Heart Hope by Olga

Don't judge me and I won't judge you.  The lunch box should have been filled with organic fruits and vegetables, low fat and low salt treats and protein packed, sugar free delicacies, but it wasn't. Instead it was laden with processed junk food--goldfish, pretzels, Nabs, and an oatmeal bar. Not one thing that I would really classify as healthy, but it was the best I could do with the likes and dislikes of the preschooler.  As I realized that the teacher might be judging me for what was in the lunch, I thought about how often I judge someone for something when they are only trying to do the best they can with the situation, resources or circumstances. I'm going to try to turn over a new leaf. When I see someone who is "not up to my standards" instead of being critical, I'm going to try to be more understanding, more compassionate and more kindhearted. After all the mother with the dirty young child at the store, may be working full time and...

I'll confess. It wasn't just a bad hair day, but a bad haircut which ultimately means a bad hair month. I've tried it curly; I've tried it straight. In front of my ears and behind have also been part of the experiment. Nothing seems to work like it should. It must be bothering me more than I thought because I even dreamed about it. In my nighttime fantasy I returned to the salon and asked the hair dresser to help me do something with the mop of locks. He tried one thing after another and then walked away. Wondering where he went, I turned and saw he was sitting in chair first shaking his head and then hiding his face into his hands because he had no solution. It was a hopeless situation. Chuckling as I awoke remembering the dream, I was relieved to know that in the grand scheme of things this was not that important. I was also grateful to reflect that even though we often are in situations where we feel we have no solution, God never is. He always has the pe...

It was a fabulous fall day and we had the privilege of having Thomas for a few hours . Riverwalk was having a festival so Grumps and I headed there with all of the young parents to enjoy the beauty of where we live. Like any other 22 month old, Thomas is fascinated with pumpkins these days and went straight to the rocky pumpkin patch. Seeing a photo opportunity with Thomas standing on a "big heavy" rock, I instructed him to "Look up," meaning at the camera, but he took me literally and looked at the sky. He seemed to know that there was something more important than that camera and showed me that I too need to look up all day, every day beyond the here and now and look to my Heavenly Father. As little Tommy climbed on the rock to see the "big heavy" pumpkin, Grumps was standing near, with his arms outstretched ready to grab hold for a quick rescue if needed. That's what God does with is. We might not even know that He is near, but He is rig...