Growing Pains – Hard but Necessary
Do you remember being a kid and waking up with horrendous pain in your legs? You wondered what on earth happened while you slept, but then your mom informed you it was “just growing pains.” Maybe your own children are going through this right now. Having to replace...
The Key to Enduring Hurts: Perspective
We’re in a weird time of year where we’re stuck between seasons. Winter temperatures want to linger while spring beckons to push new buds out of the ground. It’s almost as if the seasons are confused – at conflict with one another. But, we are certain (as we’ve seen...
Family Secrets
Family relationships are an interesting dynamic. You share a biological bond and history, but you also have a maintained connection. The role of secrets can sometimes help tighten that bond, while other times, family secrets can lead to shame and anxiety. An example...
When DNA Testing Gives You Unexpected Results
So you got a DNA kit for Christmas and you can’t wait to see the blend of ethnicities and cultures you’ve come from? We’ve all seen the commercials of happy people discovering who they are – and for most people, I’d say it’s fun and exciting to live in a time when we...
Say Goodbye to Bad Habits!
What do swearing, smoking, over-eating, nose-picking (gross), over-sleeping, over-committing, excessive television watching, excessive drinking, and biting your fingernails have in common? You’ve probably guessed it – they’re things typically considered to be bad...
How Family of Origin Impacts Your Marriage
I’ve mentioned before that my neighbors are big into gardening. While I don’t have a green thumb myself (more like a black one...that kills plants), I’ve learned a few things from talking to them. Like, did you know that the color of some flowers can differ based on...
Technology Dependency & Breaking Free
Your phone just vibrated. Is it a text? A Facebook message? Instagram notification? Maybe just an email? Whatever it was, chances are you’re quickly going to grab your smartphone and check to see what’s going on. Technology is a great thing! Seriously, I’m pro-tech!...
Common Obstacles to Quality Sleep & Easy Solutions
The human body is fascinating. The way it moves, heals itself, protects itself, adapts to its environment and all its intricacies make it a truly captivating machine. But like every high-functioning machine, it must be taken care of if we want it to run properly. Our...
When Conflicts Arise (And They Will)
I read something interesting recently on the behavior of animals. Apparently, when two goat meet on a narrow pathway, they don’t know how to handle the situation. Most often they will either just stand there until someone or something comes along to help one of them...
Social Media: A Gateway to Emotional Affairs?
We’ve never been more connected to other people than we are today. With the touch of a button we can chat or video with people all over the globe. There are countless apps and websites to give us immediate access to photos, videos, calls, and messaging with other...