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Well, my friends, we're in the final week leading up to  the  " Authors for Freedom " event  supporting  Operation Underground Railroad ! Author Rebecca Connolly is also participating in this " Authors for Freedom " event with one of her delightful books, " What a Spinster Wants. " Heather B. Moore is participating as well, with her story " Steal my Heart ." That's the second in her Prosperity Ranch series. Other authors include Lorin Grace , E. B. Wheeler , Brock Booher , Wendy Whiting , Sarah Hadsell , and  Elizabeth Anne Suggs . At last count, there were 80 authors joining forces to support O.U.R.! You can click on each author's name to be taken to either their website or Amazon link. Read more about the campaign at  Authors for Freedom – Operation Underground Railroad . Join the fight by reading an Author’s For Freedom book and learn more at  www.ourrescue.org . “To the children who we pray for daily, we say: Your long night is...

Do you find yourself feeling scared or anxious or worried about the things happening in this world? You're not alone. Many people are feeling the same way, including our children and elderly relatives. So, what can we do about it? How can we alleviate those anxieties? Mr. Rogers, the beloved children's television icon, told this story on his show once. He said, "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping." To this day, especially in times of 'disaster,' I remember my mother's words and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers - so many caring people in this world." Have you noticed that?  Have you seen the doctors, nurses, and CNAs?  Have you watched the police and rescue workers who respond to emergencies?  Do you know teachers, child care workers, sanitation engineers, mail deliverers, retail and foodservic...

Ever feel wrongfully judged?      I recently had the experience of being mistakenly accused of breaking rules... well, not just accused. I was convicted and punished without the due process I'd hoped I could expect in this country. No, I was not thrown in jail. Not a physical jail anyway. Social Media jail. Anyone who has had their account suspended, or been blocked from posting/pinning/tweeting understands what I'm talking about.       It seems that the social media platforms have the right to kick you off without any warning or chance to even hear the allegations against you. I have been focusing on one particular platform trying to build a following for my Lifting the World book series, and spreading the message of KESA (Kindness, Encouragement, Support, and Appreciation) to anyone who wants to make this world a better place. In fact, I've been spending a good deal of time on this particular platform. (I'm deliberately not naming the platform b...

     This quote hit me hard this week. In the past two months, I've had two friends whose husbands died. It was a shock in both cases.       It really made me think about my relationships with others. Truthfully, we never know when our last interaction will be our last interaction. I, for one, want my final interactions to be filled with kindness, light, and love.      There is a lot of negativity in the world, right now. My hope is that individually, we can ignore the rantings of those who's agendas include namecalling, insulting, or denegrating another human being. I hope we can rise above that and fill our lives with joy, peace, and kindness.       I promise you, if we put in that effort, that kindness will ripple out and affect those around us. If even half of them follow our example, and half of the people they influence follow their example, etc., how much better would this world will be?      As ...

Does the world feel out of control right now? Guess what. It is. But we don't have to succumb to the helpless feeling that generates. We can overcome those feelings.  How? By helping others. "But I don't have time!" you say. "I don't have resources!" "I want to keep my distance so everyone is safer." "I just don't know where to start!" I understand and I have some suggestions. Begin by taking a deep breath. Then, look around you. Does your spouse need a hug? Do your children need five minutes of undivided attention? Does your neighbor need a friendly wave? Are the flowers in your garden looking wilted? Would your cousin like a surprise meal delivered by Doordash? Does your grandmother enjoy letters and cards? Take a few minutes and look around.  Pick one thing to do today.  Then something else tomorrow. When you wake up each day, pick one helpful thing you can do for someone else. Over time, you'll find you don't feel quit...

So many people are feeling anxious right now. It's been going on for a long time, and people are tired. Granted, there are many reasons we could give for feeling anxious.  Will COVID-19 be with us forever?  Are we opening up too quickly?  Are we opening up too slowly? Will the next demonstration turn violent?  Will racial inequality spill into my neighborhood?  Will my children be safe going back to school?  Will our money troubles ever end? Will the hate we see on television and on the internet ever stop? So many questions, not enough answers!  But... My father-in-law had a saying. "Worry is a waste of whatever is it you waste when you worry." When you think about it, he's right. Worry doesn't help the situation. Anxiety is the emotional sister of worry. So, if we can release the anxiety and replace it with hope, our lives will be much easier to deal with. The problems won't go away, but our ability to handle them will increase.  Just a few rambl...

Finally! It took some blood, sweat, and tears, not to mention scouring help sections and youtube videos, but I was finally able to get this blog verified on Pinterest. As a bonus, I got my "rich pins" approval, too! Hurray!

Trying to link my Pinterest page to my Blogger page is proving to be quite the challenge! Something about metatags and <header> something or other. Just can't seem to figure it out. Time to go ask some questions!