Reflecting on My Dad’s Love: A Father’s Day Tribute

June 13, 2025June 12, 2025 RefreshHer2 Comments

This Father’s Day weekend, I have been thinking much about my dad who has been in heaven for a little more than two years. His passing was hard, but honestly, he had suffered so much that we were all relieved that he was no longer sick, but was now in heaven with His Savior. As the song goes, “All is peace forevermore, on that happy Golden Shore.” I can only imagine all he has been enjoying since his feet touched that Golden shore!

There are many things that I desperately miss about him that made him the best father a daughter could ask for. Here are just three…

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Easy Ways to Create Memorable Family Meals

March 12, 2025March 12, 2025 RefreshHerLeave a comment

This is part of the series, Maytag, Messes and Meals. You can listen to this post here on Refresh Her podcast.

I have a love for anything to do with the kitchen. I love to cook and bake. I love to try new recipes. However, I know not everyone is that way. It’s a struggle to:

Cook a meal that everyone will eat.
To find the time to prepare.
To clean up the mess afterwards.
To get inspired to invite people over.

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Daily Life, · Family life · friends

Elevate Ordinary Days with Meaningful Connections

February 28, 2025February 26, 2025 RefreshHerLeave a comment

We’ve had a little time at home in between our meetings and we’ve stayed busy! But it wasn’t just busy for the sake of being busy. As I look back on the week, I see a definite theme.

I got to meet up and have lunch with my sweet friend. Days might be full, but we all need to make time for fellowship and friendship. I recently heard a message by Chuck Swindoll and he said,

“We come into church like marbles instead of grapes!”

In other words, we don’t let our lives mesh with others. I’m thankful for my grape friend who helps me not be a marble! Our time together enable us to connect far better than sending a text message! It was up close, personal and meaningful.

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Family life · Home making

Maytag, Messes & Meals

February 19, 2025February 18, 2025 RefreshHerLeave a comment

The podcast for this post has more details. You can listen here.

I have never built a home, yet I am a home builder. As a matter of fact, if you live in a home with at least one other person, you are a home-builder, too.

Every wise woman builds her house,

but the foolish plucks it down with her hands.

Proverbs 14:1

That verse reminds us that we are either building up or tearing down.

Recently I have had a couple of conversations about what is expected as far as the condition of our homes. Women have wondered,

“Does it really matter that my home is a mess?”
“How clean and orderly does a home really need to be?

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Dates · Fall · Family life

The Best Day At the Apple Orchard

August 23, 2024August 24, 2024 RefreshHer1 Comment

My girls and I have birthdays two weeks apart from one another, beginning with Alli on August 21. Two weeks later it’s my birthday, and two weeks later Whitney celebrates hers. For Alli’s celebration this week, she wanted to go to Skytop Apple Orchard in Flat rock, NC and she invited Dale and me to join her and her family. I was excited to go because I’d heard about this pretty orchard, but had never been.

The weather couldn’t have been any better! The temps were cool, and the sky clear with plenty of sunshine. We got there at 10:00. I wore a cotton “sweatshirt” and was glad for the long sleeves! It felt like a fall day, though I’m sure we still have plenty of warm days ahead. The cool temps allowed us to enjoy all the fun things they have to offer at Sky Top.

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