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  • Recalibrating Life, what does it look like?

    Being an introvert, I can get too much people, activity, and busyness in my life. I am a wall flower, I wear that badge, even a homebody.

    In May of this year, we will celebrate 38 years of wedded wildness. And it has been a wild ride, racing from one activity to another. When our children were young, I was known to lament that I wanted the merry-go-round to stop so I could get off! I found myself feeling that way again a few weeks back. And so, I decided-to get off. We are all adults. Take care of yourself. Moms not available. I wish it was that simple.

    Nonetheless, I have been sneaking in quiet times for reflection. And so far, my recalibration has been going pretty well. I have learned I can stop this merry-go-round whenever I need to; I can take a pass on some activities, stay home alone, and be better for it.

    Starting with the mornings, try to slow down and breathe.

    And I have learned more about myself, like how much I like a schedule. And I want to keep the schedule, thank you just the same. I had to explain this to Mr. B. We had a fair exchange of information; I learned new things too.

    Maybe you are also feeling the need to step back and find yourself again. We non-ADHD-ers can be exhausted by the sheer force of energy exuding from our hyperactive loved one(s).

    Honor yourself! Don’t wait for someone else to notice you need a rest. Go ahead and trot your tired self off for a much-needed quiet time.

    It is vital to stay true to ourselves. We can only run so far in daily life on someone else’s music. At first, it’s a novelty and even fun. But then, the fun starts wearing off, and we start to flat-line because we aren’t getting what we need to live happily. Life is full of give and take. No one gets to have it all. We need to remind each other that it’s okay to pull back, take a break, take a nap!

    And it might be time to reassess how much of an activity has to be done today. How small can you break a task down? I mean how small can you make it and still know you accomplished something? For instance, I am cleaning out the fridge. This week I cleaned the inside of the fridge door, wiped the bottles, wiped the shelving, checked dates and tossed a 4-year-old bottle of lemon juice. How? How does this stuff get forgotten? Life, that’s how.

    Life happens at the speed of, well, life. There are real seasons of life when cleaning the fridge isn’t a high priority. Those seasons when cleaning the fridge means wiping up spills when they happen. Done. Over it. And we move on.

    Move in the season of life you are in. I promise you it will not always be like this. Our children grow up. Our bodies change. Our work life changes. Life rolls on. Everything changes. And we are doing really good if we can realize the season is changing and start working into that new way of living.

    I’m cheering you on. You do you. Me do me. And shine brightly in your world. Even as introverts we can shine brightly. I inherited a really nice smile from my mom, my grandmother, and so on. I’m happy to share it. That’s me shining brightly. I have a sister who has a really sweet laugh, it’s a joyful laugh, she shares it lavishly. That’s her shining brightly. You do you!

  • Where Do You Find Worth?

    Where do you find your worth? In what you do? Where you live? Or who you know- here on earth? That is not where I find mine.

    Late 2024 I picked up on a ripple of buzz. You’ve heard of the Fruits of the Spirit? In Galatians 5:22-23 is where Paul writes about the goodness of life. Earlier in the chapter he lists out the evils and sins of life. Paul is strongly encouraging the Christians in Galatia to “Walk in the Spirit” so as not to wallow in the lust of the flesh.

    Paul says to get your heart right with God and you will see freedom from your fleshly desires. Then Paul reminds them that he told them before that if they choose to walk in sin they will not inherit the Kingdom of God. And then, to be extra sure that Galatia got his message, Paul list the Fruits of the Spirit. Verse 22 & 23:

    But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

    • 24: And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with [it’s] affections and lusts
    • 25: If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
    • 26: Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

    I always read this passage as through my own works I could produce joy, peace, and love, and be longsuffering and meek.

    Wait a minute. If I believe the salvation from Jesus Christ is a free gift, I can offer nothing worthy of it. I cannot work for the approval of salvation. Then how do I work for the fruits of the Spirit?

    This is where the ripple comes in. I heard the suggestion that the fruits of the Spirit are not gained by our devotion, our piousness’, our efforts or strivings. BUT the fruits of the Spirit are developed by the Spirit as we turn our walk to be walking closer with Jesus.

    Paul says in verse 18: But if you be led of the Spirit, you are not under the law.

    That’s it! Right there. When Jesus died on the cross He cancelled the law. Grace was born. Forgiveness was come. New Life was offered. And that is the way we are to walk, even today. Walk with grace and forgiveness in this new life.

    And so, I believe, our worth isn’t to be found in our profession. Our worth is found in how we do what ever it is we do. When we wrap our heads around the goodness of God. When we accept that life is completely dependent on Him. Just as salvation is completely dependent on the blood of Jesus Christ. Then we can begin to loosen our grip, and let God work through us to do his good work.

    What can you do this week to walk closer to Jesus?

  • Short read – big tip- check out this podcast!

    I have found a podcast called – Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast. I found it on Spotify. This podcast is reminding me of all the things about Mr. B I had forgotten! Good or Bad? Remember I said forgiveness is needed when you live with an ADHD person?

