In college, James Dobson's goal was to become the school's tennis champion, which he achieved. In chapter 3 of The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren shares that Dobson was awarded a trophy that the school displayed prominently in the sports' trophy cabinet. Years later, someone mailed him that trophy. They had found it in a trash can when the school was … [Read more...]
Improve the Mind; Find a Friend
Science Daily summarized a University of Michigan study thusly:Spending just 10 minutes talking to another person can help improve your memory and your performance on tests.And to think that the time you've invested in reading and playing Sudoku could have been replaced by a few minutes with friends!I wonder, though, does it matter what you talk about?Do you have to … [Read more...]
Hey, I'm a 41-year-old Mom, Too! Dana Torres and I Have Sooo Much in Common!
Surely you've read about Olympic swimmer Dana Torres?If you haven't, here's the skinny (if I've cobbled together the details correctly):This former Olympian, now a 41-year-old mother of three (the most recent of the three kids was born only two years ago), came back from a six-year retirement to earn a spot on the team in the 100m freestyle.The 100m freestyle, people! … [Read more...]
Backyard Bounty
It isn't much, but given that I'm a novice gardener harvesting a small, weedy plot...Basil, cucumbers, zucchini, and tomatoesI'm pleased. … [Read more...]
What’s Your Family Culture?
When I wrote this post about family culture, I offered a few simple thoughts and personal examples on the topic. For more, scroll to the bottom to see additional resources. When I ask "What's your family culture?" you might think I'm asking if you use cloth napkins and dress up for dinner; but I don't necessarily mean "culture" in the "cultured" sense of the word … [Read more...]
Is Google Making Us Stoopid?
The cover article for the current issue of Atlantic magazine (July/August) is entitled “Is Google Making Us Stoopid?” Hm. Is it?Author Nicholas Carr writes:“As the media theorist Marshall McLuhan pointed out in the 1960s, media are not just passive channels of information. They supply the stuff of thought, but they also shape the process of thought. And what the Net seems … [Read more...]
Stone Crossings: Finding Grace in Hard and Hidden Places
When I was relatively new to blogging, every once in a while I'd be scanning comments on somebody's post and spot one by L.L. Barkat. I'd read the well-formed response and think, "Wow. That person's smart!" I wasn't sure, at first, if this person was male or female. No photo confirmed gender, and the initials L.L. didn't help me know for certain. At some point I finally … [Read more...]
Several Summer Solutions to "Mom, I’m Bored!"
To avoid hearing kids exclaim "I'm bored!" in the summer months, it's tempting to fill the weeks ahead with camps and clubs and outings and activities, isn't it? Maybe we think, Keeping them busy keeps them out of trouble. Or, They gain skills they wouldn't have time to develop during the school year. And although not everyone will admit to it, there's the argument, … [Read more...]
Jesus, Be the Lord of My Life Today in New Ways
A couple of months ago, someone introduced this prayer to our church and invited people to commit to praying it for 30 days. Our little family happened to miss almost every weekend service at church that month, so we didn't end up joining the covenant.Later, I asked for a copy.Here it is:Jesus, be the Lord of my life today in new ways.Change me any way you want.Wash me … [Read more...]
A Random Post about Six Random Things
I'm so done with being helpful.Not really. I always like being helpful.But it wasn't easy generating five posts in a row that were kinda/sorta "helpful" and tip-driven in content--and I don't even know if they count as helpful! They sure weren't Martha Stewart-helpful or Good Housekeeping-tip-filled. They were odd; I realized my limitations.Before long, I was running low … [Read more...]
6 Questions to Ask Yourself
I like to explore why I make certain choices or feel strongly about various issues. So I find that a few questions like these get me thinking and writing and praying. Sometimes I use variations on these questions with my friends, generating some interesting discussion. I'd love to sit and have tea with you so we could explore these six questions. They're not only great … [Read more...]
Five Days of How-To Posts: A blog experiment offering helpful information in bullet-point form
What makes a post popular?On my blog, which is an unfocused mish-mash of ideas that flit through my mind at any given moment, the all-time top posts are as follows: Castile Soap for a Simpler Life (and blemish-free face) Thick and Chewy, Fast and Easy Pizza Dough Overnight Crockpot Steel-Cut OatmealWhat am I doing posting about the perils of my attempts to multi-task?Why … [Read more...]
Multi-tasking Doesn’t Work for Me
Multi-tasking has never really worked for me. I've tried. Over the years, I've felt like there are many times when I've had no choice but to do a dozen things at once. But when I do that regularly—when multi-tasking is my mode of operation, nonstop, every day, from sun-up to sundown, I get agitated. I feel all frenzied and harried. I leave one of the two or seven … [Read more...]
Books offer a Rehearsal for Life
At the Festival of Faith & Writing, children's book author (twice awarded the Newbery Medal) Katherine Paterson sat with her son David to discuss the process of transforming the story of Bridge to Terabithia from book to film. (EW interviewed David for a story about the process with some of the same information.) David was co-writer and producer for the film. He … [Read more...]
Kathleen Norris, Acedia, and the Commonplace Book
Kathleen Norris's session at the Festival of Faith & Writing offered some good stuff, though my notes are spotty. She spent most of the time defining that word, "acedia," that has fallen out of usage. She's trying to resurrect it, because she thinks it captures our current culture's general boredom, apathy, or ennui. None of those words expresses the attitude and … [Read more...]
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