Loving the Extroverted Child

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Written by guest contributor Jessica Smartt of Smarttereachday.com Do you have any extroverts in your family? Ohhhh, we do. Here are some of my mom-of-an-extrovert confessions: I have to drag my children away from extended conversations with the Fed-Ex man, random people walking their dogs, and anyone in a public place who makes eye contact [...]

Teaching girls to respect their bodies (and each other)

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A few years ago two girls asked my daughter if I had gained weight. It was a few months after I had my third baby and my tummy was still poking out a good bit (plus, I had probably gained a few pounds, to be honest). My daughter came to me, wide-eyed, and said that [...]

A Letter to Your Loved Ones

Image from stock.xchng The following is an updated version of one of the first posts I wrote here at A Delightful Home. It’s not always pleasant to think about dying, but it’s part of life. Thinking ahead can make it easier on our families. We just don’t know when our time is up. “We’ll be [...]

5 tips to help you rise early

rise early

If you are striving to get up early in the mornings, you might need some extra motivation at times. I know I do. The comfort of a warm, cozy bed is hard to leave! These are the five things that help me the most: 1. Go to be early Yes. That is a no-brainer. But [...]

Quiet

quiet for newtown

I posted my weekend links yesterday and it just felt strange. As if it is not the time and place for sharing favorite online reads. I’m joining the Simple Living Media editors today and keeping this blog quiet to honor the memory of those who so needlessly lost their lives this past Friday. We’d love [...]

Let Go of Perfection and Just Do!

Winston Churchill Quote

I wonder how many good things I have missed because I decided not to try, feeling I would not do them perfectly. Or, how much extra stress I have caused myself and my family because of my drive to do things just right. Thankfully, over the years I have let go of my tight grip [...]

Simple Gifts: Tips on Writing Letters of Encouragement

how to write a letter of encouragement

A few years ago I answered the phone to an earnest voice, “I got your card today,” she said. “I really needed it. This week has been so tough.” I had no idea. It surprised me that five minutes of my time could nourish a weary heart. It made such an impact that she wanted [...]

Why Give? {The Benefits of Giving}

Why give?

Since November is giving month, I thought I’d share a few excerpts from my chapter in The Heart of Simplicity. My chapter is titled: Giving: Showing the Love of Christ through Simple, Intentional Generosity   Why Give? There are two very good reasons to give: To bless others. To bless ourselves. Giving to Bless Others [...]

30 Day Giving Challenge

card for gramma

Have you heard of the 30 Day Giving Challenge? It’s a fun challenge to give every day for thirty days. Before you think that is too much, remember that giving doesn’t have to be BIG to make a difference. A short note of encouragement has the power to change someone’s day. The 30 Day Giving [...]

Doing Hard Things

baby ballerina

My 2 year old playing ballet. There are a lot of hard things in life. If we want to live well and achieve our goals, we have to to do hard things. Running a marathon = hard. Training as a ballerina = hard. Giving birth = hard. Disciplining our children = hard. But sometimes the [...]