To those of us who believe that all of life is sacred every crumb of bread and sip of wine is a Eucharist, a remembrance, a call to awareness of holiness right where we are.

I want all of the holiness of the Eucharist to spill out beyond church walls, out of the hands of priests and into the regular streets and sidewalks, into the hands of regular, grubby people like you and me, onto our tables, in our kitchens and dining rooms and backyards.”
― Shauna Niequiest

The Power of a Healthy Family

Sitting here watching the Radio City Rockettes in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, makes me smile.

I really wanted to be a high-kicking Rockette back in the day.

Then I see Miss America riding high on a float, waving her ceremonious pageant wave.

I really wanted to be Miss America.

But…God had a better plan, as he usually does.

He gave me the gift of a husband and children. Being a wife and mother was HIS greatest plan for my life.

Today, I am most grateful.

Rob and I will sit down at a Midwest Thanksgiving Dinner with our son and daughter-in-law and her family.

Our oldest already FaceTime’d in from Uruguay where she is cooking her very first Thanksgiving meal, from scratch, for her lovely Uruguayan family.

Our daughter, Brooke and her husband, Aaron, will be celebrating with their family in California.

Distance yet Not Distant

Even though our little family is spread far and wide, our hearts are closer than ever. Yes, there is a great distance between us physically, but thankfully, we are not emotionally or relationally distant. There is a big difference between the two.

We’ve been doing some hard “heart” work in the Rardon family, because there have been some unhealthy behavior patterns and communication skills that have needed some attention. We want to be healthy—spirit, soul and body, so that our family legacy begets healthy.

Sometimes it is much easier to remain distant, i.e., not intimate—cool and reserved—because the work of forgiveness or tolerance or grace is too hard. Believe me, I understand.

Sometimes it is important to keep some distance, at least for awhile, to individually get healing. Seek counsel or wisdom in order to heal old, hurtful, negative narratives and begin living into a new, healthy narrative.

This Thanksgiving Week, I pray that you and your family find your way to healthy. May you speak healing words that bring life, love and laughter to each and every room in your home. If you need some help in this area, join our healing community, Speak Healing Words. Click here and receive healing words and resources.

A Thanksgiving Benediction

If you do nothing else but cultivate that response to the great gift this unique day is—If you learn to respond as if it were the first day of your life and the very last day then you will have spent this day very well.”

-Brother David Steindl-rast