Tag: Modern Mrs. Darcy

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“Someone Save My Life Tonight” – A Linkup

Michele Kearns

I am linking up with Modern Mrs Darcy and writing about the things that are saving my life right now.

Beauty

In winter my skin gets really dry, so dry I look like pigpen. Only instead of dirt, it is dead skin cells that surround me wherever I go. Thanks to a friend, I discovered Carmex Replenishing Body Cream.  It has really helped with the extremely dry skin. My hands look nice now.

Not only is my skin very dry in the winter but so is my hair. My normal shampoo is Nexus but that is not in my budget so I tried Loreal’s Advance Haircare Shampoo Color Vibrancy Nourishing Shampoo and Conditioner.  This has done an amazing job with my dry hair and preserving the color. I never would have expected this from an inexpensive brand. It comes in a black bottle with pink label. They do make other formulations for different hair types.

Both of these items can be found at CVS pharmacies.

Cooking

I would be lost without my Crock-Pot. My original one broke so my sister – in – law got me one about 3 Christmas’ ago. It saves my life year round, after all who wants to heat up the house in summer using the oven or stove when you have a crock-pot? I used it a lot for cooking chicken in water for Rommie (golden retriever daughter) and me.

Health

I am still part of an amazing group of women participating in Faithful Finish Lines, an online fitness program. We hold each other accountable but yet extend grace to one another when our eating or exercise does not go as planned. There is a new round starting on February 28th. We also pray for one another and focus on strengthening our faith.

Faith

Mark Batterson’s Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge is impacting my faith and prayer life. I’ve focused on praying bigger and bolder prayers and even upped my prayer time to 1 hour the past couple of days. God has not answered every prayer with a yes. (Yo! Big Man upstairs, why am I not doing an in person interview for the career counselor position? Everything I’ve been through the past 7 years leads up to me serving people who are in career transition.)

Oh well, guess it is not your will. Shucks!

Francis Chan’s Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit also made an impact on my faith this winter. My favorite part is where Francis writes about forgetting what God’s will is for our life and instead ask the Holy Spirit what you should do in the next 10 minutes. He will not lead you astray from God and prays for you when you do not have the words.

Finale

Those are the items that are saving the different areas of my life this winter. Hopefully you have some items that are saving your life right now.

Remember, it is February and that means the trucks should be leaving for Spring Training, if they have not already.

Wahoo!

 

 

 

 

grief

2 Ways To Help Grieving People This Holiday Season

Michele Kearns

The most wonderful time of the year is not so wonderful for people who are grieving. Here are two ways you can help grieving friends and family during the holidays

Show Up

Showing up is the easiest thing you can do to help someone grieving. There does come a time when friends (and sometimes family) go back to their normal life and loneliness sets in. It is a powerful and intense feeling easily curable by showing up.

I will let Anne Bogel of ModernMrsDarcy explain showing up. Her article reduced me to tears because not enough people believe in showing up. Here is the link to her article On Showing Up.

 

Drink Deep 

The second way you can help is to Drink Deep.

Steve Siler, of musicforthesoul.org , and his fellow musicians and singers recorded an album entitled Drink Deep, A Musical Journey Through Grief. 

The songs on the CD accurately capture everything from getting the phone call:

No!
This can’t be happening
Start this day over again

No!

to the loneliness that sets in after everyone moves forward with their life:

After the crowds are gone
And the silence settles in
No more cards left in your mailbox
The phone no longer rings
The solitude will whisper
Tempting you to stay withdrawn
After the crowds are gone

After The Crowds Are Gone

to having good days again:

I laughed with a good friend
and was caught by surprise
to feel joy again
Today was a good day

Today

and ends with Christ’s victory over death.

Death has been conquered
The victory won
Christ lives forever with God’s daughters and sons

Death Has Been Conquered

I never believed anyone could so accurately and beautifully capture the emotions of grief but Steve and fellow collaborators did that on Drink Deep.

I encourage you to purchase this beautiful 14 song album and share it with someone grieving so they will feel God’s love, comfort and encouragement this holiday season.

Also purchase a copy for yourself so you will better understand what happens when traveling through a grief journey.

Will you Drink Deep and show up for a grieving person this holiday season?

Additional Resource: 

Here is the link to my original article containing links to Chris Fabry’s interview with Steve about the album and about grief ambushes.

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A Joyful Summer Reading List

Michele Kearns

Welcome to June!

I suggested to my friend J.T. O’Donnell that she come up with a Summer reading list for those in transition or whose career needs a boost.

Then, I decided I better take my own advice and create a joyful reading list. So here my suggestions for summer reading.

I have read all books and receive no kickbacks from anyone for putting their book on the list.

Romance Novels

Perfect Kindle reading for the beach or hammock – none were over $5.00 when this post was written on 5/31.

  • “The Second Chance Café” (A Hope Springs Novel) Alison Kent – Kaylie Flynn goes back home and buys her foster parent’s house and plans to turn it into a Café.  (I am currently reading the next installment “Beneath the Patchwork Moon.”)
  • “Penelope” (A Madcap Regency Romance) (The Fairweather Sisters) Anya Wylde – Country girl attempts to fit into London high society during the debutante season. I dare you not to fall in love with Lady Bathsheba.
  • “The Wicked Wager” (A Regency Murder Mystery & Romance) Anya Wylde – “Oh what a tangled web we weave” describes this lighthearted tale about love, deception and murder.
  • “Seeking Philbert Woodbead” (A madcap Regency Romance) (The Fairweather Sisters) Anya Wylde – A madcap tale of Penelope’s sister Celine trying to run a mansion and find her long-lost poet lover.

(I started reading Anya’s books based on the recommendation of Charissa at Joy In The Moments.)

Inspirational

Bible Study

Whether Bible study is on the beach or in your church’s yard under a big old shade tree, you can’t go wrong with these books.

  • “Postcards from the Widows’ Path, Gleaming Hope and Purpose from the Book of Ruth”, Ferree Hardy.    This book combines a study of the book of Ruth with Ferree’s first-hand account of her journey down the widow’s path.  However, it is not just for widows.  It is a great education for anyone looking to learn more about the book of Ruth and what it takes to survive widowhood.
  • “Choose Joy, Because Happiness Isn’t Enough”, Kay Warren – Happiness is not enough.  I know happy people and they are very one dimensional (more on that in another post).  This book helps you get to know Jesus both as a man of joy and sorrow.  She also teaches that the joy found in the Bible is not dependent upon circumstances – Hallelujah!

Book Club/Cooking Club

There you have it – my joyful reading list for this summer. I am in the process of reading a few more books, so you just might find a second reading list later this summer.

Enjoy!