God’s grace is sufficient, even for tired moms at Christmastime!

Good day my friend and bless you for all the amazing efforts you are making for your family's sake! As you are learning more about Real Love, do you ever look back with your new lens and see mistakes you have made and feel sad? Maybe even suffer a bit for the ways you...

Good morning, I hope you are well my friend! Since belief is an act of agency, I ask you, what are you choosing to believe today? Do you believe that you are loved beyond measure?That you are capable of learning new ways of being and of doing?That God is aware of you,...

Hello there friend! We've woken up to winter and it is beautiful. "Snow covers a mult-i-tude of sin," my Granny always said. And she was right. We've also woken up to more restrictions in the virus-fear-infested climate of this year. If you're feeling upset or lonely...

Hello! I hope you and yours are well today! I hope you are studying your Real Love books and practicing, practicing, practicing your skills at home! Since behavior follows thought, changing our thinking patterns is crucial in this game! Here are a few ideas for at...

Finding the truth about love and why we need it above all else; How truly limited we are without it; How to get it; And why it's so important to our family's success, is crucial! Now that we have an inkling about these principles, we have to do something about...

Hello my dear friends! I thoroughly enjoyed meeting with some of you during our online Lioness seminar last weekend titled, Healing With Love. We dove into the principles of Real Love and then learned how those principles answer and solve the problem of lingering...

Children and pets deserve to be loved and taught! And when troubled behavior shows up, we know it's parents and owners who have a few things to learn. Which brings me to the fact that I met with a dog trainer today. (It is an understatement to say that we need help.)...

"We look not at the things which are what you would call seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal. But the things which are not seen are eternal." A Wrinkle in TimeMadeleine L'Engle

Hello my friend, I hope you are well! I came across this quote and it has given me food for thought. "The love you withhold is the pain that you carry." What do you think? Is this true? It seems to me, that there very well may be. So I ask myself, and I ask you, what...

I hope this post finds you well! I am amazed at all you are doing and the ways you're figuring things out! Good for you! Do you believe that we are here to learn? That life was designed to be a continuous series of experiences that help us grow? That we gain strength...

Hello! Wouldn't it be wonderful if the majority of parents in the world today were bravely in agent mode and feeling like "victims no more?" And teaching their kids to be loving and responsible people? It's a great goal, but we have a way to go don't we? I would guess...

We've had a ride these last few months haven't we? While there have been uncertainties and strangeness, chaos and devastation in some cases throughout this year, there have also been many potential and effectual blessings. Photo by Hannah Coleman on Unsplash The...

Hello my friend, I hope this post finds you well! I recently had a conversation with an amazing client who used something like this title phrase, "creating the ideal home," to describe a profound realization she had. Her ah-ha moment was so important, I'd like to...

Hello my friend. I hope this post today finds you well, and breathing deeply! I am aware that many of you are spending a lot of mental and emotional energy on the question: what will happen with school this year? (Or on some equally compelling question you're working...

I heard a poem recently that touched me and got me thinking about doing what it takes to learn Real Love in parenting, and the principle of sacrifice: giving up something we want now, for something we want more later; or as Merriam Webster put it, "the destruction or...

A few generations back, kids were supposed to stay quiet and out of the way. Photo by ?? Janko Ferlič on Unsplash Later, they became more a part of the fabric of society, but if they got noisy or demanding, they were labeled irritating, troubled, bratty and difficult....

Do you sometimes feel like your marriage might be taking more effort than it should? Does it feel flawed and faulty and gimping along? That's ok! Great marriages take a great amount of work! Step back, rest, renew yourself and return to the privilege of learning from...

While visiting with a lovely client recently, we spent some time pulling apart the need we sometimes have for distraction. The kind that is always at our fingertips; blingy and bright and has moving pictures; is deliberately designed to engage our senses and keep us...

More than they need to get good grades; More than they need opportunities to develop their talents; More than they need stylish clothes; More than they need a new toy or phone or reward we can give them; Yes, more than anything else, our kids need to feel loved. Photo...

