When pregnant, should you spend the money to go to an amusement park, such as Six Flags or Cedar Point? The doctor will say “NO—do NOT ride roller coasters when pregnant!!” On the other hand, there are other things to do at these parks, such as gentle rides, eating the fun food, and being able to be there with someone you love. Consider these questions before you decide if you should go or not:
Stephen is in that car about to go over the edge of the Millennium Force!
If you are a woman wanting to make money doing what you love, this is the conference for you! Check out Christy Wright’s Business Boutique–a place to learn, connect, and dream of how to make money by serving others. 🙂
Happy Friday!
-Mary Hope
Copyright 2016
It all began at the College Avenue train station platform back in January of 2013 at 6am… One dark, cold morning as we waited for the train to come to take us downtown Chicago, Stephen stood next to me, and he started talking. He cheerfully said, “Good morning!” and then talked with me until the train arrived. His friendliness surprised me, and he seemed nice; however, since I had just started dating someone else, I kept things cool. We said “Hi!” to each other after that because we often sat in the same train car.
A couple months later, when I sat there talking on the phone to my long-distance boyfriend, after seeing Stephen looking at me, this thought ran through my head: “Why am I dating someone 1,000 miles away when there’s a perfectly interested guy sitting right over there!?” I shook the thought off and dated the long-distance guy until he broke up with me. I wasn’t ready for Stephen then because he both annoyed and intrigued me… (Early in the morning he talked loudly with his train buddies in the train, and he seemed to me like a boring suburbanite…I didn’t know that he had grown up in vineyard country, loved chopping firewood and the outdoors, loved God…I could sense that he was interested, but I had some growing up to do.) Over the next year and a half I tried going on over a dozen first dates with other guys (that never worked out, but) while running into Stephen a few times at church because his friend Lauren had invited him.
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This is the Thanksgiving centerpiece I designed for our table. 🙂
I’m thankful for flowers, family, and friends (including those of you reading this.)
By M. H. Campbell Copyright 2014
The students looked back and smiled when they saw me sitting in the back of Friday chapel time. Yesterday I attended worship at the school where I teacher assisted last year, and when I walked into the room where last years’ students were writing, I got mobbed! “Miss Campbell!!”
A red-headed girl got up first, threw her arms around my waist, then a boy, and in the end probably 17 kids were all around me hugging me and each other. Arms interlocked, jumping, hugging happiness expressed through smiles and saying the words, “Miss Campbell!!” with such joy. This brought more healing to my heart. I have taught students well, and will teach them again.
Picture a mother hen surrounded by her many chicks. The teacher soon had the kids back in their seats, writing again, and I stopped and talked with the kids at each table. Their bright eyes bring happiness, and it was so satisfying to see the progress they are making. Investing in children’s lives is SO worth it!
This is an example of an Aunty hug 🙂
By M. H. Campbell Copyright 2014
The morning after I got fired, I wrote my former bosses a resignation letter because the word “fired” just seemed too painful; I wanted to control the situation and just resign. My sister-in-law, Erin, was the one who gently reminded me: “They fired you yesterday, so sending them this letter would just confuse them.” Right, that made sense.
Just writing the letter was enough (I didn’t need to send it); it helped me grapple with what I was feeling. Writing has helped me bring resolution to this situation; even just typing out a password for a job search website has helped my brain through the forgiving process.
At first I believed I could have done better and kept my job; however, looking back I see that I did the best I could. I fully jumped in and engaged the students, yes, I wasn’t perfect, but I connected and helped those high school Seniors become better writers for a month.
Over the last couple months, I have felt multiple emotions other than peace. First, when I was told I had two weeks to do even more with the students, teach better, I felt tension, but also a challenge. After working 12 hour days and doing the best I could, I felt confusion, when after those two weeks I was fired because I had not met their expectations. Crying and anger mixed with relief followed. Elation and tons of job ideas trailed by sadness and just needing to lay there and watch movies for hours have been part of my healing journey. Talking with people and finding out how many people have been fired at different parts of their lives has helped me connect deeper with humanity in general.
