Living a Simple Life with a Back Porch View

There are so many types of financial investments, but we rarely consider one of the most important investments you can make – and that is learning how to invest in yourself.  We try our best to invest our time, money, and energy in our finances, homes, family, jobs, and other priorities wisely. What we neglect to remember is all of these things have a tendency to drain us mentally, physically, emo...

Have you heard about the time someone had the bright idea of importing Hippos into South Louisiana? The thought behind it was to use these mammoth beasts in part to help control water hyacinths which were taking over our swamps. But was it such a great idea? How many times have you had a ‘wonderful idea’ that you just knew would work? It’s one thing to try implementing something such as a new reci...

Have you ever had this really great idea to do something, but as hard as you try, you can’t get past the first initial thought? As hard as you try, you just can’t ‘see’ it. And for many of us, we need to be able to ‘see’ what we want if we ever want to accomplish it.  If you love the idea of living a Simple Life, or if you are in the process of learning how to do it, but just can’t quite see exact...

There is just something about a garden that can soothe my soul quicker than almost anything else in the world. From breaking ground and starting seeds, to planting and then harvesting, I love the time I spend in the dirt. If you stop and think about it, there is a close comparison you can make between a garden and living a Simple Life. They both need sun, healthy soil, and a good helping of water...

No matter how you describe or define it, I love living a simple life. But for me, a more traditional simple life fits better with who I am. So, what’s the difference between the two? To be honest, there is very little difference between a ‘simple life’, and a ‘traditional simple life’. A simple life is one where you actively focus on slowing down, choosing your priorities, and following your passi...

It’s that time. We are now in a brand-new year, and are faced with either making, or starting on our New Year’s resolutions. In Episode 90, we talked about the feeling of being stalked by our resolutions. To boil it down, the word ‘resolution’ often feels as if it is a synonym for ‘duty’. If you’re like me, you have enough ‘duties’ to last you a lifetime, and most of that is errands and housework!...

A bright star in the East.  Oh, how I often wish I could have been standing alongside the Magi when they looked up to see that beautiful sight.  How I would love to have started walking, each step filled with the anticipation of coming closer and closer to the Christ child.   Each year at Christmas, as I hear the story and listen to the songs that portray this wonderful sight, I realize that I may...

All too often during the time right before Christmas, we feel as if we are being stalked by the New Year approaching. Time is flying by. We look back and see that we didn’t accomplish that long list of resolutions we vowed to keep.  There just wasn’t enough time, money, or energy.  By February, five had been broken.  By March, half of those that were left dried up to dust, only to be swept up and...

One of my favorite things to do is to read. It’s something my mom instilled and encouraged in me from a very young age. I enjoy reading so much, finding time to spend between the pages of a good book is actually one of the minor priorities I listed when mapping out my Simple Life plan. Several years ago, this love of the written word led me to starting an annual Winter Reading List on my blog. I c...

“Giving up hope is for the hopeless.” – This is a quote by Lloyd Davis (played by Bruce Boxleitner), from the movie, Love’s Everlasting Courage. No matter how bad things get, there is still hope. It may be buried deep within us, but it’s there. We still have the ability to step away from the sheer mountain of things that threaten hopelessness to see the other side. We know we can’t give up, or giv...

Our lives may be busy most of the year, but things seem to escalate during the holiday season. Between the extra shopping, baking, cleaning, and everything else on our list of things to do, our schedules are hectic. At some point, we just need a break.  You probably already know this, but much of the holiday chaos is created by our own hands. We want the holidays to be memorable, so we keep adding...

How do we measure ‘enough’? Is it when our savings account is stuffed to overflowing? Is it when we need to buy a bigger house, just to have more closet space for shoes and clothes? Is it when our paychecks double and the cost of living is cut in half? I am guilty of using the phrase, “It’s not enough”, all too often in my life. There’s not enough money. There is not enough time. There’s not enoug...

Setting a Holiday table is often a work of art. In fact, we often gaze longingly at the beautiful table settings in magazines. Fine China. Sparkling crystal. Sterling silver polished to a high gleam. The centerpiece is perfection, and the touch of greenery stretching across the center from end to end just adds that glamorous touch.  And as you picture your own table looking that perfect, your mind...

