SRKindredSpirits

I grew up in the 80s and 90's. I loved big hair, teal mustangs, pointed shoes, and ladies in skirt suits with shoulder pads.... when it came to my clothes and decorating my house. Everything had to match!  But here's the problem....  I could never get my house to look good.. it seamed something was always missing... or just not quite right. Over the years I've discovered a few things.... Teal cars are no longer cool, big hair doesn't work on everyone, comfortable shoes is better, shoulder pads are just yucky, and matching is way over rated. When it comes to your home, forget the matching - here's the secret to making your home look great! USE WHAT YOU LOVE Don't keep things you don't like. That means that stool you really don't like, or the ugly mug your Aunt Betty gave you, or the picture frame that's been in the family for years and you cant get rid of it, or someone will be upset.... let it go... if it doesn't bring ...

Behind the Laughter A Comedian's Tale of Tragedy and Hope By: Anthony Griffith and Dr. Brigitte Travis-Griffin with Mark Caro “I was living every comic’s dream…with a nightmare attached.” Anthony Griffith, a stand-up comic from Chicago’s South Side, has lived on the borderline of comedy and tragedy. At the very time his career as a stand-up comedian was taking off, and he had finally achieved his dream of appearing on The Tonight Show, he was also enduring an unimaginable personal nightmare: his two-year-old daughter, Brittany Nicole, was dying from cancer. While Anthony performed under bright lights, he struggled not to succumb to the darkness of losing a child. Behind the Laughter asks, When your world is falling apart, how do you keep going? It’s the story of how Anthony and his wife, Brigitte, learned to endure the most painful of times and emerge on the other side of the “zombie years.” Although, I have not had a child die from cancer, I could definitely relate ...

How many bottles do you have in your shower? I'll wait, while you go count them.... I seen on Facebook the other day that a couple had twenty, yes twenty bottles in their shower for two people! There is never a reason to have that many, or even half that many bottles in the shower, ever! Tonight, while I was complaining that our shower has no cubbies/shelves in it,  my husband reminded me that I really needed to use minimalism in our shower.... And while it would be really nice to have a couple built in shelves in the shower, he really does have a point.... The thing is, most of us are guilty of buying another shampoo, conditioner, shaving cream, facial cleanser, or shower gel.... and sometimes, we often keep our old bottles that are half full along with our new ones. Just pick out your favorite and toss the rest. You don't need so many bottles.... I mean If I was rich, I'd pay to have lazer hair removal, so I could get rid of my shaving cream, sha...

The Theft of America's Soul Blowing the Lid Off the Lies That Are Destroying Our Country By: Phil Robertson  Our family has always loved the A&E show Dusk Dynasty and the whole Duck Commander Family (although Phil and Jase have always been my favorite!). So, when I when I had the chance to review this book, I thought -a little wisdom from Phil Robertson himself wouldn't hurt! And I was Right! Phil is the real deal, I like how he is not ashamed of his past or the mistakes he made, but rather how he has learned from them and uses it to help others. I love the simple down to earth, easy to talk to way of Phil Robertson. At a ripe age and more money than he will ever spend, the question could be asked, "Why would he subject himself to persecution and ridicule?" The answer is simple, He truly knows and believes Jesus is the son of God. He knows that those who open their hearts can be changed. Phil makes a compelling point: Without God, America ha...

Dishes in the sink, toys throughout the house, stuff covering every flat surface; this clutter not only makes our homes look bad, it makes us feel bad, too. Walk into any middle-class home in the U.S. and you will come face to face with stuff—toys, trinkets, family photos, furniture, games, DVDs, TVs, digital devices of all kinds, souvenirs, nick-knacks, food, and more. We put our stuff anywhere in the house, every where there's room, or even if there's no room. We have Clutter-strewn garages, abandoned yards and families who are too busy to actually enjoy the possessions they work hard to acquire.  George Carlin famously observed that "a house is just a pile of stuff with a cover on it." Buy stuff. Keep it. Get more of it. Keep that, too. Store it. Display it. Spend time on it. Spend money on it. Worry about it. Stress over it. Repeat. We are a clutter culture, and that, my friends is sad. When clutter takes over, the home, can become a large cont...

