Tag: encouragement

For those of you who’d rather listen than read, this one’s for you! When someone threatens to bring out your worst, create space for kindness with a pause.

I feel like I’m standing in line, waiting to ride the world’s best rollercoaster. Later this week, I’ll pack up the family and we’ll head to Cleveland for the MAC tournament. For my non-sporty friends, that’s our conference basketball tourney. If our team wins, the Bobcats will head to the NCAA tournament. (That’s the big leagues, non-sporties.)

Saul’s teams have been ... Read More

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what I’ve been thinking about. I don’t know if this is the case for you, but my mind can follow a squirrel or bright shiny object into the next dimension in no time flat.

A friend recently told me she struggles with cooking because of attention deficit disorder. As soon as she steps away ... Read More

I cried the day I found out I was going to have a daughter. Don’t get me wrong– it was not a sweet, tender moment. I was terrified.

After a tumultuous relationship with my mom, I assumed I couldn’t do the mother-daughter thing.

I stood in my bedroom and cried as I thought “What is God thinking? He knows I can’t handle ... Read More

Here’s a little food for thought:

“We scientists have found that doing a kindness produces the single most reliable momentary increase in well-being of any exercise we have tested.” -Martin Seligman, from his book, Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being

I ran across that quote in my newest Guideposts magazine last night, and it struck me. Yes! It really ... Read More

My kids are on their third snow day in a row, in a week that leads directly into a 4 day weekend. So, let’s see… since last weekend, it’s gone like this:

Saturday – off

Sunday – off

Monday – school

Tuesday – off

Wednesday – off

Thursday – off

Friday – off

Saturday – off

Sunday – off

Monday – off

Tuesday – school?

I’ve highlighted the days they’ve had (or ... Read More

A friend gave me a beautiful bracelet engraved with an interesting phrase. It says, “Be a silver lining.” Not “Be the silver lining,” but “Be a silver lining.” I love that. It takes the pressure off when you realize you don’t have to be all things to all people, but rather just do what you can do when you can ... Read More

I’ve been taking my kids to Disney World since my first born was four months old. Crazy? A little. Only other “Disney Families” will understand the draw. You either love it or you don’t. We love it. However… it’s not always a magical experience.

Last February, while Saul was up to his eyeballs in basketball, the kids and I hopped ... Read More

I have a problem with other people’s successes. There, I said it. It’s out in the light. Take it away, God. Rip this pride and jealousy and ego and selfishness out of my life from the roots. It has no room to coexist with kindness.

I sat through one of the ugliest basketball games ever a few nights ago. I’m not great with details, so I’ll just say this: the Bobcats were playing some other team, we were ahead by a lot, and then we weren’t. That in itself could make it an ugly game, but add in a bench-clearing brawl and my husband’s ... Read More