We who believe can stake claim on having faith. Scripture tells us that all have a measure of faith. It further states that if we have faith like a grain of mustard seed we can move a mountain. Faith is open to all who choose to believe and is actually what leads us to believe. It iS like a seed in that it starts out small yet contains all the necessary characteristics to grow into something big and effective. Look at seeds when gardening. We start with a tiny specimen which  has all of its potential intact within it that we can not even visually see, yet it is there. It contains power within lying dormant waiting to be released. As we garden, we plant the seeds and await what sunshine, the soil and water will help that seed become. We don't dig it up daily to check on its progress rather than trust in the process of what seeds  "do".  Likewise, that's what happens with the seed of faith. It grows when it gets the proper assistance. For believers, this can be through  fellowship, church attendance, Bible reading, worship, etc. Generally speaking, seeds can be a kind word, gesture. a smile which can "grow" into something to make a difference somewhere to someone. Those things can be very important as the start of a bigger and better thing. Planting seed can be a purpose in life - planting things for a positive outcome. For believers in Christ, we plant "seeds" through Him, build on that faith, the Holy Spirit waters and ultimately, it is God the Father through Jesus who will monitor the growth and supervise and cultivate the garden. With Him all things are possible. Did you ever see what the mustard seed can produce????

Mentoring  is the act or process of helping and giving advice to a younger or less experienced person, especially in a job or at school about some things which they may need advice or knowledge about. However, it  does not have to be  a definite choice to do so such as at school or at a job.  I think it is important to engage in it as an everyday occurrence, specifically and more effectively even by our actions and how they are viewed or perceived. Think of kids and trying to train them up in such an excellant way you hope they will continue in. Sometimes it is a matter of being an example in our own actions or presenting a "truth" in a consistent manner that will make a positive impression in another's life to become a part of theirs permanently, hoping this will become part of their lives, to possibly affect even other people down the road in the long  run. I  would like to give an example which got my attention a few years back which I  still think of today. It was a time when my kids were in school.  I was bringing them by car to school when we passed kids waiting for the school bus at the end of our street. It was forty degrees out and raining, 7:30 in the morning and there was a young man there in short sleeves, no coat or umbrella, waiting for that bus. (which could sometimes amount to a very long wait...). I thought to myself, well, his mom  must have gone to work (hence the reason for this young guy's choice in inappropriate apparel).. But then I thought he must have missed some common sense lessons OR didn't get it. ...OR had not been taught...no mentoring? For me, mentoring is an on the spot teaching that anyone can do if they take the time, whether giving or receiving. There is always something to learn, For our part, there is always a time to be a good example or teach a small truth for the better of someone or something, Mentoring is a lifetime thing and we are always involved in a part of it, consciously or not. The expression is out there that the biggest form of flattery is to be copied, I do try to be really conscious of what I am " being "especially around others  in as many circumstances that I can remind myself of this fact. Share some knowledge/tidbits you have that may affect others, People generally love and appreciate others looking out for them. Eyes are always watching us whether we know it, want it or not. We mentor all the time within our lives so we just have to be more aware of it to make a bigger difference.

What exactly is the proper human diet anyways? There are a lot of choices out there and there seems to be a lot of opinion, a lot of which has been around for years. Everyone must take their own health to task because only we as individuals know what we are looking for as far as goals, how our own bodies should feel. And it seems all the "experts" do not agree , change their minds constantly or do not produce results. There are some things for sure that produce a healthier body in the long run regardless of the type of diet pursued. With the proper human diet for "humans", some things have proven true, many things which we all KNOW must ring true regardless of how closely we are able to align ourselves to them. We should avoid synthetic, artificially produced foods which are not "real" foods so much as those things which gravitate towards our desires ( for example,  our "sweet tooth). Read the list of ingredients. If it is long and you don't understand what is listed or can't even SAY it - then it can go live back on the shelf. The smaller the list, the better -  it should be whole foods listed,  real ingredients, even be a one ingredient food, if possible, Grains, an over-abundance of starches in our lives,  prove to be "no bueno". An over abundance of these types of carbs manufacture an excess of sugar in our systems. Sugar includes what we drink. A small glass of orange juice is like eating several whole oranges - lots of sugar, even though of the "natural" type.  Sugar then creates inflammation which then triggers sickness, disease and immune problems, not to mention rounded out body features. All seed oils do not belong in a proper human diet as they are chemically and synthetically produced and wreak havoc in our bodies. (A side note -  seed oils are produced in chemical plants and mostly put in clear bottles; real oil needs to be stored in opaque bottles to keep the oil from turning rancid. Seed oils are "rancid", rather inert, very processed,  just being sold as is). [Check out 'Heart and Soil' website online].  Most of us are slaves to convenience and our taste buds with many of us being addicted to sweetness, saltiness or the wrong kind of fat. We also need to assure ourselves that we are eating enough protein to sustain ourselves. We all need to be conscious eaters - eat to live rather than live to just eat. I will admit to what over 50 years of dieting has led me to now - I am a low carb animal-based eater,  but I will say, all of my old aches and pains have gone away among gaining other benefits. Remember that we all know our own bodies and we can only be accountable to ourselves ultimately.  There are many good articles about the proper human diet online if you are interested. For one, check out Dr. Ken Berry. At the least, it might prove to be interesting reading for you. At the most, you might come across some knowledge that may be helpful to your particular health situations. Good nutrition is the key. (Also, side note, we don't lose weight to get healthy....we get healthy first and THAT enables us to lose weight....)

