Category: Family

Family life is daily. There is no vacation from being in family, yet is a daily practice session for application of how we are to live with others. Enjoy every practice session as you grow together and learn about and grow in God’s incredible grace.

Family, Finances

The Art Of Pause. Where Your Power Lives

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response.”— Viktor Frankl For most of my life, I have worked toward being productive and efficient. I love a good plan. I love a completed checklist. I love momentum. But somewhere along the way, I realized something important: productivity without pause can cost more than we think. There is nothing wrong with striving — unless our striving causes unseen or unnecessary sacrifices. As I’ve grown older, reflected, and sought wisdom, I’ve come to believe that practicing the art of pause is not optional. […]

Family, Finances

Key Insights: Desired Outcomes vs Goals

Key Insights: Desired Outcomes vs. Goals At the start of a new year of season of life, many of us begin setting goals. Financial goals. Family goals. Personal goals. I am a lover of goals, yet recently discovered working towards desired outcomes is a better place to start. Before asking what we want to accomplish, it’s worth pausing to ask why as well as who do we need/want to be? Desired outcomes focus on who we want to become and how we want our life to feel. For example, a goal might be to pay off $10,000 of debt. That’s […]

Family, For the Love of Family

Marriage Advice for Couples

At the end of our SYMBIS (Save Your Marriage Before It Starts) coaching, the couple asked, “what is your best advice for married couples”? After a short hestitation, my answer was two-fold: honor each other’s differences and make your foundation on God’s truth.It is good advice, but I keep pondering the question as my mind searches and finds other’s words of marriage wisdom.   Is spring the season of love? According to neuroscientist Helen Fischer, maybe so.  May kicks off wedding season, from now through fall, with the majority of weddings taking place in September – November. Whether anticipating marriage […]

Family, Finances, For the Love of Family

Showing Love and Appreciation for Valentine’s Day

February. The month we celebrate Valentine’s Day and the month we get to celcbrate love and show appreciation for the people in our lives. Admittedly, this is my favorite holiday. For me, it isn’t an overly assumptive romantic holiday, but a holiday to celebrate others by showing love and appreciation. Here are my top ideas for budget-friendly Valentine’s celebration: For your spouse or special friend: Cook their favorite dinner at home. Light some candles. Play favorite memory tunes. Write a love letter. Spray perfume on the envelope. Write a message on the mirror (use lipstick or dry-erase markers) Using kid-friendly […]

Family, Finances

The Beauty of Rhythm and Routine

  What if the rhythm of our life and routines created were all we needed to move forward towards our desired outcomes? Honestly, in my past, this would have been a boring proposition. After all, doesn’t a meaningful life include taking risks and being adventurous? Yet, life has taught me that my desired outcomes for this week, next month or in 2023 and beyond must be pursued with intentionality; and that intentionality includes my daily, weekly and monthly routines and/or habits which reflect the natural rhythms of life. Our world has natural rhythms: sunlight turns to dark which leads to […]

Family, Food, For the Love of Family

My Quick, Easy, Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Breakfast is important. It is important for overall health, brain power and focus. Beyond nourishing, including breakfast in your family’s morning routine offers many secondary benefits including: Beginning your day together as family Conversing with your family We do life together, encouraging each other for our day’s activities Study after study reveals the benefits of breakfast. Make breakfast work for you and your family. If you have a picture of an ideal setting – erase it. It may be messy, it may be somewhat chaotic, yet the benefits can and will outweigh your less than perfect.  In our family, we […]