Issue 7.4                                                                                                                                                                 April 25, 2018

What's in this issue?

• Preparations in the SPACE BETWEEN
• S.N.A.P. it
• Lovely Traces Book Signing

Hello Kathy, 

Welcome to this REMARKABLE time of the year! 

As you know I am studying the 'remarkable' of life- women's lives in particular.  I know that if you read my blog posts, or even just this news letter, you may tire of my use of the word REMARKABLE. But that is the word that keeps coming to mind as I talk with women, as I experience life, as I notice the lessons I'm learning in the middle of it all. 

 I never cease to be amazed at this season- the remarkable space between...

• the brown of winter and the green of spring
• the chill in the air and the warmth of our days
• the Lenten season and Easter celebration

I started to write this newsletter during HOLY WEEK- last month- the climax of the Lenten season beginning with Palm Sunday and ending on Easter.  In recent years the special memorials on Maundy Thursday or Good Friday have come to have great significance.  This year the entire Lenten season has held deep meaning for me. 

Much of that probably comes from the space between that I'm experiencing watching our parents in this season of life. 

As many of you know, my Father-in-law, Ray Burrus, went to be with the Lord on March 31st, the space between Good Friday and Easter.  We stood by his bedside in the hospice unit at the hospital and we experienced that holy space between life- and death.  I shared some of my thoughts here.

In the middle of February, my Dad suffered a mild heart attack/s.  On Ash Wednesday, the opening of Lent, instead of attending a service with my church community, I dropped what i was doing, including my February letter to you, and spent the day catching not one, but three different planes to go be with my parents because of the space between our homes.  (yes, I wrote about it too, here and here)

Dad continues to struggle at the moment recovering from a bad case of shingles on his head, probably brought on by the stress he experienced with the heart attack. He has suffered with severe headaches ever since, but finding some relief now.   I will be forever grateful for those moments with them in February and now again in April, and the connections with our siblings because of it.  

 I appreciate your continued prayers for these precious people in my life as they go through these challenging  space between moments.  

So what have I noticed...

• The Lent season challenged me to let go - to use the space between, the time when we are normally doing something else to be more aware of the sacrifice made by Christ on our behalf.  My 'sacrifice' was not one thing, but a different thing each day as I asked the Lord to make me aware of the distractions in my life.  Maybe it was fasting from a type of food, or giving up sleep and getting up earlier, or stepping away from time on facebook, or even my writing. I've continued that now that I am home and able to be in my own space between.
  • I choose to walk and allow my mind, body and breath to be fully aware.
  • or I spend time in conversation with a friend
  • or I read - sometimes scripture, sometimes the book I'm reading now with our small group,
     A Violent Grace by Michael Card. 
    
    
• In life, we don't always get to choose the changes we make in the space between. Our parents are in such a season in life. They are at an age where they wrestle with being "old", they struggle with not being able to do what they once did and spend much of their time traveling from one doctor to another.  They are forced to let go a little every day, reminded often that life as they knew it has changed. They are very aware they are nearing an end, wondering if this is the moment that will make that happen. 

But if we are honest, aren't we all experiencing the space between on a daily basis?  We are challenged to let go of something that was our 'normal' and experience something new. 

• As a daughter, I let go of the child relationship I had with my parents and take on more of a 'looking out for' role they had for me as my parent.
• As a coach, I let go of clients that I have loved working with to see them embrace their own next steps.
• As a business owner, I let go of a structure that use to be effective to embrace a new way of doing things.
• Living in the middle of farm land, I watch the ground let go of the frozen hard to ready itself for the growth of a new crop.

We often want to hurry this stage- or in the case of our parents, to prolong our time with them. But this season, I have been challenged over and over again, to make the most of this space between.  I do that by S.N.A.P.ing! You can too!

Stop and pay attention to what is happening around you and who you are with.

Notice how this moment is impacting you and  what you are hearing and seeing.

Ask what this moment is inviting you to be - sit with it, or do- make your plan.