Opinions are just that -  the way a person thinks or believes or conceives a certain subject. Having opinions does not mean one is right or wrong in what they stand for. It is ok to disagree because we are all individuals. We all have a voice and each is as important as the next. The major importance is in realizing that we all have the same privilege in this wonderful country to voice our opinions (freedom of speech) respectfully, best done without insults and name-calling. A word of caution includes that respect should be given to everyone with this right whether those opinions are conceived as right or wrong, The same courtesy to each other should be applied. "Be slow to speak and quick to listen".  There should be no worries about hearing opposing opinions, no fear that your opinion will change if you have strong resolve in it. Only YOU can affect a change in your opinion.  It could change, so  don't be afraid to hear opposition because a different point of view can sometimes be energizing even enlightening at the best. It is always a plus to be open to new things at least and a good plan to always treat others like we would like to be treated.

Worry can be chronic, a habit - I think it is like cancer.  In my case, it seems like it is incurable.  So being a Christian, I have come to rely on certain scripture verses to help take my mind off everyday woes. Its all starts with just a thought. We need to realize that thoughts do not have the power unless we give it to them. If we grab onto to them and make them a main focus, it grows. Sometimes we ultimately find out there was for no reason to worry. I usually say I wasted a good worry - sounds cute but the worry can be devastating to live through. There can not be any changes until the mindset changes. Worry is the enemy to that change. We have often heard it said that life with its ups and downs is like a roller coaster. The anticipation while going up brings with it the shock of ultimately coming down, who can anticipate the reaction? (But it does happen....) "Do not be anxious about anything, but in all things by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace that passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6&7) We don't have to bear our concerns alone. We just need to leave our worry to our Heavenly Father who knows and understands what we need before we even ask for it. We are never alone.

Color can be magical. Not only as an appreciation of everyday things around us to the eye but, yes, even within ourselves. There is a book that I read many years ago which stuck with me and has even helped me a lot. It is called "Color Me Beautiful" by Carole Jackson. Since then there have been many books out there with the same concept. My basic "aha" was that certain colors make the most of each individual. We fall into four categories: "seasons": spring, summer, fall and winter. Certain colors pertain to those seasons. At the time, I was a Mary Kay cosmetic consultant and so it fell right into place with what I was sharing with women. It was almost hard to believe without proof so I got square cloth swatches and would put them around clients' necks so we could gauge changes in appearance with those colors next to the skin. It was and is amazing to see how we could look sallow and yellow as opposed to vibrant and alive with the right color (thus figuring out the right "season"). If you "color me beautiful", it  opens up a world of easy decision making as far as makeup to wear, clothes to wear, etc and saves money too! I do not look at or consider buying clothes that are not the right color for me unless I can wear the item with an additional item next to my skin that is the appropriate one. Jewelry - I do not look good in gold, rather better in a silver, white gold choice. It makes shopping easier and I can feel confident that I look my best. There are many books and helps available

Buying a car, whether a replacement or an additional one....DO NOT think new!!! Interest rates and insurance coverage will extend your budget further than you can anticipate. We have always bought a used car except on one occasion (and that was a small wagon, we had three kids at the time - no SUV's then.) Now with all kids out of the house, we use a small car. When we have purchased the last four or five cars, we started with "keeping our eyes out" especially when we needed room for kids but we still had several prerequisites which meant we could not be in a hurray to get one. In buying a car we looked for it to be previously owned by one owner,  owned by non-smokers, having never been in an accident, preferably owned by an adult, little mileage and relatively "young" and in good condition needing no work. Things like this take a while....oh, and not through a dealer....have had bad experiences with that plus the price definitely gets inflated. So, purchases have been made a lot through estate sales, older folks down-sizing or younger ones up-sizing. We were able to get two or three year older cars for next to nothing sometimes or/and cars with practically no miles on them. Thanks to my husband, these practices have served us well for over thirty years. So a word to the wise, when buying a car, new is not the only option nor the wisest move especially for the budget. Try to pre-anticipate, use wisdom and slow down...the care you take to finally make that purchase could possibly be with you for many years, so take time to make a solid and wise choice.