A few days ago, I stopped by my kids elementary school. While waiting, I was seated beside a kid in my son's special needs class. When a staff member asked the kid a question, he simply screamed, then turned to me and smiled. I'm sorry - (not sorry), but what that kid needs is a good slap on the mouth.... I don't care if your kid is Autistic, has ADHD, has Aspergers, is slow, hyper, or any other thing. Kids need to learn how to act. They need to realize they really are not that great. The world DOES NOT revolve around them! I have a special needs kid and I know that life is difficult for him, its hard for him to understand simple things, and to communicate, but we have taught him to use his words, to respond to people, and to simply be a good kid. And you know what?!?!? We get compliments almost everywhere we go with him. Just this week, his Endo Doctor told him that out of all the kids she sees in her practice, no other kid has ever been so polite and well behave...

One thing that you always read when it comes to kids toys and minimalism is how to get rid of them or why fewer toys benefit your kids . But you never hear about how many toys are too many? I asked myself the same thing a lot through the years, and while I know minimalism is different for every one, I thought I'd let you know what works for us and how we handle our kids toys. Our two girls ages seventeen and nine, share a small room and closet . We have a set of bunk beds, and they each have their own desk, and folding chair. There are five (six cube) storage organizers in their room, along with a saucer chair, a clothes basket, and a guitar. The 17 yr old has outgrown toys obviously and now collects books!  Below is a list of every toy my nine-year-old has. We have condensed all her toys to fit in either a shoe box, a fabric cube, or a small drawer, with the exception being the barbie toys in a tub. There are 4 clear plastic shoe boxes that hold a little puppies ...

"He never saw it coming. It was the night of Dave and Ann’s tenth wedding anniversary and if asked how their marriage was doing, Dave would have said a 9.8 out of 10 and he even guaranteed Ann would say the same. But instead of giving a celebratory kiss, Ann whispered, “I’ve lost my feelings for you.”  Divorce seemed inevitable. But starting that night, God began to reveal to Dave and Ann the most overlooked secret of getting the marriage we are looking for: the horizontal marriage relationship just doesn’t work until the vertical relationship with Christ is first." This book was a fun and a good read in more ways than one... couples often think of marriage as husband and wife. But a great marriage only works if it's vertical - husband, wife and God! The book was divided into four parts... Going Vertical, Conflict and Communication, Intimacy (which was my favorite), and Living Vertical.  I have always found it odd that many Christians think that it's wro...

  Dressing Your Truth is a makeover and beauty system that is about expressing and honoring your authentic nature. Dressing your truth is based on the idea that our personality, features, energy and strengths or weaknesses can all be used to categorize each of us into one of four types. Type 1: The Bright and Animated – Extroverted, ideas-person. Fun. Type 2: The Subtle and Soft – Introverted, nurturing. Blended. Type 3: The Rich and Dynamic –  Extroverted, entrepreneurial. Loud. Type 4: The Bold and Striking –  Introverted, perfection-oriented. Direct. Each type is associated with a specific energy pattern and certain traits about how they move through their world. The overall theory is that by coordinating how you dress with your energy type, you can look your very best. Each energy type is reflected in nature. Type 1: Nitrogen Think of the energy of air (upward, light). The type 1 person is bright, animated and has a gift for new ideas ...

YOUTH Lash Revitalizing & Conditioning Mascara is a 2-in-1 lash conditioner and mascara that lengthens, volumizes and lifts to help create longer, fuller, and healthier looking lashes. Are you looking for a Mascara that feels as good as it looks? Do you want long, beautiful lashes? Do you have sensitive eyes? Are you confused by the clutter of mascara in stores? This one checks all the boxes.   Why I love it: Specifically formulated with our unique Lash Protection Complex: patent-pending Muscadine Grape polyphenols & multi-patented Vital Repair+ to help strengthen lashes, and protect lashes and roots against environmental / free radical damage. Made from naturally derived mineral pigment to provide a glossy looking black finish. Features an innovative 2-sided brush to help create a natural, elegant look: Shorter bristles grab close to the root, boosting volume and lengthening beyond belief. Longer bristles create definition and lift ev...

Theology From the Spring - by Jacob Taggart  My hubby and I love nature. I love the sound of a stream, with the leaves rustling overhead.... and wh en we are surrounded by Gods beautiful creation, we feel, completely, and utterly free! You see, for us, there is  no clear line between religion and nature. And though I don't fly fish, I still benefited from this unique look at spring creeks as they reveal the truths of the Gospel.  Pastor Jacob A. Taggart takes his readers on a voyage to pull them out from behind their screens and back into the world that reflects the One Who created everything. He uses divine truths that make sense of the beauty and chaos we see within the created order.  For me personally the book was deep, and a little hard to read. But then again, I'm not a theologian or an avid reader!  Overall, whether you are searching for God, or you are a seasoned Chrsitian, this book  can still awe and inspire you by bringi...