Seeing—and taking full advantage of—opportunities for gratitude, especially where there don’t seem to be any, will help smooth your journey across the sometimes rocky roads of life. The trick, though, is to notice those opportunities for what they are. Lots of times they’ll look like one thing, but when you change your perspective—Voila!—you see them […]
Showing love is not just for Valentine’s Day
January 19, 2015 By 4 Comments
Did you know Valentine’s Day is right around the corner? Oh, right, you probably do, given the constant barrage of guilt-inducing, wallet-breaking, comparison making advertisements that are absolutely everywhere you turn. My hubbie knows too, but he won’t be getting me anything for this red letter holiday. I know it’s possible when you just […]
Patterns of Love in Your Marriage
January 12, 2015 By 1 Comment
When colors, shapes, and sounds come together, delightful patterns can be formed. You encounter them everywhere: in the clothes you wear, the furnishings you buy, the music you hear. While some patterns are easy to spot, some are much more subtle. Patterns of love tend to be this less obvious type, since they develop […]
Laying the groundwork for a stronger family
January 1, 2015 By 2 Comments
Making the decision to move 1,000 miles away from the deep roots you’ve put down over the course of your life is not an easy one. I speak from experience, as it took my husband and I years to finally decide to move from the cold northeast to the mild climate of Tennessee. Now that […]
There’s hope in front of you
August 12, 2014 By 3 Comments
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 […]
Are you living like you are dying?
August 4, 2014 By 6 Comments
In the past two weeks I’ve heard from a fellow writer who lost one of her dear friends who was a wife and mother of two teens, a co-worker from a previous job whose dad passed away, and a recent acquaintance whose son succumbed to an illness. The grief is deep in those families, and […]
Leave them better than you found them
July 28, 2014 By 13 Comments
I had A Moment yesterday. You know, one those times when someone shares a bit of insight that absolutely rocks you back on your heels. Mine came as I was listening to our pastor preaching on the mystery of marriage. He shared about a bit of advice he received when he introduced his (hopefully) future […]
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 […]
Saturday Sips: Encourage the dreamers
July 12, 2014 By 1 Comment
I recently wrote about giving your children the freedom to dream and shared an interview I had done with a young man who wished to become a Navy SEAL. Being a parent of any child is difficult, especially when they choose a goal that is challenging, takes a great deal of courage, and […]
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 […]
