#Hope – Random Reflection

November 26, 2021

Advent – An Invitation to Hope

2021 was a year many of us HOPED for life to return to the pre-pandemic normal. But, even as the world began to open up and return to some form of normalcy, we found the once “normal” no longer seemed to work. It appeared that #pandemiclife changed us, and in some cases, we even found…

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joy.marker

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

Gratitude Researcher Robert Emmons tells us that g

Gratitude Researcher Robert Emmons tells us that gratitude serves as a key link between receiving and giving: It moves recipients to share and increase the very good they have received.

I have experienced this in my own life. As I learn to receive what I have and am given in life with thankfulness, I am motivated to share from my enough.

It can be easy to think of generosity as a financial transaction. We give to charitable causes and people in need, which is all good. But generosity goes beyond the financial transaction of charitable giving. Money is only one venue for generosity.

As Wayne Dyer reminds us, "Generosity is a function of the heart, not the wallet."

Living generously requires us to notice and respond with a more valuable currency: kindness.

Join me at Random Reflections Throughout The Seasons as we reflect on how generosity flows from a grateful heart. Link in bio and I will add to my stories.

#randomreflection #throughouttheseasons #gratitude #generosity #seasons #autumn #fall

In a world that celebrates bigger as better over s

In a world that celebrates bigger as better over small and valuable,

May we be faithful in filling the space we have been given.

May we remember that bravery is not about doing big things versus small things but about doing the things that matter right where we are.

May we be ordinary people who regularly whisper faith-filled prayers.

May we be fully present in the ordinary everyday moments of our lives.

#randomprayer #seasons #autumn #whisperedprayers #ordinaryeveryday #growsmall #changetheworld #livelocal #loveglobal

At our house, multiple family members celebrate De

At our house, multiple family members celebrate December birthdays, and I want to be fully present for those and Christmas, so I am attempting to start gathering gifts this month.

As I've been looking for gift inspiration, I thought perhaps others might also appreciate some ideas. So, I've created a bonus edition of Throughout The Seasons to help inspire you in your gift-giving adventures.

November is also a month that inspires us to hold a posture of gratitude, and I wanted to say Thank You. Thank you for traveling with me through this crazy, beautiful, often unexpected journey called life. Since I can't send each of you a personal gift, I am running a gratitude sale in my Etsy store. For the entire month of November, everything in my store is 25% off, and as always, free shipping when you spend $35 or more.

At Random Reflection on Etsy, you can find Unique Gifts, Wearable Art, Hand-painted Greeting Cards, Encouraging Words Attire, Candles, Stickers, and more. Follow the link in my bio to check out the bonus edition of Throughout the Season, which has more gift ideas with links.

#randomreflection #throughouttheseasons #seasons #giftgiving #holidays #uniquegiftideas

Hello November, This Autumn has felt different.

Hello November,

This Autumn has felt different. It may be because the weather has not matched what we expect for this season. It could be the heaviness, the weight of all that is happening around the world. I don't know, but I know it has not felt fully Autumn.

Holidays and festivities in this autumnal season invite us to gather in a community, yet the world feels more divided than ever; it is more about the self than the community. This season should say, "You are welcome; there is a seat at the table just for you," yet many words and actions yell instead, "You are not welcome here."

We could find ourselves downcast and disheartened, but instead, we choose to be treasure hunters and beauty seekers, always looking for what is good and true. We count the gifts, notice the givers, and plant seeds of kindness wherever possible.

Friends, let's keep setting the table and sending out the invitations. Let's build the fires and invite others to gather with us where it is warm. Let's not allow the weather or the news to determine how we live in this season. Feeling like it or not, let's accept Autumn's invitation to gather together in community.

#randomreflections #throughouttheseasons #seasons #autumn #fall #gather #community #welcome

There are books you read, and then there are books

There are books you read, and then there are books you read and re-read over and over. And as I've been reflecting on living a small but valuable life I can't help but feel the pull to take Ronne's book off the shelf.

