Suicide Awareness
Why don’t we talk about suicide? We don’t talk about Bruno and we don’t talk about mental health issues. Do we really wish to hide it or is it simply because we don’t know what to do about it? Why don’t we talk about suicide? Recently my family was hit by the shock and grief of death by suicide. It had a ripple effect on families, workplaces, schools, and communities. It also opened the door of the church and community for help and healing for the survivors. How can we help prevent death by suicide? Our hearts break for all those with heavy pain, those who struggle with depression and mental health issues and those who love them. Warning signs can be despair, self-focus, hopelessness, isolation, and destructive behavior. Ways to help can be removing a person from danger, not leaving them alone, removing dangerous objects, and talking about the goodness of the Lord. Psalm 27:13 reminds us of our hope and reason to live. God is our light and our salvation. Hope and help from just one person may be just what it takes to save a life. Be the friend who walks in the darkness with another. Acknowledge…
Framily
What is framily? While framily may not even be a real word in the dictionary yet, most people will be able to define it. Framily is a portmanteau, or a blending, of the two words friends and family. Framily are friends who become our chosen family. This word has been around since the early 2000’s but the concept is not new. When people are apart from family, they often find themselves building a network of support among their friends at work, school, or in the community. In the past few years people have created covid bubbles for much the same reasons. Whether you are under the same roof, in the same town, or gathering on Thursdays nights for dinner, framily time is good for your heart and soul. It is joyous to have people in your life to support you through the seasons of celebrations and struggles. Sometimes that support comes from both family and framily. Our lives become richer when we share it with others. Our burdens are halved and our joys are doubled. I have been blessed over the years to have various groups of framily to share seasons of life with. So many memories flood my thoughts…
Give Thanks
What are you most thankful for this year? Giving thanks should be a daily habit, not just a once a year table talk. Let’s cultivate thanksgiving well before we sit down at the tables or prepare to serve up a meal to those less fortunate or don our scrubs for a day at work. The pandemic gave ample opportunity to renew our list of things to be thankful for. For many of us, people and relationships got elevated to the top of the list. The definition of “framily” grew out of our Covid bubbles. In a houseful of “things” we most missed our friends and family. We became especially thankful for opportunities to travel and see loved ones. This year, let’s not only make a list of things to be thankful for, but let’s give thanks with grateful hearts. Let’s spread joy and cheer to all we meet. Let’s cultivate thanksgiving and motivate others to do the same! Here’s a free Thanksgiving printable to help you remember to give thanks with a grateful heart. The pdf download is an 8×10 so you can print it on your home printers. I am so thankful for how my business and subscriber list…
Christmas Shopping and Saturdays
How many shopping Saturdays are there until Christmas? Christmas seems to arrive in the stores just after the July 4th holiday so it’s easy to think you have plenty of time left to Christmas shop. At the original posting of this blog, there are only 8 Saturdays left to shop! If you are like me, your Saturdays are already filling up with other fun fall activities (like my husband’s 50th birthday!). Next weekend I’ll be selling my art at the 7 Billion Reasons fundraiser tea and vendor fair in Cary, NC. It’s a great time to Christmas shop for framable art, card sets, and conversation starters, plus support a great cause! I rarely sell my art and cards preprinted so get them while they last. Free water bottle sticker with a $20 purchase, too! If you are unable to attend, you can shop at my Etsy shop for digital downloads that you can print at home and frame. The “Family Rules” or “Classroom Rules” art are great for parents and teachers. “Adjective Art” is perfect for friends, family, coworkers, and kids rooms. You don’t even have to wait until a free Saturday. Get your shopping done now! 50% of my…
End of Summer Fiesta
What’s your end of summer tradition? For many years, we marked the end of summer in late August with an annual Family Fiesta involving friends, food, and fun. It gave us one last excuse to hang out with neighborhood friends and energized our entrance into a new school year. If you know me you know I make a tradition of NOT doing things the same way each time which keeps everyone from being disappointed if you make changes but also keeps them in suspense about how you will actually pull things off. My Family Fiestas ran that very same way. Many years involved an assortment of tacos or enchiladas with a side of guacamole and jalapeno poppers (if my neighbor brought them). Activities ranged from piñatas (some more successful than others!), to tie dye t-shirts, to scavenger hunts, to the “never do this again” leather coin purse sewing craft completed by grumbling parents when the kids abandoned the activity. But memories were made, t-shirts were saved, pictures were taken, and bellies were full. As I flip through the scrapbooks, the memories jump off the page! The kids were so little! The parents so young! The crafts and piñatas were budget…
