Caroline Flohr's Blog: Caroline Flohr, author's personal blog - Posts Tagged "caroline-flohr"
10 things I want my children to know before they marry.
For years I have harped to my children about getting married, having children, and living life. That’s probably because my first marriage ended in divorce, and regardless of how well we parents think we handle it, divorce has a profound effect on children.
My first child is now getting married and I want her, and all my children, to know these ten things before they marry.
1. I will always be your biggest cheerleader. I promise never to leave you, to listen more than I talk, to respect your decisions, and to embrace you for who you are.
You will always be my child, and me always your mother, my home always your home.
2. Marriage is much more than a lifelong commitment between two people. It’s a coming together of two families. It is a spiritual commitment blessed by, and in the eyes of, God.
3. Believe in yourself and treat yourself well. Always have something to look forward to.
4. Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. Remember that you are not limited by your five senses. Listen to your gut. It will always tell you the truth. And the truth will set you free.
5. Remember that respect is at the core of every relationship.
6. When you choose to have children, know that your children are yours forever. Remember this when choosing a spouse because your children will have the genetic makeup and characteristics of both parents.
7. Live in the present but remember where you’ve been and that you are strong. Consider today as truly a present. You know that tragedies and adversities are inevitable in our lifetime, and it’s how we weave them into our life that makes all the difference. As life gets complicated, ask for help.
8. If it’s meant to happen, it will happen. God always takes care of the details. Have faith.
9. People do not change, but our experiences change us. Surround yourself with those who celebrate your presence, and focus on things that last forever because learning to live and love is a lifelong process.
10. Set your ego aside, walk with grace, and lead with humility. Show your vulnerability and your humanity. Connect with others and Nature because what matters in the end are the connections we leave behind.
Caroline Flohr, author, writing true stories from a mother's heart, www.CarolineFlohr.com
Heaven's Child, A Mother's Journey From Heartbreak To Healing, Second Edition
My first child is now getting married and I want her, and all my children, to know these ten things before they marry.
1. I will always be your biggest cheerleader. I promise never to leave you, to listen more than I talk, to respect your decisions, and to embrace you for who you are.
You will always be my child, and me always your mother, my home always your home.
2. Marriage is much more than a lifelong commitment between two people. It’s a coming together of two families. It is a spiritual commitment blessed by, and in the eyes of, God.
3. Believe in yourself and treat yourself well. Always have something to look forward to.
4. Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. Remember that you are not limited by your five senses. Listen to your gut. It will always tell you the truth. And the truth will set you free.
5. Remember that respect is at the core of every relationship.
6. When you choose to have children, know that your children are yours forever. Remember this when choosing a spouse because your children will have the genetic makeup and characteristics of both parents.
7. Live in the present but remember where you’ve been and that you are strong. Consider today as truly a present. You know that tragedies and adversities are inevitable in our lifetime, and it’s how we weave them into our life that makes all the difference. As life gets complicated, ask for help.
8. If it’s meant to happen, it will happen. God always takes care of the details. Have faith.
9. People do not change, but our experiences change us. Surround yourself with those who celebrate your presence, and focus on things that last forever because learning to live and love is a lifelong process.
10. Set your ego aside, walk with grace, and lead with humility. Show your vulnerability and your humanity. Connect with others and Nature because what matters in the end are the connections we leave behind.
Caroline Flohr, author, writing true stories from a mother's heart, www.CarolineFlohr.com
Heaven's Child, A Mother's Journey From Heartbreak To Healing, Second Edition
setting family goals. leading my family.
I have five children, a husband, a busy life. I’m organized; my time is structured; goals are set and met. And like most families we stay somewhat balanced and everyone seems happy. But recently my friend who works for The Ken Blanchard Companies shared with me a book titled Lead Your Family Like Jesus. I’m Catholic so the title didn’t bother me. But if it does bother you let’s consider Jesus as a person. I think you will agree that Jesus led with a servant heart, that is, serving others with love as the ultimate goal. And, if you are reading this post then family is important to you.
Well, I engulfed the book, underlining key ideas, pausing and reflecting, as the book instructed me to do so. About half-way through I realized that I had never really considered what it means to lead a family. Yes, I have expectations for my marriage and my children, and we have family traditions, attend Mass regularly, and all those things that families do. And I have my personal agenda. I know what I want and where I am headed. But…my husband and I have never really discussed who we are, what we want and where we are headed as a family. And we’ve been married too long. I finished Mr. Blanchard’s book, set aside my ego, let my humility shine, and created an outline for a family meeting.
What is the vision we have for our family? What’s our purpose? Where are we going? What’s to guide us? Do we focus on what is temporary or what lasts forever? Do we lead our family from the heart? What are our intentions and motives? What are the battles worth fighting? How does our family fit into our community? How can we serve those we love and those in our community? What traditions inspire us? The list of questions continues.
Our children are watching us and I want to set up my family to win. I want my family to live with respect, kindness, integrity, and fairness. I want us to use our hearts, heads, hands, and habits to live and love. I want us to connect with each other, with our communities, and the world around us. One of my earliest readers said in her review, “… all we have is time.” If time is all we really have then it’s those connections that matter when the end comes. Faith and family are most important to me. And yes, Jesus matters in our family.
