Lia Tobin

[Deidré Wallace @relationshipsdw]

“You have to work at being happy. Some people work at being miserable. If I wake up in the morning and don’t feel great or things are not great, I try to think about what I can do to make things work better, rather than just falling into that deep hole, because then you just go deeper and deeper.”
-Dolly Parton.

[Dawid Pałka @Dawid_Palka_]

Wygodne dzieciństwo to najdroższy prezent, jaki możesz dać dziecku. Zapłaci za niego w dorosłym życiu...

Dlatego ja w ten weekend dałem synom prezent odwrotny. Trzy dni wakacji bez wygód: spali w aucie i pod namiotem. Jedli mielonkę z puszki. Zamiast pada dostali scyzoryk. Bunkry, zamki, słowiańskie osady, brud za paznokciami i kąpiele w jeziorze.

Stać mnie na pięć gwiazdek i właśnie dlatego ich nie wybrałem.

Bo współczesny rodzic ma jedną religię: żeby dziecku było wygodnie. Wygodnie w domu, wygodnie w aucie, wygodnie na wakacjach. A potem to samo dziecko, dwadzieścia lat później, ma nerwicę i podniesiony kortyzol, kiedy coś nie dzieje się tak, jak chce. Mam dość tego, co robimy dzieciom, wmawiając sobie, że "dajemy im to, co najlepsze".

Gówno prawda. To nie jest dawanie, to jest zabieranie.

Zabieranie skali porównawczej, odporności, głodu, radości z małych rzeczy.

Dziecko, które zna tylko all inclusive plus, nie wie, że to luksus. Myśli, że tak działa świat. I potem świat mu to brutalnie wyjaśnia i to w najgorszym możliwym momencie, kiedy ciebie już nie ma obok.

Ja dałem im perspektywę, z którą miliony ludzi mierzą się na co dzień, a której wiele współczesnych dzieciaków nie zna: zmęczenie i głód. Zwykły, fizyczny głód po całym dniu łażenia po bunkrach, przy którym mielonka z puszki smakuje jak stek. I zmęczenie, po którym w aucie zasypia się w połowie zdania, szybciej niż w penthousie na królewskim materacu.

A wieczorami, przy kuchence, działo się coś, czego nie widziałem od miesięcy. Zaczęli GADAĆ. Nie o Minecrafcie, youtuberach i 67 tylko o tym co czuje, o strachach, o tym kim chcą być kiedyś. Chłopak nie otwiera się kiedy TY chcesz żeby to się stało- przy stole na godzinnym "quality time". Otwiera się w trzeciej dobie męczącej podróży w której coś naprawdę przeżył i doświadczył i jest z siebie dumy, bo odpowiada za całą resztę sam gotując kolację albo nawigując całą podróż za pomocą mapy.

Nie mówię, że All inclusive plus jest złe, kiedyś też tak pojedziemy ale dopiero kiedy już będą wiedzieli, że to nagroda. A nie norma.

[Massimo @Rainmaker1973]

For more than 20 years, Norwegian neuroscientist Audrey van der Meer has investigated how handwriting shapes the human brain.

In a landmark 2024 study published in Frontiers in Psychology, her team used high-density EEG caps to monitor brain activity in students while they either wrote by hand with a digital pen or typed on a keyboard.

The difference was dramatic. Handwriting produced a powerful, synchronized burst of neural activity across widespread regions of the brain, linking areas involved in memory formation, sensory processing, and deep learning. In contrast, typing the exact same content caused this rich cognitive network to largely shut down. Because typing uses repetitive, uniform keystrokes, it demands little spatial or cognitive effort, leaving key learning centers quiet and disengaged.

These neurological differences have a direct effect on how we process and remember information. Earlier research by Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer at Princeton University reached similar conclusions. Students who took notes by hand consistently outperformed those using laptops on conceptual understanding tests. Handwriting forces active listening, critical thinking, and real-time summarization, while typing often leads to verbatim transcription with minimal processing.

Our brains function as part of an embodied biological system. Replacing rich physical actions with effortless digital keystrokes may deliver short-term convenience, but it comes at the expense of deeper cognitive engagement.

The solution is simple and timeless: pick up a pen.

[Van der Meer, A. L. H., et al. (2024). Handwriting versus typing: A neurophysiological comparison of brain activity during learning. Frontiers in Psychology, 15. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1234567]

[The married man @marriedmn]

Appreciate the small things your husband does.

Many men quietly stop trying because nothing they do is ever enough.

He pays the bills, fixes things in the house, wakes up early, and still hears more complaints than thanks.

A simple “thank you” or “I see your effort” can change the whole atmosphere in the home.

Men don’t need constant praise.
But a man who feels completely unappreciated will eventually stop giving his best.

Just a simple thank you will do a lot to that man than you think.

[The Transformed Wife 🦋 @godlywomanhood]

Never give up on your marriage. You made a vow to God and your husband “until death do you part.” Be on your knees praying for your marriage. Become the wife commands you to be. Pour grace freely upon him, as Christ does for you. This is a spiritual battle. Let God fight this battle for you while you trust Him.

[Nickitruesdell @nickitruesdell]

If this is your first year to homeschool, let me prepare you for a few things.

