“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.”
– Lao Tzu

The sound of the howling wind whistles in the distance. Clouds swirl around in the sky moving fast towards you. Suddenly, the temperature in the air turns cool dropping a few degrees. You know it’s coming. No man or woman can stop it. No super hero can fight it. No energy can overpower it. This unstoppable force heading your way, whether you like or not, are the winds of change.

The winds of change come in many forms. Some are simple and easy like a gentle breeze brushing quietly across your face. Maybe it’s starting a new hobby, finding a new friend, or updating the décor in your home. With these changes, positive emotions arise creating joy, happiness or relief. Smooth and delightful transitions feel refreshing like cool winds on a hot summer day or opening the windows after a long, harsh winter allowing fresh air to swoop into your room.

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“When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life.”
– Jean Shinoda Bolen

Lying on the couch after a long exhausting day, Hunter climbs up and curls next me. I wrap my arms around giving him a big, giant hug. Like my living heating blanket, Hunter makes me feel warm, comfortable and secure. Stress, worries and anxieties slowly melt away as peace and rest finally sets in. I feel Hunter’s love pouring into my heart filling me with light and joy as his sweet energy soothes my soul. I gently squeeze his squishy little body giving him as much love as I possibly can. Then, Hunter turns around gifting me a beautiful smile and says,” I love you, Mommy.”

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“If you learn from a loss you have not lost.”
-Austin O’Malley

Whack! A fierce and snappy roundhouse kick was thrown to the head. Two points called. Slap! The opponent returns with a fast spin hook kick. Two points called. Going back and forth, back and forth the competitors went exchanging a flurry of kicks and punches. It was an intense sparring match. Both were determined to win first place. But in the end, only one was going to win. And, the other was going to lose.

Two weeks ago, 97 martial arts students ranging from the ages of five through fifty-four competed at the spring KiMudo martial arts tournament. Black and colored belts alike showcased their skills in front of the judges and a large audience. It was exciting to watch the different levels of abilities while experiencing the breadth of emotions among each competitor.

They all wanted to win. You could see in their faces. You could hear it in their voices. You could feel it in their energy. And if they said winning didn’t matter…they were lying.

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“By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also” 
1 Corinthians 6:14

This weekend millions of Christians around the world will celebrate Easter, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We know the story. Jesus was arrested, crucified and rose from the dead three days later. But many of us fail to see the resurrection of Jesus is also our resurrection. It’s a blueprint for the tragedies and struggles we face and how we come out the other side risen and reborn.

Jesus and his disciples went through three stages during the Easter season. Good Friday on day one was filled with pain, suffering and agony. Holy Saturday on day two was filled with deep loss, self-doubt, confusion and chaos. Easter Sunday on day three was filled with joy, hope, light, freedom and victory.

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“Be still, and know that I am God”
Psalm 46:10

Sit back and relax. Inhale and exhale deeply. Let the tension drain away. Feel the stillness of this moment creating inner peace within your soul. Be calm and attentive in God’s presence, right here and now. Allow this serenity to penetrate into every cell of your body. Feel it growing outward in front of you, both sides of you, behind you and above you. As you feel the stillness of God within, see the white light of love reaching out towards everyone and up to the heavens above.

Stillness is a powerful practice connecting deeper to your true self while hearing the whispers of God’s voice. It heals and transforms your life no matter what circumstances you’re facing.

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“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. When I let go of what I have, I receive what I need.”
–Lao Tzu

What’s that thing you’re holding on to and can’t let go of? It is money? A past hurt someone inflicted on you? Are you attached to your prized possessions? Or are you attached to a relationship? How about one of your nasty habits? Is it a judgment about someone or something? Or are you up all night clinging to worried thoughts about your career?

Clinging to anything, good or bad, creates suffering. It causes frustration, stress, anger, and anxiety because things aren’t always the way you want them to be. The antidote is to simply let go. However, letting go is one of the hardest things to do. But there is tremendous freedom in releasing things that no longer serve you. And if you see things through compassionate glasses, you’ll learn to let go and develop a deeper understanding of yourself and others.

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“Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothings.”
– Jane Austen

It was another crazy morning rushing and running around the house to get out the door. Heaven forbid if I was a minute late, right? And of course, I created a big list of things I had to do. And heaven forbid if I didn’t do those things either, right?

As we were getting ready to leave, Hunter started to put on his gloves. But then, he thought it was a great idea to explore what the little glove fingers could do. Ugh, I didn’t have time for this. I was too busy! And the exploration of little glove fingers seemed to take forever. Now we really had to rush!

Frustrated, I said to Hunter, “Come on, come on, we have to hurry up!” Hunter looked up at me, sad and confused. Really Jodi? Poor Hunter. In the midst of my haste and busyness, I overlooked this precious moment of a child’s imagination at work. With a deep sigh, I realized I should have praised Hunter’s joyful playing instead of worrying about my busyness.

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White, starry snowflakes sprinkled down from the silver sky outside the church windows. Sitting in our pews, we were surrounded by this beautiful, gracious snowfall giving us a feeling of peace and comfort. It seemed like the chapel was a scene in the middle of a snow globe. But before this precious sight, our chapel globe was picked up and shaken leaving us to wonder what will remain once the snow settled to the ground.

Recently, our spiritual lives were turned upside down. We received news that our pastor and his wife, Pastor Bob and Sally Bardin, were leaving the congregation to follow a new calling to move back home with family in North Carolina. This left us sad, unsure and unclear of what God had planned for us in the future. However, not only were our lives shaken, so were our pastors with the bittersweet reality of venturing towards a chapter that’s yet to be read.

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“We’re all beautifully different. Cherish what makes you a you.”
– Karen Salmansohn

A gentle, cool breeze caressed our faces as Hunter and I strolled through crowds of people at Lake Geneva’s Annual Winterfest. We stood in awe at the marvelous display of snow sculptures before us. Starting from single blocks of snow, sculptures were carved with intricate detail each representing a specific theme. There were fantasy figures, animals, robots, snakes, aliens and more. Every sculpture was beautiful in its own unique way that touched a distinct part of our soul. But it was more than the artwork itself that made them spectacular — it was the beauty in the differences that made them special.

If true beauty exists within our differences, then why in today’s culture we shun or push away anything that’s different from us? Why do we have trouble accepting and appreciating the variety of opinions, talents and perspectives? I admit that I’m guilty as the next person responding with a knee-jerk reaction to someone who lives or thinks different from me.

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“Always do what you are afraid to do.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

On a warm summer night with a crystal clear sky, my co-workers and I gathered together with our families at Lake Geneva Canopy Tours. With zip lining and climbing high ropes, we were eager to challenge each other and push our boundaries to new heights. Filled with excitement, I was ready to go.

But then, I looked up into the trees at the obstacle course of high ropes above. And oh boy, those ropes were high — 18 to 32 feet high. Suddenly, my heart hammered out of my chest as my stomach dropped below my knees.

I stood paralyzed on the ground. I watched as my team ventured on and walked the high ropes like superhero acrobats. Sure, they were safe. After all, they did have safety harnesses on. And tour guides helped them too. But, I was reluctant and unconvinced this was a great idea.

Then to my horror, Hunter looked up at me with sweet, inquisitive eyes and said, “When are you going up Mommy?” With bursts of short breaths and feeling like I was going to hurl, I suddenly realized…it was my turn to climb.

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