I've been wondering if it might be possible to live a small, simple life with a big impact.

And then I remember words my friend Ronne wrote in her book, One Woman Can Change The World, about women who taught her that "God's purpose in us is real and true, even when our worth is questioned. They taught me that our lives are purposeful, even if they are quiet. In fact, some of the most powerful women I've learned from -women like the sisters, who believe restoration is a reality on earth as it is in heaven - are moving mountains with faith-filled whispers. Those whispers are significant, even if you or I never hear them. We feel their impact as the world is changed."

Living a life of significance and impact can be brave and yet small, simple and yet impactful.

If you haven't already read this book, might I suggest you add it to your to-read list? Go ahead and buy a copy for your bookshelf so you can pull it out as needed. To make it extra special, if you order a copy directly from Ronne, she'll write you a beautiful note filled with love.

Be resolute.
Stay small.
Fill the space you've bee#resolute
@ronnerock

#randomreflections #throughouttheseasons #autumn #fall #smallbutvaluable #onewomancanchangetheworld #small #resolute

One of my favorite movies to watch in Autumn is Yo

One of my favorite movies to watch in Autumn is You've Got Mail. It may be when Joe Fox says, "Don't you love New York in the Fall? It makes me wanna buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address." That makes me consider it a must-watch movie in this season.

When you watch a movie enough times, you begin to recite entire scenes. I love several quotes by Joe Fox, aka Tom Hanks, and Kathleen Kelley, aka Meg Ryan.

"Sometimes I wonder about my life. I live a small life. Well, valuable, but small. And sometimes I wonder - do I do it because I like it or because I haven't been brave." Kathleen Kelley

"Do I do it because I like it or because I haven't been brave?"

That's a real dilemma for some of us who live simple and smaller lives. We often feel as if we are not doing enough or that we ourselves are not enough.

Join me this week on Throughout The Seasons as a Bouquet of Sharpened Pencils leads us down a path of reflections on a small but valuable life.

Link in bio and I'll share in my stories.

#randomreflections #throughouttheseasons #autumn #fall #smallbutvaluable #sharpenedpencils #youvegotmail

Lord, in a world that often feels chaotic at best

Lord, in a world that often feels chaotic at best and unsafe at its worst,

May we seek comfort from you so that we may then pour comfort out to others.

May we not be breeders of complacency but seekers of restoration.

May we cultivate comfortable homes that welcome others in so that they may find comfort.

May we invest in growing healthy communities and safe spaces that can be beautiful sources of comfort.

#randomprayer #randomreflection #throughouttheseasons #autumn #fall #comfort

Comfort is something we make, environments we crea

Comfort is something we make, environments we create.
It's rhythms and habits that ease our pain.

Comfort is a breeder of complacency, But also,
It's a restorer of heart and soul.

Comfort is something we give and something we take.
It's an action that inspires a feeling.

Comfort is a skill, not a trait.
It's the art of seeing with heart and mind.

#randomreflection #throughouttheseasons #autumn #fall #comfort

Words written in the past at a different time reem

Words written in the past at a different time reemerge, feeling like they could have been written just for today.

2020 - A Reflection

A Burden we carry
Hunched over shoulders
Every Yes a Risk
Every No Disappointment
Change, so much change
Sorrow, grief, even despair

Because………..

Politics over People
Racial Injustice
Natural Disasters
Job Loss, Homeless
Sickness, Death, so much loss

Grief, so much suffering
Tears shed, like the rain.

But…………..

This story is not the only one to tell.

Look for the Good
The Helpers
Battle the Grief with Kindness
Community grows
The generosity of time and resources
Neighbor helping neighbor
Friendships grow over Zoom
Driveway gatherings and birthday parades
Family time, slower pace, empty calendars.

Prayers on worn-out knees carry us through.
We recognize our grief, lament.

Then………….

