Category Archives: Personal

The Economics of Being Cool — and Frugal

Being frugal is chic these days. It’s exhilarating to go to bed knowing that you’re weird and out of step, and then burst into the kitchen the next morning as a dynamic, exciting, creative, green living, Chic woman of power and wisdom! … Continue reading

Posted in Art, blogging, Christian, Culture, Current Events, Daily Life, Economy, Encouragement, Family, Green, Growth, home, homeschooling, inspirational, Life, Lifestyle, Motherhood, News, Parenting, Personal, Random, shopping, success, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Saving Money in the Grocery Store — One Weird, Workable Idea

Years ago, with four children in tow, I spent one day a week doing the grocery shopping. The night before I scoured the ads, marking this place for brown sugar and butter, that one for grapes and toilet paper, still … Continue reading

Posted in Art, blogging, children, Culture, Current Events, Daily Life, Economy, Encouragement, Family, Food, home, inspirational, Life, Lifestyle, Motherhood, Parenting, Personal, shopping, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Flu in Your House? Make FAST, cheap, chicken soup

Recently two members of our household (not me, not yet) succumbed to some sort of tummy ailment that precluded eating, and once they were on the mend and agitating for something more substantial than chamomile tea, I made this soup. … Continue reading

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Laugh at Life’s Challenges

Cancer, unemployment, chronic pain, financial straits, the general insecurity of our nation’s future — there are a lot of challenges in life, and some of them are around for the long term. Other challenges, seemingly minor, still impact our daily … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Beauty, blogging, Christian, Culture, Current Events, Daily Life, Economy, Encouragement, Family, grandparenting, Growth, health, home, inspirational, Life, Lifestyle, Parenting, Personal, Random, Relationships, religion, success, Work | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Is It Realistic, Following Our Dreams?

This week’s article comes with a visual — the Bold Innocence art print by Steve Henderson that encourages us to Dream Big! “Yeah, well I tried to follow my dreams but I got a big fat nowhere,” somebody told me … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Beauty, blogging, children, Christian, Culture, Current Events, Daily Life, Encouragement, Family, Growth, home, inspirational, Life, Lifestyle, News, Personal, Random, success, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

“Performance Art” in Real Life

The idols are falling left and right. So one day I read that Lance Armstrong, the celebrated tour de France bicyclist, admitted to Oprah  that he had been using banned, performance enhancing drugs. Then the next day, there’s more performance … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Beauty, blogging, celebrities, children, Christian, Culture, Current Events, Daily Life, Encouragement, Family, grandparenting, Growth, home, homeschooling, inspirational, Life, Lifestyle, Motherhood, News, Parenting, Personal, Random, Relationships, success, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Honesty — It’s Still a Lonely Word

I just finished reading one of those inspirational stories that is supposed to energize me but actually makes me want to rest my head on my paper-cluttered desk and weep. Let me summarize: Famous Person agrees to meet fans for … Continue reading

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If Pumpkins Were Money, I’d Be Rich

I just love getting stuff for free. Mind you, I’m not talking about taking advantage of people, finding any way I can to avoid paying someone a fair price for something they have made or done. No, I’m talking pumpkin … Continue reading

Posted in Art, Beauty, blogging, Culture, Current Events, Daily Life, Encouragement, Family, Food, gardening, Growth, home, Humor, inspirational, Life, Lifestyle, News, Personal, Random, Relationships, success, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Lessons from Life — and Death

I visited my father the other day. Generally, these visits consist of my kneeling before a concrete slab, embedded in which is a plaque bearing Dad’s name and two salient dates. I tell him how much we miss him and … Continue reading

Posted in Art, blogging, Christian, Culture, Current Events, Daily Life, Encouragement, Family, home, inspirational, Life, Lifestyle, Personal, Relationships, religion, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

I’m a Believer — So Are You

We disagree with one another a lot these days, but I think I’ve found three sentences we can all say, “Yes, that’s true,” to: 1) We are all born. 2) We all die. 3) In between, we operate each of … Continue reading

Posted in Art, blogging, Christian, Culture, Current Events, Daily Life, Economy, Education, Encouragement, Family, Growth, health, home, homeschooling, inspirational, Life, Lifestyle, media, New Year's, News, Personal, Politics, Random, Relationships, religion, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments