Shop – Random Reflection

With a Desire to Cultivate Beauty in Every Season, Random Reflection now has a shop on Etsy.

When a farmer cultivates a field, he is loosening winter’s hard-packed soil, releasing what is no longer needed in preparation for receiving seeds.

Cultivating feels an essential rhythm for preparing space in our ordinary lives to plant seeds that we pray will grow into something beneficial, perhaps even beautiful.

And the beautiful thing about cultivating and planting seeds is that we can step back to watch how God will grow them.

Learning to cultivate beauty in my own life, I also desire to share those seeds and watch how God continues to grow beautiful things. For a while, I have been enjoying the beauty of painting with watercolor. I began painting cards to share with friends, and friends began suggesting that they would be willing to buy cards I made.

And from a desire to share seasonal beauty, I decided to open a Random Reflection shop on Etsy.
Where you can find seasonally inspired:

Hand Painted Greeting Cards

Printed Greeting Cards

Vintage Postcards

Together, let’s cultivate beauty in every season.

Also, if you are interested in resources to inspire you to embrace the rhythms of the season, here are a few of my Free Downloadable Resources:

Thyme for #kitchentherapy Weekly Meal Planner

Five Days of Reflection on Rest

Questions for Reflection in times of Transition

November Family Gratitude Challenge

Reflections as we begin the Holiday Season

Preparing For Summer

joy.marker

✍️Writing hope-filled words of reflection.
🌅 Cultivating beauty in every season.

Thank you friends for all the birthday wishes and

Thank you friends for all the birthday wishes and love shared throughout this week.

One of the gifts of growing older is the expanse of friendships and diversity of community grown through the years.

I am overwhelmed with gratitude for such a beautiful community that I get to do life with.

Some of you have been life long friends, some as far back as the day I was born, or soon after. Others of you, our paths have intersected along the way and while our physical paths may have diverged our friendship remains. Then there is the gift of local friends, doing life with me in the present moments. And while for some, our physical paths have never crossed or the intersection has been brief, our friendship has grown with time in these virtual spaces.

Community and friendship grow in various ways and the diversity and uniqueness makes life beautiful and interesting.

Today, I was gifted a day with my bestest friend, @a.t.marker. And our adventures have filled my heart with thoughts and words that now ask to be held close and for time to marinate before shared.

But, amidst our adventures, I wanted to stop in and say, thank you.
And remind you, you are so very loved and appreciated.

❤️

#randomreflection
#thisisfifty
#friendship

A name had been chosen: I was to be Elizabeth Ann,

A name had been chosen: I was to be Elizabeth Ann, but as a good Southern girl, I would go by Beth Ann. And then, my mother went into labor, and things did not go as planned.

It seems I was reluctant to enter this world and made my mother endure a difficult labor. In his youthful wisdom, my father decided to encourage my mother by quoting scripture. As you can imagine, my mother was not all that impressed with this method of encouragement during her challenging labor, but one verse lingered.

"Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning." (Psalm 30:5)

I was born in the morning, and I was named Joy.

A well-known fact is that the name Joy means "joy" or "rejoicing."

My name is often associated with happiness and a sense of well-being, and I am told that people with this name are known for their positive outlook on life and ability to find joy in even the smallest things.

(Side note: A friend once stated that I am the only person she knows who can get excited about spotting an opossum across the street.)

A name can be just that, a name, a word your parents liked. But it can also be part of your story, the foundation for the person you are and are becoming.

As I enter my fifth decade of life, I find myself reflecting on the story of my name, who I am, and who I wish to be.

Such a small word, only three letters, and yet such big shoes to fill.

Life has been and can be painful. We can have a plan, a name picked out, and then the unexpected can change that plan. But joy comes; we can find joy in the ordinary moments and the smallest gifts.

#birthdayreflections #thestoryofaname #yourstorymatters #thisisfifty

I am content to be the age that I am; age is just

I am content to be the age that I am; age is just a number.

And yet, as I approach my double golden birthday, I find myself grieving. Not because I am getting older but because I feel my life does not match my expectations for this age.

