The Ever Evolving Smith

Today my youngest son, Luke, and I went to the dentist for a routine cleaning. Shameless plug for our dentist - If you live in the McKinney/Allen/Frisco area, I highly recommend Crescent Family Dentistry with Dr. Spencer Moon! Back to the post at hand - When he came in to do my check after my cleaning, he asked me how things were going, if there was anything to address. I said no, things are good, but I'll be honest and say I've slacked on my flossing some this year following covid and feeling just yucky for have the year. He said, "that's alright, you get a clean slate today!"  No, Dr. Moon didn't coin the phrase, "clean slate," but it was a good reminder that no matter where you are, what you do, how you are doing it, what you regret, what you put off for another day, today you get a clean slate. You get to start over. You get to readjust. You clean to tweak. Absolutely, we should all take advantage of that clean slate! Why? You get the opportuni...

The glory of the Bahamas - its beauty never fails! You can't think of the Bahamas without the fact most of us enjoy stepping in to that clear, teal blue water, lying back only to be swallowed up by the gentle waves that catch us as surrender and lie back. Sure, it's science too. The negative ions of moving water in motion produce a biochemical response in us as humans. That response shows it makes us happier by increasing serotonin, which relieves stress, boosts energy, diminishes depression, and just puts us all in a better mood. All I know is I can never get enough of being in the water, especially clear watered ocean I can see my toes in! It's been a time of ups and downs for everyone during the pandemic, but great things have happened too. Our youngest son got his learners permit. Our oldest son graduated high school in May 2021. So in early May while driving back back from a work errand, two weeks before our oldest graduated, I said aloud - I want to go somewhere. That...

My family is my WHY. Doing something good for the “big picture" in life it is more than just intrinsic value. We are designed to give and to receive, and it should come joyfully from the heart. It is humbling and empowering to know that Joy wrapped up in one little package can be so motivating. With that being said, doing good should be evident for yourself as well as those you work along side at work, at church, at home, or any given relationship.  Life is short - tell others what they mean or risk them resolving to their own ideas of what they mean to you. It's in our nature. Giving praise where praise is due is fundamental in knowing how we have done, and that we are valued. It shapes our experiences. Without it we will always flounder about and come to our own conclusions, no matter how ridiculous they may be.  Doing something good for others extends past your reflective talking points, pushes you past your routine, and is something each of us crave as humans. Life is flui...

Right now I want to make a point. Don’t be toyed with in all this “censorship” nonsense going on in the world. The few, loud “squeaky wheel gets the grease” voices are trying hard to convince the comparative masses in the good USA that things as we know it are crumbling and we need saving. The facts are we don’t need saving, we need to reconnect to our roots. For Believers, we already have a Savior, and are grounded in loving all people. On this land, we need to connect. If we connect with PEOPLE there will always be a way to communicate. Communication is still underrated, even in year 2021. I myself have several ways to connect with others, as only some of them are listed in the attached picture and even I, who dub myself a Communication Queen miss the mark. I can do more. I can be better. Remind yourself daily to trust facts, not emotions, all while loving on others and staying true to yourself. The easy thing to do is get mad at obstacles, so work at providing better solutions. The ...

  Spread Joy! Yes, we all find that spreading joy often includes money that makes the world go 'round, but we can all agree it's not about the money even though that meets a need. I recently got to spread a little around to a young person, which made her instantly burst into tears. The backstory on me, is I have some medical issues, and sometimes I have someone come in to help me clean-clean the house. In life God has a knack for sending people to us that we can either relate to, share advice with, and/or just flat out bless. Well, there was a certain someone I instantly knew needed something from me. It ended up being what I was raised to do - share kindness and give of my time. Her job can be lonely and simply talking uplifted her spirits, so to speak. Without divulging her personal experiences and in honor of keeping her privacy, I will just say that having a dad who dealt with severe mental illness, alcoholism, and who ultimately committed suicide when I was just twenty-one...

Use Scrunchies when washing your face! Sounds odd, right? Well if you are like me, you do not enjoy washing your face all while the soapy water slides all the way down to your elbows. Sometimes it even makes a mess all over counter. No matter how efficient you try to be taking your face off for the day, that water finds a way down to your elbows and counter. Boo! First world problems, I know, but still it's a nuisance nonetheless. I have cheap, awesome news for you! I recently learned of this little tidbit. What is it you ask? Go and buy the cheapest fabric scrunchies. Nothing fancy here just the cheapest you can find. The bonus is they don't even need to match. Score! Note: I find it does work best with a normal, softer fabric. Pop them on your wrists and wash away mess-free! The water gets trapped at the scrunchy level, leaving your arms and elbows dry and clean. Then, whenever you deem fit, throw the scrunchies in the wash for a cleaning and reuse over and over.  Here's ...