Raised Free-Spirited: What is Religious Trauma?
As a child raised by two pastor kids, I've always said that I was raised free-spirited. Meaning that yes, I was encouraged to never limit my soul, but also that…
As a child raised by two pastor kids, I've always said that I was raised free-spirited. Meaning that yes, I was encouraged to never limit my soul, but also that…
Summertime is finally here, and with that, our thoughts turn to vacation and leisure time. One popular way to travel, especially in good weather, is by way of automobile. But…
We were in the desert, but the concept of forest bathing was not on our radar, let alone desert bathing. What life lessons would we encounter while surrounded by nature?…
As much as we may love being mothers, there is so much more to all of us. We all have a story to tell. And because our children play such…
"We ain't never getting older" is a favorite song lyric quote from the Chainsmoker's song Closer. I like it as it takes me back to my younger years when I…
Celebrating my 39th year feels so ho hum. Is this a result of pandemic blues or is it really all downhill after 40? I polled my peers, my elders, and…
There was a time in which I felt really lost. When I didn’t know which direction to turn. When I wasn’t sure which way was up and which way was…
Christmas magic has always been prevalent in my family. My mother was a bit of a Christmas fanatic. She believed and I mean truly believed, in Santa. She swore the…
The milestones of being a girl mom and raising daughters is priceless. Parenting comes with surprises every turn. Imagine my new delight at the engagement of my daughter. A feeling…
It seems like another life ago, when I had a whole other family. Living on a compound in the middle of a desert far from home. In between flights and operations, a…
"Where there is no gardener there is no garden." -Wolfgang von Goethe . This quote reminds me of a conversation that my grandfather and I had after we lost my…
The year was 20-ought something. I would tell you it was the fault of my red, 1991 Chevy Beretta. That car kept me in trouble! The Texas highway patrol would…
This past year has been heavy. Ok let's be honest, for many of us, it has just plain sucked! The pandemic, social unrest, dehumanization, political division, virtual school, it has…
The ups and downs of entrepreneurship are like riding Mr. Freeze at Six Flags. If you have a business or are in the process of starting your business, you probably…
With summer comes lots of travel for some, and often by car. I am sharing with you today 5 fun and simple road trip games to play with your kids.…
A year ago I went to my 40-week prenatal appointment alone, masked following pandemic protocols, but looking forward to the ultrasound to get to see my baby. I was not…
Healing is in layers, healing is time. Healing is excruciating. Once you think it's done, it's not. Mary Demuth Father, dad, daddy, those names can bring a boil to my…
When I was young, my mother would take us camping just for a quick overnight in the mountains that surrounded my childhood home. She would load up the tents and…
How do we view our friends and are our friendships? Healthy or toxic? Have you found yourself arguing with your friends after they've disagreed with you? Do you see your…
Gardening has been the bane of my existence. I grew up in a very rural area of Iowa surrounded by acres and acres of corn and soybeans and alfalfa. The…
I’m cuddled up under one of my grandma’s blankets. A Mendoza painting of hers is now hanging in my entryway, a statement piece I’d overlooked countless times when it hung…
Hello there and greetings to all who read this article. I hope and pray that everyone is doing well. That is indeed my hope for you. This article was going…
I’ve been out of school for quite a while now. I’m considerably older than you must have been when I was in your class, but still depend daily on lessons…
Warning: traumatic birth story detailed below. Please read on with caution as the material or descriptions may be triggering. Every January, as his birthday draws near, I have a tightness…
This past summer has been a summer of growing pains. I have outgrown people and things, but more specifically, I have outgrown things that leave my soul heavy. This…
If I’m being honest, I’m a terrible gift giver. I admire people who have a knack for selecting thoughtful, creative, and practical gifts. From the moment the radio stations start…
Do you find it difficult and are hesitant to ask for and accept help when you are in need? Why do some of us hesitate when it comes to asking…
Forgiveness, there would be no chance of it. I had danced with the devil, there would be no second chances. I can remember the morning just like it was yesterday.…
Veterans Day is always a day of great reflection for me. Growing up the daughter of a Vietnam Veteran and then later marrying a Veteran from Operation Enduring Freedom, I…
Music. Just the word brings me joy and lightens my mood. What about for you? When the World Seems Heavy... I'm thinking sometimes we need something light, something just simple…
Halloween will most likely look very different than it has in the past and I think it is really important to try and have some kind of normalcy. I wanted…
Journaling about your hobbies is a great way to stay connected to them when you may not have the time, space or money to actually do your hobby. One of…
I absolutely love having family photos taken, especially in the Fall when the weather starts to change and I start thinking about Christmas card photos. My husband would probably even…
Are you someone who is sensitive? If you are, do you sometimes ask yourself or just question, "Why am I so sensitive?" I have many times throughout my life, so…
It is 3:42 in the morning and I can feel her warrior heart beating against mine. I am exhausted and my body aches. It’s been less than 24 hours since…
An anchor is a heavy object to hold a vessel in its place or it’s someone that delivers you the news on television. It can also be a helpful mental…
Self connection is an ongoing journey. As we change through the years each phase of life has its own effect on how we connect to ourselves. Sometimes we may not…
I love the recognition that humans are never complacent creatures, that we embody different versions of ourselves during different times of our lives. This concept is as equally exciting as…
If there’s an upside to the up-side down world we’re living in right now, it’s the slower pace of life. Coronavirus forced us to sit still and stay home. Because…
The memories that get lost in the hustle and bustle of life. I can feel them slipping away. The tiny, every day moments that make being a mom, a wife,…
Transformation. I can’t even tell you how many times in my life I have worked to change my form, my appearance. How can I alter, modify my body? What do…
I am a “glamper.” I have officially traded in my tent for the glamping life. There. I said it. My backwoods, backpacking, teenaged self-of-old would shudder to hear those words…
“We leave something of ourselves behind when we leave a place, we stay there, even though we go away. And there are things in us that we can find again…
We all, at some point in our lives, have fallen down physically or mentally, ranging from childhood to adulthood. We've collected a treasure chest full of scars from a few…
I curled up under a blanket on the carpeted floor of our master bedroom closet. Pulling the pillow over my head, I squeezed my eyes shut and turned on the…
All the little moments that get lost when you are busy running the race to achievement. It's within these moments where belonging waits to be found.
My maternal grandmother lived in a small town in Iowa. She wore curlers in her hair at night and didn’t leave the house without lipstick. Just thinking about her lasagna…