As a planner, I tend to create unspoken expectations about how things should be at certain stages.

Yet, looking back, unexpected life situations have been my most dedicated teachers; they have taught me that it is okay, even necessary, to grieve, but not so much so that you fail to appreciate the beauty of what you have.

It's my birthday week, so over on my substack, Throughout The Seasons, I'm sharing some random reflections on turning fifty and living an unexpected life. You can join me by following the link in my bio.

#randomreflections #throughouttheseasons #spring #turning50 #unexpectedlife

It's World Book Day, and well, I love books. In fa

It's World Book Day, and well, I love books. In fact, this year, I've already read over twenty books, and while many have been good, few have inspired me to fill my notebook with notes and quotes. That is until I began reading Live Slowly by @jodi.grubbs

I pre-ordered this book as soon as it was available, and as part of her launch team, I was gifted the opportunity to read her words before its April 30th release. And well, I have been filling my notebook with notes and quotes of inspiration.

So, if you find yourself craving space for your soul to breathe and a slower rhythm to your days, I highly recommend you go ahead and order Jodi's book, Live Slowly.

#randombookrecommendation #booklaunch #worldbookday #liveslowlybook #slowliving #liveslowly #spaceforyoursoultobreathe #liveslowlybook
.

Four years ago, the world as we knew it took a for

Four years ago, the world as we knew it took a forced pause.

While humans faced grief upon grief, nature took a deep breath in relief.

During this pause from regular routines, pollution was reduced, wildlife thrived, and nature showed us her resilience.

Four years have passed, and not only have we returned to our old routines, but we find ourselves holding different griefs—some human-made and others nature's rebellion.

How quickly we forget the gifts given in nature and our calling to "Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air, for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth." How easily we take nature's beauty for granted.

Recently, I have stumbled across memories from our forced pause, reminding me of what was beautiful that season. I remember how nature thanked us for our slower pace and quieter lives.

So, on this Earth Day, I wanted to take you on a trip with me down memory lane, with an Earth Day Video we made for our preschool friends. Follow the link in my bio, and don't forget to #reduce #reuse and #recycle.

Keep planting beautiful seeds and watch how they grow.

#randomreflection #earthday #beautifulthings #nature #seasons

I am currently reading and absolutely loving the b

I am currently reading and absolutely loving the book Live Slowly by @jodi.grubbs. It is a book that is speaking beautiful words to my soul.

Today, I stumbled upon words I had written a few years back.

What I wrote:

I am learning

- to release expectations for what I believe should be and embrace the reality of what is.

- that slowing down does not equal giving up or coming to a complete stop.

- that stillness is as much a mindset as a physical posture.

- that while I plant and tend with care, growth will happen in its own time and way.

- that rest is not lazy, nor is it passive, and it is possible to be well-rested while physically active.

- that community and solitude are best when practiced in rhythm, one with the other.

- for every yes, there is a no, and it is wise to consider both in our decision-making.

- that it is perfectly ok to change course; life is not meant to be stagnant.

- that limitations can serve as guideposts instead of obstacles to overcome.

More thoughts today:

Learning is a lifelong practice, not an "oh, I got this now I'm done."

While some of these lessons I practice better than others, I'm still very much in need of practice and reminders.

To Live Slowly, can feel like swimming against the current, some days I find myself forgetting to swim and allow the current to take me where it may.

Jodi's book and her words arrived in their perfect time. A reminder that I very much wish to swim, even if I must swim against the tide.

If you find yourself craving a slower more sustainable pace of life, but it feels to much to keep swimming against the current, get yourself a copy of Live Slowly, you can pre-order it now and it releases April 30th.

#randomreflection #liveslowly #lifelonglearner #community #solitute #slowgrowth #tending #planting #rhythms #bestyes #rest #stillness #listening #limitations #change #embrace

A Prayer for the challenging or unexpected life:

A Prayer for the challenging or unexpected life:

As we face life's challenges and navigate unexpected detours, Lord help us to name and grieve what is hard, but not at the cost of forgetting the beauty of our life.

