Photo Challenge Day 2 - BREAKFAST

I drink my breakfast. I use the liquid food pyramid to ensure a balanced breakfast.

Written by Susan Merrill

Encouragement October 11, 2018

5 Things to Remind Yourself When You Fall Short of Superwoman

Have you ever experienced mornings that are perfect for comedy shows, but not so much for reality? These chaotic, sometimes even humorous mornings, may consist of walking the dogs, making breakfast, packing lunches, getting dressed, packing sports gear, and somehow managing to drop kids off at school on time. Mornings like these are already exhausting, but what finally tips the scale are unexpected incidences like spilling hot coffee on your white blouse or getting pulled over for speeding.

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Encouragement August 7, 2018

Don’t Let Addiction Thrive in Darkness

Do you know of a family member or a close friend who suffers from addiction? How has their family reacted? Have they been open about their struggles with the mental illness or have they kept them hidden in the dark? I understand these can be emotional questions to answer because I have family members who struggle with alcoholism. Most people, when they hear the word addiction, automatically think of the social and behavioral problems. However, the root problem of addiction is really physical and psychological. For example, I have a heart condition. My heartbeat is often irregular. When this happens my brain steps in and I take action. I lay down and call the doctor. A person who suffers from addiction has a brain condition, a mental illness. The very thing they need – the brain to take control – is the physical body part that is sick. The struggle for addicts is so daunting. Can you imagine how difficult it must be to psychologically fight a behavior when your brain physically craves it? It is hard to put ourselves in the addict’s shoes, but Samantha Fowler did in the video below. I have known the Fowler family ever since Sam’s mother, Elizabeth, …

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Encouragement June 26, 2018

How to Love Your Kids Without Losing Your Mind

This week, I heard a viral recording of a hilarious high school answering machine. The options for the parents to choose in the recording were ridiculous. Some of the options included were, “To make excuses as to why your child did not do his homework, press 2” and “To request another teacher for the third time this year, press 8.” The teachers of the school unanimously voted for this message because they were just fed up with the parents’ demands. While the answering machine recording is funny, it is also convicting. Once you have a child, it is tempting to lose your mind and become one of the many overprotective parents. If you feel like that is you, just know you are not alone. The face of parenting has changed in America over the past couple of generations. Our culture has become extremely child-focused, and some parents find themselves losing proper perspective on their children and what parenting should look like. The following guidelines can help you maintain your objectivity and take a balanced approach to raising your kids without losing your mind. 1. This is not your second childhood. Are you familiar with those reality shows with the pageant …

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5 Things to Remind Yourself When You Fall Short of Superwoman

Don’t Let Addiction Thrive in Darkness

How to Love Your Kids Without Losing Your Mind

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