    Hence, I carry 2 weapons with me every day; forgiveness is one and grace is the second. lf I ever feel stingy with either one of these, my Heavenly Father is right there ready to remind me of my own short comings. Besides, I’m truly in love with Mr. B. He’s my best friend, my lover, my companion in life. And Mr. B feels the same way toward me. We get each other. And we both know I don’t behave well when I am short on sleep, hungry, or stressed. So, this forgiveness and grace works both ways.

  • News from AVON

    It’s a new year and AVON is rolling out improvements. Along with new products comes an upgrade to our AVON store.

    You can now find a new tab when shopping Diane’s Boutique. Look for the “Discover” tab across the top of the page. This is your reference for all things AVON.

    Here you will product snapshots that will answer all your questions about every product available. You can see the AVON videos. Access the virtual try on products. And sign up to watch the shop & learn shows.

    Diane’s Boutique has just become more user friendly. Come visit!

  • Make up sale going on now!

    This makeup sale is history. But another one will come around mid- year. In the meantime, new products are here to soothe sensitive, dry, red skin. We have clean new makeup products for your on -the-go beauty needs. And we’re expanding tried and true lines into new ideas. Hint? Skin So Soft in hair care!

    Come visit the shop at Diane’s Boutique!

  • The Good and Bad of Labels We Use

    We should listen to ourselves and think about how the words we use make us feel.
    Case in point. “Year end.” I first started here this term maybe 10 years ago. At first, I strongly disliked it. I wanted to ignore it. Then I disliked it a little less and started reading about the ideas behind this term. I still didn’t like it. I still deleted more emails than I read, because of what they talked about year-end wise. Today, I still don’t like the term. It makes me feel we are going to dig a deep hole, chop the head off this beast of the current year and bury it deep. To be forgotten.

    My goodness, is your life really that bad? Can you glean no amount, no matter how small, of goodness out of your year? How about the fact that you woke up every morning of that year? How about the delicious coffee, tea, or milk you started each day with? How about that gratitude habit you worked on last month? No matter where we are in life, there is something good to glean. Glean it! Treasure it in your heart! Look for more of it in the new year! Begin a collection!

    This year I started remembering my own parents. They worked for themselves all but 4 years of my childhood. And they talked about closing a year out. Beginning mid-November, they would compile receipts and records to close out that year of business. Isn’t that a much gentler term? Close the year. It’s not going anywhere, It will be right back there in the bottom drawer. Handy to pull out and compare should the desire or need arise. So, this year let’s be kind to ourselves, gentler to our self-conscious. Let’s start checking in to learn how certain terms make us feel. When every label hits us in the throat, it becomes tiresome. Let’s scale back to gentler terms. In my home and business, I will be closing out 2024 with joy and beginning 2025 with peace.

  • Do you want to slow the speed of life?

    Do you want to slow the speed of life?

    My weekly planning has become more intentional as time goes by and I learn more about myself. Planning my week is key to reducing overwhelming as Tuesday suddenly becomes Friday afternoon. Knowing what to expect at the beginning of the week makes everything more manageable. So then, you want to work towards getting all your weekly activities written down in your preferred reference point. If you don’t have a preferred reference point yet, grab a notebook and begin keeping all your information in that notebook.

    Take some quiet time away to really give yourself time to note everything you need to do in a week. Everything you need to prepare for. 0r prepare someone else for. Everything you are responsible for goes on your list.

    Making this list takes time. You might work on it for a week, 10 minutes a day. Or maybe you have a clear vision of your week and can list it all in 15 minutes. Once you have created your list it is pretty easy to start categorizing each event into days. And then, suddenly, you know where your hardest, busiest day or days will be. Next you want to plug in some preparation ahead of that day. Be kind to yourself. Do not leave everything for that busy day. Try to think through your busy day. You might make a list of the day’s events. Start with “I get out of bed”. And end with “I fall back into bed”. As you create this schedule list you will begin to see things you can do a few days ahead to help ease you through your busy day.

    A short list of things to start your weekly list
    • Appointments
    • All time restricted events
    • meals – times, places, and menus
    • chores, tasks, homework

    To make your planning easier, after a few weeks you can create a master list. This is a list of activities you do every week. With a master list as a starting point, you simply plug in special activities, like birthdays and holidays, seasonal events, you get the idea.

    Are you waiting for a normal week? – Welcome to Fresh Mercy Every Morning

    Having the skeleton of your weeks mapped out really gives you a handle on your time. You will soon find a rhythm to your weeks and days. Remember, it’s your life, so do what helps you the most. With your plans laid out in front of you, you can begin tweaking activities to suit your energy, mood, and overload feeling, better. So, here’s to you calling the shots in your week.

    New Idea to Try Out

    I have just learned of a slick idea for tracking our ever-loving to-do list. (I don’t remember my parents having to-do list) Here are the ideas in short form. Label your list “this week”, “next week”, and “everything else”. Begin an “ongoing brain dump” just to keep your brain freed up for space to think. You can also call it an “all the things” list. update 1/7/25

    Are y’all hearing/reading about our short memory? I’ve heard it a few times this past week. Bits like “write it down, your brain isn’t for storage”. And then I read that short memory space is only able to hold 2 or 3 thoughts at a time. So, write it down! Designate a spot to keep your thoughts and ideas written. If you only have one spot then you will know where to go to find your list! I use Trello and a planner. Trello is on my phone, which counts my steps, so it’s always with me.