You are answering the call to discipleship. It is a wonderful and amazing gift to be able to raise children, and the responsibility for their hearts and minds is huge! As you embark on this new way of life, remember that is IS a way of life. It is a marathon, and not a sprint.

You may expect perfect little pupils and a 1950's-storybook-day. Sometimes you'll get that and sometimes you won't. Your kids may love the curriculum you chose. Or not. They're kids.

There will be sick days and water-heater-leak days. There will be amazing moments of learning, and there will be tears during math. One day you'll think homeschooling is the best decision you've ever made, and the next day you'll wonder what you were thinking.

This is all very normal, because this is parenting. Now you're parenting with school supplies!

Remember, more than little school students, you are nurturing hearts and souls. You are raising the next generation. As home educators, you have the gift of time on your side. Parenting isn't always a breeze, and neither is homeschooling. It's a commitment for the long-term.

Remember this when the day doesn't go as planned. Remember the big picture. Take a deep breath. Pause and pray. And then do the next thing.

[Just Wow @justt_wow]

Currently accepting zero criticism, instructions, or interruptions!! 😾

[Giorgio @perennialmystic]

“Most people do not realize how beautiful the world is and how much radiance reveals itself in the tiniest things—in some flower, in a stone, in tree bark, or in a birch leaf.”

— Rainer Maria Rilke

[Trey & Lea's Stronger Marriages @StrongMarriage5]

If I’m grabbing coffee, I want my spouse with me.
If I’m going on a road trip, I want my spouse next to me.

If I get good news, my spouse is the first person I call. If I get bad news... my spouse is still my first call.

Turns out, I didn’t just marry someone... I married my
favorite person.

[living in style✨️ @livinginstyle26]

Shades of purple💜

[Creditor @redbeard172023]

Men protect women in the physical realm; women uphold men in the spiritual realm.

- - -

A man’s strength is meant to become shelter, not domination. His courage should create safety, his discipline should create stability, and his presence should give those entrusted to him confidence that they need not face every battle alone. The masculine instinct to protect is at its highest expression when power is governed by wisdom, restraint, and purpose.

A woman’s strength often manifests differently. She can protect a man in places no weapon can reach: his heart, his peace, his identity, his spirit, and his sense of purpose. A woman who truly loves a man does not merely admire his strength; she helps preserve the soul beneath it. She can become a place where he can lay down the armor he is required to wear in the world without surrendering his dignity.

The physical and spiritual realms are not competitors; they complement one another.

A man stands between his family and the storms of the world, while a woman stands beside his spirit when the storm is within him. He builds the walls; she makes the home worth defending. He carries the burden of external responsibility; she reminds him why the burden is worth carrying.

Neither role should become an excuse for weakness.

The divine masculine does not seek control over the feminine; it seeks mastery over itself. It protects without possessing, leads without humiliating, provides without demanding worship, and stands firm without becoming hard-hearted.

The divine feminine does not exist merely to serve the masculine. She strengthens without diminishing herself, nurtures without enabling weakness, challenges without contempt, and loves without abandoning wisdom.

The highest form of masculine–feminine union is therefore not dependence, but mutual guardianship:

He guards her safety; she guards his spirit.

He brings strength to the home; she brings depth to that strength.

He stands firm when the world becomes hostile; she reminds him who he is when the battle becomes internal.

He protects the body; she protects the heart.

Together, they protect the covenant between them.

A man should become strong enough to protect what is sacred, yet humble enough to understand that even the strongest man needs someone who can reach the places his armor cannot.

That is not weakness; that is partnership.

Perhaps the deepest masculine wisdom is this:

“I do not protect you because you are incapable of standing on your own. I protect you because what is precious deserves to be guarded. And I accept your love because even a strong man needs a sanctuary where his soul can rest.”

[Chase Tobin - 3 Pillars Podcast @_ChaseTobin]

The Sweetness of Patience

Have you ever plucked fruit prematurely?

Perhaps you were drawn in by its vibrant color or sweet scent moving through the air. But when you took the first bite, you realized it lacked the ripeness you anticipated. Everything seemed right at first glance, but there was one missing ingredient…

Time.

Even the simple act of picking fruit can teach us about time and patience:

“Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You, too, be patient and stand firm because the Lord’s coming is near.”
James 5:7-8

The author, James, penned these words under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to a community of new Jewish converts to Christianity, dispersed throughout various regions. These early Christians faced many trials, including persecution and opposition, because of their newfound faith. James’ call to wait patiently and endure was more than mere words on a page; they were a lifeline of hope and encouragement in the midst of adversity.

And just as those early believers confronted trials, we, too, will encounter challenges and suffering in our Christian journey. And, just like those early believers, you can choose patience—allowing the fruit of the Spirit to ripen within you, no matter the season of life. And when you do, your character will mature, your faith will deepen, and your relationship with God will become sweeter than you could imagine.

Patience always bears the fruit of perseverance and strength, even today and even for you!

God, You are the perfect example of patience and grace. Thank You for being patient with me! I know there are specific areas of my life where I need to develop more patience—I surrender those areas to You, and am asking for Your help. Fill me with hope and wisdom to trust You, especially during challenging times. In Jesus’ name, Amen.