For all of you parents who are studying the Real Love books, particularly the book on parenting, how's it going? Are you getting clued-in like I am? Many of these pages smart! I see myself and my mistakes and I have had moments of shock and amazement and sadness too....

A seminar group client shared this picture with us when we were talking about thoughts and bows and arrows. (Do any of you Lionesses know who to attribute for this picture? Please share if you do!) I love it so much! It personifies power, beauty, grace and...

Hello my friend! I hope this finds you well. Today I'm passing on an idea I heard recently from a client. I took note of her thought because it fits so beautifully into our goal of becoming deliberate thinkers! And I might add, deliberate feelers! Instead of looking...

I hope you're having a great week! Today I got to spend time with my daughter and her daughters and it was a delight! Not to mention, all the help they gave me working on the fairy garden and weeding flower beds. Thank you lovies! Now, I'm ready for a bit of rest....

It's what we do in victim-mode. It's what we do when our thinking is on auto-pilot. It's what we do when we are avoiding our lives. Photo by Carolyn V on Unsplash It's what we do when our brains think we need a distraction. It's what we do when we decide to hang in...

Hey Sista! I hope this finds you well and in good spirits! Here's a Real Love idea that I've been determined to understand and live. (It's amazing the process we go through as we're learning isn't it? We grasp a little here and a little there, we have the rude...

"Negativity is like a goldfish, the more space you give it, the larger it grows." Steven Ozanich And it leads to fear and pain and angst and ill health. Gratefully, the more space we hold for joy, the greater it grows as well. It just seems to take more...

Hello! I hope this finds you well! Photo by Diana Parkhouse on Unsplash We have talked a lot about finding Real Love; about praying to feel loved, about spending time with people who love us unconditionally so that we can feel safe, tell the truth about ourselves and...

I love the Real Love in Marriage book! (Granted, some days I love it because it clears up some confusion I've had and other days I love it because it slaps me awake!) Hiya, I hope you're well! Can I say that marriage and family life can be extremely challenging? If...

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10 Photo by Irina Murza on Unsplash Hello, how are things? I hope you are well and getting things figured out with our temporarily adjusted life. It has been fun lately, is to see families doing more together!...

"Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light." Helen Keller Photo by Mark Harpur on Unsplash I was visiting with a client recently about the stop sign we're learning to envision when we feel anything but peaceful. In...

Hello! We've been eating these lately and enjoying them a lot! Hope you might too. You'll need: 4 cups regular oatmeal1 cup slivered or chopped almonds1/4 cup pecans, chopped (or more if you'd like!)2/3 cup butter (could substitute coconut oil if dairy is an issue)3/4...

As Mothers Standing Strong, we understand that the muscle behind our strength is, love. Real, unconditional love. Hi! I hope your day has been good thus far. And if you are weary, I hope rest and renewal are on the way! In the final post of Mothers Standing Strong, it...

We all know what the opposite of an "agent mentality" is right? Yes, the victim! Hello my friend, I hope you are doing well today. We're doing our best to maintain our balance amid uncertainty, aren't we? I've spoken with several of you, and you are doing so well! I...

This part of the Mothers Standing Strong series is crucial! You might say that exerting faith can be the deciding factor in our ability to stand at all! Hello my friend, thank you for being here! Because we are constantly choosing between feeling faithful or fearful,...

Good day to you, I hope you are well! Today's Mothers Standing Strong topic is refocusing on what matters most; in fact, on our greatest purpose in life. Photo by Michael Beener on Unsplash Psalms 37:11 "But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight...

Hello Friend! I hope this post finds you well. This is the first installment in a series of posts: Mothers Standing Strong. I feel to speak to this topic because this is a time when families need leadership! And that means that as mothers and fathers, we need to be...

