at the local supermarket.

Watching my children’s compassion and resilience.

Seeing each morning in a new light.

The generosity of others.

The human need of contributing.

To the simplest things we have found to create a moment of normalcy each day.

I see God working everywhere.

In every way. ♥️

His LIGHT has remained unchanged.

So, on my run the other day, I took my face towards the sun and sky.

I ran with a smile and asked myself some questions.

“Am I LIVING and moving forward even though it seems LIFE has paused?”

“Am I being a leader and an example to those that I love?”

“Would I be at PEACE if today was the last day here?”

For me, the answers are “YES”.

How we live in the midst of adversity can tell a lot about who we are at our core.

Ask yourself ….

Are you merely existing?

Are you hiding in a cocoon afraid and weak?

Are you calming and leading others to hope?

Are you truly LIVING THROUGH this pandemic?

Go ahead. Ask yourself.

Because I did.

Even through the uncertainty and unknowns, our clocks are still ticking.

Days are turning into months and the months will soon be a year.

I’m holding tight to my life plan.

To LIVE LOUD.

To LIVE WITH INTENTION.

To LEARN and GROW each day, as this is my classroom.

We aren’t being put through this test to sit and wait it out, friends. We are here to LIVE THROUGH it all.

I view this as a very difficult course in college.

We won’t necessarily breeze through this one without a few bumps and scars.

It’s time to observe, test ourselves, and see what we can take from this lesson.

Just like the HEROES who survived the Holocaust, the Wars, the Great Depression……

It’s time to look inside and see what we are made of ♥️

We are made of LIGHT, LOVE and HOPE.

All within each of us.

Free to give, easy to offer…..and safe to share😉

Stay strong. Well. And Be Blessed, my friends.

May you be a Star Student and Ace this

LIFE CHANGING TEST🙏

Much love,

Linda ♥️

If someone woke you up in the middle of the night and told you that you had 5 minutes to grab what you needed to survive, what would you take?

Would you run through your home, grabbing family photos? Money? Your laptop? Your children? And, what about food or water?

What do YOU need to survive?

It’s an interesting question at best.

Really think about it before you answer because your “needs” may surprise you.

At best, they were eye opening for me.

Now, I’m not saying someone came into my home and had me pack a bag, but my husband and I decided some time ago that we would downsize and move.

Yes, in the midst of a quarantine and a pandemic.

And, yes, I have once again been reminded of what I need to survive.

By that, I mean “who” and “what”. And, as I was packing, I made sure to choose wisely and ask myself “why”.

We have had to walk by Faith through this adventure.

We didn’t know what the next announcement would be, if one of us or a family member would become ill, or what to expect from one moment to the next.

I don’t do well with the unexpected, so this was a huge test for me.

I view my life as one big lesson.

I picture God standing up at the head of classroom, coaching me, challenging me and showing me how far I have come with Him by my side.

I definitely am not ready to “graduate”, but man oh man, I am learning a lot!

Through this particular journey, I have definitely come face to face with some old demons.

Fear of the unknown.

Anxiety.

Stress.

Change.

And the material world around me.

I never really thought of myself as a “material girl”(sorry, I’m an 80’s kid….Madonna shoutout).

But, I think I am….

With this recent move, I have learned it is ok to let go……

And let God.

As I have done my entire life, I deal with the gross, wretched part of the emotion and then I flip it.

I flip into the lesson and make it beautiful. Why? Because this life that God envelopes us in is just that. Beautiful.

It can sometimes be ugly or difficult…or sad, but there’s always a rainbow at the end.

Always.

I always seem to look back and say, “Ah, I got it. That’s why.”

And that’s the rainbow 🌈 moment.

Ever do that?

Go through a storm and then reflect?

As humans, we see the clouds billow and start to panic. We hide from it’s power. We go inside and live out of fear.

But, what if we approached the storm instead? What if, just once, we grabbed our umbrella and God’s mighty hand and walked INTO it with Him?

Tell me, what if?

Well, in my experiences of being “forced” into the storm, you find that it’s really not that bad.

Now, don’t get me wrong….it’s uncomfortable and scary, but the accomplishment you feel after…and the lessons you learn….the next storm, maybe won’t be so bad??

Now, here’s where the beauty begins.

Let me just preface this, by making sure you understand….. you’re gonna get wet!

You will be tired.

You will cry.

You will find weaknesses inside that you didn’t know existed.

You may have to give things up that you thought you needed.

You may fall.

You may scream.

Where’s the beauty in that???

In the rainbow, friends.

It’s all in the rainbow 🌈.

Because, guess what?

You will rise again.

You will reflect and see just how strong you are.

You could have never imagined conquering the obstacles you were about to face, but you did.

You couldn’t see past the dark, ominous clouds, but they passed.

And, you didn’t think you could carry such a heavy load(or, in my case, a huge bookcase), but you did!!!

And, now imagine the foundation He has built for you to weather the next storm in life.

And, we know, without a doubt, another will come.

Maybe not in the form of a pandemic, or a major move, or quarantine, or illness, job loss, or anything of that nature…but the clouds are on the horizon. And, next time, you will be more prepared because of this “lesson”.

