The Balanced Life, Huntsville Alabama

My youngest son graduated from high school this week and boy what a magical time it is.  As he turns from being a high school senior to college freshman, I can’t help but think through the years and remember how fast he and my older two have grown up. 

As a mother and father of young children my husband and I often ponder the questions: How will our children remember us when we’re gone? What will they take with them that helps them become successful in this life? How do we build meaningful relationships with them now that last, thus leaving them with a legacy that impacts their life and the lives of others in a positive way?

Have you ever told someone that you need to be more self-disciplined?  I believe we've all said these words.  Whether it's studying for a big exam, completing a big work project, or diligently working towards a personal health goal, the struggle for self-discipline is real. 

A while back, I was listening to a story on Snap Judgement (on NPR) about the Mengele Twins and specifically Eva and Miriam Mozes. I had never heard the story of Eva and Miriam before and was riveted throughout the report.

 A few years ago I had a supervisor who frequently used the phrase, “adapt and overcome.”  As life’s celebrations and hard knocks have come my way, I have referenced this phrase many times myself and credit my former supervisor, Paul, for repeating this phrase often and putting it in my memory bank to recall when needed. 

What is a Cognitive Distortion? Well, have you ever found yourself doing any of these?

    I believe we have all been a part of a conversation in which someone exclaims, “The beach is my happy place!” That comment is most likely followed by a list of extremely desirable qualities about the beach.  Some of the most common that come to my mind are the warm sun, calming waves, friendly people, low-key atmosphere, and exclusive water activities.

My husband, daughter and I just returned from a vacation in Florida where we hit up Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Epcot. We had a great time and found that spending time at parks such as these with the throngs of other families and long lines is much easier with an 8 year old than a 3 year old, as was the case when we ventured to Disney for the first time. Always the observer of people, I found an amazing variety of folks to watch. And like I tend to do, I found lessons to be learned everywhere I looked. I thought these might be fun to share with you so here you are.

I’ve heard time and again that “today’s generation” is on technology and electronic devices too much these days.  Whether it’s Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, Stream Video Gaming, etc., young people of today get the blame.  However, research shows that people of all ages share, read, and post on social media venues frequently.  And if you walk the streets of any U.S. city all the way to downtown Hong Kong, you’ll find many people staring at their phones and not apologizing for it. 

The word “reckon” is most often heard when someone has contemplated a situation and made a decision.  In the Greek language this word is broken down more specifically to mean “to take and inventory, or to draw a conclusion.” 

As human beings, how often to we take inventory of our behavior and draw conclusions based on the desired outcome?  Let’s consider the behavior of people for a moment.