My original work-from-home journey began when I started creating sewing and craft patterns/tutorials in 2006 and selling them as digital files. I did that for about 8 years, but I stopped when life became more demanding as a homeschool mom in our younger son's middle school years. Selling self-published digital files has escalated tremendously in the last few years as passive income has become highly popularized. So, I am getting back on that path now that both of our sons are grown and have graduated.  But creating and selling digital files is only a small portion of how one can earn passive income. So, before we move on, let's discuss the meaning of passive income. It's very simple really. All it means is that a digital product is created once and it will continue to earn money with very little to no effort as long as it remains online for purchase. With that said, though, some work and marketing efforts are required to create and sell the items. It isn't lazy work by...

My husband once commented that I love to cook. I'm not sure where he got that idea! I love to eat .  I have to cook to be able to eat and feed my family. So, I have simplified a lot of the main dish recipes I've collected since we were married in 1989. I share my simple recipes with you on this site from time to time. Dump dishes, crockpot meals, and pressure cooker meals are my absolute favorites, because I use fewer dishes and utensils to prepare the meals, which means less cleanup afterward. I occasionally make meals with side dishes that I also provide a few recipes for - or share my favorite packaged side dishes.  image courtesy of Alyson McPhee via Unsplash Many of my meals can also be used as leftovers for a family of 3 to 4, which is a time-saver as well as budget friendly in a world of escalating prices. I hope you and your family enjoy the meals from the simple recipes I provide. I'd love for you to leave comments when you try them.  Thanks for dropping by!...

Preparing for Meditation Home base This post will be home base for all of our meditation. I will link to this post in all meditation posts from this point on so you can refer to the details and prepare your soft music/sounds (if preferred) and other supplies before we begin meditating. These meditations will be Christian based. I invite you to join us for the peace this will provide. They are meant to help release stress, let go of anxieties, and accept life's circumstances. Problems arise, life happens, but we don't have to let these things control our lives.  That being said, though, t h ese meditations are not meant to take the place of medical assistance that you may need.  image courtesy of Daniela Cuevas via Unsplash What you will need First, you need to find a quiet, comfortable place to sit. If on the floor, then be sure you have a comfortable cushion or mat. If on a sofa or chair, it should be comfy as well. You'll need a focal point, such as a candle flame (elect...

Meditation is a great way to relieve stress, empower ourselves, create mindfulness, realize our blessings, energize our day, sleep better. It's an overall peaceful experience . I'm now on 51 straight days of meditation. And I have incorporated meditation into my devotions and prayer time first thing every morning.  Image courtesy of  Sage Friedman via Unsplash God tells us many times in the Bible to meditate on His word. So, that's why I have chosen to meditate during the special time I have already set aside for Him. Sometimes, my prayers are my meditation. Sometimes, I pick out something beautiful from the passage or devotion and meditate on that 1 word or phrase. Sometimes, I listen to a guided meditation. Whichever way I meditate, I use the InsightTimer app on my iPhone to either time or listen to the morning meditation. You can find out more about InsightTimer on their  website . The countdown timer is free, and there are several free guided meditations and peaceful...

 Mondays are going to be our meeting days for healthy blog posts. We may talk about exercises. Sometimes, we'll talk about healthy eating. Other times, the discussion may be about healthy thoughts. All discussions in our health talks should meet your doctor's approval . Because....I'm not a doctor. I just like to find ways to live a healthier life, and since I like to help others, I'll share these tips with you. Image courtesy of  Nadine Primeau via Unsplash Thanks for dropping by today to read this update. I hope you'll like the newest addition to this site as a healthier lifestyle can make a big difference in how we feel about ourselves. Sticking with it is tough though. So, let's help each other master these difficult lifestyle changes.  Take care, Patricia #womenhelpingwomen #lifeistooshort #healthierme #helpingothers

In John 1:1-2 (NIV), John tells us,  "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning."   In John  1:14 (NIV), he continues with,  " The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us."  This parallels Genesis 1:26 (NIV) when  God said, “Let  us  make mankind in  our  image, in  our  likeness." This tells us that Jesus existed with God from the beginning. They are two different entities, yet they are the same. And according to my studies, every time the Word is mentioned in the Bible, it is referring to Jesus.  Therefore, every word Jesus spoke was from God Himself. No wiser man ever lived on this earth than Christ, the Son of God. That's why His words are often referenced in red. Dictionary.com says that red letter means:  memorable; especially important or happy . I always thought that the red letters in the Bible not only were memorable because Jesu...

