25 Reflections: God and Patterns

I have come to see God at work in my life, as I believe He is at work in all of our lives. For me, my journey to France has been part of that. One thing that God asks of us–and this seems to be consistent across faith traditions–is to do the hard work of…

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25 Reflections: Be in the Now

Nothing has happened in the past; it happened in the Now. Nothing will ever happen in the future; it will happen in the Now. Eckhart Tolle As someone who has spent most of her life either contemplating the future or analyzing the past, it has somewhat difficult for me to really fall in love with the…

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25 Reflections: Vineyards and Parables

We have been living in the Alsace wine country–one of the regions in France that is famous for its wines. The hills around our village are covered in vineyards. Really, the entire region is covered in vineyards. One of the most fascinating parts of our stay has been watching the work of the vineyards through…

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Will You Buy All of My Flowers?

There is a moment in my life that has haunted me for 22 years. Each time this memory has floated through my mind, and it has visited a fair amount, I wish that I could alter it. I have longed for a do-over. A do-better. But memories aren’t wishes. Memories are life lived, decisions made,…

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The Words I Wish We Said at Church

Today marks the start of Pride month. As my day has unfolded, the beautiful faces of all of my queer friends have been on my mind and heart in a way that has been unexpected and powerful. And I realized I have some words to say to these amazing souls, especially to those who share…

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When Niceness Isn’t Nice

I recently did something that wasn’t very nice. And I did it on purpose. And I did it publicly. It was in response to something that other people did publicly that also wasn’t very nice. As the dust has settled I have owed a few people apologies, which have been given. And I am also…

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Mothering and the Art of Letting Go

Photo credit: Hannah Liyan Photography For as long as I can remember, my oldest daughter, Cora, has dreamed of going to Brigham Young University for college. For years she has worked hard in school, studied for the ACT, practiced ballroom dancing, attended seminary, read her scriptures, and done everything in her power to prepare. She…

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Your Word of the Year: It’s not too late to choose one!

A few years ago, I decided to abandon the idea of making resolutions in favor of choosing a word of the year. I was inspired when I read that Melinda Gates makes it a tradition to choose a word each year that “encapsulates her aspirations for the year ahead.” To me, choosing a single word…

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