Good morning my friend! I hope this finds you well. Please join me for a week of inspiration here on the Lioness blog! (And if you haven't gotten notifications lately, please backtrack to last week's posts for some timely ideas and a good recipe!) This week we will...

I just participated in a webinar created and hosted by personal branding specialist, Christina Frei, and her company, Marketing For Humans. (www.christinafrei.com) It was inspiring for me to learn more and talk through, her five Innate Marketing Genius types:...

"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." Fred Rogers https://youtu.be/R7cSyBV6adI I loved Mr. Rogers when I was a child! Probably because I felt that he...

Good morning my friend. I hope this day, cold and rainy though it is in my neck-of-the-woods, will be happy and productive for you and yours! I have a very simple thought to share, one that you may already be implementing, but if not, I think it's worth a mention. It...

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgxwHMPkCgvJrbNgGfWrBhdHZcBrR "Loving Parents LIVE" is the new program Dr. Greg Baer is hosting every weekday on Facebook LIVE, at 11:00 am standard time. I was so pleased to see that this is happening, starting tomorrow! He...

Putting dinner together in the morning when you are fresh and getting things done, can make the afternoon so much more pleasant right? Start this meal with your favorite meatloaf mixture pressed in the bottom of the pan. Add veggies. And more veggies. And more...

Good morning my friend! I hope your outlook for this week is positive. I was feeling a little trepidation myself this morning about the unknowns of this "social distancing" situation. And of course about some of the ramifications I do know about. Gratefully, as I...

Photo by Nel on Unsplash I hope this beautiful Sabbath morning finds you with hope and faith in your heart. {I imagine that we are each having our own unique challenges in this unusual time!} I wonder what perspective shifts we will have and what insights we will gain...

A few years ago, I was recovering from back surgery. It was a grueling process and after a few months of recovery, I was still struggling. So it was wonderful that an elderly lady in our town invited me to come and swim with her a few mornings each week in the small...

In times such as these, we will do well to crank up the frequency and intensity of our declarations! I am strong! I am loved! I am flexible and creative! Photo by Ernest Brillo on Unsplash Keeping positive, present tense declarations running in our minds not only...

Hello my Sisters! Kudos to you Lionesses in coaching and seminar! You are moving forward in a big way! Check-in's are happening! New, positive paradigms are being understood. Happier thoughts are being accepted. New habits are being formed. Goals are being met. New...

This salad this is a delight! If you try it, "I hope you wike it!" (as my little cherub granddaughter would say.) 2 bunches of kale, washed, dried and stemmed2 apples, cored and diced1 medium red onion, very thinly sliced Vinaigrette 1/2 cup lemon juice1 tablespoon...

Photo by Monika Grabkowska on Unsplash You are a fighter. You are a winner. You are a believer. You are a lover. You are a bright, bright light. You are a bouncer-back. You are a beautiful, feminine power. You are creative! You are brave. You are kind. You are loved,...

Your hands are on the wheel and they are never still. They move the wheel ever so slightly, making small course corrections to keep your vehicle between the lines. So it is at the wheel of your mind. Photo by Tessa Simpson on Unsplash A curve toward...

"You don't change the world by looking at it. You change it by the way you choose to live in it. Look up. The sky lies wide open." The Aeronauts The mission of Lioness at the Door is to uplift, strengthen and encourage women of all ages to magnify health, hope and...

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash Merry Christmas to you and yours! I have a simple wish for you: It is that you will be able to feel the love and joy that are around you now. Even if everything isn't perfect. Even if things are undone. Even if money is tight. As a young...

Have you been challenged to consider the things that are truly worthy of your time and attention? I think it's a grand idea! We can be busy and involved but not necessarily doing what matters most. If we choose to spend our time on things that seem all important, but...

You know that Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27 And I've been wondering lately, what peace does the world give? Besides the...

"Real Love is caring about the happiness of another person without any expectation for what we might receive in return....Real Love is, "I care how you feel." Conditional love is, "I like how you make me feel." "When we unconditionally care about our children's...

