Bread & Breakfast
Finding Love
God’s grace is sufficient, even for tired moms at Christmastime!
Gingerbread With Lemon Sauce
'Tis the season for good food! I hope you will enjoy these recipes and know I'm wishing you a wonderful holiday full of giving thanks! Gingerbread Cake: 1 C. whole wheat1 C. white flour2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice1/2 tsp. Real salt1 tsp. baking powder2 Tbs. butter,...
Fall Salsa
This is different but so tasty and filling! 1/2 c. brown rice, cooked1 tomato, diced1/2 c. squash, cooked1 can black olives1 c. kidney beans3 green onions, chopped1 garlic clove1/4 c. olive or avocado oil1 Tbs. agave or honey1/2-1 tsp. cumin Combine rice, beans,...
Humility & Faith
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...
What Do You Believe?
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,...
The Perfect Victim Storm
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...
Real Love Declaration Ideas
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...
Learn, Go and Do
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...
Find Love in Your Memory
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...
Of Dogs & Kids
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.)...
Aunt Beast
"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
Keep The Learning, Ditch The Pain
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...
“Trust the Process”
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...
Victims No More
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...
All Your Light
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...
Creating The Ideal Home
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...
Tomato Basil Potatoes
Fresh tomatoes & basil with honey Dijon sauce makes these potatoes sing! Hello my friend! Here's a quick recipe idea to make (even with leftover fried potatoes) that might come in handy. I dressed-up these leftover potatoes with cherry tomatoes and basil from the...
Woman, Keep Breathing Deeply
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...
Lavender Lemonade Recipe
Remember the lemon hydration drink recipe from this post few years ago? I recently made a pitcher, adding lavender from my yard, and lavender lemonade was born! I loved so much I thought you might too! Photo by Penguinuhh on Unsplash First, I doubled the basic recipe...
Real Love in Parenting
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...
Rethinking The Motivation Behind Your Child’s Behavior
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....
Just Cycling Through
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...
Snap Out!
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 Anything
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...
Wake-Up, Learn and Keep Going
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....
The Deliberate Thinker
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...
Cherries On Top!
It's not quite cherry picking time, but we're getting there! Meanwhile, I've been using the cherries we put in the freezer the last two summers. I made tart cherry juice out of some with my steamer canner, and we're storing it frozen in clean peanut butter jars. (I...
Short & Sweet
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...
Simple Sweet & Salty Popcorn!
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....
Needlessly Suffering
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...
A Word About Anger
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...
So True!
"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...
You Are Loved
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...
“Mawwiage; Is What Bwings Us Togevuh Today”
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...
Time Together
"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!...
Changing With Faith
"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...
Easy Granola Bars
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...
We Are Upheld, Protected and Motivated by Love
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 Are Acting As Agents
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...
We Exert Our Faith
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,...
We Know What We Are Here To Do
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...
We Know Who We Are
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...
Mothers Standing Strong
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...
Nurture Me Mom
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:...
Real Love, Real Neighbors
"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...
Small & Simple
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...
A Helping Hand From The Real Love Guy!
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...
A Simple Crock-Pot Dinner
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...
Living in Faith
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...
Time to be Clean!
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...
Learning From the Best
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...
Being Still
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...
Breaking Into Joy
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...
Kale Apple Salad
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...
You Are
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,...
Driving Through Life
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...
Be Here
"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...
My Wish For You
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...
Choose a Love Rich Life
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...
His Peace
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...
By Definition
"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...
Find Real Love For Yourself
"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...
Loving Them
"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...
Smell the Cinnamon
Hi, I hope you are doing well! I really enjoy creating recipes- sometimes getting things right and enjoying every bite, and other times crashing and burning and giving mistakes to the chickens to eat! Along with having something fun to eat, it's equally nice to make...
A State of Being: Kind
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...
You Are Loved!
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...
Lemony Muffins!
I love the fresh flavor of lemon! If you do too, I think you'll love the recipe I've been working on this month. Mouth watering, cleansing, clean lemon! I started with white beans because I wanted these muffins to be high in protein and free of highly refined flours....
Less Anger, Less Regret
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...
Thank Heaven
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...
Sunshine in Your Soul
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...
Change and Growth
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...
What is the Point?
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...
Real Love #1
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...
What is Real Love?
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...
Focus on Progress
Recently, we attended a beautiful celebration for the wedding of our nephew and his sparkly bride. Afterward, this left-over arrangement ended up at our house. I enjoyed it so much because I don't know that I've ever seen hydrangea in this delicate blush color. I...
Lighten Your Load
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...
