Journey to my heart....

Just like my father….

trishborgdorff — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 03:56:32 +0000

My Dad has a great story….

A story of God’s call on his life to impact people and provide leadership….

It began way back when he was completing Seminary and we were all young….

I admire my Dad and marvel at his commitment to the Church and his daily calling to be involved…

He has had a consistent passion to God’s kingdom for many many years and I know he lives true to the calling God has placed on his heart…

If you Google Peter Borgdorff, he is pretty popular. That makes me proud.

My Dad has been one who teaches clearly on the gift of grace. Some of his devotionals come up high in the search list….

If you want to read more of his devotionals, follow this link: http://thisistoday.com/authors/peter-borgdorff

Here are some of his good words from his writing in the Today devotional….

To each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. Ephesians 4:7

Pastors have the privilege of talking with people heart-to-heart about joys and concerns in their lives. The most common concern I have heard is about struggles with doubt. Some believers have difficulty accepting that God knows or cares about them. Some fear that their faith is too weak. Others believe they are not worthy of God’s concern because of their sin and unbelief.

The words of Paul are good news for all who struggle with doubt: “To each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it”—to each one, according to need and circumstance, at Christ’s initiative. Grace is sufficient to meet every person’s need and circumstance. To each one—no exceptions—sufficient grace is given to cover the multitude of our wrongdoings. No wonder “Amazing grace—how sweet the sound” is an all-time favorite song around the world!

Perhaps you are struggling, doubting, wondering. Maybe you have asked whether the grace of God can be sufficient for you. Do you wonder, down deep, whether you are good enough to deserve God’s favor?

The fact is, none of us is good enough. If receiving grace depended on our being good, then it would cease to be grace and instead would be God’s reward for good behavior. And all of us would fail. “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

Thank you, God, for the gift of grace and for accepting us as we are. We want to believe and accept that your gift of grace is sufficient for us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

My Dad can be found on You tube being interviewed by the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa. I am thankful for his leadership around the world….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chfuMXuqbXg.

My Dad is great in crisis. It can be crisis in others lives or in the lives of those he loves. He thinks clearly and offers comfort and wisdom. I have been very grateful for his presence and love in places where I have struggled deeply.

My Dad is honest. He admits he is not perfect nor a TV Dad as he likes to say, but he is who he is and he lives that out well. He is passionate, purposeful, playful and committed….

My Dad has journeyed many places near and far…

My Dad knows many people at home and around the world….

My Dad has impacted many lives for good and comforted many in hard times….

And, at the end of a day, after a service, after traveling the world, I love that I can say my Dad is mine (ours)….

He comes to our home and loves being with his wife, kids and grand kids….

My Dad has journeyed a hard year this year. Life was changed in the days my oldest brother died, and yet my Dad says, through his tears, God is still on his throne, and because of that, we do not lose hope!

I hear it often…

You are just like your father…

His cousin from the Netherlands told me it is as if I walked right out of his mouth….

I hear that and smile. I am happy to be a reminder to others of my father. He makes me proud!

Happy Father’s Day!

I love you Dad!

♥ Trish

I have been meaning to write…

trishborgdorff — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 03:50:32 +0000

I would like to tell you a little about my day-to-day right now….

Each evening I can honestly say I am intending to write a blog…

And yet, for the past number of months, life happens at my house after 10 pm….

When it was just me, I had a routine where part of winding down included doing some reflecting and blogging…

But then my niece’s fiance moved into my home for a few months….

A wonderful 21-year-old Englishman (yes, straight from England), and so easy to host in my home….

Although I don’t believe I can blame jet lag, he likes to cook a meal of sorts around 930 or so and in those times, I hear all about his heart, his vision, his dream and his love…(it really is so sweet)

And then a few weeks back, after college ended for Janneke, she started a job in GR, so she also moved in….

Such fun to have them both….

Such fun to watch them together, to hear of their stories of gutting a home and recreating their future space, such fun to watch him delight in her beauty and so fun to watch her rest in his strength….

