Courage with Softness

"Women are like teabags; you never know how strong they are until they're put in hot water." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Don't you love that? I do. Eleanor Roosevelt had the right idea. Women are strong. Women are resilient. Our hearts may break, but when things are tough, we are tougher.

We are not tough in the same way that men are. We are tough on the inside, with tender hearts. It's an interesting mix. We are courage, with softness. We stand up for truth and for those who need us. We don't give up.

We can be there in a flash with a casserole, a flashlight, or a listening ear. We can dry each other's tears and we can strengthen each other's backs. We can inspire, hold, touch, hug, and scold. We do our best work heart to heart. We feel things deeply and we care deeply.

In crisis, we are calm and resourceful. We draw on inner strength from spiritual connections. We store food, soap, bandaids, water, and faith.

We can fix a lot of things. We use duct tape, gorilla glue, twisty wire, bandaids, and prayer. We kiss things better, and we put things back together again. When the damage is too much for us, we hold on, we love, and we trust.

We are healers. We can't do everything, but we know who can.

We use our hands to do His work, and we want our hearts to be like His.


Linda Garner

Celebrating Miracles

I believe in miracles. One of my favorite miracles is the miracle of life.

We have a new miracle in our life. Her name is Maxine, and she is our granddaughter. She was born on Saturday, declaring her independence from the womb two days before America's birthday. I have been talking to her about the fireworks and telling her that the world is celebrating her birth. I think she believes me.

There are lots of reasons that Maxine is a miracle baby. The labor was long and hard. Her mom had health challenges that made having a baby seem risky. Maxine's parents waited a long time for her. They worked hard at getting healthy and minimizing the risk of having a baby.

Maxine is our miracle. What's yours?

Every life is a miracle. Every birth is worth celebrating and every life is worth living.

I am always amazed at the miracle of birth. What began as a single cell grows into a tiny human with a brain, a heart, and lungs. The human body is a complex bundle of organs, nerves, bone, and muscle. Think of the things this body is capable of. Imagine the gift of sight, hearing, thought. All these gifts are wrapped in an incredibly beautiful package and delivered in a most unusual way.

Did you know that babies are born without kneecaps, but fully equipped with a blueprint for their development at the appropriate time. Every beautiful body is encoded with instructions that will last a lifetime, and it's mostly automatic. No owner's manual to read.

Consider these amazing facts. The average human heart will beat 300,000 million times in its lifetime and pump 48 million gallons of blood. The average human brain has 100 billion nerve cells. Nerve impulses to and from the brain travel as fast as 170 miles per hour.

There's more. During a 24-hour period, the average human will breathe 23,040 times. Human blood travels 60,000 miles per day on its journey through the body.

We could go on an on. The human body is the most miraculous amazing machine ever invented, and you are the proud owner of one. Celebrate the miracle of your body. Create a beautiful life.

Why not give your body the respect and care that it deserves. Clean air and water, nutritious food, and invigorating exercise are just the ticket. Thank your body for it's tireless service. Do something wonderful for you body every day. Today is the perfect day to start.

Celebrate life.

Linda Garner