May we not define our life by age, stage, accomplishments, or perceived failures.

May we remember to count the gifts of the ordinary days.

May we recognize that life is not a race in which we are ahead or behind; instead, we are exactly where we need to be at this time.

#randomreflections #throughouttheseasons #spring #turning50 #unexpectedlife

As we finish out this busy week, Heading into a, p

As we finish out this busy week,
Heading into a, perhaps, busy weekend.

May we find moments of quiet
Making space for our souls to breathe.

Remembering......................

The world is loud, full of noise, endless input.
The world is busy, full schedules, endless tasks.

A quiet life is not a secluded life.
A quiet life is not a lazy life.

We quiet the noise not to stop hearing.
We quiet the noise so we can hear the heartbeats.

We slow down not to achieve less.
We slow down to achieve that which matters.

“To live a quiet life in a world of noise is a flight,
a war of attrition, a calm rebellion against the status quo.”
John Mark Comer - The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

#randomreflection #quietlife #eliminationofhurry #spaceforoursoulstobreathe #seasons #spring

I hear it all the time, statements such as, "I am

I hear it all the time, statements such as,
"I am not creative."
"I am not an artist."
And it makes my heart sad.

Look at the fields, the sunrise, and the sunset; do you see the creativity in the variation of the seasons?

We have been created by a creative God; just look at the diversity and beauty in this world. And we are invited to co-create beautiful things in this world.

You, my friend, are creative; perhaps the issue comes with your definition of creative. Creativity can be as simple as being involved in creating something unique to you, in the making of something new.

Art is not always a picture we hang on the wall.

Creating can look different in different seasons of our lives.

Perhaps your art is in tending your garden, planting new bulbs, and hoping to watch them grow throughout the summer.

My garden is always an artwork in progress, often crazy and out of control.

Perhaps your creative energy today looks like tending to cleaning your home or rising early enough to make your family breakfast before work or school.

Every season of life does not provide the space for grand works of epic proportions that we can proudly display. Yet, beautiful art flows freely when we see ourselves as artists in the ordinary everyday work before us.

You, my friend, are creative; you are an artist in your own unique way.

And

No matter the season of life you currently reside in, there is room for your creative soul to live. What art are you creating today?

#randomreflection #seasons #spring #art #creative #beautifulthings #ordinarydays

Without grace, love, and mercy, Chasing slow livi

Without grace, love, and mercy,
Chasing slow living is still chasing,
Elimination of hurry can find us living self-absorbed
and minimalism quickly becomes just another standard of perfection.

While the pursuit of slower living and being content with less can be a beautiful thing. (I am a huge fan of slow living, eliminating hurry and cozy minimalism), we can easily find ourselves having simply swung the pendulum from one form of pursuit to another. We can exchange the unachievable standard of achievement for an unattainable standard for perfection.

Lord,
In our desire to change, may we loosen our grasp on control rather than simply swing our pendulum in a different direction.

Help us to pause and consider our whys rather than simply move from one form of control to another.

Give us the courage to stand still, pause, or move against the flow of cultural norms.

Give us grace, love, and mercy for ourselves and others.

Amen

PS You can read more reflections on Chasing Slow on my substack this week, link to Throughout The Seasons in Bio.

#randomreflection #throughouttheseasons #chasingslow #eliminationofhurry #minimalism #grace #love #mercy

I am grateful to live in a place where I am surrou

I am grateful to live in a place where I am surrounded by community and yet walk a mile or two and find solitude in nature.

As an introvert I find myself craving moments of solitude and yet as a lover of community I value having people in close proximity.

If you are an extrovert, perhaps you crave community and yet understand the importance and value of solitude.

Whatever your natural tendency, both solitude and community have value. We need space for our souls to breathe and yet life is #bettertogether.

#randomreflections after a Sunday morning walk.

#nature #solitude #community #spring #seasons

Hi Friend, Yes, I am looking at you, and yes, we

Hi Friend,

Yes, I am looking at you, and yes, we may have never met in person, but if we engage in this space, I want you to know I genuinely consider us friends.

