Grandparents Interfering by Suggesting Baby Names?

Posted by on January 31, 2012 · Leave a Comment

If a grandparent were to suggest baby names to one or both soon-to-be parents, is the grandparent interfering? Why is suggesting nice girl or boy names as possible options out of excitement and anticipation of the coming baby considered an interference in the parents lives? As a grandmother of three and soon-to-be grandma of two more grandchildren, hearing about the baby names being discussed as possibilities is fun and exciting. I haven’t made a single suggestion for any baby names and I’m not going to.

Baby names for our upcoming grandchildren is one of the many things being planned and considered, even though there is still plenty of time for the baby’s parents to make their final selection of their favorite baby names for either a boy baby or girl baby. Some of the girl names that have been mentioned are beautiful, feminine and “soft” sounding, perfect baby names for girls, while names for boy babies are a bit more challenging for the parents to pick even one they both like.
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10 Reasons Why People Don’t Go to Church Anymore

Posted by on January 25, 2012 · Leave a Comment

Churches around the US have changed over the years, where multi-site churches mean pastors are able to reach thousands of would-be church attendees on the web, says USA Today. In an interview with pastors Tim Keller, Mark Driscoll and Ed Stetzer, the “old fashioned”, traditional churches from grandma and grandpa’s time are going by the wayside and are being replaced by what is often referred to as the “mega church” with thousands upon thousands of church members.

Having visited a few “mega churches” over the years, such as the Potter’s House and a few others, witnessing the burgeoning growth of large churches and the increased numbers of online internet churches has been interesting to say the least. To say this ain’t your grandma’s church anymore is an understatement.
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It’s The Thought That Counts – Thoughtful Gift Giving

Posted by on January 23, 2012 · Leave a Comment

When giving gifts for any occasion, it’s the thought that counts. Being a thoughtful gift giver means we have taken the time to carefully think about the gift recipient’s personal interests, needs, wants, likes and dislikes, in order to find an appropriate gift to give from the heart.

Being thoughtful is defined by personal qualities like being kind, giving, considerate, attentive, appreciative, helpful, caring, loving, and giving mindful thought towards the comfort and good of others. Kids learn the thought counts very early in life, and teachers appreciate thoughtful gifts from schoolchildren, so why are thoughtful gifts given such a bad rap?
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Categories: Family, Friendship, Holidays, Parenting, Relationships, Shopping - Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Simplifying Life – Choosing Voluntary Simplicity to Simplify Your Life

Posted by on January 16, 2012 · Leave a Comment

A great quote by Hans Hofmann says, “The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” That quote and others, along with numerous books and articles dealing with simplifying life in very meaningful ways has been replaying in my mind for quite some time now.

For about six months now, I have been thinking of ways to simplify my life in ways that are meaningful to me and my family, to allow me the necessary time and energy to focus on the more important things in our lives. I spend an enormous amount of time reading books, doing craft projects, gardening, and researching a large variety of topics, learning how to do new things.
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Toxic Relationships – Narcissism and its Deadly Effects

Posted by on July 1, 2011 · 13 Comments

 Thank you, Lin, for asking me to guest post on the topic of narcissism and its deadly effects. This is a subject that has come into its own. Lin’s awesome post, Toxic Relationships – Toxic Family Members has garnered almost 200 comments and 700+ Facebook “likes” since it was written three years ago.

Many more resources are available to folks who find themselves in a relationship with these insidious people than when my co-author, Lori Hoeck, and I first wrote The Narcissist: A User’s Guide a scant eighteen months ago. Since then, our User’s Guide e-book has been downloaded over a thousand times, and continues at a steady rate.
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Categories: Dating, Divorce, Family, Guest Post, Marriage, Men, Relationships, Women - Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Top 5 Gifts: Gift Guide for Father’s Day 2011

Posted by on May 12, 2011 · Leave a Comment

Buying Dad impersonal gifts like ties, cigars and cologne are “safe” but exceptionally boring. Instead of taking the traditional gift-giving route, why not make this father’s day extra special by getting him one of the top 5 gifts listed below? As a bonus, there are also some really neat craft gift ideas kids can make for Dad as well.

5. Wrap a Nap—Just because Dad is man doesn’t mean that he doesn’t need his beauty sleep. This unique and highly innovative pillow acts as three devices in one which will give any hardworking dad the soundless rest that he deserves. In addition to being an extra comfy pillow that is designed to allow anyone to sleep comfortably in even the most awkward positions, the device also serves as ear muffs that can block out a spouses’ excessive snoring and as a blindfold for sleeper’s who are sensitive to light. Price: $14.99
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