Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “Beth K. Vogt”
There are times when perfection has tripped me up. I’m heading in the right direction, liking where I’m going, and then I convince myself that, not only do my efforts need to be better, they need to be perfect. Yep. That kind of thinking lands me flat on my face every time. But then there are the times that I …
“Pay attention to the beauty surrounding you.” When you read those encouraging words by author Anne Lamott, what bit of beauty surrounding you came to mind? For me, I thought of Pikes Peak, the majestic mountain I can see every day as I drive around Colorado Springs taking my daughter to and from school. Or going to Costco. Or riding …
I think the encouragement to keep reading is good advice for anyone, don’t you? I certainly never lack for books to read … and while sometimes I just read for pleasure, there are certain books that have influenced me greatly, changing my thoughts about life and about myself. There are any number of quotes about advice: “No one can give you …
Sometimes, simple is best. New day. New choices. It’s today. There’s nothing I can do to undo what happened yesterday — except, maybe, offer an apology if an apology is needed. But that doesn’t change the choices I made yesterday. It’s merely the choice I am making today. I can base today’s choices on the ones I made yesterday — and …
One of my favorite parts to write in every book I publish is the Acknowledgments section. Yes, it’s always at the end of the book, but it’s so important to me that I often start thinking about it before I’m finished with my first draft. The Acknowledgments section is where I’m able to thank everyone who has helped me take …
Last night I went browsing for a quote for today’s blog post. Searched my quote books. Searched my files. Searched online. Searched my Evernote Quote notebook. I skimmed all sorts of quotes. It wasn’t that I didn’t have a lot of quotes to choose from, it was just none of them were “pinging.” And then I found these words by Victor …
Fear has motivated me to do things. Fear of losing someone I care about or of losing their approval — has caused me to do and say certain things. Sometimes I’ve even chosen to violate my personal values in the hopes of satisfying someone else’s expectations. That’s an ugly truth, but I strive to be honest with you all on this blog. …
I’m not the best when it comes to flying kites. The whole process of running and releasing a kite up into the air behind me? It’s just a bit beyond me. I want to look ahead of me and make certain I don’t run into something, or that I don’t trip and fall. At the same time, I want to look …
Which would you choose: acceptance achieved by pretense or rejection caused by honesty? Living honestly? It’s risky business. Wear a mask and be well-liked. Conform to the expected behaviors and earn a pat on the back . . . a place at the table . . . a “welcome to the family” — whatever equals acceptance for you. Or replace …
Sometimes my God is too small. Of course, it’s not Him. It’s me diminishing who He is. I forget that God is so much more than the possibilities I see before me . . . He is the God of all the impossibilities I never imagine. Forgetting who God is comes with looking down … becoming so grounded in here and now …
