How many times have you gotten discouraged reviewing the latest events in your life? You probably cherry-picked the worst moments, blew them up into large and excruciatingly awful detail, and stacked them upon all the other examples you could muster of your incredible ineptitude or the impossibility of your situation until the tower tumbled and crashed […]
When Stubborn Pride is Pulling Your Strings
July 21, 2014 By 11 Comments
I am well acquainted with Stubborn Pride. I have listened to that wheedling, guilt-inducing voice too many times in my life, and it has never ended well. As a matter of fact, I learned some time ago that when I am really struggling with fear of failure, I can find it lurking nearby, working my emotional […]
You are NOT the target
July 16, 2014 By 4 Comments
Wouldn’t it be great if cranky, grumpy, hot-tempered people took an extended, nay, permanent, vacation far, far, away? Ahhh, such a sweet dream. In the real world, though, there are crabby people who will launch their slings and arrows your way with hardly a thought. You get to choose how to respond, and I […]
Freedom to dream
July 4, 2014 By 1 Comment
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. ~Eleanor Roosevelt As parents, we give freedom to our children in ever increasing amounts, moving the safety rails farther back as time moves forward. One day, those rails disappear, and our sweet little babes will advance into adulthood. Hopefully, we will […]
What does being brave look like?
June 24, 2014 By 6 Comments
There are more definitions of bravery than there are shades of grass and colors of the sky. My idea of bravery is quite different from that of a Navy SEAL, which is a world apart from being a cold call, door-to-door salesman. While I may think I want to be unafraid in ways like them, […]
Saturday Sips: Walking uphill to school both ways
June 21, 2014 By 2 Comments
I recently wrote about hardship being the gift that keeps on giving. One of my lovely readers called it a “most EXCELLENT article”. Thanks, Nan! If you missed it, be sure to go back and read it because the following links are related to that post. I’ll bet when you were younger and […]
Embrace Hardship: It’s the gift that keeps on giving
June 16, 2014 By 7 Comments
You avoid hardship like the plague, and you double those efforts when it comes to keeping the path smooth for your children. After all, it’s hardship. Why bother to go through the challenge of saving up to pay for something you want when you can whip out the credit card and enjoy that shiny new toy right […]
Debt freedom can make you complacent
May 5, 2014 By
Do you remember how it feels to decide unequivocally it is time for a big change in your life? You have had enough of the old you, so you gather your resources and information to help you succeed. And you start rocking the new goal. Your motivation is so strong that nothing can stand in […]
Joy Triumphs
March 31, 2014 By 7 Comments
Health is the greatest of God’s gifts, but we take it for granted. It hangs on a thread as fine as a spider’s web, and the smallest thing can make it snap, leaving the strongest of us helpless in an instant, and in that instant, hope is our protector, and love, our panacea. ~Via PBS […]
Living Beyond Your Comfort Zone
March 15, 2014 By 10 Comments
Have you ever felt stuck, and wondered about the possibility of living beyond your comfort zone as a solution? How does that make you feel? Afraid? Irresponsible? Excited? This week I have three pieces to challenge and encourage you. I pray they will breathe life, strength, and courage into your soul! Apathetic Living and […]
