I hope that today finds you intact, body and spirit. This mothering business is no small investment. Like the circadian rhythm deep in your cells; the movement of muscles circulating watery lymph-cleansing fluid; the awesome steadiness of your heart muscle moving the...

Shall we make a deal? I think that any time we are tempted (on Mother's Day weekend or any other) to berate ourselves for all of our perceived imperfections, we will, instead, extinguish those thoughts and replace them with humble, loving thoughts of gratitude for...

This is by James W. Foley. I don't know who that is, but I came across this poem in my paper filing the other day, (thank you to whomever gave it to one of us!). I love the rhythm and the truth! See what you think: Drop A Pebble In The Water Drop a pebble in the...

It is paramount that you know! When you know who you are, you are ahead of the game. Because knowing yourself informs your every decision, large and small. I challenge you to write out a list of positive, "I am" statements that speak to: Who you are; what you do; what...

It's Monday. And I'm writing to you in the morning...for a few reasons. Mondays can be brutal sometimes, can't they? It's the day of putting the house back together, getting a new plan for a new week, starting over on all of the household duties that are weekly and...

A long time ago, when my children were all young and my days consisted of stretching beyond my physical abilities to meet their needs, my brother suggested that I needed a little more intense music in my life! {Maybe he had heard the classical music I was playing, I...

From Norman Vincent Peale's, The Power of Positive Thinking: "A former member of a championship university crew told me that their shrewd crew coach often reminded them, "To win this or any race, row slowly." He pointed out that rapid rowing tends to break the stroke...

Here's a thought question for you: Is there something that is keeping you from "feeling" your life? Just the normal, every day stuff. Do you feel glad to see your baby's smile or have warmth flood you when you see your kids playing peacefully together? Can you feel...

Recently I heard a wise man say that, "success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm."  Part of me wants to fall over laughing when I think of the boxes and bags and tons and vaults of enthusiasm I've lost and had to regain over my lifetime! {The...

“It’s always too early to quit.” Norman Vincent Peale And guess what? Everyone is tempted to do it sometimes! Everyone has problems. Everyone has seasons of needing to push against a stiff wind. Those people you see who seem to have a carefree life or marriage or...

What are the desires of your heart today? This month? This year? Do you want to learn something new or start a new habit? Do you want to get better at speaking kindly to yourself or exhibiting more patience with your kids? Do you want to learn a new language or read...

You know the saying that housekeeping is like beading a string with no knot in the end? In other words, as soon as you get the laundry done, someone takes off a pair of dirty socks... Well, I'd suggest tying as many knots as you can in your housekeeping strings! And...

Do you ever get stains on your clothes while you're cooking or working around the house in general? If so, I challenge you to wear an apron if you have one, or to get one and wear it if you don't already! Apron's are extremely practical. There's the obvious protection...

Much to think about in this quote. Can you think of ways that this idea applies to your experiences? “Son, 'he said,' ye cannot in your present state understand eternity...That is what mortals misunderstand. They say of some temporal suffering, "No future bliss can...

"Be like the bird who, pausing in her flight awhile on boughs too slight, feels them give way beneath her, and yet sings, knowing she hath wings."    Victor Hugo You are resilient and brave and up to facing the challenges in your life. Be strong. Love, love, love,...

Funny, isn't it, that society isn't sending you {Mama} messages that what you are doing in your every day life is exactly what the world needs most? There should be capes for people like you who are elbow deep in taking care of the needs of the next generation day in...

How many different ways can you think of to give your mind and body a rest? The saying goes that a change can be as good as a rest, so at times simply changing the order or composition of your day might be a good idea! But there are also times when you really need to...

Do you remember the girl you were? When hopefully, life was simpler and there were childlike joys to be found?   For some, even for many, there were also wounding times during childhood that, over time, can plague even the most stalwart, driven and loving heart....

Hello my Friend, I hope this post finds you well! I have been working on my declarations and my daily self-care regimen to help with quieting my mind because I can get into a knot of thinking about too many things at once. Does that ever happen to you? I have 70...

I have this book on the table beside my reading chair, because, even though I have read it several times over the past twenty years, I just read it again and have been studying it over the last few weeks. {This time I underlined and highlighted sentences and whole...

Do you ever struggle with imagining something good to eat? Even though I love food, sometimes my appetite sinks and it gets more difficult to think of things to cook. Just looking at this picture gives me food for thought though! Fresh herbs make all the difference...

I know that maybe I am sounding like a broken record. {Have you ever played a record? They're big, mostly black vinyl flat discs and if they get scratched, the needle of the record player gets stuck in one groove and it plays the same section of sound over and over-...

How much of what you don't need will help you? Ha, ha kind of a tricky question isn't it? It may go without saying, but there isn't enough cotton-candy in the world to fulfill a person's nutritional needs! Yet, don't we sometimes try to get nourishment out of foods...

