Trish Lawson's Reflections

Just like that, summer break (for students and teachers) is over! While some parents rejoice at those back-to-school moments, for John and I we are saddened at the fact that summer just flew by, call us crazy; but we love having our two home! However, new memories were made as we made our way to Los Angeles, California; a first for all of us. It was a time to take in fun theme parks, cool history of film and television, and just enjoy our kids, well being kids! The excitement of being led to think we were going to one place and yet telling them the night before of a much grander plan, the laughter, the smiles and the joy on their faces brought me right back to those little faces and little voices which I have been missing so much as they head into high school & middle school this past Wednesday. 

The saying goes, “time is a thief” and to some degree, that is accurate and yet not. As much as I wish I could freeze time during some of those younger years, I look at who they have been as littles and are becoming as teens and think about how they got there. So many strong influential people have come, gone and are still around that made their mark on them and that makes me even more excited to see who they will be and what they will do in this great big, beautiful world.

After last Sunday listening to Rhonda’s Stewardship Church at Work and the theme “What we were made for” it really made me take a deeper look at myself and my purpose. In a previous blog, I had opened up about being on the receiving end of bullying and the long-term effects that it had and still at times has on me and feeling like I had no purpose; being proactive with my mental and emotional health for years has redefined what my purpose was and is.

I am a daughter, sister, grandchild, niece, friend, wife, mother and a teacher. Most important of all, I am a child of God. A God whose unconditional love and continual forgiveness (no matter how many times I seek it) is ever present in my life. Like my children, I have had influences come, go, and still in my life that have helped me become who I am; I found my voice, my strength, my power to be the beacon of light that God originally created me to be.

Being a part of a church that is moving forward with the outside world, working to create social justice for all in our community and beyond, recognized as an open and affirming church, making long-term environmental changes that will make a huge impact for all who come after us… This is what I was made for, I just didn’t see it until I opened my heart, my mind and my eyes to what has been there all along.

What were you made for? It is definitely worth thinking deeply about.

Always with love,

Trish