    Honestly I have no memory of my parents keeping to do list. They certainly didn’t spend much time thinking up a to-do list. Personally, I suspect they operated on a if-you-see-it-do-it process. They picked up behind themselves before they moved on. Set up the work bench to start again tomorrow. My parents worked for themselves. Successfully. They relied on God with steadfast faith that He would see them through, and He did.

  • Get Your Days Under Control

    Get Your Days Under Control

    If this is the only thing you read on my website, hear me here. If you want a calm, orderly day, start it with God. I put no qualifications on this advice. Simply put, talk to your heavenly Father. You can make it a grand affair with candles, journals, paint markers, soft music and a great big Bible, if you want to. But time with God, cradling a warm mug and soaking in the silence may be your season. Do whatever you need to do to hit the pause button and say Hello to the Wonderful Counselor.

    Once you get this turned into a habit, you will find planning your day is a piece of cake. Mostly, I plan my day for myself, not being a self-motivator, a plan is really needed! For years, as a young, stay-at-home mother, I did not understand what a day plan could do for me. Here I was wafting through my days, with little focus or energy, and no motivation. It felt like I was constantly running behind and never getting to what I wanted to do. There is a clear memory of the evening it all began to change.

    It wasn’t a whoosh into a new life. It was the first step on a new journey to understand myself, and how to be intentional with my day.

    I was feeling very overwhelmed, to the point of exploding. I had to get a handle on the days. And what I did with them. So, I am sitting on the floor with pens in hand and a large piece of butcher paper in front of me. This paper was so big I had to scoot myself across the floor to reach both ends. I began to draw lines, make boxes and fill in details of my week. Where I had to be, what I had to do, where I had to get little people, and when I had to keep one important big person happy. This was a big production. It was so big it made a strong impression on my school age children.

    There were murmurs that mom has lost her mind! L. O. L! The big person responds, no, she’s just trying to find it!

    They were plotting against me! All this ADHD wanted to rule my days. As long as I was available to keep them company, to feed them, to supply clean clothes, to encourage them. The list went on and on. There was not one inch of space in my days for me. I called “foul”! This stops now! They did not need every minute of my day. I wish I could say I ran to Jesus and allowed him to lead me out of my misery. But that comes much later in the story.

    Slowly, I became aware that I was an introvert, not energized by the company of others, but by my own company. Important tasks in my days began to come under my control. Anchors in my day were set up. Times of the day where I could lay down all the responsibilities and just breathe and do something I wanted to do. To read more of this story…

    How to be organized… – Welcome to Fresh Mercy Every Morning

    So, if you learn from me. Set your days up in a way that benefits you. And helps you meet all your goals. A current down fall is packing too much into ours day’s. I only project 2 or 3 activities in my days. I like to knock out a good amount of work in my mornings. And take a rest in the afternoon. If I take a rest in the morning, I get nothing done. Take time to study yourself. When do you feel energized, mornings, afternoons, evenings? Plan your work for that time of day. I promise you can craft your days to suit you. We’ve been doing it for generations!

  • How to be organized…

    How to be organized…

    It’s a huge topic so, let’s narrow down to…hmm…how do I put this? Let’s start at the beginning. I have always been an organizing type of person. As a small child I received my first box of small crayons, it was a box of 8 regular size crayons. I was 4 or 5 years old. I had to have my crayons in order. So, I ask for each family members favorite color and lined my crayons up by the importance of each member. Green for Dad, yellow for Mom, blue & red, orange & purple, brown & black. And my box of crayons stayed that way for 3 years. Now looking back, I wonder if I wasn’t trying to exert some control of my situation. I was the youngest of 5 girls. They were always talking or arguing. Ages ran by 2’s then 5’s, when I was born there was a 14, 12, 10, and 5 year old in the home.

    Fast forward, today I am married to a man with ADHD, 37 years! He does not plan. To plan is to fight his entire mind and the way it works. However, I plan, for both our sanities’. But especially mine. My mind does not work as quickly as his does. Mine is not as creative as his is. If I had no plan, I would never do anything. Whereas, he has no plan and is always working on some project or another. So, I plan just so I can keep up with him!

    Do you want to slow the speed of life?

    I have not always been a big planner. When the children were small there was no time to properly plan. Every day started at a run. I relied on routines and a mandatory nap time. It wasn’t until I began homeschooling the youngest that I saw the need for planning. And then again when the older ones joined the U.S. Navy, I saw the need to plan my days if I was going to accomplish anything.

    In the past 5 years I have collected a slew of free planners, read a few books on planning your day, week, month, life. And, I have learned how to use Canva! So, I create my own planners. I don’t buy planners. I never stick with one planner all year. Seasons come and go; interruptions are part of life. I may be called away from home and my home planner becomes obsolete. I print my planner month by month. And slowly I am working out what works best for me.

    My point in all this rambling is that creating a plan for our daily lives may be the first step in learning to be organized. Any thoughts you’d like to share?