A spring trip to the farmers’ market left me inspired by flowers still waiting to bloom. And I wondered what would happen if we trusted our inner potential as much as that of a flower’s? With the right helpers, we may just find out . . .
Pause the Moment: Bad Mood, Bad Joke, Big Smile

Every time my kids set the dinner table, they add one item that doesn’t belong—just like that Sesame Street song “One of these things is not like the others, one of these things doesn’t belong. . .”
But due to its popularity, this item certainly does belong on our table. Read more
Better Together: Are We Doing a Good Job?
Anyone else love to have multiple books going at the same time? I find sometimes they hold messages that, when paired, deliver an even bigger impact than either could on its own.
So might the same be true for this blog? Could I pair previous posts to bring you more insight than when each was first published? Let’s find out . . . Read more
Straight From the Nineties: An Anthem for the Times
I wasn’t looking for a pandemic anthem but a couple weeks ago the perfect song auditioned unsolicited. What I heard in it was a rallying cry and what I felt in it was the power to unite.
“What’s Up?” by 4 Non Blondes—it might just be our anthem for the times.
It was already a favorite, but this filter we’re now experiencing life through reveals new depths in the familiar.
So here’s my take on the lyrics so many of us love and why I’m nominating “What’s Up?” for our pandemic anthem: Read more
The Podcast Edition (a.k.a. Screen Break)
How are you?
That may seem like a loaded question these days, but it’s also a reminder that even we caretakers need to be cared for. Because if we let our emotions and worries go unaddressed, we can’t give our best to those who need us.
Dealing with emotions is just one of the topics I covered as a guest on the podcast Intentional Conversations with Melanie Scott (available anywhere you listen to podcasts, episode #46, or on her website). What I love about her show is that it feels like an organic conversation . . . because it is! Read more
Pause the Moment: How a Forbidden Beverage Led Me to Joy

You know that feeling of triumph when a long-held wish finally comes true? It happened to me last Sunday . . . and the Sunday before.
See, I’ve always wanted to bring coffee to church. It’s a simple yet forbidden desire. Read more
Two Decks of Cards, One Big Insight
It started as a non-screen option for my kids, but turned into an insight for all of us. Find out what a card game taught me about living during this global challenge and how to apply it to your life. Read more
The Identity of Change: Inner vs. Outer

It rests in a corner of my living room, close enough to see a view of the yard through the nearby sliding glass doors. With a carved wooden border and detailed metal knobs, it’s a stunning secretary desk that gets only more beautiful knowing it used to be my grandpa’s. During the sixteen years it’s been with me, the desk has served three important roles: Read more
Best of the Blog—Year TWO

Like most nearly-two-year-olds, the blog had “its moments” this past year—it wanted freedom to explore, so I gave it space to grow.
The result?
A video version of the blog! I’ve enjoyed making and sharing these videos, and appreciate your embrace of them, too. Which is why you’ll find a couple below, along with a sampling of my picks for best of the blog, 2nd edition.
With three themes and twelve titles to choose from, I know you’ll find inspiration just right for you! (Click on the title for a link to the complete article/video.) Read more
Join the “Love Campaign”
“Life reminds us in big and small ways that it is NOT to be taken for granted. That the “little” moments with our loved ones matter. . . . So throughout February, my goal is to spread love into those little moments.”
In this video, learn the four pillars that’ll ground these next four weeks and how you can join me on this guided journey. Read more