Decalogue for Daily Living

1. Only for today, I will seek to live the livelong day positively, without wishing to solve the problems of my life all at once.


2. Only for today, I will take the greatest care of my appearance: I will dress modestly; I will not raise my voice; I will be courteous in my behavior; I will not criticize anyone; I will not claim to improve or to discipline anyone except myself.

3. Only for today, I will be happy in the certainty that I was created to be happy, not only in the other world but also in this one.

4. Only for today, I will adapt to circumstances, without requiring all circumstances to be adapted to my own wishes.

5. Only for today, I will devote ten minutes of my time to some good reading, remembering that just as food is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul.

6. Only for today, I will do one good deed and not tell anyone about it.

7.Only for today, I will do at least one thing I do not like doing; and if my feelings are hurt, I will make sure no one notices.

8. Only for today, I will make a plan for myself: I may not follow it to the letter, but I will make it. And I will be on guard against two evils: hastiness and indecision.

9. Only for today, I will firmly believe, despite appearances, that the good Providence of God cares for me as no one else who exists in this world.

10. Only for today, I will have no fears. In particular, I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe in goodness. Indeed, for twelve hours I can certainly do what might cause me consternation were I to believe I had to do it all my life.



- Bl. Pope John XXIII

I hope and pray I can do this, but I plan with God's help to try.

Good Discipline Great Teens

I don't know if anyone else has read this book but I am reading this right now and it is so very good. It has so many great ideas and common sense thoughts to help keep you focused,  all coupled with humor to keep you laughing all the way through it.  My son just recently turned 13.  He is a very good boy but he is now a teen. I remember my teen years and now having a teen has certainly helped me to appreciate my parents more. I think that is how it is supposed to be. Maybe that is why we heard, "just wait until you have kids," when we were growing up.
I also discovered that Ray Guarendi has a website where you can purchase other books he has written and listen to broadcasts of his radio show, The Doctor is In.
I haven't read any other of his books but I have to say I am truly enjoying this one and hope to find time to listen to some of his broadcasts.

Cookbooks and Binders

The other day I was searching for recipes and found some very good ones. It is helpful when you are able to print out the recipe from a printers version on the website. I was able to do that with some. I have a binder I keep all my recipes in. I try to keep it organized as you would find a cookbook organized according to the type of food you are looking for: breakfast, dessert, main dishes, etc.


I keep my binder recipe book in a kitchen cupboard. That way when I need a tried and true favorite or am looking for something new I can look through the book.

I have many cookbooks at home. Some of which I purchased myself and others were gifts. I use some of them, others just sit in the cupboard. I think it is because they have few recipes that interest me or they are not so well organized or even maybe they do not give enough information. Maybe it is eye appeal. Some of my favorite cookbooks are Make-a-Mix cookbook or Fix It and Forget It, but my favorite is my binder which I have set up myself from finding recipes online or in Taste of Home magazines or recipes handed down from family and friends. Recipes that are usually a big hit are ones from my mother-in-law who besides being a good cook has already served these recipes to her son, my husband, so he already likes them.

A couple other favorite books are a couple of oldies but still goodies. One is Better Homes and Gardens and the other is the Betty Crocker cookbook. My mom always used Better Homes and Gardens and I too have found it very helpful with every day cooking and kitchen help. The same for the Betty Crocker cookbook. Both of these books have many good recipes and explain everything so well.

I am not the best cook. I am trying to make an effort to improve. I think after a while the same recipes get a little wearing and you are ready to try some new ones. Some of them your family likes, some of them they don't. What is really interesting is when one likes it and the other doesn't. In that case, I think if the cook likes it that becomes the deciding vote on whether to serve it again.