Count our blessings
Name gifts
Give, time, or resources
Live eyes open, noticing beyond ourselves
Vote, it matters
Be counted; you matter
Notice those previously unnoticed
Love those thought unlovable.

Shine the Light, Love, Be the Gift, Kindness
It Matters, You Matter
Be the Change you wish to see in the World.

#randomreflections #poetry #seasons #autumn

There is something about the cooler months of the

There is something about the cooler months of the year, Autumn and Winter, that makes me think of comfort. And yet, as we arrived at Autumn this year, the temperatures have not felt comfortable or Autumnal. Or at least it has not felt like the comfort I generally associate with this season: comfort foods, cozy blankets, soft flannels, and comfy clothes.

But perhaps my version of comfort is not everyone's idea of comfort?

Join me this week on Throughout the Seasons as we reflect on the giving and receiving of comfort. Link in bio and I'll share in my stories.

What might a healthy outlook on comfort look like?

#randomreflection #throughouttheseasons #autumn #fall #comfort

I've been working hard not to think about all the

I've been working hard not to think about all the lasts in this season, to be fully present in the now moments, and to enjoy the making of beautiful memories.

So, I was honestly unprepared for the depth of emotion I felt walking onto the field to join this kid being recognized in his final season of high school football.

How did this tiny 5-pound baby turn into this young man who towers over me?

I often tell myself that it is okay, even necessary, to grieve the loss of what was, but that sadness need not linger. After all, for there to be a beautiful new beginning, there must first be an ending.

Waves of grief wash over me, sadness that this kid is preparing to fly, and then gratitude arrives with the gift of cherished memories, and excitement builds with anticipation of the amazing things yet to come.

"The end of one thing is just the beginning of another." Simone Elkeles

I am so proud of @ben_marker , who he is, and who he is becoming.

I can't wait to see what comes next.

#seniorsunday #classof2025 #highschoolyears #endings #newbeginnings

When we do not have our own words to pray, we all

When we do not have our own words to pray,
we allow ourselves grace to repeat the words already written.

The Daily Prayer of Mother Teresa

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, let me sow pardon.
Where there is friction, let me sow union.
Where there is error, let me sow truth.
Where there is doubt, let me sow faith.
Where there is despair, let me sow hope.
Where there is darkness, let me sow light.
Where there is sadness, let me sow joy.
O! Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love,
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

#randomprayer #seasons #autumn #peace #belonging #hope #joy #light

We say words, believing that everyone understands

We say words, believing that everyone understands what those words mean, and we get frustrated when people do not act or respond as expected. Yet, while words may have a definition in the dictionary, how we use them and the context in which they are used do not always translate the same way.

For weeks, I have been telling one of my preschool classes at recess, "Tag, don't tackle." Some even run around repeatedly yelling that line, yet it has yet to change their behavior. I have assumed that they just aren't listening.

Then, yesterday, one of my preschool friends asked me,
"Ms. Joy, how do we tag?"

At that moment, I realized they hadn't ignored my instructions; they simply didn't understand them. They had no experience to help them visualize the words' meaning.

It's not just a problem in communication with tiny humans.

So often, we use words and statements that fit in our grid of understanding based on our personal experiences. We speak do's and don't's based on our values and beliefs without context for others to relate to.

And then we wonder why our words aren't changing behaviors.

Perhaps we would have more impact if we used fewer words and instead spent more time displaying real-life examples of the words we are running around yelling that no one understands or has context for.

#randomreflection #preschoollife #plantbeautifulseeds #lifeinaction #ordinarydays

There is something so freeing, imperfect, and not

There is something so freeing, imperfect, and not easy yet life-giving about beginning to understand that belonging is not actually about place or people; it is not something to attain.

One of my favorite quotes from my friend @sarah_westfall book The Way of Belonging speaks to this.

"Belonging is not something to attain but someone to become. It is not about finding the right place or the right people but about embracing our worth as God's beloved and then extending the welcome."