How are you using your declarations this week? Need a little reminder that they are incredibly important? That you have more control and power in your life than you may think? That your brain is hungry for a new story about you and your abilities and your marriage and...

Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, The last of life, for which the first was made; Our times are in His hand Who saith, "A whole I planned, youth shows but half; Trust God; see all, nor be afraid. A whole I planned, youth shows but half; Trust God; see...

Do you ever wonder what real, sustaining self-care looks like? Last week I got to visit with a woman that I've known for most of my life, who is now in her 80's and living alone after being widowed a few years ago. It was so nice to see her and hear about how she is...

Isn’t it funny that we know so much about how to be well and  we could give ourselves "such very good advice" to slow down and be deliberate about our pace, to eat better and get more rest and yet...sometimes we stay stuck in indecision or in repeatedly doing things...

Pushing my granddaughter on a swing, seeing her laughing and loving the wind in her hair, her little legs running through the air and her joy in going higher, I was struck by my own sheer enjoyment! My face hurt from smiling so hard! I loved being there in the sleepy...

Your love is given in so many ways, it’s hard to count! But it may be worth asking the question, of your spouse and children, “what helps you to feel loved?” Is it felt mostly during playtime or also when Mama holds the line? Is it cooking together or sitting around...

It never ceases to amaze me how a change of perspective changes everything. Whether it’s the new perspective someone gives you when you’ve had a misunderstanding, “Yes, I said that because you said such and such and then you weren’t listening to me!” Oh. I did? And I...

Have you spent time putting ideas on paper of how you want things to go at home? Chores you'd like the kids to do, a rotation of cleaning or cooking responsibilities or even figured out when you'll study and rest? Sometimes this time can feel misspent if you get your...

Some years ago I read a couple of books by Michael Gerber on business building. I was very intrigued and especially enjoyed the audio version of The E Myth that Gerber read for the recording. One thing that he emphasized over and over again is that entrepreneurs need...

Don't be hungry! Feed yourself and others!    

Ever notice the simple truth that men and women are very, very different? Isn't it funny that that's a no-brainer question and you might think I'm being funny, but in society's quest for reaching some kind of realm where we are all the same, sometimes this blatant...

Hello! I hope you've had a good day thus far. I'd like to ask you, as of right now, how many declarations do you have in your view around your house? And how are they posted? Did you use a dry erase marker on your mirror? Or sticky notes stuck on light switches or...

Ladies! I just have to share an epiphany I had last night! Well, I had it again, probably for the 50th time over the last 25 years... But first a little background: For the past two+ months I've been functioning with a broken foot. Cooking was non-existent for the...

Just saying the words, "I don't have to make everything all better" gives me a feeling of relief! {If you're new to this on-going discussion, I am referring to a book by Gary and Joy Lundberg, by that title.} Why do we so easily buy into the false reality of needing...

"In giving you are throwing a bridge across the chasm of your solitude." Antoine de Saint-Exupery

What are some of the ways that you show your love to the people at your house? Could it be mainly by doing the things that you are sometimes tempted to see as unimportant or mundane? Come to think of it, I really dislike the word mundane. To me, it is a grand...

In the long, long run, what is going to make you happiest? I read recently about a longitudinal study of a group of Harvard University students. The study began in the 1939 and followed the students for the rest of their lives. {In fact, in 2012, 68 of the 268 who...

They say that one of the reasons free-range chicken's eggs are so much better for us than the eggs of chickens that are laying in cages, is that the "free" chickens aren't stressed out, therefore their eggs are higher in "good" cholesterol and lower in the "bad". It...

"Everyday, I am choosing better foods to eat." "Everyday, I am speaking kindly to myself." "Everyday, I am stronger and have more experience." "Everyday, I am practicing the skills of validation." "Everyday, I am thinking the words kind, gentle, respectful and FIRM as...

Hello my friend. I hope you have had a good day. I thought I'd ask you this evening how, as you look back, did you care for yourself today? Did you ask for help when you needed it? Did you wash and dress and groom yourself? How was your mental chatter today? Did you...

Today I got to try out a German cafe in our area. I had a delicious kale and sausage soup and a salad with freshly made bleu cheese and dill dressing. Quite delightful. {My dad got some potato salad that I would love to make! Fresh dill and cucumbers and ham, eggs and...

When was the last time you were pushed to your limit? When you didn't know if you could keep going and how you would continue to put one foot in front of the other? When was the last time you were frightened and tempted to despair? As a friend reminded me today, our...

If you build it, much will come! This family building endeavor is incredibly difficult! Would you say? It really takes everything you've got! That said, it is worth everything you've got! It is worth the sleepless nights caring for little ones; worth the...

