Love… One Sip At A Time // A Valentine Tea Party
I started hosting tea parties in an older home propped as pretty as you please on the corner of a quiet street. A family of four in a two-bedroom, one-bath home made for a tight fit, and tea parties felt downright snug, but no one would change a thing. Some teas were scripture-based, and others celebrated holidays, but every time, the room filled with the scent of scones, floral tea, and...
Think Bullying is Just For Kids? Think Again.
When asked by Oprah if he considered himself a bully based on past interactions, Lance Armstrong said, “Yes.” Many were surprised to hear his admissions of dominance over colleagues, some for simply disagreeing with him. Bullying during adolescent years, however, doesn't seem so surprising. Perhaps statistics from i-SAFE Foundation prove why, unfortunately: Over half of adolescents and teens...
My Friday Fave: Barnes & Noble Membership
4 Reasons Why My Barnes & Noble Membership is a Friday Fave: 1. A 20% coupon lands in my inbox at least once a month. 2. I enjoy supporting a brick-and-mortar business. 3. I receive 10% off a favorite magazine, Writer's Forum. 4. I'm purchasing Song-Writing Without Boundaries today at a discount (see #1) with my Christmas gift card. You don't have to be a songwriter to...
How We Motivate Matters
I've never been a fan of motivation via guilt. I guard against "receiving" it and I especially guard against giving it. Attempting to make someone behave via guilt may accomplish its short-term goal but it will leave the receiver feeling manipulated, frustrated, and resentful. Nehemiah 2:6 says that when Nehemiah approached King Artaxerxes (after much prayer!) requesting a ticket...
Friday Fave: Winter in Bloom
Blooming in my yard today. The first two - Winter Daphne and Winter Honeysuckle - fill the air with Spring-like fragrance. Do you also hurry, half-dressed and barefoot, into the garden, and softly, and exclaiming of their dearness, fill your arms with the white and pink flowers, with their honeyed heaviness, their lush trembling, their eagerness to be wild and perfect for a...
My Friday Fave: 2 Chefs 2 Go
A favorite stocking stuffer this past Christmas was a gift certificate to this exceptional establishment. Being the creature of habit that I am, I see but one delectable item on their menu (although there are many): Dried Cranberries and Grilled Chicken Salad. As you can see, the portion is enough for two salads. It's chock full of grilled chicken, slivered almonds, dried cranberries,...
The Gift of Curiosity
Curious (kyo͝orēəs) adj. Eager to know or learn something. Curiosity. A gift from God all too often overlooked for the "grander" ones. I didn't realize how much so until Sweet P came along. I remember the first time I saw her closely examining a single thread on her coat. She touched it ever so gently, observing every angle for what seemed to be minutes. Yesterday, Brian and I took...
My Friday Fave: Lark Rise to Candleford
One of my favorite Christmas gifts came in the form of 14 discs, penned by Flora Thompson between 1939 and 1943. What makes Lark Rise to Candleford a fave: Breathtaking scenery. Late 19th century England countryside at its best. Characters. In every sense of the word. Some sweet, some sassy. Wholesome plots. How often can you say that these days? Minnie, the maid. She's my favorite character...
One Life Can Change Everything
Twenty-three years ago, I was directed to a newly formed "New Beginnings" Sunday School class. My wounds, still fresh from a punt kick to the heart, made me wonder if I'd ever fit into a Southern Baptist Church. I dropped the boys off at their classrooms and nervously proceeded to a little brick house perfectly situated on the church campus. I couldn't help but wonder what or who awaited me...
Cathy Baker
Join the Creative Pauses Facebook Community
I Recommend Fistbump Media!