Now, back to what you would grab if you only had minutes and limited space.

I have been gently reminded what I need to survive.

If I woke up without _____________, could I go on?

Ask it.

Go ahead.

Because I did.

My answer is that I am beyond blessed.

Beyond grateful.

And my home and heart are full.

I have “more” than I probably deserve. A whole storage unit full. An adorable home with so many beautiful “things”.

I didn’t have to “pack a bag” in 5 minutes…I was blessed to have the time to choose. And in doing so, I chose wisely.

You see, I realized it wouldn’t matter what state or country I moved to.

It’s not the address that makes a home, but WHO resides inside.

For me, it’s 1.), Jesus….then, my husband and my dog.

My heart lives in this home, and it’s full of LOVE and 45 years of LIFE.

This home will be decorated with the laughter and new memories when family can come to visit and painted with LOVE inside.

I found that what was most important for me was so much more than tangible items. The “things” that mattered the most to my heart were the emotions that the items captured.

My 4 children’s newborn clothes.

My Grandmothers aprons.

Halloween costumes (especially the Batman mask and feather boua).

And so much more.

And back to those rainbows? I had a rainbow 🌈 moment after my Dad’s passing. You see, he didn’t really “leave” me anything. No books, fishing poles, not many pictures or hobbies. I was crushed at first. And then, the Teacher stepped up to board. He reminded me of all the nights I was woken up by my Dad to sing country songs. I hated those songs and the hours he would keep me up telling me his life stories.

You get it, right?

My rainbow 🌈 was the moment I saw that my Dad left me the greatest gifts of all.

A book of his life, in my mind, that I will have forever.

Songs(that I’m finding also tell a story), and so many snapshots of he and I at that dining room table, singing to Hank Williams Jr in the middle of the night.

I sing those damn songs now.

I play them loud. And laugh, smile and sometimes even cry.

Thanks, Dad. ♥️

What he left me is priceless…there isn’t enough money to purchase those gifts and there isn’t an amount I would take to sell it away.

The 🌈.

My heart has felt so much in the last 4 weeks.

Sadness for the lives lost from the virus, Hope for all of humanity, excitement for the renewal that is upon us and absolute gratitude for my life and all who reside in it.

As I sat on my sofa, in my new home, on Easter Sunday, I was in awe.

I had my “rainbow” 🌈 moment.

“I get it, God. I hear ya loud and clear, and I thank you.”

Through this pandemic and “Great Pause” in the entire world, a Bible phrase keeps flashing in my mind.

“ Whoever finds his life will lose it and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it”♥️

We are being forced to Be Still, friends.

Think about that.

For the first time in most of our lives, the world has literally SHUT DOWN.

Maybe it’s so God can heal it and turn it around?

We must embrace this moment in time.

We must not be afraid to weather this storm, but to grab God’s hand, an umbrella and walk into it with Faith.

The first step is always the hardest but remember this promise too…

“FAITH is being sure of what we hope for and certain of which we do not see”

He’s GOT us, friends.

You may get wet, but His warm light will dry you once again.

I leave you with this thought today so you may find strength in the midst of this tornado we are in the middle of.

Be STILL.

Let GO and Let GOD.

And, as I tell my kids when something doesn’t go their way…

“Trust in God…He May have something better in mind”🌈

Much love to you all.

Make sure to pack lightly😉

Linda 💜

For many years, I have done a “Goals” list.

It used to include such things as weight loss, buying a piece of furniture, or whatever my mind desired at the time.

Through the years, as with most things, it seems to have matured.

This past November, my list included just 3 things.

1. A lofty business goal.

2. To run my first marathon.

3. To Live. In the moment. To be fully present.

I figured I had this year’s list locked down.

I mean, I know how to run my real estate business very well, I started running 6 months before the actual marathon….now I just need to figure out how to let go and live.

Little did I know that a few months in, I would begin training for what could be the most mentally challenging year of my life.

For those who know me, you know I don’t do well with change.

As a child, there was just too much uncertainty. So as I have aged, that is something I decided to control…my surroundings and day to day life.

I’d say I had a pretty damn good routine until recently.

I thought I had control.

I can’t speak for you, but for me, one of the most frightening aspects of this virus and quarantine is the uncertainty.

When will it hit?

Who could it take from me?

How bad will it be?

When will it end?

So much freaking uncertainty.

…And, I really have no control over any of it.

Without control over my environment, my routine and my health….I flipped out last week.

What will I do?

How will I continue to live my life without KNOWING what tomorrow will bring???

And then I opened my devotional…..Jesus Calling. I’ve referred to this little book for many, many years.

Through the fears of my children leaving the nest, to my Dad’s passing, health scares… and just those days when you want to cry.

You know, the days you wake up and just feel off? Even on the darkest days, His message has brought me so much PEACE.

And so last week, on a very dreary day, I opened it up again…only to be met with a message so loud, I knew it was meant for me.

Our Lord is with us, in every way.

Waiting for you to come to Him, holding out His hands to offer you comfort and peace.

He is a constant.

He is the calm in this storm.

