lisamkurtz

Joy Bursts

Have you ever experienced a moment of pure joy? I have. They tend to be short, unexpected and somewhat intense, and I almost feel a sensation of warmth envelop my heart. They are fleeting and don’t last long, but when I experience it, I recognize it as joy. Joy is different than happiness. Joy is something felt deep inside. HappinessContinue reading “Joy Bursts”

Practice Makes Perfect

This is a well-known phrase, and I’m sure many of you have heard it. Practice makes perfect. But does it? Does practice really make perfect? And what is the focus on those three words. Most often I believe it’s the last word: perfect. Perfectionism is a trait that trips many of us up. I know it’ something I still struggle with. I grew upContinue reading “Practice Makes Perfect”

One Size Fits All

I was reading this morning about belonging, and how it is an undeniable need for each person to know they belong. Where they belong can be different for each person. For some reason, the phrase “one size fits all” popped into my head as I was reading. It most often is referring to a piece of clothing,Continue reading “One Size Fits All”

My Parent’s Love

Last week I shared about how I experienced my parent’s deaths differently. Today I’d like to share about the ways I experienced their love. A few months ago, I had accepted an offer for a different job and I was waiting for my book to be published. Two separate opportunities that left me feeling scared, excited, uncertainContinue reading “My Parent’s Love”

Grief

I heard something recently that really spoke to me. It was by Susan David and she said “Grief is love looking for its home.” That made sense to me. When our loved one dies, that person is no longer physically here for us to give our love to. It can be very unsettling, especially if we allow ourselvesContinue reading “Grief”

The Unanswered Why

At this point in my life, my favorite Bible verse is Psalm 46:40 “Be Still and Know That I am God.” I think one of the reasons is because I have been practicing that more in the last few years. What I have found is that for me to feel calm and have more inner strength,Continue reading “The Unanswered Why”

Valentine’s Day

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. The day of “love.” This can either be a really fun, romantic day, or for some, it’s just another day which leads to unmet expectations that leave people feeling empty, lonely and sad. How can a day which is supposed to be all about love make us feel this way? What is love? TheContinue reading “Valentine’s Day”

Bittersweet

In early January I started reading Brene’ Brown’s newest book, Atlas of the Heart. I haven’t finished it yet but it is one I highly recommend. She wrote the book because of how difficult and challenging it can be at times to find the right language for the emotions we are experiencing. Fifteen years ago, Brene’ andContinue reading “Bittersweet”

Savor

I love words. When I come across one I’m not familiar with, I like to look up the meaning and then see how it is used in a sentence. Our children find it odd that both Mark and I have a dictionary app on our cell phones. I don’t think there is a week that goes by thatContinue reading “Savor”

Addicted or Free

Yesterday morning I had breakfast with two of my dear friends. We don’t see each other as often as we like, but we seem to pick up right where we left off. These are the friends who, over time, have built up my trust. I know I can share the hard things with them and they won’t revealContinue reading “Addicted or Free”