An interesting excerpt from a great book, French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guilaiano. "French women typically think about good things to eat. American women typically worry about bad things to eat. French women eat smaller portions of more things. American women...

A single smile, a word of thanks. A note in the mail, a call saying "hi". A pause in traffic {letting one person in} a wave of thanks, a nod, you're welcome. An encouraging word. A few minutes to ponder. One loyal friend. A humble meal. A story at bedtime. A...

Wherever you are in your journey, no matter how sleep deprived or worried or challenged this day found you--I hope you make it a joyful day!  First off, jump down to the bottom and get the music rolling will you? Then come back... Isn't it beautiful? The water and the...

I am amazed many times when I am putting spam into the virtual trash bin, how disgusting and loathsome it can be. I really feel much better when it is written in a language I can't read, then I don't have to concentrate so hard on not reading what new filth has landed...

I'm so impressed and proud of you young mama's! And you grand-mama's too! I am witnessing your amazing-ness every day! I see you taking care of children when you are tired-- oftentimes without the help of your spouse, because of work or other commitments. I see you...

What warms you and makes you feel loved? A cup of peppermint tea at bedtime? A warm bath? How about a little sleepy head next to you listening to a picture book as you read? An "I love you," and "thanks"? How about warm socks and a good book in a comfy chair? Is it...

Can you remember when you were little and it was getting close to Christmastime or your birthday? I remember that I would start thinking about the upcoming celebration more and more as it got closer. I was preoccupied at times with wondering what the present under the...

Do you ever drive yourself crazy, like I do at times, wanting to make sure that you are doing what you are meant to do here? I guess maybe a preface is in order. I really believe that we are each here for a reason. And that we each have a role to fill in making the...

I've heard people comment that saying declarations is too hard because they can't get over the fact that what they are saying isn't true. I can feel for that confusion. It is an act of faith and really a mental hurdle, to speak of things in the present tense, when...

Recently, a dear friend told me a story about a difficult time in her life and a prayer that was answered. She said she was having a very challenging health problem that was causing her constant  pain to the point of anguish. She had done all that she and her doctors...

We're trying to train a dog at our house. Holy cow, what a humble learning curve we're on! Some years ago I read a book for a class (I believe it was a behavioral psychology class) called Don't Shoot The Dog by Karen Pryor. Then somewhere in our last move, I strangely...

Do you get your hair done at a salon? Or your nails or eyelashes or anything else? I have gone to salons on occasion and some are awesome, but I've found that I prefer to get some of those things done at home. So, on occasion we mothers and daughters or girlfriends do...

Compelling. Compulsive. Not able to be resisted. Irresistible urge that goes against one's conscious wishes. Can anyone relate to this issue? Geneen Roth, the guru of eating disorders, says this: "I tell them that if compulsive eating is anything, it's a way to leave...

Do you ever feel that you are pushing toward a finish line that doesn't exist? Flying about in a hurry, hustling and bustling from one task to the next, zig-zagging and multi-tasking until you forget where your flight began and where it was supposed to end? As women,...

For those of you who are experiencing winter right now, and if you are challenged by the cold as I am, hang on, spring is right around the corner! But before it gets here, and the out-of-doors is calling your name, what indoor projects could use your attention? Are...

Where is the party? Really? Is it in all the glamorous pictures you see where exciting things seem to be happening? Things like being admired? Being recognized and celebrated? Is it in the couple you see on vacation brochures that have the whole beach to themselves...

Remember the idea that the things you love to do, the things you feel passionate about are your Primary food? And that what you actually eat is secondary to your health? If you're not sure if you agree, think about the last time that you did something you enjoyed so...

When you think back over your life, isn't it amazing how there are most likely, just a handful of people who had a massive impact on you? And, when it comes right down to it, there may have been fewer still who, all by themselves, helped you to be who you are. Your...

There's no getting around it; we're all in this together! Sometimes I wonder how some of my friends and associates survive some of the challenges they face. Surely it is in part because of the support they have from family and friends and the experiences of those who...

I am in awe at the power of validation. There is no way that we can know what another person is experiencing in life! Just no way! Even when two situations are similar, they are vastly different for each person. This small example from the book, I Don't Have To Make...

I keep hearing, do more, be more, produce  more, take on more, schedule in more, etc.... And I'm thinking, hmmm, I think that equation is backward. Little IS big. The little note in the lunchbox or the ten minutes to snuggle or the seemingly small promises kept, the...

How did your new year start? Were you able to find some time to brainstorm about your goals? Did you have a chance to write them out and get them cut-up into small sections and pieced into your planner? I didn't! I had all of my thoughts going, plans whirring about in...

At the close of this day, may I offer these few words: Life is wonderful. Love is amazing. Nature is stunning. Music is inspiring. Poetry is transcending. Growth is encouraging. And our pain is instructive. And you, you are beautiful and making the world and all it's...