We all know how busy life can be. And there seems to always be several interruptions along the way. The most important thing to remember is to just let life happen. Some days, you won't feel like being busy, so take the day off as best as you can. That sounds too simple, but that's the best advice I can give you.  As most of you can attest to as well, I can't count the number of times I've had to put off the plans in my life because something else came up. I'm not a selfish person, and as I will discuss more at some point, that made me feel like I had to be a people pleaser. And I'm not lazy, so I've always felt like I had to be busy doing something. Guess what? Reading a good book is something that I enjoy doing on days I need to give my muscles and/or brain a day off.  God, after all, did give us orders to rest 1 full day each week.  So, I am starting to do that now. That doesn't mean that I don't do anything on that day of rest, but I make our mea...

If you're looking for a way out of your stress, hobbies are a great way to release the unpleasantness that comes with stress. Perhaps there's a craft you have always wanted to learn, such as painting, cross stitch, quilting. Or maybe you never learned how to play the piano or the art of photography. Maybe you just want to be at one with nature. Maybe yoga or hiking are activities you would like to work into your life. Perhaps it's a combination of a few of these hobbies. Image courtesy of   Zeynep Sümer  via Unsplash The thing you need to learn about a hobby is to not let it stress you because it isn't moving along as fast as you think it should. Learning is a process in itself that should be calming, and once that hobby is accomplished, it should continue to calm you. A good hobby is something you do that makes you feel relaxed, as though you've been lying around all day. But on the contrary, you accomplished a few brush strokes on a free-style painting, hiked for ...

Revelation, yes, is a book in the New Testament of the Holy Bible. The word revelation also means an unveiling. Or perhaps a discovery. It can also mean, according to Oxford English Dictionary, "the divine or supernatural disclosure to humans of something relating to human existence or the world".  All of these will be used to teach what God expects of us in order to get to heaven - and to help others along the way. This message isn't for only one. It's for all. God loves everyone. Jesus died for all sins. The Holy Spirit wants you to come, just as you are, and join the side of the Good, those whose motives to do good are unselfish, their good deeds are done with a pure heart that only our Heavenly Father creates. Good deeds don't get us to heaven, but God works in us to perform these good deeds for his work so that others may know and respect him as Sovereign Lord. Image courtesy of Priscilla Du Preez via Unsplash Eventually, we all will die. Eventually, Jesus Ch...

These Saturday morning posts are simply a potpourri of ramblings. They may include my deep, personal thoughts, essays, or poems, delicious online or label recipes I have tried and want to share, fun or helpful information that I read online or receive in my inbox or mailbox, or insightful or empowering motivations.   Image courtesy of Mel Poole via Unsplash My goal for this site is to help women find their connections, inspire hope, create emotionally healthy conversations and well-being - and all through thought, chit-chat, tears, and laughter. As Dolly Parton said in Steel Magnolias, "Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion." In other words, this is where I want you to find yourself and the help you need even beyond my eBooks, work-from-home discussions, and other topics I will bring to the table.  Visit frequently and join the discussion. Tell us if you have tried and liked or disliked a recipe, tweaks you made to those recipes, what advice is or isn't helpful fo...

Transcribe Like a Pro My book,  Transcribe Like a Pro: Making Money from Home , has a lot of information in it to help you set yourself up to be a successful transcriptionist. However, here, I want to share more practical tips that will help you jumpstart your transcribing career whether you have read the book or not. Sleep Besides having the right equipment and the right working environment, you will also want to make sure you get plenty of sleep. Transcribing takes quite a bit of concentration and more energy than you may realize. And sitting in one place for long periods of time might make you groggy. This can be very dangerous. I've nearly fallen out of my chair before after not getting enough sleep. I could barely hold my eyes open. If this happens to you, take a 15- to 30-minute power nap to rejuvenate so you can safely return to work. Hydration and Exercise I can't express this enough; you will need to take frequent breaks even if you aren't sleepy. Transcribing can ...