While social media can be where we casually show up and watch others' lives unfold or tell the world about our latest adventure, I believe it can be more.

If we slow down our scroll and look deeper, we can discover hope-filled words of encouragement and inspiration to live well the life we have been given. We can plant beautiful seeds and tend positive interactions. We can find our people, those we know in person or those we've never met but wish we lived close enough to meet for coffee.

Today, I am popping in to let you know that I regularly show up in this space to share hope-filled words of encouragement, grow friendships, and foster an encouraging space that says you are welcome here.

So, if you have been reading my words but we haven't interacted, don't be shy. You are so very welcome here, and I would love to hear from you. Pop in occasionally and say Hi, I want to get to know you better.
Feel free to send me a DM or comment below.

Together, we can cultivate space for beautiful things to grow.

Photo Credit: #preschoolphotograher

#randomreflection #hopefilledwords #growingtogether #bettertogether #cultivate #seasons #spring

My sisters and I rarely get to be in the same loca

My sisters and I rarely get to be in the same location. Since I graduated high school (a lot of years ago), we have all lived in different countries. We are an international family living in three different countries.

I am the oldest, but I have the youngest children, am the shortest and the most introverted of us three.

My middle sister, Pamela (not in the middle of this photo), is socially the most extroverted, outgoing, and bravest of us all, yet she is the least likely to try new things, especially regarding food.

The youngest of us, Lisa, is by far the most well-traveled internationally; she is the most likely to offer to bring you a meal when you're down and can pull together a party at a moment's notice.

We are different and live in various countries, yet we are sisters; we are a family. We all love to play no matter how old we are (we learned that from our father), and I love us.

Happy National Sibling Day!

Photo: Silliness at a photo shoot, Family Reunion 2014

The word humility can be a hard pill to swallow. T

The word humility can be a hard pill to swallow. The world defines humility as a low view of one's self-importance, making it sound like an unfavorable position to take.

Yet, repeatedly in the Bible, we are instructed to humble ourselves.

Humility is a derivative of the Latin word humilitas, which means one who is grounded or near the earth.

What if having humility under God means we clearly understand where we come from and our place in this world?

This week at Throughout The Seasons, we are redefining humility. Follow the link in my bio to join us.

May we understand humility not as a low view of self but a high view of you, God.

May we recognize that we do not need to strive for our place in this world, for we are already fully known and fully loved by the God who created us.

May we serve not out of our own strength and desires but from a place of surrender and love.

May we cast all our care upon you, trusting that your plan is far greater than we can dare to imagine.

#randomreflection #throughouttheseasons #humility #seasons #spring

Looking at the world around us, we can easily fall

Looking at the world around us, we can easily fall into the trap of believing that greatness comes from doing something great, that bigger is better, and that more social media followers equal more influence.

Without thoughtful intention, we can find ourselves caught in a hurried life as we strive for one achievement and the next.

As a task-driven enneagram three, I have lived at an unsustainable pace. Eager to make plans, set goals, and strive for the next achievement. I have grown outwardly impressive while inwardly allowing my soul to grow weary.

I thought I was growing into a beautiful flower, but I realized I was instead the flowering weed with roots that no longer sustained.

The pressure to grow flowers quickly is intense, yet, in reality, the most crucial growth is often unseen and underappreciated. The unspectacular root system is critical to a sustainable life.

It may not always make for the best content on your social media feed or the most impressive stories to tell your friends. Nevertheless, faithfulness in the watering and nourishment as we slowly grow deep roots ultimately leads to a well-lived life.

So, friends, as you go about your ordinary tasks today, I want you to remember this.

You have permission to live an unspectacular life.

You have permission to grow slowly, developing deep, seemingly unspectacular, but strong roots.

You have permission to love and value life's small and ordinary things.

You have permission to stay small and grow deep.

#randomreflections #growingslow #deeproots #seasons #spring #liturgyoftheordinary

Most mornings the sun shines in the back door and

Most mornings the sun shines in the back door and if I catch it just right I see a beautiful glow or light shadow on my hanging plants. Here I have posted a sign, Your Story Matters, it reminds me to pray and also to keep telling stories and listening to others stories.

