How Do We Choose Love and Grace Over Being Right?

Beth VogtBeth K. Vogt, challenges, change, choices, expectations, forgiveness, Friendship, grace, Love, perspective, Quotes, Relationships 15 Comments

Sometimes I just like being right. And that’s when I usually end up saying the wrong thing. Yes, I’m telling you this because I “righted” myself into the wrong corner a few days ago. I didn’t realize how my conversation with my friend Gianna had veered into unexpected territory until she said, “You’re angry with me, aren’t you?” I stopped …

Choosing to Face the Effects of Uncertainty

Beth Vogtanxiety, Beth K. Vogt, challenges, choices, crisis, expectations, hope, Life, perseverance, perspective, Quotes, Reality, Relationships, stress, suffering 23 Comments

  My youngest daughter, Christa, is home for spring break from college. Only it’s not the spring break she planned on. It’s not the spring break hundreds of thousands of college students planned on. After I wrote that last sentence my husband, Rob, Christa, and I paused to do some quick mental math and decided the sentence should read “millions …

Choosing not to be a Grumbler

Beth VogtBeth K. Vogt, challenges, change, choices, failure, Life, perspective, Quotes 11 Comments

I’ve been grumbling a lot this past week. Out loud and often, about one particular thing I’m frustrated about. It doesn’t matter what I was complaining about – although some of you are nodding your heads and thinking, “I’ve been listening to your grousing. Enough, already!” It’s so easy to get upset about things, especially when we feel so right, …

Love is a Choice We Make Every Day

Beth Vogtacceptance, Beth K. Vogt, bravery, choices, courage, family, Friendship, Life, Love, perspective, Quotes, trust 4 Comments

  Today’s blog post is pretty straightforward. With Valentine’s Day on Friday, I thought it would be fun to share a few quotes about love.   “Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.” Mother Teresa Now before you move on from this post because you’re not into all the forced, commercialized …

Choosing to be Present Today

Beth VogtBeth K. Vogt, choices, contentment, Faith, gratitude, laughter, Life, perspective, Quotes 9 Comments

  I tossed several topics around for this blog post. Things like the Super Bowl halftime show or the president’s State of the Union address or how about the craziness of the Iowa caucus? Nah. I’m not about wading into controversy and ruffling feathers today. Instead, I came across these words by poet Maya Angelou: “Every day I awaken grateful. …

Must We Forget to Forgive?

Beth VogtBeth K. Vogt, brokenness, choices, forgiveness, grace, hope, Life, perspective, Quotes, Relationships 17 Comments

I spent some time yesterday talking with a new friend about forgiveness – both what I’ve learned and what I’ve un-learned about forgiving someone who has hurt me. As we talked, she mentioned the words, “Forgive and forget.” I’m not a fan of those three words. Please, don’t misunderstand me. I value forgiveness. Reconciliation is my favorite word in the …

We are Made for Anticipation

Beth VogtBeth K. Vogt, choices, Christmas, contentment, emotions, expectations, Faith, holidays, hope, Identity, Life, perspective, Quotes 13 Comments

I was chatting with my friend Gianna on the phone yesterday when she said, “I feel like it’s the day after Disneyland.” And then she laughed. “You know what I mean?” Yes. Yes, I knew exactly what Gianna meant. You probably do too. Disneyland. “The happiest place on earth” right? Most of us plan for weeks, if not months, to …

When It’s Not a Happy New Year

Beth VogtBeth K. Vogt, challenges, choices, crisis, expectations, family, Life, New Year, perspective, Quotes, Reality, stress 19 Comments

We’re eight days into the new year and may I just say I’d like a do-over? Of course, I know that’s not how life works. There’s no rewind button in life. No pause button, either. We do life in forward motion – sometimes fast-forward. Circumstances? Well, they are often beyond our control. The first week of this brand-new year has …

Choose One Word to Change You in the New Year

Beth VogtBeth K. Vogt, change, choices, dreams, Faith, goals, holidays, hope, Life, New Year, perspective, Quotes, Scripture, Thoughts, time 10 Comments

As 2019 wound down and the new year – and the new decade – approached, I gathered words. One Words, to be exact. Let me back up. Many of you might be concentrating on a list of resolutions for 2020, but I abandoned that practice 14 years ago. Instead, I choose One Word for the year and center my heart …

A Thanksgiving Prayer

Beth Vogtautumn, Beth K. Vogt, choices, contentment, Faith, grace, gratitude, holidays, perseverance, prayer, Quotes, Thanksgiving 8 Comments

      O, heavenly Father: We thank thee for food and remember the hungry. We thank the for health and remember the sick. We thank the for friends an remember the friendless. We thank the for freedom and remember the enslaved. May these remembrances stir us to service, that thy gifts to us may be used for others. Amen. …