God is my rock
How does your view of God affect how you live? God is my rock. My fortress. My strong tower. He is my hope and my strength. How you view God affects how you live. What does that mean? If I don’t trust God to be who He says or to keep His promises, then I think too little of God. As a result, I don’t rely on Him. Or maybe I think He’s only sometimes going to answer my prayers or only if I’m really good is He going to listen to me. When I think that, I make prayer and devotions all about me. I should make them all about God. When things get hard I need to remember to trust God to be who He says He is…my rock, my hope, my creator. He is strong, just, loving, and forgiving. And so much more! We can rely on Him. We can anchor to Him in the storms. God is my rock. Oh what comfort and joy that brings me in each season of life. I can have peace in the midst of storms and I can have a place of celebration in the midst of good times. My…
Product Review: Youscience Aptitude Discovery
What do you want to be when you grow up? Many high school students dread the question about future careers if they have no idea what they want to do. Many parents fear the task of helping their child hone in on a career path as well because many feel inadequately prepared for the job or want to avoid the conflict. As a teacher and parent, I have certainly had this conversation with many teens and seen the defeat in their eyes when they say they don’t know. Today I want to offer you a solution to the frustration and a tool for career counseling. Go from doubting to curious in just a few hours as you see many possible careers that match abilities and interests. Youscience is an online aptitude and career discovery tool. It helps pinpoint natural abilities and personal interests and suggests in-demand careers that combine those two. I discovered this tool years ago when a client’s mom asked me to watch her teen take the test and discuss the results. The test took about 2 hours but the brain games were fun and the personal interest questions were well written and you could take breaks as…
The Importance of Learning Vocabulary
Did you know that having a good vocabulary improves your communication skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking? Vocabulary helps you think and learn about the world around you. Expanding your knowledge of words broadens your ability to process new information. Learning the subject vocabulary is of great importance for any school or business course, but also just growing your vocabulary will enrich your communication abilities. Building your knowledge of subject area vocabulary increases testing confidence and reduces your stress no matter what course you are taking. It allows you to focus on the critical thinking aspects of the course or test instead of focusing on your stress. Understanding the test question will help you respond with confidence and that is why it is crucial to learn unit vocabulary for each subject area in school. No one wants to be buffaloed when the teacher asks a question. Understanding WHAT the question is asking will eliminate mistakes as long as you know the content. Memorizing words and definitions can be a very helpful first step in learning vocabulary, but studying vocabulary words in context is the BEST way to learn vocabulary. Sometimes you may start studying vocabulary as the introduction to a…
Give Thoughtful Care Packages
Do you have a “go to” list for care package items when a friend is in need? Bookmark this page for your “go to” list for thoughtful care packages. Be the friend who gives generously and thoughtfully when a friend is in need, without asking “what do you need.” Whether it’s the stress of caring for a sick family member, sitting bedside with the dying, or trying to hold the family together after a traumatic incident, the same basic needs exist…food and rest. Putting together a small package of helpful items and dropping it off on a friend’s porch says so much. It’s a hug, a prayer, and a meal all wrapped up in one. Before you stop reading because your friends live too far away, most of this could be done by restaurant or grocery delivery services, too. Don’t let distance keep you from helping out. Over the years, friends have generously and thoughtfully taken care of my family during hard times. I remember a meal taken to MY house for my kids because I was away at my parents house caring for them. I remember a bag full of homemade cookies that got us through 4 am bedside…
Framily
What is framily? While framily may not even be a real word in the dictionary yet, most people will be able to define it. Framily is a portmanteau, or a blending, of the two words friends and family. Framily are friends who become our chosen family. This word has been around since the early 2000’s but the concept is not new. When people are apart from family, they often find themselves building a network of support among their friends at work, school, or in the community. In the past few years, people have created covid bubbles for much the same reasons. Whether you are under the same roof, in the same town, or gathering on Thursdays nights for dinner, framily time is good for your heart and soul. It is joyous to have people in your life to support you through the seasons of celebrations and struggles. Sometimes that support comes from both family and framily. Our lives become richer when we share it with others. Our burdens are halved and our joys are doubled. I have been blessed over the years to have various groups of framily to share seasons of life with. So many memories flood my thoughts…