My friend @stephmpage is a beautiful soul, working tirelessly to tell stories that bring awareness for and support to survivors of human trafficking. @storiesfoundation is an organization working to raise money to build A Storyteller Cafe, a safe community for survivors, a place where profits from sales will provide support for this work in a sustainable way.

Not all of us are called to this work, we each have our own stories to write and we must recognize we can't do everything.

But, we can all do something.

And if you feel called to do something, you can join me in supporting this beautiful and difficult work with a $15 purchase of a Your Story Matters bracelet. Check out their IG pages or message me for a direct link.

#yourstorymatters #beautifulthings #liftothersup

You can see beautiful flowers or weeds. You can s

You can see beautiful flowers or weeds.

You can see work to be done or wishes to be made.

Same plants, different perspectives.

We each get to choose.

I am grateful for my tiny human friends and how they remind me to choose to see the beautiful and the possibilities.

#preschoollife
#beautifulthings
#wishes
#perspective

I am someone who easily gets lost in my head, beco

I am someone who easily gets lost in my head, becoming unaware of those around me.

At the grocery store, I might be making plans and fail to acknowledge the friendly hello or not engage with the checkout clerk.

On a walk, I might be writing words in my head and fail to wave at the neighbor passing.

If my husband or children are with me, they remind me to get out of my head, be fully present in the moment, and engage with others.

And as I seek to be more fully present in ordinary tasks and less in my head, I notice.

I notice the large number of people who drive with angry looks on their faces or check out at the grocery store without acknowledging the cashier serving them. I notice unfriendly postures and distant looks.

Perhaps they, like I often am, are lost in their heads, deep in thought, and unaware of how their body language speaks.

My preschool photographers love to capture Ms. Joy pictures without me seeing them. So, I am regularly gifted with a view of myself through the lens of my tiny human friends. It can be humbling and a gift to see yourself as others see you in ordinary moments.

Have you ever thought about the stories your body language tells as you engage in ordinary tasks?

How much kinder would the world be if we paid attention to how we engage with the world around us as we go about our tasks?

How wonderful would it be if our body language and facial expressions said, "I see you, and you are welcome here."

#randomreflection #ordinarymoments #noticing

It's Spring, and I find myself eager to start plan

It's Spring, and I find myself eager to start planting. Yet, here in Kansas, we are still dancing with Winter temperatures.

I must pace myself, not plant too much too soon, and risk a night of freezing temperatures killing off my plants. Still, I have begun to plant some seeds and plants that appreciate the colder temperatures and placed others in pots that I can bring inside when the temperatures drop below 40 degrees.

I love planting and tending and watching as things begin to grow.

Gardening has been a beautiful teacher.

It has taught me that while I can be faithful in the planting and tending, I cannot always control the growth. Factors like weather, pests, and even soil, as well as plant quality, impact the results of each growing season. And so I am learning to enjoy the process of planting beautiful seeds and then stepping back to watch how they grow.

This same truth, I believe, holds true in life. Whether in parenting, teaching, or our work, we cannot always ensure the end product will be what we hoped for; outside factors influence results. And yet, we can be faithful to keep planting beautiful seeds, tending well what needs tending and then releasing things/people to grow.

So, let's plant some beautiful seeds this Spring, literally and figuratively, and then hold our hands open and watch how they grow.

#randomreflection #seasons #spring #beautifulseeds

Sustainability is a word we often hear in terms of

Sustainability is a word we often hear in terms of the environment and agriculture. In simple terms, sustainability refers to the ability for something to be maintained, the avoidance of depleting resources, or ensuring that resources are preserved.

Yet, what if we considered the long-term sustainability of the practices and activities we incorporate into our daily lives?

Follow the link in my bio to join me this week at Throughout The Seasons as we reflect on the sustainability of our lives.

#randomreflections #throughouttheseasons #sustainability #ordinarylives

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