Carolyn Astfalk is a wife, mother, and author of contemporary Catholic romances, including her latest, All in Good Time. She formerly worked as a communications director and now works just to keep her head above water. Find her books on Amazon and her other words scattered around the blogosphere and social media.
When my oldest son was about five, we launched our allowance system that incorporated four piggy banks. Taking a cue from Dave Ramsey, we set up piggies for long-term savings, short-term savings, spending money, and charity.
That system served us well for eleven years. My youngest son just joined the allowance crowd (as his older brother is about to turn sixteen and, God-willing, find a “real” job), and it was time to overhaul the system.
2 CommentsWelcome to the April 2019 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart AND CatholicMom.com! With his new job, my husband is…
8 CommentsLinking up with That Artsy Reader Girl for Top 10 Tuesday . . .
I’ve come late to podcasts. Very late. Until recently, I’ve had very little quiet, uninterrupted time in my life. Even now, if I try to listen to audio when my family is around, I end up frustrated by near-constant interruptions. So, I save listening to audiobooks and podcasts for when everyone is asleep or out of the house.
We also had an issue with a shared Apple ID, which essentially meant my husband and I sharing a podcast app. That was problematic, so I deleted the app from my phone and didn’t look back.
Now, however, we have separate Apple IDs, and a world of podcasts has opened up to me. I’ve been sampling some, listening here and there, and I’ve found one I absolutely love (the top spot below) and many others worth a second or third listen.
I’ve always called radio my “first love,” so it’s fun to venture into these audio adventures. Maybe I’ll even get more housecleaning done with them playing in the background!
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Anxiety, depression, and panic disorder are featured in these recommended books. They are, in my opinion, well-depicted with realism and authenticity. Often, mental illness is isolating, and these books remind those who suffer from these disorders that they are not alone. They also help those who haven’t experienced these disorders to understand what it might be like to live with them.
For reasons unknown (or not recalled), I didn’t review two other books I’ve read and would recommend that include this topic: Undeniably Yours by Becky Wade and Song of Silence by Cynthia Ruchti.
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If your idea of celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day goes beyond green beer and “Kiss me, I’m Irish” stickers” here are some reading selections that feature Ireland, many honoring its faith and its patron saint.
Welcome to the March 2019 edition of An Open Book, hosted both at My Scribbler’s Heart AND CatholicMom.com! My husband stumbled across The Lost Art…
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Last month, I had the privilege of serving as a judge for a national writing contest for teens. I was randomly assigned to the poetry category, which left me somewhat anxious. Other than pages of song lyrics I composed in high school, I’ve not written poetry. I’ve read some, but not a lot.
I asked for prayers and the guidance of the Holy Spirit as I read entries and did my very best at evaluating the poems entrusted to me. Writing, and poetry in particular, can be very personal. And subjective.
The selection of poems impressed me, mainly because of the heartfelt emotions the students bared. And while some poems were a bit clumsy or poorly written, many demonstrated great skill.
What struck me most about the poems, however, was not their level of quality, but the hopelessness that marked many of the entries.
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