Tag Archives: grace

May love and laughter light your days, and warm your heart and home. May good and faithful friends be yours, wherever you may roam. May peace and plenty bless your world with Joy that long endures May all life’s passing seasons bring the best to you and yours. ~Irish Blessing Sitting down to write this month’s letter from the editor, fresh cup of coffee in hand, just as the writing juices began to flow I got a much-welcomed interruption. My beautiful daughter Grace phoned, talking a mile a minute, sharing every detail of her day. “Mom, I need a car. …

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” ~Martin Luther King Ladies, once again we close in on another year’s end. I ask myself once more, where did the year go? The quote, “The days are long, but the years are short” is beyond fitting. This issue is dedicated to forgiveness and fulfillment. In a year in which our country has faced such challenging times, I know you will find reprieve in the beautiful articles in this issue. The other day, I stopped at a local gas station. …

Ladies, spring is in the air! As I prepare for the spring edition of 5ive for Women, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge our own “Rays of Grace” upcoming graduation. Will you please indulge me as I use this forum as an open letter to my very own amazing Grace? Dear Grace, I am on two committees helping to get ready for your all-night graduation party. With every meeting  and every discussion, your fast-approaching graduation becomes more of a reality. Your official status as a young adult has me simply blown away. I thought I was going …

As 2016 draws to a close, I have so much to be grateful for. As the New Year approaches, many of us will plot goals and make plans for the year. Ladies, I’m just trying to get through the week here. Plans for 2017 have not yet begun. Even still, amidst the hurry and the haste, I have experienced grace and focused on gratitude. Sadly, we received some horrific news this fall. My dear cousin and her husband were killed after being struck by a driver in a head-on collision. I am filled with overwhelming grief, but so grateful for …

Our summer days are numbered, and I’m not sure where they all went. Leaves of rust, red, and orange will not be the only transformation we realize as we head into autumn. Seasons of life remind me the harder I strive to slow time down, the faster it marches on. It feels like only days ago we were seeing our eldest, Joe, off to college. Now my college graduate—as the kids at home say—is busy “adulting.” Miss Rays of Grace starts her senior year this fall and is diligently making college plans and visits. These days, overwhelming joy over the …

It’s crazy to think I am about to enter the fourth quarter of my junior year of high school. I’m about to go to prom, which I’ve been looking forward to since I was in elementary school. Time is flying by, and in a few months I’ll be a senior. New students will arrive, walk the same halls, use the same lockers, and experience a lot of the same DUMB high school drama I have survived. Although high school can be a drama-filled, stressful, scary time; it can also be an amazing time of learning who you are as a …

For the love of it all! I am convinced I’m the queen of procrastination. Ladies, it’s been a rough one. I was certain, after the holidays, we would slow down. Well, that was a nice thought. I am, however, so excited about this For the Love: Renew and Redo issue (despite the tardy letter from the editor). As February rolls in, so does the light at the end of Old Man Winter’s tunnel. Although this February we observe a leap year, it’s still a short winter month. I do love February, and it’s not because of its mushy-gushy holiday. Warmer …

I’m halfway through my high school junior year. Crazy! So far, I’ve created countless memories. I’ve gained many friends and lost a few. I’ve had successes along with failures. Most importantly, I’m learning from my mistakes, and (hopefully) growing into a respectable person. As I look back, I see someone who has supported me through my highs and lows. Her name is Natalie. Click the magazine below to read the rest of “Natalie” on page 43:

This issue is dedicated to my amazing, strong, beautiful mom. If not for her, I would not be the woman I am today. There were not many days Mom got to relax and take time for herself, so cheers to you Mom along with all the other mothers out there! Happy Mother’s Day and happy spring. Wow! Spring has sprung. There is so much to be excited about as we move into this new season. Only in Wisconsin can you find kids walking around in shorts in 45-degree weather. We’re pulling out our grills, hitting the trails like ants coming …