I have been a fan of Dr. Donald Joy for several years, and had the privilege of meeting him at a conference where my he and my husband were speaking. I had read his book on bonding and relationships, and the first chapter, “Who Is Holding Your Trampoline?” grabbed me and never let me go. The concept helped me understand and visualize what healthy relationships look like and how important accountability and support are, especially if a person has been in a crisis situation. Let me explain my take on the trampoline concept: Dr. Joy, a Continue Reading
Archives for 2013
May 29, 2013 By
A Deliberate Peace
I’m trapped in a house of testosterone. One husband, two sons, and not a scrap of femininity in sight. As the sole female in a man’s world, I’m just about able to cope with socks on the floor, toilet seats raised and the ape-like slamming of doors and drawers. But I draw the line at television viewing. At the end of the day, when I’m trying to unwind and prepare for sleep, I really don’t think Die Hard III or Crime Scene Investigation is going to speed me to my dreams. So when we’re choosing what to watch I insist, time and again, “I want to Continue Reading
May 15, 2013 By
Breaking Down the Walls
In August 1961 construction East Germany began construction on the Berlin Wall in order to completely cut itself off from West Germany. East Germany was firmly entrenched in becoming a socialist/fascist state, and threatened by the freedom offered on the other side. The barrier they built included guard towers placed along large concrete walls, and it included anti-vehicle trenches and defenses meant to keep people from defecting from the communist side to the democratic side. In the post-World War II period from 1961 to 1990, over 5,000 Continue Reading
May 8, 2013 By
Beachball Therapy- Not!
Have you ever tried to hold a beach ball underwater? It takes a lot of energy and focus. You may be trying to hide it from someone else in the pool, trying to make nice and act like you don’t have it. But invariably, something will happen – you get distracted, you loosen your grip, someone calls your name, and whoosh! That beach ball ascends to the surface with astounding speed, and once it starts, it’s almost impossible to stop. The force with which it reveals itself can be surprising and shocking. That’s the way the world tries to Continue Reading
April 24, 2013 By
What, Me, Worry?
What does a girl do when she’s anxious? In my case, she bakes oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, settles down in front of her favorite chick flick and proceeds to eat the whole batch into oblivion. Chewy, sweet, slightly nutritious… escapism. There are so many things that set our nerves on edge these days. We worry about our children’s safety. We hear stories about people showing up at schools with shotguns and predators’ trolling the internet. Our schedules seem to be non-stop, finances and relational issues bog us down, and we torment Continue Reading
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