And then there are the frequent evenings when I begin to consider starting my blog, when they come in and flop on my bed and I hear of the days events. The choosing and buying of their rings, the deep thoughts of what churches they are considering, the laughter in the funny moments….

I am a very fortunate aunt to have my niece and her fiance live with me for this last season of their single lives….

I am a very fortunate aunt who gets to glean a sense of what it might feel like to be a parent, at least a very small glimpse of that….(from increased grocery bills to very sweet moments of grateful young adults)

I am a very fortunate aunt who has fallen even more in love with two emerging adults who desire to make a powerful impact in this world through their relationships and in time in Africa….

I really have been meaning to write, but I am busy enjoying pleasant interruptions to my routine….

They won’t stay forever and in time I will be back to nightly blogging, but for now, I am too busy enjoying this almost married couple!

I love you both Matt and Janneke and am so thankful you chose to come stay with this aunt of yours….I will never forget this delightful and wonderful time!

PS. Maybe I will move in with you someday when I am 100 years old! (tee hee)

Double Digits…

trishborgdorff — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 03:32:39 +0000

I couldn’t tell you many specifics about my life ten years ago….

Well, sure I could tell you general things but nothing specific, well nothing except this one thing…

I can tell you where I was, in what Meijer aisle, what way I was facing and all the feelings that flooded my soul when Peter Henry arrived…

It was by no means new to me to celebrate the arrival of a new nephew, but it was new to have my sister living close by. The anticipation of meeting him and holding him within hours of his birth were moments of sheer wonder…

I have so enjoyed watching this boy grow and change. To be a part of his every day life and to hear of his good days and difficult times. To know this amazing kid in the way that I do makes me nothing but so very grateful and extremely blessed.

Peter has always had a heart of compassion and concern for others. He is aware of people in need and desires to impact his world….

Peter has always been a baseball fan. He has gone from bring a number one fan of the Tigers to being a very accomplished young athlete himself….

Peter has a good perspective on life. He is a deep thinker and is often thinking….

He has a great laugh and a genuine ability to be with others, without making it about himself….

He is looked up to by his siblings and enjoyed by his older cousins..,.

Peter is used to being with adult company and is a great conversationalist…

Peter is a boy who will do great things with his good mind, compassionate and tender heart and his growing faith….

I love you Peter Henry Bos and can’t wait to see what the next ten years holds. I am praying I will be able to enjoy the good days with you, share in the struggles and delight in all God holds for your life.

I love you tons and tons, for ever and ever, and that will never change!

Love Aunt Trish

The first duty of love….

trishborgdorff — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 03:46:34 +0000

The first duty of love is to listen.~ Paul Tillich

I read this today and am struck by the simplicity….

And yet, many of us might agree that even in its simplicity, it is a rare thing today….

To listen….

My four-year old niece has an expectation that we will listen to her….

She has a rule that when anyone is in the car with her, the radio should be off, after all, if the radio is on, how can we really listen to her?

I believe that even at her very young age, she feels loved when she feels heard….

I wonder if you are listening to the ones that you love….

I wonder if you are hearing them through the words of their heart and responding to what they are asking for as opposed to what you think they need….

I wonder if you are being listened to by those who love you….

I have a card by my desk, it is one of my favorites, it says….

Listen hard, it is an excellent gift!

I hope that at the end of each day you can rest well knowing you have listened to those you love!

Family Dinner….

trishborgdorff — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 03:33:59 +0000

I have taken to hosting dinner once a week…

It started to help my sister out at dinner time during tax season…

It has continued because I enjoy the company we keep as a family….

I realize each week that I am grateful for the time we have together….

When my brother died six months ago at way to young of an age, I came face to face with the way life can change quickly…

I want to enjoy my friends and family in each day I have with them….

If I have another 50 years, I will be blessed….

If life changes tomorrow, I will be without regret as we continue to enjoy the company we keep with purpose and intention….