As thanksgiving approaches, we start thinking about all the things we’re grateful for. But a few years back, as I was sitting on my swing during my afternoon teatime and making my list of things I’m thankful for, I stopped and wondered why I didn’t do this more often? Was I only thankful for a few weeks out of the year? Of course not. But Thanksgiving just seems to bring it to the forefront.  Afte...

R.A.O.K. - Random. Acts. Of. Kindness.  This world really has gone crazy, as the Judd’s sang in their song ‘Grandpa’.  Every day I read about so much mean-spiritedness and hatefulness that people are doing to others, just for the sheer purpose of doing it, or needing to feel as if they are in control.  I often ask myself why people would do this? And then I read a story about an unsung hero that g...

Dealing with grumpy relatives is one of the most difficult things we can do. It is even more difficult during the holidays because it is combined with all the other added stress and workload. You can’t just tell Uncle Ralph and Aunt Priss to stay home. But you can get a handle on it before they show up. Join me on the porch to find a few ways to make your holiday a bit more pleasant, even when tha...

Here in the South, October is the ‘potluck’ time of year when we aren’t sure what our weather will be doing until we lift the lid on the day. Some mornings the heat and humidity are aggressive long before the sun wakes up. The next, you need a sweater even in the late morning. But just knowing that we will soon have cooler weather more consistently has me thinking of being outside even more than n...

As much as we really don’t like thinking about our mortality, at some point, death happens to everyone. But life shouldn’t be about how our lives will end, but rather how we live it.  To help me determine if I am living the life I should, I came up with 14 questions I ask myself on a routine basis. As a farmer, I naturally gravitated towards a farming bent to many of them. But in all honesty, you...

Traditions are a big part of our holidays. In many families today, we are brought up to believe that our holiday traditions are not only historical, but also set in stone.  Just the very idea of changing these long-held traditions is considered treasonous.  But things have changed over time. We may not always be able to uphold those holiday traditions. Instead, we either have to adapt them to our...

Even when you live a Simple Life, your days can get busy. Often, we find our time is filled with so many things, we have very little room left over for spending time with God. And often, if we are able to squeeze in some quiet time for devotionals, we can’t seem to find the solitary space we need.  If necessary, we may just pull up a chair, open our Bible, and start focusing on God. And this is a...

Hospitality is more than having guests in your home. A hospitable home is one that is warm and welcoming. It is one where the words ‘Come on in – I’m so glad you’re here!’ are genuine. It is a home that reflects our very own heart. It brings comfort, happiness, and a sense of coming home to anyone who walks through the door, whether they are a guest or the family who lives there. But knowing what...

Money gets very tight some days, and we are limited as to ways to earn it or keep it. Since getting another part time job isn’t always feasible, the next best thing to do is cut expenses. If you’re like us, you’ve squeezed a penny so tight it makes Lincoln jump off to go get help. That’s where my thoughts on a Buyer’s Club come into play. Listen in for a few of the pros and cons of starting your o...

Is breathing in your own home getting difficult? If you feel as if you are being suffocated by a cluttered home, then maybe it’s time to get busy and create a little more room to breathe.  One thing to remember about the things you have sitting around your home – the more you have, the more time you spend dusting or washing. Listen in and find a few tips to get you started with the decluttering pr...

Did you know that setting goals is similar to scheduling a doctor’s appointment? Just as you would get a yearly checkup, you need to make an appointment with yourself to take a look at what goals you’ve set and how they are coming along.  There is a school of thought that says setting new year’s resolutions, making goals, and planning ahead shouldn’t be done. Their reasoning behind it was that it...

As homemakers there is a bit of a misnomer that we do little more than cleaning house, preparing meals, and using all our free time in between to watch soap operas, read books, or just indulge in leisure time.  That is about as far from the truth as you can imagine. Being a homemaker is actually a full-time position, and frequently requires many, many hours of overtime. Any leisure time we may hav...