How do you lead your family? I invite you to share your values and your visions and how you are reaching your goals. And if you’ve never formulated a family plan, I encourage you to do so today. As Mr. Blanchard says, “Leading your family like Jesus focuses on what’s really important. And it all starts in the heart.”
Caroline Flohr, Author, writing true stories from a mother’s heart.
www.CarolineFlohr.com
- See more at: http://www.carolineflohr.com/setting-...
Well, I engulfed the book, underlining key ideas, pausing and reflecting, as the book instructed me to do so. About half-way through I realized that I had never really considered what it means to lead a family. Yes, I have expectations for my marriage and my children, and we have family traditions, attend Mass regularly, and all those things that families do. And I have my personal agenda. I know what I want and where I am headed. But…my husband and I have never really discussed who we are, what we want and where we are headed as a family. And we’ve been married too long. I finished Mr. Blanchard’s book, set aside my ego, let my humility shine, and created an outline for a family meeting.
What is the vision we have for our family? What’s our purpose? Where are we going? What’s to guide us? Do we focus on what is temporary or what lasts forever? Do we lead our family from the heart? What are our intentions and motives? What are the battles worth fighting? How does our family fit into our community? How can we serve those we love and those in our community? What traditions inspire us? The list of questions continues.
Our children are watching us and I want to set up my family to win. I want my family to live with respect, kindness, integrity, and fairness. I want us to use our hearts, heads, hands, and habits to live and love. I want us to connect with each other, with our communities, and the world around us. One of my earliest readers said in her review, “… all we have is time.” If time is all we really have then it’s those connections that matter when the end comes. Faith and family are most important to me. And yes, Jesus matters in our family.
How do you lead your family? I invite you to share your values and your visions and how you are reaching your goals. And if you’ve never formulated a family plan, I encourage you to do so today. As Mr. Blanchard says, “Leading your family like Jesus focuses on what’s really important. And it all starts in the heart.”
Caroline Flohr, Author, writing true stories from a mother’s heart.
www.CarolineFlohr.com
- See more at: http://www.carolineflohr.com/setting-...
TO LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE MUST YOU BE VULNERABLE?
To live my best life, I know that I must live with authenticity. To live with authenticity, I know I must be vulnerable. I must be willing to let go of who I think I should be. I must open up and be seen. And that scares me.
To be vulnerable, I must have the courage to be imperfect. I must have the compassion to be kind to myself. I must remember that what makes me vulnerable is what makes me beautiful. I must believe that I am enough.
So when I choose to show my vulnerability, do I need to know that you are worthy of that vulnerability? Do I need to question your sense of worthiness? Maybe the question I should be asking is, “Are you worthy of connecting with me?” Certainly connection is why I’m here. Connection is what gives purpose and meaning to my life. I have learned that what matters in the end are the connections I leave behind.
My grandmother would always say, “Get to know someone, Caroline dear, before trusting them with your heart.” In other words, pay attention to that which I choose to let into my life.
My mother would always tell me, “Never put anything in writing. It might be used against you.” In other words, pay attention to how you open yourself to the world. Goodness knows she holds my heart in her gentle hands like a snow globe.
But I write. That’s what I love to do. I write true and honest stories from a mother’s heart to share with the world. My first publication, Heaven’s Child, is an intimate memoir about family, tragedy, and a small community. It’s a story that makes you think, feel, and maybe cry. It’s that raw story written with too much honesty. But you know…it’s probably the most important story I will ever share. I bare my soul to the world in Heaven’s Child. Maybe I’m naïve. But I’d rather be vulnerable and live my best life, loving with my whole heart.
To live your best life, must you be vulnerable?
- See more at: http://www.carolineflohr.com/to-be-or...
To be vulnerable, I must have the courage to be imperfect. I must have the compassion to be kind to myself. I must remember that what makes me vulnerable is what makes me beautiful. I must believe that I am enough.
So when I choose to show my vulnerability, do I need to know that you are worthy of that vulnerability? Do I need to question your sense of worthiness? Maybe the question I should be asking is, “Are you worthy of connecting with me?” Certainly connection is why I’m here. Connection is what gives purpose and meaning to my life. I have learned that what matters in the end are the connections I leave behind.
My grandmother would always say, “Get to know someone, Caroline dear, before trusting them with your heart.” In other words, pay attention to that which I choose to let into my life.
My mother would always tell me, “Never put anything in writing. It might be used against you.” In other words, pay attention to how you open yourself to the world. Goodness knows she holds my heart in her gentle hands like a snow globe.
But I write. That’s what I love to do. I write true and honest stories from a mother’s heart to share with the world. My first publication, Heaven’s Child, is an intimate memoir about family, tragedy, and a small community. It’s a story that makes you think, feel, and maybe cry. It’s that raw story written with too much honesty. But you know…it’s probably the most important story I will ever share. I bare my soul to the world in Heaven’s Child. Maybe I’m naïve. But I’d rather be vulnerable and live my best life, loving with my whole heart.
To live your best life, must you be vulnerable?
- See more at: http://www.carolineflohr.com/to-be-or...
Caroline Flohr, author's personal blog
I write about what's most important to me. In particular, I write about things I want my kids to know, things I want them to remember. And I bet my thoughts aren't far from yours! I hope you enjoy my ...more
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