Author: Margie Cole

Happy Wednesday TSJ Friends, I am so excited to write to you today! I love thinking and learning about theories regarding human development. But I also realize life is more than theories and we often need practical and useable stories to learn from each other. And while I am talking about growth as being an upward spiral, we most often need help learning how to stop spiraling down into our “rabbit holes” of disempowering thoughts that lead to discouragement.. Being a parent highlights the complexities of personal growth. A helpful strategy toward avoiding –  or at least interrupting – a downward

(Remember to click on the green header for a reader friendly format on your devices!) Dear TSJ Friends,   I am excited to start sharing my journey of growing older! It is inspired by working on my own life story But today is an introduction:  a) Understanding human development using  a theory of spiral dynamics and b) Learning through parenting. As parents, Wisdom learned is wisdom earned! Do you agree?   PARENTING: Changes us      Like most of you, I am a parent.       Like some of you, I am also a grandparent.        Like all of you, I

Dear TSJ Friends, (Please remember if reading this on your phones click on the top green header for ease of reading!) Even though this is going to arrive too late in the day for Wednesday words of wisdom to propel you into  this day, rest assured Solomon has been working happily here in our TSJ office to get me to at least peek in to share our thoughts of hope.  But first you may like to know I am working on a series of blogs I think you will enjoy on Growing Older (we all are) and the Gifts of Aging. 

Dear TSJ Fellow “Peeps,” I hope you are in a good space today.  We all need encouragement on our journey. I am excited about writing about my little self imposed adventure that seems to have set in motion some momentum for change!    I had been thinking about a couple of questions I think could help us all jumpstart our emotional batteries, like jumper cables on a car. They are:                “Are you glad you did?” and/or  “Do you wish you had?”   Each can be informative. And fun to try, especially if you feel

Happy Wednesday TSJ Friends, Have you ever had an ah-ha or “light bulb” moment that you still remember clearly? Psychologists and spiritual leaders often call them “felt experiences.” They include and transcend intellectual reasoning. On February 2nd I had such a moment. It was a soul searing ah-ha moment. It all started when I happened across a blog posted in an online magazine I subscribe to. It was written to help writers deal with discouragement and self-criticism. The title gave a hint of what was to come. “Write what only you can write!” I read every word.  “Be unapologetically you!”

Dear TSJ Friends, As a child did you ever receive a gift from “Santa” that you asked for but your image of it was a better model than what “Santa” could afford that year? Do you remember the conflict when you reluctantly said, “Thank you” that had a “but” lingering unspoken in the air? Or as a parent, have you felt deep sadness you could not give exactly what you knew your child wanted?   Tom’s Story . . . As I remember hearing and now reflect on its significance for us . . . When Mr. Tom of TSJ

Hello to all TSJ Friends! Have you ever stumbled and fallen and could not get back up?   This question is good to ponder for a moment and it can apply to a physical fall, a business failure, an embarrassing event, a time of wayward behavior from your own integrity or faith or simply a misjudgment etc.  If so, how have you imagined people would respond if they knew about it?  How would you assume the Good Shepherd would respond? As I have mentioned in recent blog letters, one beautiful thing that is happening to me during this pandemic is being able

Dear TSJ Friends, Happy Thanksgiving! In many ways fall is my favorite season of the year. Skies become intensely blue on sunny days. Shadows lengthen giving depth to the scenery. The trees are colorful in their preparation for winter. The flowers in our gardens often are at their brightest.   Apple trees offer up health food for our winter. Even as the days start to become bleak we have something to look forward to. Holidays!  We enter the season of celebrations. And my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving!  Many of you feel the same way. Thanksgiving is a holiday that unites all

Dear TSJ friends, Last night in the night I found myself wide awake for a couple of hours. Have you ever done that? Nothing in particular was wrong, but I was suddenly thinking about all the things I have not done on my to-do list and the ways I have failed and oh my goodness my “what if” list of worries grew quickly. In short, I worried about the world. Eventually I came back to something precious. A recent experience that I want to share with you today. I remembered about the gift of wonder and asked myself how can