"If your parents failed to give you enough Real Love, don't blame them. Just use that understanding to motivate you to take the steps to find Real Love and share it with your children." Dr. Greg Baer {I really need the things I am learning about Real Love, so I'm...

"In school most of us study subjects like geometry and history--despite the fact that we rarely use them in real life--but few of us are trained to help a child to become a responsible, loving, and happy human being, a skill most of us are required to employ every day...

Remember the saying, "kindness begins with me?" Maybe we should amend that. Kindness begins with me being kind to myself; then I can be truly kind to others. Today, I challenge you to speak the truth to yourself using your powerful declarations! Word such as: "I am...

Here's a simple but power-packed question for you to consider: What if you knew, deep in your bones, that you are fully and unconditionally loved, right now? In other words, what if you knew you didn't have to prove yourself in order to be loved? Or to prove all of...

Hello! I hope you are breathing and taking December in stride. {I'm working on the stride part!} I've been inspired lately by many things! Today, I'd like to share two principles I think fit together quite nicely. The first, is an insight from an article I read...

Hello friend. Today, after a few weeks watching a challenging situation with a child, the proverbial dam broke and there were emotions to work through. I listened and quietly did my best to explain some of the confusing and painful events he's encountered. His heart...

Good day! I hope you are well. Just a short note today to encourage you to use your words. Have you ever prompted a toddler to abandon their infant communication patterns by using the new words they have acquired instead of crying to let you know what they need? In...

Hello my friend! I hope this finds you well. Today I want to shout out to Lioness Seminar 2019-2020 ladies! You did such an amazing job this past month! We met Saturday and reported on our assignments. I was blown away with the amount of effort and energy expended to...

Hello there, I hope you are well this fine day! Today has been a log-jam of thoughts about the big, big picture: Thoughts about the why of all our nurturing efforts. Thoughts about the consequences of our neglect; neglect of ourselves and the people we love and the...

Hello! I hope you are well today! Just a quick post on the first principle of Real Love, as written by Greg Baer in Real Love in Parenting. First and foremost, our kids need to feel loved. That's it. Think about what makes you feel loved... Is it being heard and...

This year I was introduced to the work of Greg Baer, author of Real Love and multiple other books written on the same subject but with differing applications. For instance, he has written a Real Love book for marriage and one for parenting. One for Real Love in the...

Hello! I hope you are feeling well this beautiful, sunny day! In seminar we are working through the second step in the 7 Steps to Family Wellness. It is called "Lighten Your Load!" and it's about becoming aware of the emotional noise that may be hiding in our home...

There's so much of an entitlement attitude hanging around isn't there? We hear it in every news cast and see it on every billboard. It's the stuff that marketing these days is made of. {"You deserve it all...right now!"} We witness this form of pride in law suits,...

Would you like to be more influential in your children's lives? I recently heard an older gentleman praising his wife of many years. {I even jotted down his last sentence because it was so profound I couldn't stand it!} Speaking of their family, he said, "She takes...

Hi there, I hope you're well today! I was recently reading through this new cookbook I purchased. Yes! There is a cookbook to compliment French Women Don't Get Fat! I just discovered it myself! If you haven't yet discovered French Women Don't Get Fat, it's a...

If I were to sing something to you myself today, this would be it. Because I have a pretty good idea that you could use a little break! How do you know when it's time to relax? Well, when you find that you are judging yourself harshly. That's a big red flag. Or when...

It's been a full day. So full that after dinner was made, served and eaten, I was seriously thinking about putting my feet up and reading a chapter in one of my current books. {David McCullough's 1776 and Cassandra's Sister-Growing Up Jane Austen, by Veronica Bennett,...

Are you ready for a little profundity?? In a discussion recently, I heard a very deep thinker say, Photo by Jon Phillips on Unsplash "I'm always changing to be who I've always been." {Stanford Yonkers} Swish that around and see how it settles! To me, it is soul...