Uphill idealist

Image of my painting, "Ripples" . When taking classes at my local college a few years ago, I noticed a sign on my mentor's wall with the sketch of a rolling river on it. The quote on it was in Polish, so I had to ask him what it said. He would smile and say, "You can't push the river." This phrase has stuck with me since then. There are currents in life that can help progress move along or halt it; depending on if you work with the flow or fight against it. It's not that this quote is calling for us to flow aimlessly with whatever current you happen to be swimming in; but to think creatively about how to work with what you've got to get where you want to be. Earlier today, a friend shared another quote with me. She said, "You can always turn over the stones." If you put these two quotes together, I think you find a statement to live by. "You can't push the river, but you can always turn over the stones." Move with creativity a

Family friendly devotional activities for Holy Week Make these cookies with your kids and use the cookies to help talk to them about Jesus Resurrection! My mom was terrific at making any holiday season special. We would color Easter eggs, prepare a fantastic meal, make up thoughtful and fun Easter baskets and help to make wonderful memories in my childhood. One of our Easter traditions was to make "Overnight cookies". These cookies are simple and tasty recipes that help to tell the story of Easter. Once they were prepared, cooked and left in the oven overnight, my Mom would tell the story of Jesus' Resurrection with the help of these hollow treats. (See recipe below.) In preparation for holy week I collected some scriptures, activates and devotional resources to share with the families at my church, and was happy to share them online too. I hope these devotions help you to pause and take notice of God throughout this busy holiday and make some great family memories of you