Influence is defined as "the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself" according to dictionary.com. Influence happens to be the one-word writing prompt for Five Minute Friday. Since it's now Sunday, I'm late to the party. But that word is one that I take very seriously. START As I think back over my life, I've been influenced by many people and circumstances. Some are good and others not so good. During my childhood, my mom was always there for me. She was m…

As 2018 is coming to a close, I want to pause and reflect on some of the things I learned. I think it's important to learn lessons. After all, I want to move forward and not repeat the mistakes I've made along the way. "Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it."  Winston Churchill 1. You can lose weight, but you need a plan to keep it off for the long term.  I started off 2017 with the goal of losing weight. For most of my adult life, I weighed 120 pounds. But over time, with the stress and seasons of life, I'd…

It's Five Minute Friday when I link up with other writers. We get a one-word prompt and get to write for five minutes flat. Our word for this week is VALUE . START The word value brings to mind something that is important. I've heard it said that you can easily see what's important to you by looking at your receipts or your checkbook log. We usually spend money on what we value most. Yesterday was Thanksgiving; a time to celebrate with friends and family and to feast on turkey and the fixings. I love this holiday because it focuses on thankfu…