Summer Salads
What’s your favorite summer salad? BLT’s are always a favorite summer meal when the garden tomatoes are sun ripened to perfection, but wait until you try an easy summer BLT salad! Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Salad takes dinner to a whole new level of healthy summer goodness. Chop up some fresh lettuce and summer tomatoes. Add some perfectly cooked bacon (whatever your definition of perfect is) and top with homemade ranch dressing made with plain Greek yogurt and spices. If you need a side, Texas toast or potato chips are a good addition. I have a recipe for ranch seasoning that you just stir into plain yogurt or sour cream for a quick dressing or dip. This is literally one of those quick meals that comes together with the items you have on hand! Adding avocado kicks it up a notch in sophistication that leaves you wondering if you need to change the title or not. Like country farm cousin meets Manhattan city cousin in the summer. Ranch Seasoning Mix 1 t garlic powder 1 t onion powder 1 t salt ½ t pepper ½ t dried parsley ½ t dried dill Use this base recipe to double, triple, or…
The Middle Years: The Promises
What’s the Meaning of a Promise Ring? There’s a certain anticipation of coming of age no matter how your family or culture celebrates it. I wanted to do something special for my girls but not a purity ring or a big party. I wanted to let my girls know that I promised to love them, encourage them, and be in their business until they got married or moved out of my house. With a little research and an amazing jeweler in Ireland, I got each of my girls a Claddagh ring that matched the one I wore. It’s said to mean “let love and friendship reign.” That’s what I wanted for their growing up years – love and friendship between parents and kids. We took them individually out to a fancy dinner around the age of 14 and presented the ring and a letter with our promise to be by their side. Memories were made. Their dad treated them like they could expect to be treated on a date, with respect and attention. Both girls have had the opportunity to tell that story when people have asked if their ring is a purity ring or a promise ring. I’m including…
End of School Traditions
What is your end of school tradition? Those who knew my children growing up could easily answer that question. It’s ice cream! Our family has ice cream for dinner on the first and last days of school every year. It was fitting that our oldest served ice cream sundaes at her graduation party. Two intentional ideas were wrapped up in this end of school tradition. We were building family memories, and we were having intentional table talks. “How was school today?” will get you the typical “fine” answer, but put ice cream in a kid’s hand and ask “what was your favorite project this school year” and you’ll likely get an answer that’s more than a word long. And you’ll likely get questions from other parents about why you are giving your kids ice cream for dinner. Since we were not a family who ate dessert after dinner on a regular basis, this is the stuff memories are made of. And who wants to feel overstuffed after a meal. Not me. So when the kids were younger, ice cream was the meal. As they grew older, the ice cream tradition remained strong but sometimes it followed dinner or was eaten…
Multigenerational Living
What family member might need to come live with you? In the US, multigenerational living is on the rise. In some countries, it is much more common. Multigenerational living is influenced by personal, cultural, social, and economic conditions. Every place I’ve lived in has had a guest room, but with our last home purchase we intentionally looked for a first floor bedroom and bath assuming at least one of our parents would eventually come live with us. It is a blessing, not a burden. It’s a way to honor our parents. Sure there are sacrifices that get made and independence that looks different, but that’s the norm with every stage of life when there are people in your care. The blessings include my kids getting more time with grandma, and my mom getting to watch them go from teens to adults. Furthermore, having my mom live with us means being able to take care of things for her in the moment, not on a weekly “to do” list. It means less travel time and worrying about her when we aren’t there. It also means not having to do yard work and repairs for two houses! Once we all decided the…
Belonging
Remember that time you were in a meeting or classroom and you just didn’t feel like you belonged? The energy and motivation for learning can come from a sense of belonging. When students feel connected in a classroom community, we can activate their cognitive learning. When they feel they don’t belong, students spend more brain power being on edge than on higher order thinking. When they feel it’s a safe environment to share their emotions, their struggles, their celebrations, they will begin to build each other up and encourage the success of their classmates. When we treat students with kindness and high expectations, they will respond well and learn together. The more we value them, the more they will respond in kind. Some students need much more support than others, but it does not mean we need to lower our expectations. The same goes for the home and boardroom. Valuing a foster child, a distant relative, or a college intern goes a long way to helping create a sense of belonging. My motto “Love God Love People” reflects my understanding of our deepest need to find true belonging. In Christ, we find our true belonging. We are fully known and…