Pivot by sharing what you see with someone you trust and acting on what you noticed.

What is your space between?  Chances are you may have to be intentional about sitting with God and being aware of what He is really inviting you to be- and know- and maybe do, or maybe not. 

I would love to hear what you are noticing.  Just hit reply and tell me how God is using the space between in your life.

If you need help noticing, you will love the 5-day challenge I'm starting in May.  Check out more information about this free Facebook group designed to help you S.N.A.P. (see the bold words above for what they mean). 

If you want to know more about it, keep scrolling.

Life is short.  Living in the space between is more important than ever. Join us as we learn to S.N.A.P. (Stop, Notice, Ask and Pivot) to hear what God is inviting us to in those precious moments. 

Here's to your space between.

Kathy

SNAP it

Ever feel like life is happening TO you? Maybe things are coming at you faster than you can notice them? You get to the end of the day and you can't remember what that special moment even was. 

Or you might notice and you might remember, but don’t understand why something stirs such emotional reactions?  It might be a moment that made you smile, or sent goose bumps down you arm.  Or maybe something made the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end because you were angry at an injustice or upset about a unfortunate conversation. 

These moments stir you because of something in your design that cares about these things. We are touched by them because we value certain characteristics or attitudes.  We respond because they trigger for us a behavior- good or bad, happy or sad- that moves us into action. 

What if we took time each day to notice those moments?  Instead of just saying, "Oh that was nice." or "Wonder what that was all about," what if we took some time each day to listen to what that 'stirring' was teaching us.  We might learn something about ourselves, or our world- or even about God, our Creator.

---SNAP IT--- 
is a five day challenge to help you
Capture Your Defining Moments 
and Listen to Your Life.

• or just let me know you are interested in a reply email,
• or go to the S.N.A.P it group page and request to join. 

Lovely Traces of HOPE

On April 8th, I had the privilege of speaking at a book signing in my home county of Lipscomb, Texas at the Wolf Creek Museum. What an honor to share Leisha and our story with people who who knew way back when I didn't even know me. I got to connect with classmates, high school teachers and coaches, some of my heroes as a young person. 

 I wish I had taken more pictures with some of these people, like the 'pesky pagent chairwoman' whom I love from chapter three, or the coach who always teased Rennie that he would melt if he went outside because he was so sweet on me.

But the memories were made none-the-less.

My Momma was my side kick all afternoon and actually could answer any questions about the book since she heard me process it as I lived it, and as I wrote it and then she has read it 8 times since it came out.   I was so honored to share this day with her too. 

Special thanks to the women- and men- that make the Wolf Creek Museum all it is in Lipscomb County and the surrounding areas. I am so grateful for your kindness and support to make this a very special day. (Can you guess who the tall woman is with the black hat in the corner? Yeah, me neither. But she got a lot of attention that day. )

In case you are interested:

1. Get your copy of the book for you or a friend, click here. ($12.99 plus tax & shipping.)

If you want a signed copy, hit reply and tell me how many copies you want and where I should send the books.  If you want them written out to someone special, be sure to let me know that too. ($15 includes tax and shipping- but it takes a little longer to get them.)

2. Leave a testimonial at Amazon. Just click here to go to the page for Lovely Traces, scroll down past the current testimonials to CUSTOMER REVIEWS and click on Write a customer review.  Thank you!

3. Be watching for new groups forming called TRACING HOPE.  I will be hosting a virtual group for sure to help people to listen to the defining moments in their life.  Keep your eyes open for more info to be coming soon. 

Well I know I included a lot.  I couldn't resist telling you these things.  

Take a look at the S.N.A.P it group and sign up today. 

Here's to noticing the remarkable parts of your day and your story in the space between.

Can't wait to hear from you. 

Kathy

Contact Kathy Burrus
kathy@kathyburrus.com

Visit my websites at:
kathyburrus.com
greenhopecoaching.com

419-306-8311