Through the ages the wise ones, the sages Remind us; remind us To love where we are, what we have. When young and alive, Full of hope and ambition We look to the time when we'll take to our wings! In looking out forward, We miss the fleet moments As carefree, light...

One thing that is sometimes difficult for me to wrap my head around, is the observation that our children's behavior is a form of communication. Particularly true of small children who are doing their best to communicate their needs to us, while not always having the...

Real food is amazing! If you or your children are used to bland, processed food, you are missing out on one of life's greatest joys! Be creative, add fresh herbs for flavor, make things from scratch and fall in love with food again! Home is where things taste good,...

I was working on a book review last week of the four autobiographies of Madeline L'Engle. (Author of A Wrinkle in Time, and other titles.) In preparation, besides having read the books, I watched a few interviews/speeches she made and I thought the advice she gave on...

Granny and Grandpa used to do the crossword puzzle every day because they wanted to retain mental sharpness. And it surely didn't hurt! They were both sharp when they passed away at 80 and 94. And not long ago, I saw a man in the news who was in his 90's who wanted to...

I've had a few experiences lately with seeing the destructive reality of using sarcasm in our daily speech. When I was  teenager, sarcasm was king! It meant you were in "the know" you understood the subtle undertones of snarky (now that word hadn't been born yet, but...

There is so much to learn everywhere we look isn't there? In reading a story of a people at war, the observation was made that it was impossible for the enemy to overpower them while they were in their fortified places. Makes one think. What are the enemies of my...

This year, {I'm so excited to say!} you can choose between two styles of Lioness planners! Next year we will keep these two current styles, and add two more, making four styles in all. {A big thanks to Shantel Peaden at Red Ladder Design for her thoughtful work!} Here...

Here's a mantra idea for this beautiful new year: massage, marinate and memorize! First, massage your plan! Yes, take the time to work out your goals and plans, be dedicated about your time-blocking and then as you're living those plans, massage them to make them...

Hello there! I hope this short post finds you well! I've been thinking about some of the crucial things we need in order to live well that we must give and take in small increments. Things like sleep, good food, encouragement, fun activities, journal entries, good...

I was reminded in my meditation practice yesterday that, "life is always unfinished." Then the sweet voice asked me, "can you just sit with (knowing) that today?" How does it make you feel to know that things are going to go on being unfinished? What does it mean to...

It's like brightly glazed earthen bowls by a glowing fire. It's clean windows and simple, beautiful food. A yellow kite flying in a blue sky. A curly dog, so happy to see you that he wags 'his whole self.' It's the steady, warm flame of a candle at dusk or a sky...

I know this goes without saying, but we live in a victim-minded culture! So sometimes it is hard to see things as they are. One thing that stands out to me over and over in the many situations I see playing out in the news, in my clients lives and in my own family is...

Dear Father in Heaven; I thank Thee for the opportunity to be acquainted with wonderful women, Lionesses who are an inspiration to me! I thank Thee for their goodness and their grit. For their exuberance and excellence. I am so grateful that they are here at this...

"The family is the building block of society. It is a nursery, a school, a hospital, a leisure place, a place of refuge and a place of rest. It encompasses the whole of society. It fashions our beliefs. It is the preparation for the rest of our life."  Margaret...

"Who travels for love finds a thousand miles not longer than one." When we consider our "why" for doing the challenging work of introspection, self-discipline and self-caring, isn't it mostly our love for those who depend on us, whose lives are impacted most by our...

I'm crazy about all things C.S. Lewis! And so I'm really excited to be starting the Narnia Code, a book by Michael Ward about the Chronicles of Narnia. Only a few pages in I came across a noteworthy quote for Lionesses! "Stories like Narnia deserve to be taken very...

If you are parenting, you are also mentoring. You're an adviser, counselor, guide and trainer. But does the use of the word mentor, in place of parent, change the feeling of your job a little? It does for me! Particularly now that my children are grown, the title of...

In his book, Seven Women and the Secret of Their Greatness, Eric Metaxas tells of the criticism that Mother Teresa received from people within and from without the church. Some thought that she should go after social structures at the heart of creating poverty, while...

Time to pull out all of the self-care tricks you know! The treadmill feels so good after stress. An Epsom salt bath is just the thing for tight muscles. A massage sometime soon would be quite helpful!. A quiet hour to read a book or write a letter of thanks would re-...

The new year, in her glory, is just around the corner! Here are a few questions to get ready for the energy surge the calendar flip can give you! Would you take just a few minutes in the next 24 hours to answer these--and if you want to really hold yourself...

Ok Ladies, here's a little shot in the arm if you're open for it! "In particular, the onset and course of disease are strongly linked to a person's ability and willingness to cope with stress. Stresses that we choose evoke a response totally different from those we'd...