It is my hope that you won’t let life get too busy and miss spending time with those who are dear to you….

It is my hope that you will live loving others and open to being loved.

Now go and invite someone to share a meal, someone that you have been meaning to call….and enjoy being with them!

Don’t rest too soon….

trishborgdorff — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 03:49:31 +0000

I found this definition the other day and I must say it has stuck with me because I heard myself quoting it today….

I am not sure it needs many more words than this…

I can picture the times i have chosen resting before tired…

And I can picture the times I have chosen resting after tired….that is a much more satisfying place to be!

Carry on my friends and push yourself through the danger of resting too soon!

My child I wish for you two things…

trishborgdorff — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 03:53:37 +0000

To give you roots

To give you wings

I remember this saying often as it has been an evident desire in my sister and brother in law’s parenting…

I have loved watching them as parents nurture the roots and in the later years invite their wings…

These pictures show just a bit of Henry’s roots and wings…

Henry’s Graduation Video, June 2, 2013

His kindness and tenderness….

His being all boy and being gentle man…

I know he is not my child but I am a very lucky aunt who has been invited to watch him grow and participate in his upbringing….

My heart is full of gratitude for this very cute, very handsome, very tender boy!

If you have four minutes, please enjoy the video of a young boy growing his roots and earning his wings!

Oh the places you’ll go….

trishborgdorff — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 03:10:44 +0000

You have come a long way Henry….

You know I am often full of words, but tonight I just marvel at how far you have come….

You have done well my oldest nephew…

You are kind, respected and well-loved….

I am proud of you and I will love you always!

“Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!”
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!

The gap gets smaller…

trishborgdorff — Fri, 31 May 2013 03:58:16 +0000

There is something I often say about being single….

It seems that very little ages me….

By that I mean that I don’t have kids who mark my years by their age and growth, nor do I stand somewhat shocked that I could almost be old enough to approach a grand parenting season….

And so the only thing that really catches me off guard is how the gap continues to get smaller in the age difference between my nieces and nephews and myself….

Today it seems that Ryan is closing the gap and becoming more adult every day….

I spent this past Monday with Ryan and as always, he made me laugh with his subtle and very funny ways….

I am often awed by his kindness towards his younger cousins and the kindness in his invitation that they come hang out with him and his friends. Somehow this makes a very unique 15-year-old in my book….

Ryan James, I love that you are growing up and I am delighted with each moment I can spend with you….

It matters not to me if you win or lose your sporting events or ace or fail your tests….

I don’t have to worry about the minutes on your phone or your weekend curfew…

I am privileged and honored to be your aunt….

Your Aunt who wants you to experience all the desires of your heart and see all your dreams come true….

Your Aunt who wants you to give life your all and fully believes that your all will get you to good places….

I love you Ryan James and hope that being 15 will bring you wonderful moments with family and friends, at home and at school, on the football field and the wrestling mat, and in the alone spaces you keep!

You are amazing and wonderful and I am sure that my love for you will never run out….

Happy 15th,

Love Aunt Trish

Wild thing….

trishborgdorff — Thu, 30 May 2013 03:21:52 +0000

I saw this today and find my mind wandering back often….

What is it about this wild thing that has me curious?

I believe that within each of us is a wild thing of sorts…

I believe that we work hard to keep this wild contained….

I wonder what you might be wild for if you threw the doors to your passion open…

I don’t mean wild in anger or destruction…

I mean wild to bless others with a part of yourself…

I mean a wild to offer yourself something that you have always searched for….

I mean a wild that is not about money or travel or possessions…

I mean a wild that is about delight and wonder and kindness…

I mean a wild that would leave people in your pathway blessed in creative, surprising and wonderful ways…

I want to live with this wild escaping from my soul…

This wild may be in presence or silence, laughter or generosity….

it may be to family or friends, strangers or street people….

It may be in the context of your daily living or way outside of your comfort zone…

This wild thing likely won’t be known until it is experienced….

I invite you to open the doors so your wild thing can live a little…..ENJOY!