SRKindredSpirits

Sometimes you just have to say goodbye to toxic people. To detach. A family member, who is a toxic person, will take advantage of the fact that you are family – a bond that is supposed to be enduring, loving, and respectful – to manipulate and hurt you, because we are conditioned to believe that if we end relationships with them, that we are “bad” and no one wants to be or feel like they are an inherently bad person. Toxic extended family members cause a lot of stress. It is hard work just to be around them. Many times you are always on edge, cautious, trying to live up to their ideals, yet always failing. Their manipulation, drama, neediness, criticism, jealousy, and other negative traits drain you emotionally and make you feel bad about yourself. All of these things affect your health both directly and indirectly. We spend years sacrificing our mental and emotional health in abusive relationships under the notion that we “have to” because these people are our fam

Our youngest daughter has been wanting a hamster for a few years now, and since we got rid of all the animals this past year, I thought it would be the perfect Christmas gift. And since we try to practice a somewhat minimalist lifestyle and the kids always end up with too many gifts, I thought a hamster would be the perfect gift... something she wanted, something small, it would help teach her more responsibility, it is relatively quiet, and it would have no toys to add to the clutter! I should have questioned the idea when the new cage came 2 weeks before Christmas and it wasn't the right size...  I had to buy a different stand for it to set on, so that was an extra $40, but I thought we'd make do.... it just takes up more space and it don't look near as neat as the last hamster cage I made out of a bookcase a few years back.... Then I went all out buying new water bottles, running wheels, snacks, food, running ball, bedding, treats, chew toys, etc.... it ended

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm and harmony.”  -Thomas Merton It seems so often in life, things get out of balance. Health, finances/money, relationships, work, play, decorating, time, church, social media, electronics, etc. Most of us live a life that is far out of balance – putting the things that are not as important first, or letting them tip the scales too far in one direction. And like I tell my kids, "Too much of a good thing is not a good thing!" Everything is good in moderation and balance. The definition of what balance means to each of us is different, but there are some universal truths. For instance: each us needs a healthy work and life balance to be truly healthy and happy, and our mind, and soul must be in balance to truly be at peace, and to live a life of harmony.  "Follow the laws of Nature and you’ll never go wrong"  - Dr. Forrest C. Shaklee  Living in Harmony with Nature means bringi

Merry Christmas from our family to yours! Another year has come and gone.... things change, and yet, some how, things stay the same.  We still live on our 7 acres of ' heaven here on earth' and still love our little peice of property, although this is the first year we have no animals... We have really enjoyed embracing simplicity and our own kind of minimalistic living the last few years. It's amazing what life has to offer when you realize enough is just that, enough ! Stephen is still the love of my life , my rock, protector, provider, and who I want to grow old with. He keeps busy at work, in his shop, and with his mustang. Working on my never ending honey to do list, and keeping our property and home looking nice. I, Rhoda, am still learning to choose joy , and say no to things that aren't important. I am learning to take care of my health . I keep up with our Shaklee business , and do all the mom things.... Faith is 17 yrs, and bough

No matter how often you see the movie, "It's A Wonderful Life", you will be entranced. It is flawless, and my all time favorite Christmas movie. It is the kind of experience movies were invented for...  A kind man, overwhelmed by life's trials, is visited by a heavenly messenger and gains a new lease on life. George Bailey dreams of seeing the world and having a grand impact on it. But small-town responsibilities strand him at home. The family business struggles to stay afloat, enduring constant attacks by a power-hungry tyrant. Pressures mount until George reaches the breaking point, convinced the world would be better off had he never existed. To show him what that world would've been like, a friendly angel (without wings) escorts George through that same town—now a dark place having never felt his virtuous influence. In the end, George embraces the wonderful life he nearly threw away. Here are some powerful quotes from "It's A Wonde

We are four years into our clutter free living journey and still going strong. We have litterily gotten rid of hundreds and thousands of items.... two four wheelers, my hubbys entire wood shop and tools, filing cabinets, chairs, benches, lamps, gun cabinet, dressers, and tons of household miscilanious stuff. I continue to go through cupboards, closets and drawers, and continue to remove the unnecessary. I still love this journey and the benefits that we are enjoying since living with less... We bought new bikes so our whole family of 5 can ride bike together. Getting rid of clutter has helped me reduce a tremendous amount of stress. We got rid of all of our animals, and as a result, we can travel more and enjoy weekend trips. It has given us more time to do things as a family. It keeps the house neat and tidy. I almost never have to pick up toys in the livingroom, and the counters stay open and clear. It makes us feel lighter and happy. The simple t

Have you ever wondered why people hang tinsel on Christmas trees, or how candy canes became synonymous with the winter holiday? While these holiday decorations may seem commonplace, most of these traditional decorations have a special meaning to us as Christians. The green evergreen or fir tree signifies the everlasting light and life. Romans decorated their houses with evergreen branches during the New Year, and the fir tree symbolized life during the winter. The branches of the fir tree points upward toward the heavens. Reminding us to reflect on everything God has given us and for the things to come. The Christmas star and twinkling lights symbolizes the star of Bethlehem, which according to the Biblical story, guided the three wise men to the baby Jesus. A star is also the heavenly sign of prophecy fulfilled long ago and the shining hope for humanity. We give gifts to loved ones in honor of the birth of Jesus, which inspired the concept of giving gifts durin