Grounded and Settled
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,...
Mother Power
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...
I Love Real Food!
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...
Mind, Might & Strength
Oh, the bliss of a sunny, autumn afternoon! I hope you are well today my friend. As we discussed in seminar this week, making the shift to healthier eating habits requires concerted effort over a period of time. We get so used to imagining the look and taste of our...
Granola Girl
Hello Sweetness, I hope this day found you well! It's fall here and the air is crisp and the light is softening and slanting and it makes for such a beautiful, nostalgic time! What foods do you pair with autumn? Peach or apple pie? Butternut soup? Why not make some...
Your Infinite Capacity
Do you ever wonder if you have what it takes to make it through the challenges you are facing today? If so, you're not alone! I have the following quote hanging by my kitchen sink. It reminds me of a dream I had when we were in the middle of raising our children; our...
Slow Down
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...
Hold On!
"What you've got to do is finish what you have begun.I don't know just how, but it's no over 'til you've won. When you see the storm is comin',see the light'ning part the skies,it's too late to run, there's terror in your eyes,what you do then is remember this old...
7 Steps to Family Wellness
Life can be messy and complicated. There are constant ups and downs. Kids get sick. Plans get changed. Photo by Paul Hanaoka on Unsplash Jobs change. The weather changes. Well, really, most everything changes and we do our best to stay afloat! But more...
“Helping Kids Flourish”
Hello, just wanted to let you know about a fun event coming up! I'm excited to be participating in an interactive and powerful seminar for parents! There will be four different presenters, each teaching and sharing various techniques, skills, information and...
Still and Deep
Do you ever have days when you feel that you are coming apart at the seams? As if you have been so stretched and so challenged with all you have to attend to that your thoughts feel disjointed and you feel almost fractured, mind, body and soul? If or when you ever...
Pineapple and Ginger Sticky Rice
I just came across this old post and had to share again! I haven't made this rice in awhile and I thought it might be just what we need on a cold winter day!--- Oh my sisters! I'm excited to share this new recipe I created with you. If you like sticky rice desserts, I...
Lioness Self-Coaching
In the current business world, there are coaching gurus who offer their version of a paved road to success as an entrepreneur. After listening to these many, mostly very successful business people, I think their messages boil down to one thing: In order to be...
Practice Waiting
There isn't much in this world that encourages patience, is there? And yet, the work we do in families is a series of long term investments, many, if not most, with late returns! It's perplexing some days to wonder if your seven-year-old will ever learn to sit quietly...
Lioness Self-Talk
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,...
Now That’s Sweet!
I'm writing today to fulfill a request to offer some information and experience about different natural sweetener alternatives. I hope you'll find it helpful! First of all, I've been the proverbial canary in the mine most of my life. Sugar has always made me sick. Not...
You’re Doing Beautifully!
Hello my friend, how does this day find you? Challenged? Fighting the good fight? Are you feeling like you have things all figured out, like you have the world by the tail or this mothering thing down pat? {No? I haven't arrived at that mystical place either!} Maybe...
Our Thoughts: The Ultimate Battlefield
We're all fighting a battle at the door of our minds. No matter what our circumstances, no matter the day, we're choosing how to think about whatever is happening, what thoughts to let in, what thoughts to reject. Sometimes we feel frustrated or angry or unloved...and...
Finding the Double Win
In family life, we have to remember, that it's the little stuff that makes all the difference! The baby steps we take, right now, can mean the difference between health or misery tomorrow! Like our thinking for instance- We have equations in our minds all the time....
Coco Balls: Power Packed Protein & Chocolate
Hello, I hope this post finds you well! Here's a little dessert or snack recipe that is packed with protein, healthy fats and is oh, so yummy! (My friend Jenny inspired me with her wonderful nut clusters recipe.) After trying several variations, I landed on this beefy...
How Do I Love Thee?
I love my husband, with "the breath, smiles and tears of my life!" That said, a big part of our relationship, has been learning to understand what each of us wants out of our relationship and out of life in general, and in coming to understand the many ways that we...
New German Pancakes
For nearly ten years, I've been hoping for a wheat-less German pancake recipe that actually tastes like German pancakes! The attempts I've made previously haven't been anything to crow about. But, a few weeks ago, my daughter wrote to say that she'd made a good batch...
“Mrs. Henry Gillespie”
I have an embossing stamp that used to be my Granny's. It reads, "Mrs. Henry Gillespie" along with her return address. Can you imagine having your identity listed in that way? Interesting isn't it, how many things have changed in such a short period of time! For...
Who You Are
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...