Blog: find the simple joys

DON’T LET AGE BECOME YOUR CAGE – by Heidi McLaughlin

Posted: March 26, 2026

The cat’s out of the bag; I turned 79 last week! While in Colombia, South American the calendar showed it was my Birthday and wow did I get celebrated. It’s so refreshing to experience how people in other countries esteem and honour older people. I truly felt cherished and celebrated. Whenever people hear my age, they are shocked and wonder why I am still travelling around the world to speak at churches and conferences.  I say: “Why not?” As Christians in ministry do, we ever retire? I am so grateful for my body which, to this point, has not let me down.  The 31 years of pumping weights in the gym and now these last years of walking and hiking have kept my core strong and infused energy. In the morning when my feet hit the floor, I thank God that my body still works and I am able to…

Posted in: accumulate experiences, achievements, adventure, Age is not a cage, Balancing life, beauty and joy, beauty in God's creation, Best friends, bitterness, celebrate instead of compare, circle of friends, companionship, decisions, do the right thing, don't give up, Encouragement, Expectations, feeling good, find the simple joys, finding yourself, Forgiveness, fresh joy, friends, girlfriends, God's creation, growing old, Hearing God, Hope, Legacy, lifestyle, Made for more, Overcoming Struggles, praise, Prayer deepens relationships, praying with friends, purpose, recapture your joy, regret, seasons of life, show up, take care of your heart, thankful, thanksgiving, we are made for relationships

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SINGING IN THE RAIN-by Heidi McLaughlin

Posted: August 8, 2025

One of my simple pleasures is walking in the rain. Without hat, umbrella or rain proof coat; rain running down my face and soaking my body.  Especially in the summer when the sun makes the rain sweet and warm. It refreshes and it feels like I’ve been washed from the inside out. But I lost that simple pleasure when grief knocked me flat on my face, broken and unable to get up on my own. I lost almost all my simple pleasures. Reading, enjoying a long sleep-in, a fresh cup of coffee, decorating my home and writing. When I looked in the mirror my eyes were no longer a bright blue, they turned grey. Every day was simply survival. I just wanted it to stop. While going through intense grief it feels like it will last forever. From our self-imposed inner reality we believe this is our new normal and…

Posted in: ask God, barefoot in the rain, beauty and pain coexist, beauty in God's creation, blessings, care, cry, darkness, death, despair, disappointments, empty soul, feeling bad, find the simple joys, gloomy days, God's creation, God's promises are true, goodness of God, grief changes us, grief is lonely, grief is temporary, grief is unpredictable, Hope, live one day at a time, mourn, new normal, scars are beautiful, scars are breautiful, scars heal, scars help us to remember, seasons of darkness, second chances, Simple, suffering, time doesn't heal, Uncategorized

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