Each workday I would log into a job searching website and type in my password: 77forgive, and then continue on with my search. Each time I entered those job hunting passwords the forgiveness would grow toward the bosses that fired me and the pain would lessen. I just realized I also was forgiving myself for what had happened. Just seeing the word “forgive” and having to think it several times a day has really paid off by having that job episode fade peacefully into the past.
I’ve had to go through the cycle of grief in regards to losing this job. Numbness, followed by sadness and anger, mixed with a desire for revenge. As I received love and support from family and friends, I could let down and just be sad about it all and then acceptance. As this happened, I had the strength and courage to get back out there, apply for jobs, interview and land another job.
I chose to forgive from the start because I knew it was what I was supposed to do, but as I’ve daily typed in “77forgive,” my heart healed enough to forgive my old bosses and to forgive myself. I drove by my old school yesterday and felt peaceful; I give the credit for healing my heart to God (and the passwords you type every day influence you more than you think!)
By M. H. Campbell
Mary’s Version:
6 cups chicken broth
The peel off of half a lemon-cut into about four strips
1 Tblsp. lime zest
1/4 c. lime juice (one lime’s worth)
3 Tblsp. fresh ginger, peeled and cut into tiny cubes
1 1/2 c. cooked chicken
10 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 (13 oz.) can coconut milk
2 Tblsp. fish sauce
1 Tblsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt–add more if needed
Chopped cilantro and cooked rice to serve along side the soup
Bring the broth to a boil and add the lemon, lime zest, lime juice, and ginger, and summer for 10 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Add the chicken and mushrooms and continue simmering for 25 minutes.
Add the coconut milk, fish sauce, and sugar. Bring to a boil, remove the lemon peel, and then serve with rice, topped with cilantro.
Serves 4.
Created October 23rd, 2014 roughly based off of recipe by Long Grain on Bonappetite.com
Photo by M. H. Campbell at the start of soup preparation.
It amazes me what connections happen if you’re open and just start conversations! Last week I walked into a local coffee shop, ordered a mulled cider with whipped cream, and found a satisfying corner in which to read and write. I made great progress reading a helpful book called The Career Guide for Creative and Unconventional People, then a stylish gal sat down on the couch across from me.
When she tried to figure out where the plug was for her phone in a case with 1/2-inch rivets, I helped her, and then we started talking about her phone case. That conversation led to talking about why she was here: to surprise her sister because it was Canadian Thanksgiving last weekend.
This lady with 4-inch heels, Tamara, loves horses, her five sisters, and knows over five languages. After a while, a guy with a cane who had lost his hearing aides came and sat down in our cove. He introduced himself as Peter, and we all talked about the weather.
Finally, Tamara’s brother-in-law came back and surprised his wife and daughter with their aunt! We all introduced ourselves and talked a bit.
The family eventually moved where there was more space, Peter told me about how going into the military is a good career choice, and then he had to get home, so my cove cleared out. Tamara came back to get her studded phone and said good-bye.
I’m so thankful we started talking! The care and life of the conversations just kept growing as more people arrived. A seventy-year old man grinned at the one-year old niece, and she laughed back. The sisters hugged and were so happy to be together.
The generations need to interact because it reminds us where we have been or where we are going. The smiles, stories, and hugs release life, and so now I’m more open and eager to have this kind of inter-generational experience again! All you need to do is find a corner in a coffee shop and start a conversation…
“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there!” -Will Rogers
Tears loosen the icy grip of fear:
Fear of letting down, letting people see, letting people close, and letting yourself just be real–pimples, farts, screams, smiles, hugs, and all.
A heart buried out of fear of losing love if not perfect or doing what others want.
A heart surfacing through the unconditional love of Jesus, shown through people: the hugs and kisses of a one year old nephew, of walking alongside sisters through widowhood and marriage, of brothers letting me into their lives, and parents’ nurture and prayer.
A heart surfacing through giving 100 percent, of being rejected, but still having hope to heal and teach again.
I still have hope…for my life, for my city, for my world…
An engaged heart means deeper pain, but deeper hope.
Trees of Transition 