I realized that day that the ONLY certainty I have is Him.

We all have had experiences in our lives that have been eye opening.

Those “ah ha” moments when you just know something bigger than you has either moved you or blocked your way.

Growing up, I had many.

He was with me every step of the way.

For me to forget that, to doubt it, to retract in fear of what I’m walking into….well, that’s not an option.

So, I decided to rearrange my spring training schedule a bit.

I won’t focus on building muscle, but mental strength. I’ll go through my memories into times that I overcame. I’ll stack those up one by one, as if I’m layering my foundation….because I am.

I won’t stress about timing or how long things will take. I’ll just LIVE for today, like I should be anyway. I’ll listen to the birds. I’ll call family and friends. I’ll slow down my pace and continue to work on my breath and my inner peace.

I’ll keep my eyes laser focused on Him and I won’t let the fears, media, statistics, or stories block the way to my goals.

I’ll trust the process and enjoy the ride.

I’ve got this amazing “tour guide“ who has promised me He will never leave my side. ♥️

Take your thoughts out of what was and put your heart into what will be.

They say it takes 21 days to break a habit….I’m tearing down my walls and allowing Him to rebuild me.

Are you ready for a renovation??

Be safe, strong(in all ways), and begin your “Spring Training” with the best coach ever…. today.

He has a foolproof playbook, friends.

And best of all?

He knows the way…..

Much love,

Linda ❤️

If you look beyond the wrinkles on my face and wind blown hair, you’ll see LIFE.

As I finished off my run today, this older couple was at the end, enjoying a picnic lunch, in their winter gear.

I’m glad the run was over because this image stopped me in my tracks.

They are LIVING…..in spite of it all.

In the midst of the fears, the unknowns, the media hype (that has all but shut our cities down), they showed up today.

They showed up to make a memory.

To smile and laugh.

And to live another day.

So did many others that I passed on the trail. Runners, people walking their dogs, and many others out and about enjoying the sun and another day of life.

I get it, friends.

We have to be cautious, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop living or making memories.

These are gifts!

Freely given to each one of us.

Instead of sitting inside, getting bogged down by Facebook rumors, the news, and preparing for it all to end…..go outside!!

It’s free.

It’s safe.

And it is a beautiful reminder of how good life truly is.

This is a bump in the road…it’s not a dead end.

As I ran this morning, some thoughts entered my head.

I wonder what would happen if we all stopped hoarding items, running around wildly like prey being chased, and started remembering how strong we all are?

Now don’t get me wrong, be proactive in your health and be prepared.

But please try to remember some basics in the midst of the chaos.

You can be part of the problem or…part of the solution. That is only for each of us to decide.

Let me share a story of preparation from my past.

When I was growing up, as a child of an alcoholic home, I never knew what to expect. I never knew what to be afraid of…or what could happen next.

So I decided to cover all bases and be prepared for anything.

I learned this through experiences.

There’s one night in particular that stands out in my mind and makes me think of our world today.

In 6th grade, I went to bed one ordinary night.

I wasn’t thinking anything bad would occur.

Now keep in mind, it was 20 or 30 below that night, as it was the middle of winter.

My parents had been drinking and fighting and my Dad came upstairs. He woke me up and told me to leave!

It’s the middle of the night and winter! I was scared, but he persisted so I went.

I had time to find my boots, throw my winter coat over my pajamas and go. I ended up hunkering down in the old family car….for hours.

I’m not going to lie and tell you I wasn’t cold.

It was brutal.

After a while I began to wonder how I could stay warm or what I should do. I got out and ran…yes ran…around the block of my neighborhood, to stay warm.

And it helped.

💥Taking action to control myself in a unknown situation calmed me. 💥

After a few hours had passed, I noticed the lights were out(so they must have gone to bed) and I snuck back in.

Before even going back to sleep that night, I found an extra backpack and packed it full of extra food(kipper snacks and crackers to be exact), an extra set of mittens and some cash.

I began preparing by putting my coat in my bedroom closet each day after school…and I always slept with my boots next to my bed.

💥I was proactive and prepared. 💥

Therefore, my father’s unexpected behavior became less and less scary to me each time.

Fear loses its power when we take back control over ourselves.

Remember that.

Fear and faith can NOT be in the same room together.

So whether you believe in God, Jesus, the universe, or nothing at all….get your head in order.

And please calm the FUCK down.

This is life…here… now…and you don’t have any control over that.

You can’t put in your planner who will or won’t get sick.

You can’t let the virus know when it works best in your schedule for it to arrive or manifest how it will change your environment.

So again, I implore each of you… take back YOUR Power.

The POWER inside of you 🦋

It’s just waiting to be unleashed.

And, friends…..One more important thing….

After you finish reading this…put down your phone !!!!

Go outside and breath in the fresh air God has given us today.

Play ball with your kids before they grow up!

Take that beautiful dog for a walk.

Smile and remember to LIVE……

In spite of it all🌈

Follow me on Facebook or Instagram…My blogs are meant to empower, embrace, and help all emerge from whatever is holding you back from being the most powerful YOU.

Sending you so much love and joy.

Linda ♥️