Isn't it beautiful: the realization that belonging actually has nothing to do with place? It has nothing to do with fitting into a particular group or culture.

Belonging is not something we must strive for but a gift to receive and a welcome to extend.

#randomquote #seasons #autumn #fall #belonging #welcome

Sometimes, I have wished for a more straightforwar

Sometimes, I have wished for a more straightforward story that began in one place and grew there. But my story is far from simple.

My story feels more like a series of dots on a coloring page that has to be connected before you can see the complete picture.

Having called various countries and states home means I have often felt as if I belong everywhere and nowhere. But perhaps that's not just me?

To read more reflections on Belonging Everywhere and Nowhere, check out the latest edition of Throughout The Seasons. Link in bio and I'll share in my stories.

#randomreflection #throughouttheseasons #autumn #fall #belonging

On a walking preschool field trip last month I was

On a walking preschool field trip last month I was asked, by a preschool friend, why my parents weren't there. The question makes sense when parents often accompany their children on field trips. And I thought, why not?

So I called my parents and invited them to accompany me on our pumpkin patch field trip. And they eagerly said yes. After all the grandkids have all outgrown these field trip adventures so why not join their daughters preschool friends.

Bonus, it also happens to be my dad's 75th birthday tomorrow. What a fun way to kick off his week of birthday celebration.

My parents have taught me a lot of things throughout my life, one of them being, you are never too old to play. And, we're big fans of #makingmemories of all the ordinary and extraordinary moments we are given.

Thanks for making beautiful memories today and joining my preschool family on our pumpkin patch adventure. @nancytromsness

Happy Birthday Week Dad🥳

#randomreflection #seasons #autumn #pumpkinpatch #fieldtripadventures

As we enter a new week: May we recognize rest as

As we enter a new week:

May we recognize rest as an essential rhythm in every season.

May we avoid the temptation to find our identity in our doing.

May we not hinder future growth by holding on to that which does not belong in this season.

May we accept Autumn's invitation to rest by releasing what is no longer ours to carry?

Albert Einstein said, "Imagination is everything.

Albert Einstein said,
"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions."

If you're old enough, you may find song lyrics streaming through your head when you hear the word imagine.

"Imagine all the people
sharing all the world.
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one."

Or Perhaps another song dances in your head.

"I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk by Your side
I can only imagine
What my eyes would see
When Your face is before me
I can only imagine."

Imagine is defined as a form of mental imagery, a guess, a fancy, a belief that something unseen could be true. A word that often extends to an action or person, a thinking or active mind with creative abilities or someone with an imagination.

Children see the world with curiosity and wonder and often exercise their imaginations.

However, with growing demands and responsibility, this creativity and imagination can be put to the side when they reach adulthood.

Yet, we were made to wonder, cultivate, and create beautiful things in this world.

We were born to imagine.

#randomreflection #awordtoconsider #imagine #wonder

These Autumnal mornings, my walk generally happens

These Autumnal mornings, my walk generally happens under star lite skies with an occasional street light. If I time it just right there is a spot where I catch the scent of freshly lite tobacco, and every time I think of my Grandpa Coffield.

I imagine him sitting outside under star lite skies waiting to greet the day, tobacco lined paper rolled between his fingers and a mug of steaming black coffee.

My grandfather was not perfect but I never needed him to be, because in his perfectly imperfect ways he loved us well.

Tobacco killed his lungs and cancer took him from us too soon. I often wish I'd had more time with him on this earth, time for my adult self to have more fully known him. There are parts of his story I've learned as an adult and I wish I could tell him how grateful I am for his quiet strength and commitment to family. I wish I could sit with him once more on the front steps, as he rolled a fresh cigarette and tell him how much I love him.

Yet, I imagine he already knows.

#randommemories #imagine #seasons #autumn #fall

"Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things

"Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go."

author unknown

#randomquote #seasons #autumn #fall

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