As we age, brain cells tire out and our minds may start to become less active. Here is the challenge to curtail that and stay on top of encroaching mental challenges. There are many things that will help keep mental acuity by using some of many mind exercises. It can be as simple as reading, even about a subject you want to know about or are interested in. Try any number of crossword puzzles, word finds, sudoku, etc. Play games with kids....I am thinking of.....and let them ask yes or no questions to stir their imagination and increase everyone's awareness. (Start with one statement - I am thinking of something outside and it is not alive)....Build something. Start a hobby. And with just extra time on your hands, choose a long word and see how many three or more letter words you can find in it. Play a board game, chess. The limit is your imagination to ideas on how to self-stimulate the mind. Mind exercises are a great way to stimulate brain cells - yours and someone else's. Keep your brain "on fire". Aim for daily exercise.

Time management- we all have to do it, but do we do it well? Managing the allotted daily time we have to accomplish all those must-do's can be pretty challenging if we do not take the time to consider it. Many people do not even create a workable plan but rather struggle through each day just trying to "make it".  It is not anything new to know that it is better to be prepared and to give at least some forethought to it. The good news is that we ALL work with the same raw material as each other in that we all have the same twenty-four hours to work with, no more, no less. Creative thinking and problem-solving can make an easier day of it. Time management is a tool that can become our best friend! Take for instance just having a busy day of running errands: plot them out with your starting point, home? Plan each subsequent stop in a big circle from the starting point with the last stop being a circle around back to close to the starting point. Gas and time will be saved because there is no going back and forth, repeating travel, to do those errands. Have kids at school to be picked up or met at the bus? Plan those errands at the end of the day and do them after getting kids, or just before getting them. If at the job, do small tasks simultaneously that do not require a lot of attention to complete to make the most of time. If caring for a baby, use their nap time for either tasks that require more astute attention or use it to accomplish many minor ones quickly.  There are scads of ways to use time management as an effective tool  throughout each and every day. Only we as individuals know our own day's particular requirements. We have all been given a certain degree of creativity to work with so time management is a do-able. We all have the capability to solve our day time-wise. I encourage everyone to put on their "thinking caps" and make use of this simple free tool to make each day an easier day- to feel accomplished, to relieve long term stress about a workload and to then create  the opportunity to stop and "smell the coffee "(roses) because -  all of a sudden - we have a little  free time....redeem the time.

Vision boards are a tool to help reach goals, short or long-term. They provide a visualization to our thought lives and mental plans we make. It helps to declutter the mind by putting everything down physically to enable focusing on a progression of things done one at a time. A "board" is made with pictures, photos, whatnot,  to serve as a positive reminder of where we would like to be headed. Goals are great to stimulate us to DO something and leave everything to wishful thinking. Vision boards can be simple or involved and elaborate.  This physical reminder can serve as a catalyst to move us forward and keep us on tract. Check the subject online because there are many blogs, video helps, ideas and templates and even free offers.  Maybe a little help for your 2025?   

To forgive is divine. As Christian believers, we believe in a Savior who has forgiven us when we did not deserve it.  To exercise forgiveness does  not give a special feeling rather than a purpose, a decision to not hold a grudge against someone who may have wronged us in some way. To hold unforgiveness against someone is like holding them bound up to that thing in such a way that they may never change. It also ties us up in our relationships, especially with God. How can we move forward while being stuck in a "no-fly" zone? If we recognize a problem somewhere or with someone and act the same way, how is it we are any different? Let us be conscious of these types of things and progress in the right direction and exert forgiveness. A repeat problem? How can we forgive? With purpose - we can forgive again and again for the same transgressions especially because  we are guilty of so much more.

Were you born first, second, third?  Believe it or not, there is science and research out there regarding personality and birth order, characteristics which seem prevalent to that particular order. Many books and studies have been done which tell us some interesting facts. First born? Overly cautious, super studious, conscientious, critical? Middle children can be impatient, feel they are treated unfairly, are more adaptable. Youngest tend to be the clown of the family and can be manipulative. These traits and others do not show up at birth but rather are demonstrated in the personalities as there is maturity. Birth order is a very interesting subject with possible insights towards ourselves or our children. If we make emphasis on positive traits, we might help people (even ourselves) be more of who (they or we) could be. We all have God-given gifts so who is to say that birth order does not play somewhat into that?

