Seasons

Hi everyone,

I hope you are all having a wonderful week!

This week at church, our sermon was from Ecclesiastes 3, which got me thinking about how beautifully complex our lives are as seasons constantly change and shift. On my drive to work this morning, I noticed a few leaves already falling from the trees. Even though it's only the second week of August and still feels very much like summer, it's amazing how the earth gently reminds us that what is here today will change tomorrow.

This reality can be both comforting and a little bittersweet. Naturally, we want the difficult moments to pass quickly and the joyful ones to linger as long as possible. If you currently find yourself in a challenging or perplexing season of life, please take heart in knowing that it won't last forever. Things will get easier, and circumstances will shift.

And for those of you who are enjoying a beautiful season filled with sunshine and delight, I encourage you to savor every single moment! Let's breathe in the abundance of love and happiness together. There is a wonderful song that reminds us that God is just as present and good on the mountain as He is in the valley, and His goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives.

Wishing you all the very best this week,

The boy who got his head stuck at the zoo….

Goes off to college this week.

Rest

Rest

Hi Friends,

This week, I have been reflecting on the importance and practice of rest. When looking at creation, animals never seem to struggle with resting when their bodies require it—dogs rest for most of the day, geese sleep near ponds, and horses sleep in their pastures mid-day. Yet, as humans, we often deny ourselves the opportunity to rest due to various factors, such as a belief that we haven't earned it, or the fear that work or caretaking will suffer if we pause.

In past seasons of life, I placed my value in how busy I was and how much I could accomplish in a day. Now, I am seeking a better understanding of the cues my body gives me for rest—not just sleep, but moments of peace. When I ignore my body, I pay the price by sacrificing my well-being for short-term productivity, resulting in long-term fatigue or illness. This is one of the many reasons I fell in love with Healing Our Core Issues (HOCI); the first pillar of a healthy, functioning adult is being in tune with your body and caring for it well.

I will leave you with this question: How aware are you of when your body needs rest, and what measures do you take to experience it?

Rest well,

Leslie

The Acorn

Hi friends,

I truly love the outdoors, especially spending time walking and hiking. This past fall, I took three beautiful days to enjoy some quiet solitude and connect with my maker. As I immersed myself in nature, wandering along the peaceful trails, I found myself filled with a wonderful sense of awe at the beauty of creation.

During one of these lovely walks, I had a bit of a surprise! I was nearly taken down by nothing bigger than a tiny acorn. Even though I had my hiking boots on and was watching my step, that little acorn caught me off guard. Because I need a knee replacement, a minor slip like that felt quite alarming, especially being alone in the woods with limited cell service.

Thankfully, everything turned out just fine! It actually gave me a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the minor things in our daily lives that can sometimes feel emotionally overwhelming—like an unkind word, an interruption, or even just the temperature of a room.

It made me wonder: is it really the acorn or the small discomfort itself? Usually, it's just the timing and everything else we are carrying in that moment. An acorn on its own is no threat, but in the wrong place at the wrong time, it can feel huge. I am so grateful for the chance to pause and reflect on that.

Now, I try to see these little moments as gifts. An unkind word is an invitation to gently care for my own heart and offer grace to someone else. An interruption is a chance to breathe through frustration and welcome a new opportunity. A change in temperature simply reminds me to check in with my body.

What a beautiful gift it is to simply pause—to stay still, take a breath, and kindly explore what we are feeling inside. We are so safe and deeply known in those quiet moments. I'd love to leave you with this gentle thought: what is it that keeps us from pausing?

Warmly,

Leslie

Wonder and Wanderings

Hello friends,

It’s Leslie. I am inviting you to journey with me on this wonderful adventure of life.

To give you a little backstory on the title, "Wonder and Wanderings": about ten years ago, my daughter bought a beaded bracelet from a boutique. She was so excited to show me, telling me it said “wonder.” In reality, it said “wander.” She hadn't recognized the error, and she was a little dismayed once she realized the difference between these two similar yet very different words.

"Wonder" is a strong feeling of awe. "Wander" means to move without a fixed plan or direction. One different letter changes the meaning entirely. This moment made me ponder how often I miss the wonder occurring right alongside my own wanderings.

I want to launch this adventure and share these moments with you—whether I am experiencing wonder, questioning with the verb tense of wonder, or finding wonder while wandering along the way.

Let’s experience wonder and wander together!

Best,

Leslie