A Moment of Beauty at Filoli Gardens I received the most wonderful email last week saying, with precautions in place, a local historic garden I love to visit (and want to write about some day) was opening this week. You can bet I was there the day and moment they opened with my mask (that makes me look like a gangster) and took a walk through their beautiful paths that twist around the historic home. In case you also need a moment of beauty while on lockdown or as things ease and open in your area (we are at over…
Repost: Actress Amanda McDonough’s Journey From Deafness To A Loud Voice For Change
In honor of #storieswithstephfeb19 – An encouraging friend – When I think of someone inspiring, I consider actress Amanda McDonough and her new book #readytobeheard – How I lost my hearing and found my voice. Amanda and I met at a writer’s conference and I was immediately drawn to her sunshine personality and positivity. It was only when she moved her hands with sign language that I realized she had hearing issues. 🤘🏻 The main character in my middle grade fantasy is hard of hearing, so I felt honored when Amanda shared her story of waking one day to complete…
Cherish Precious Moments This Christmas
I wanted to wish you a wonderful holiday season and Christmas joy upon you and yours. I’ve been so grateful for each of you and am wishing I could have you over for coffee and sit a while together. I love Christmas and have been setting out little special corners of remembrances and happy, even silly things, to bring a smile. I’ve got five things to consider this month. Embrace the crazy Between a school play and several concerts for my son who loves music, we’ve been kept pretty busy. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when that happens. One day,…
Helping friends with loss during the holidays
With the leaves beginning to turn and October in the air, I’m gearing up for a busy time of year and gathering thoughts for holidays. Yesterday, a small fire was put out near our new home in the Bay Area (thankfully!) I’m reminded of some basic things that were so helpful in those years of recovery from surviving a wildfire and losing our home—and everything it takes to run your life and feel “normal”. If you have a friend that endured or had a loss during the recent wildfires, floods, or hurricanes, and they seem tough, I can guarantee that…
Starting From Scratch by Author Sara Ella
This holiday season, I’m sure you can relate to the high expectations we all have, and those moments when things take a turn we’d never expected, and it’s time to scratch our plans and chart a new path forward. In the midst of the craziness, take a break and enjoy some refreshment from my friend, very talented Author Sara Ella. Starting from Scratch by Sara Ella Do you ever buy those baking mixes from the grocery store? You know, the ones that basically come with everything you need except for oil, water, and eggs? They’re so easy to use, my…
Author Patricia Beal shares her nuggets of resilience – Giveaway and Blog Tour!
As a special part of the Just Commonly blog tour, I asked Author Patricia Beal to share her story of resilience, knowing she’s earned her stripes in terms of having a wonderful outlook despite very difficult circumstances such as the “biggies” she mentions below. When you meet her, all you see is her dazzling smile, witty sparkle, and you can feel the power packed in such a special person, like a gem with petite elegance and grace. I’m thrilled to share about her new novel, A Season To Dance, and host her giveaways below. And she’s been even more generous,…
Every Little Crumb Counts – How To Not Waste Lessons From Loss
In the wake of recent wildfires, floods, and disasters I want to encourage any of you in the midst of these tragedies, or supporting families who are affected by them. You’ve found yourself suddenly thrust into the center of a stage you never wanted to be on—one filled with sadness and hurt. Reflecting on the last ten years since we lost everything in a wildfire and also went through rough medical challenges with family, I’ve gathered some thoughts about how a similar series of losses have helped us in unusual ways. Every crumb of lessons we’ve learned has been helpful…
10 Things To Expect As Friends Rebuild Their Lives
Do you have a friend who’s had a sudden loss of property or huge life change? Here’s 10 things that you may want to anticipate as you partner to help them through this difficult season of life as they rebuild and start again. Decisions are hard – whether they’re dealing with doctors in a hospital or stacks of paperwork that suddenly replace their former home, a victim of trauma from fire or flood will have a hard time making small decisions. We all used to call it “fire brain” and try to joke, but it’s really difficult. When they hesitate,…
Hope for Recovery with Hurricane Harvey Victims, How You Can Help
That feeling when you have nothing. No toys for your children, just the shoes on your feet and maybe a couple of photos in the car or a computer. No pans to cook dinner in and no stove on which to prepare it. No sense of home or permanence. Thinking of getting through the day is awful, and the word “recovery” seems so hard and distant. And I can imagine what questions are swirling through the minds of those wonderful survivors in Houston with Hurricane Harvey. But I don’t want to leave you feeling alone. Or if you want to…
Trusting The Master’s Plan with Author Edie Melson
I first got to know Edie Melson like many writers do, through her terrific website The Write Conversation, a top site for writers to learn the craft. Then I heard her story of amazing resilience while her son served in the military, and saw her encourage other families. I interviewed her for a special project benefiting wildfire victims HERE. Most recently, I’ve watched Edie’s dreams of writing fiction come to life and found such encouragement in her writing path, and how she’s always used each experience to the fullest. She is a champion for writers, but also for those who…
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