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Guest post
Kicking the Mardi Gras Habit: Wisdom For the Wife of a Self-Made Man
01 year ago
This is a time of economic uncertainty. We have been counseled to be prepared and to live modestly within our means. Whether you have a regular income or not, you can create a haven of peace for your family as you even out the highs and lows between paychecks. This means provident living — a way of life that provides in advance for the needs of your family. Consistently approaching this with enthusiasm, confidence, and creativity (instead of with the desperate air of downtrodden deprivation) is a key to success.
From our friends at House of Order comes this article by Daunell Clarke.
Early on, we recognized a trend among people with irregular paychecks that we termed The Mardi Gras Syndrome. You know Mardi Gras: The Feast before The Fast; the time for gobbling the goods from fear that the Good Times may be gone forever. Mardi Gras is a way of life for many, but it creates in the soul an appetite of insatiable longing; it wreaks havoc through disruption to lives and destruction of financial stability. While both partners in a marriage are responsible for their decisions, I discovered that my husband’s happiness (and his success in his business) could be profoundly influenced by my willing ability to eradicate Mardi Gras from my heart.
Open Eyes, Open Heart
01 year ago
Even moving past the challenges of divorce, there are a whole new set of issues with remarriage. Frequently, children are involved as well as ex-spouses, and each person in the family means another relationship to forge. 
Married to a previously divorced man, Katrina Anderson writes keeping your eyes open when going into a step-family–but also keeping your heart open for the great love that can follow.
At age 24 I became a step-mother. I was suddenly a stay-at-home mom while my husband taught a university class. I went from being the fun friend to a parent out of pure necessity. I did everything every other mother does–-cooked, cleaned, wiped bottoms, drew baths, snuggled, prayed, dealt with whining and tantrums, comforted, and loved. Not that I didn’t also have a lot of fun that summer. I got to make a sea creature birthday cake for a 4-year-old and answer a 7-year-old’s important questions and help a 6-year-old learn to read.
The Prophet Is a Teacher
01 year ago
Through our examples, we can teach our children the importance of following the counsel of our leaders, even when it takes a lot of faith to do it.
Photo by Brian Tibbets
In this FHE lesson, we learn that we are taught by our prophet and the leaders of the Church. If we listen carefully to the Spirit, we will know what our Savior wishes us to do.
See the lesson by Mendi Stucki at FHE in a Snap.
How can we teach our children to follow the counsel of the prophet and church leaders? Leave a comment.
Amy’s Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies
01 year ago
Sometimes you just need some comfort food to take the edge off of a hard day. This recipe from Amy Lewis is a combination of two or three recipes that she came up with while she was on the quest to find the perfect chocolate chip cookie. 
It makes a lot of big cookies, so you can make them all or freeze some dough for later.
Or, you can take these already amazing cookies one step further and turn them into homemade ice cream sandwiches, as Mary Nersessian did for her son’s birthday. See the recipe at Caramels, Bonbons et Chocolats.
Did you make this recipe? How did they turn out? Let us know.
Note from the editor’s “test kitchen”: These cookies turned out very flat, perfect for ice cream sandwiches, but different than pictured. I added two extra cups of flour to give the cookies more bulk. Also, I lowered the baking temperature to 390 deg. and baked them for 8 minutes to prevent burning. Hope you enjoy the recipe as much as my family did!
A Couple’s Mission Report
11 year ago
Those considering serving as senior missionaries usually have questions like, Can we afford to serve? Is my health good enough? Can I handle being with my “companion” all the time? How about my family? Pat Huff answers
these questions and tells what she learned as a result of her and her husband’s decision to serve. Take a look at Mormon Mission Prep.
If you’ve served a mission, how did you find answers to your questions? Tell our readers about it.
Let it Go
11 year ago
As you journal, or as you write your family history, it’s important to not just write names and dates, but to include testimonies and life’s lessons learned. The topic of forgiveness is a great one to ponder and write our 
personal thoughts about.
Each of us makes mistakes. And each of us is also on the receiving end of mistakes. Try this challenge today: record how you’ve had to forgive someone. What was the process? How did you learn and grow from it? Read the rest at This Is Me Challenge.
Did you try the challenge? Let us know what you learned from it.
“Virtue” Activities
01 year ago
Being virtuous is not just about wearing modest clothing. It’s a lifestyle choice, one that’s dictated from the inside out. It’s deciding ahead of time to not waste your time with movies, music, or media that will eventually drag you down. 
It’s being gracious, well-mannered, and smart. It’s using your time and money wisely. It’s being honest. It’s living up to the standard God has for you as His Child.
Use these great ideas by J. Tolman at LDS Women of God to teach youth, your families, or even improve yourself. (more…)
Try one of these activities and let us know how it goes here!
16 Ways to Mark Your Scriptures
21 year ago
How do you mark your scriptures? Maybe you follow the tried-and-true, red-pencil method. Maybe you draw pictures in them or use stickers. Do you annotate in the margins, or are you worried about messing up those 
blank pages?
Michaela shares 16 ideas you may not have considered for marking your scriptures and truly making them your own personal books. Read her tips at Scriptorium Blogorium.
How do you mark your scriptures to make them more meaningful and personal? Please share your tips with us!
For Activity Day Girls: Learning New Hairstyles!
01 year ago
Photo from LDS Activity Day Ideas
Girls love learning about health and beauty! Learning new hairstyles was one of these girls’ favorite activities. Consider inviting someone in your ward–maybe one of the young women–to come talk to the girls about taking care of their hair. You can also use this writer’s helpful handout and give a copy to each girl. Try these hairdos with your Activity Day girls, your own daughters, or maybe even on yourself.
See all of the cute hairstyles at at LDS Activity Day Ideas.
What activities have your Activity Day girls enjoyed? Leave your suggestions for our readers.
Look Up When You Can’t Sing
11 year ago
Do you wonder what the purpose of your trials is? Even when we don’t understand the “whys” of our suffering, the scriptures tell us that “whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.” Your trial may be the very thing that enables 
you to be who you have the potential to become, the person you were always meant to be.
Rebeccca writes:
I have really been experiencing a refiner’s fire lately, and as I have been turning to the Lord for strength, and practicing charity, I have been learning that these trials are the Lord’s way of perfecting me and purifying me. For what? Maybe nothing other than to live with Him again someday. But as I look to the Lord for strength in my trials, and as I learn to forgive and love, I am feeling myself grow and develop in ways I didn’t even know I need to grow.
Read more at My Soul Delighteth.
How do you keep an eternal perspective during your most difficult times? Leave a comment.
