For the last year or so, I have been taking a close look at my personal relationships. I have examined their benefits vs. drawbacks, successes vs. failures, and costs vs. returns. I looked at why I entered the relationships, why I remained in them, and if I could afford to maintain them. As I did some serious soul searching, I realized that although each connection is adding a measure of value to my life, even challenging ones, I am limited in time, energy, and resources. My priorities are my relationship with God, then my family, and then everything else. The READ MORE
Category: Personal Growth
Fall Break Repost – My Husband, My Hero
This week, my children are on fall break. We have been busy cleaning our house and visiting with friends, so my writing time has been limited. Instead of writing a new post this week, I decided to repost one of my most popular blog entries – My Husband, My Hero. I hope you enjoy it. See you next week. My Husband, My Hero Recently, my husband, Chris, and I started watching a show on Netflix called Fixer Upper. On the show, Chip and Joanna Gaines transform rundown properties into gorgeous homes, for couples that want to live in a nice READ MORE
A New Adventure
Last Thursday night, I embarked on a new adventure – public speaking. Although this was not my first time speaking in public, it was my first time being the main speaker at an event. I am so pleased with the response that evening. Everyone in attendance was very engaged, encouraging, and gracious. What began as a slightly scary endeavor turned out to be both wonderful and humbling. So, you might ask, what did I learn from the experience? 1) I learned the importance of good preparation. I spent many hours preparing my topic, so I felt comfortable with the material READ MORE
Season Change
I am pleased to announce, in case you did not look at your calendar, that yesterday was the first day of autumn. Soon, I will be turning off my air conditioner and enjoying a gentle autumn breeze through my windows and backdoor screen. I am starting to get my fall wardrobe ready, especially my cardigans, and to stock up on pumpkin and apple cider products. My backyard woods are already showing little hints of yellow, and my fire pit is eagerly awaiting fresh logs and gooey marshmallows. I love the fall. I look forward to it every year, since I READ MORE
A Little Space
While my husband and I were discussing my blog post ideas for this week, he challenged me to share what is churning in my heart. He said that my readers need to read it. So, I am sharing it with you, per his suggestion. I hope it speaks to you. I need a little space. This week, I wanted to crawl into a hole and hide from the world. I wanted to block out every bit of noise in my home and neighborhood. I was craving the creative process and a deep journey into my own thought life. I am READ MORE