One of my favorite "me-time" past times is to read., I would rather read than watch TV because I want to engage my own mind and imagination rather than have someone else's pictures as per their imagination color my mind.  In the not-so-distant past, in  fact for many years, I would read self-help  books (don't we all need that?) But then I realized I was becoming way too serious and introspective while not giving  myself the timeout break which was the reason why I enjoyed leisurely reading so much anyways. So for the last few months, I started reading more fiction, which allows me to paint my own mental pictures of what the words were portraying while not having to exert more energy analyzing myself and my problems.  I  speed read and so I went through several four hundred plus page library books but was not able to get back to the library soon enough. I started looking through my extensive collection and found several that I had never read...one being a thirteen book series that I ran through in a couple of weeks. In searching for more to read, I came across two other books, so old they had yellowed pages. I bought them over twenty-five years ago. (crazy....) One was called "The Blue Bottle Club" by Penelope J. Stokes. (It is still available in Amazon but I can't link it because I am not an affiliate). It is an excellent book which even caused me to shed a few tears. It has several profound meanings and statements in it. It is a real self-thought provoking book.  It is the story of four teenage girls from different social backgrounds who write out and and put their future plans/desires in a blue bottle in the 1920's - about a disenchanted  reporter who on her own  journey discovers a meaning to her life while investigating the life stories of these four. It takes you through the long stories of these girls' lives and the effect it has on the reporter and the changes in life that they all experience. Change does always happens and it is not necessarily according to our own plans. What a story and how it affected me!  A couple of quotes: "Sometimes we do the right thing for all the wrong reasons", "time can make it easier to be wise" and "DON'T GIVE YOUR FUTURE TO YOUR PAST". Check it out. It is outlook-changing.

We hear it said that patience is a virtue. A virtue is moral excellence and righteousness; goodness....implying it is something we should be aiming for in many areas of living life....to wait patiently, to be patient or exerting patience, when doing something or dealing with someone...good things are worth waiting for and not many things can be done in an excellent manner if we are in  rush. Therefore, it is helpful to slow our lives down and do things carefully and with thought, to have relationships with deeper meanings rather than quick, spontaneous encounters and of course, taking time to listen and be involved with whomever we choose to interact with. I think that that is the reason people who go to the doctor or hospitals are called "patients" - they have to acknowledge it may be a while before they are better - they have to have "patience" (patients).

"Sticks and stones may break your bones but names...." WILL always hurt you!!! I am sure a lot of you out there have heard the similar rhyme probably dealt out to kids by adults trying to help the kids, probably in response to trying to help the kids deal with being  bullied or verbally abused... slandering.  Aside from considering kids, who are important little people without  as much pull in the world as we adults have, it is never okay to aim unhappy words towards anyone. I believe words are like little bucket or basket containers which one's feelings sit in. If there is nothing nice to say, nothing should be said and hopefully the reciprocal will be exercised towards us. "Life and death are in the power of the tongue." So DO NOT believe words are without power. They can carry a message of good or evil, so which should we choose? I am willing to bet everyone of us can remember some unkind words spoken to us at some time or other. It is hard to erase the old memory banks, heal the scars of slandering.  Let us be careful how we approach our conversations which may eventually have long lasting consequences on ourselves or others. I know I have to constantly guard my mouth because my tongue is still not completely tamed. 

Family economics - what a course of study! Everyone has been learning how to economize in the last few years and yet we still struggle, I know. So being faced with those few dollars to stretch ad infinitum, we may face some choices in bill paying. To borrow from financial guru Dave Ramsey, we must be sure to use what money we have to build and keep up the four walls - money for a place to live, utilities, food,  and transportation...all else must take second place until we have that extra money. These four things are what are needed to sustain life. Other bills can be worked out eventually when these walls are in place. These things serve as the basics within any situation of family economics. Just remember to keep calm and do your best. Everything has its own season. And this too can pass - a different season is sure to come if there is financial difficulty at the moment.  Better times are coming. The roller coaster is heading up so anticipate it. "Do not be anxious for anything, but in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4:6 & 7). Family economics, (whether literally with a family or while living on your own) has to be somewhat planned for at some time within this life's journey. Success comes from trying and never giving up. Failure happens only with your permission reflected by a continuous lack of appropriate action no matter how small. Have heart, be wise.

Bone broth has been gaining in popularity for its health and economic benefits. How many out there like to make a good pot of winter-satisfying (especially) soup? I have always used it to lighten a week's menu economically and it is great for those cold winter months, especially having four kids to feed...serve it with some warm, crusty bread....yummmm....