Product Review: Pinch of Yum
What’s your go-to website for recipes? Finding healthy, exciting, and approachable recipes, such as those on Pinch of Yum, can be a challenge in the giant universe of cyberspace. It’s not that they don’t exist, but that there are so many websites to choose from. Let me introduce you to one of my favorites. Pinch of Yum is one I discovered in the last few years when a friend shared a yummy recipe I had tasted at her house. Now I regularly find myself clicking on the links in their newsletter or searching the blog for a recipe featuring whatever food items I have on hand that night so I don’t have to go to the store just to make dinner. The ability to sort recipes on Pinch of Yum by categories like quick and easy, dinner, Instant Pot, vegan, tacos, freezer meals, etc. makes it easy to find particular things. Another thing I love is the beauty of the website! Not only are the recipes a delight to taste, the website is a feast for your eyes from the fonts to the colors to the photos. Whether you want printed recipes, videos to follow, or explanations, you can get…
How to Answer the Questions Kids Ask About Life and God
How do I explain the basics of the Christian faith to my kids if I didn’t grow up in church? What do you do when your kids ask you big questions about life and God, but you struggle to even answer those questions yourself? A friend recently asked me this question. She wanted to know how to answer the questions kids ask about life and God. She knew what she believed but was hesitant to try to explain it to her kids for fear of messing up the answers because she didn’t grow up in the church and missed out on hearing all the familiar stories taught in Sunday School. Essentially, my friend and her kids needed to learn some basic theology (the study of God) and basic Bible doctrines (Bible beliefs) together. What you believe affects how you live so understanding and talking about theology with your kids is important to Christian parents. It doesn’t have to be as hard or complicated as it sounds. It can be reading and talking together at the dinner table or storytime. I actually get excited about the questions kids ask about life and God. It means they are thinking. It means they…
Season’s Greetings
Remember that amazing hostess gift you got last Christmas that you thought you could make for others this year? Remember that amazing hostess gift you got last Christmas that you thought you could make for others this year? Nope. You forgot. Me, too. I hate it when that happens! You have a great idea, and you forget to use it. I have a tip that has helped me out many times when I want to remember Christmas gift ideas. Open your calendar app or paper calendar and choose a date early in next November. I create an event called “note to self” where I type things in the event notes such as “remember you have plenty of tree ornament hooks” or “make spice mix jars for teacher gifts this Christmas” adding links or pictures when appropriate. This little tip replaces sticky notes that get lost on the counter. You can use it to remind yourself to purchase and mail a birthday gift ahead of time or to schedule an appointment for the car inspection next year. This tip will only work if you actually use a calendar, but that’s a whole other topic! Speaking of those amazing little Christmas gift…
Give Thanks
What are you giving thanks for this year? Giving thanks should be a daily habit, not just a once a year table talk. Let’s cultivate thanksgiving, give thanks, well before we sit down at the tables or prepare to serve up a meal to those less fortunate or don our scrubs for a day at work. The pandemic gave ample opportunity to renew our list of things to be thankful for. For many of us, people and relationships got elevated to the top of the list. The definition of “framily” grew out of our Covid bubbles. In a houseful of “things” we most missed our friends and family. We became especially thankful for opportunities to travel and see loved ones. This year, let’s not only make a list of things to be thankful for, but let’s give thanks with grateful hearts. Let’s spread joy and cheer to all we meet. Let’s cultivate thanksgiving and motivate others to do the same! Here’s a free Thanksgiving printable to help you remember to give thanks with a grateful heart. The pdf download is an 8×10 so you can print it on your home printers. I am so thankful for how my business and…
Product Review: Esteamed Coffee
How do you choose your coffee shops? The title wasn’t a typo. It wasn’t a mistake. The mission of Esteamed Coffee is to “build esteem and employment for adults with differing abilities.” This delightful coffee shop is in the heart of downtown Cary, NC, and employs several friends of mine. The concept of the shop came together after the stroke and long recovery of an 18 year old friend of ours. Did you know that there’s an over 70% unemployment rate for adults with disabilities? Esteamed Coffee hopes to lower that rate and show other businesses that it’s possible and meaningful to employ people with differing abilities. They want businesses to steal their employees! Along with their coffee for a cause, they showcase local artwork and have space for small meetings and events. If you have not visited this coffee shop, grab a friend and go see why Esteamed Coffee was nominated as one of the top 5 finalists for “Most Innovative Local Startups in 2021.” Or pack up your laptop and work for a few hours inside or outside the shop while sipping on one of the specialty lattes. The staff is happy to make drink recommendations! The hardest…