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Posted: July 11, 2009
“Listening leads to Loving” Last year I read 14 books to prepare for a workshop on “Empowering Leadership through Friendship.” I randomnly discovered that the greatest need in relationships, and the greatest gift we can give each other is “Listening.” Since that discovery, I have paid attention to the power that listening has in our lives, and I stand amazed. I recall one afternoon when someone came into my office with a problem. I sat and listened. I did not open my mouth once-not once and for those who know me, you know that is not easy. As this employee walked out of my office she said, “Thank you for helping me, this has meant so much.” I had not said one word to help her – I simply listened. This unusul encounter made me sharply aware that the greatest gift I can give anyone is to LISTEN. Not judge, not give advice,…
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Posted: February 14, 2009
BEAUTY TIP #1 “Beauty starts in the heart.” (Proverbs 4:23) “Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life.” I don’t believe there is anything wrong with Botox, filler injections, laser surgery for removing brown spots or unsightly veins. BUT, these are procedures that last for a short while and have to be repeated in order to keep us looking young and beautiful. We are women, and I believe we want to be gorgeous. There is nothing more gorgeous than a woman who knows she is loved and knows where she belongs. I’m not talking about the kind of love that makes us feel good for a season, or the kind of love that gives us a thrill when things go our way. I’m talking about a love that is shed abroad in our hearts by a God who knew you and me before the foundations…
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Posted: January 5, 2009
Austin, my adorable, blonde tousled grandson, is only two but he’s already King of the House. He’s tough, energetic and makes everyone laugh outrageously – especially now that he is starting to talk. When his eyes start to droop and it’s time for a nap he walks up to me, looks me square in the eye with that helpless, innocent baby look and says, “Suckie please Nana!” He always adds the “Please.” My heart melts and I give him what will comfort him the most in this tender moment – his suckie. He’s only two so it’s OK and cute to walk around with a crown and suckie, but it’s not so cute when we’re in our 20’s or older. Let’s face it we all want to be king or queen and run this world, but after harrowing days that seem to control us and leave us overwhelmed and drained, all…
Posted in: Beauty Unleashed, Uncategorized
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Posted: December 14, 2008
In 2007 I completely rebelled against the greed, commercialism and frenetic activity of Christmas. It hurt my heart to see how we were supposedly celebrating Christ’s birthday by throwing lavish parties – but He was not invited. What was the point of this whole “holiday season?” I rebelled to the point where I did not put up a single decoration in our home, send out Christmas cards and I sent most of the designated gift money to Africa. It was the perfect year to do this because we were off to spend that Christmas season with my pregnant daughter Michelle, her husband Tim and my two grandsons Matthew and Austin in the small, country town of Grassy Lake, Alberta. I loved everything about it. The simplicity of Christmas Eve in a small country church – candles burning, carols sung off key and excited children running up and down hallways eagerly anticipating their goodie bags….
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Posted: September 26, 2008
Life seems stormy these days. Gas prices soaring out of sight-elections-divorces-house prices too high-depression-fatigue-hurricane Ike-too much information-too little time. Lately I seem to be standing in the middle of storms where I feel shaken and know I need to hang onto something strong so that I won’t be swept away. I have to make myself stop, breathe and remember what I am hanging onto. Then I remember the story of the chicken and the eagle. The research done by Joyce Meyers (a well known international speaker and Bible teacher) on eagles fascinates me. She tells the eagle story this way: When a storm comes, chickens run around madly flapping their wings, squawking, going in circles, digging in the same old dirt and going nowhere. The eagle is different. When it sees a storm coming, it sits on a rock and waits. When the storm comes it rises up to “catch…
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Posted: September 2, 2008
With a grin on her face, my daughter Michelle said, “Mom, would you please pass me my purse, I think I still have some pickles in there.” Sure enough, she dug around in her purse through endless receipts, baby soothers, credit cards, gum, matchbox cars, and pulled out a plastic bag with old, wrinkled, baby pickles in it. I laughed, “Why are you carrying pickles in your purse?” You would understand this conversation if you met their 22 month old Austin – the strong willed child that makes grown men cry. He loves pickles – they entertain him for at least 7 minutes – and that is reason enough to carry them around at all times. This strange conversation made me curious enough to check what kind of old junk I was carrying around in my purse. Sure enough, there were at least 15 pens, markers, gum, credit card receipts,…
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Posted: July 25, 2008
We all need to feel pleasure- we live for it. Our bodies constantly seek ways to fulfill the yearning of feeling good. Sadly, those pleasure-able feelings do not have boundaries. I encounter too many situations where our new addictions are sabotaging relationships. I am talking about blackberries – or whatever name we want to give this wired up, show stealing, dominating little device. I was sitting in the Toronto airport last week when I watched something that made me very sad. Two friends sitting across from each other, each with a blackberry in their hands. They were attempting to have a conversation – eyes flitting up and down, a smile here and there with the interruptions of “pardon me”, “what did you say?”, “Huh?” They were speaking in staccato sentences because they kept checking their blackberries. Last week I was out for supper with a friend who kept checking her new addiction every 7…
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Posted: July 10, 2008
There is a discontentment in the air. I sense it in the hurried sentences, the frazzled eyes, the hopes for a better pay check, the longing for peace and quiet. Summer – the hope for many of us that it will be a time of laying back in a deck chair – sipping a sweet creation, beatifully pedicured toe-nails, and evenings of sitting by candle light and savouring the delicate summer breezes. For many, the summer is not what we hoped for – we are still rushing – with company, with children, with too many summer activities. I yearn for the kind of contentment that the apostle Paul had – he says, “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances” (Philippians 4:11 NIV). TO BE CONTENT WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. How do we do that? Here are 2 things that I…
Posted in: Beauty Unleashed, Uncategorized
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Posted: July 2, 2008
“Is this a liquid?” asked the woman at airport security. She frowned at me as she held up the mysterious white bottle that had slowed down the entire security process. “Yes, I said sheepishly – its glue.” CAUGHT! I had just finished walking through airport security with a forced, plastic smile and answered for the umpteenth time that, ”Yes, all my liquids, gels or lotions are in a plastic bag.” I know the rules, I thought self righteously – I can do this in my sleep. But this time my self assured, confident attitude backfired on me. The airport screening machine found something that I did not declare – a liquid bottle with a strange while solution. Airports make me grumpy. I dislike that fact and try to hide it from all the people around me by forcing my best smile. How prideful of me to think I am fooling people. I need to work on my ”airport attitude” and he…
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Posted: July 2, 2008
Women crave connections. Connections with friends. Connections with God. Heart connections. My prayer is that this blog will provide another way for women to experience heart connections. I welcome your comments and discussion. Blessings to you all! Heidi
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