A Little Help from a Friend

When crises struck these Thrivent Financial for Lutherans members, they didn't have to ask for help--it showed up on their doorstep. This article published in the Spring 2010 issue of Thrivent. Full text.

Allergies at Your Age?

First-time allergies in adults are on the rise. Here's why you may be sniffling like a baby even if you're all grown up. This article published in the Spring 2010 issue of GreenWise. Full text.

A+ for Savings

Smart ways to spend less on back to school. This article published in the August 4, 2009 issue of Woman's Day. Contact me for reprint inquiries.

Stay Cool for Less

You probably know that a programmable thermostat saves you money when the mercury is high. Here are three more ways to cut energy costs. This article published in the June 2, 2009 issue of Woman's Day. Contact me for reprint inquiries.

Find Your Perfect Red

Values + Valuables

How will you pass them on? Learn from fellow members who have answered that question--and how you can, too. This article published in the Fall 2008 issue of Thrivent. Contact me for reprint inquiries. Full text

Making Time for Me

Gandhi once said, "There is more to life than increasing its speed." In slowing down, you gain time to connect with the people who are most important to you, time to pursue your passions, time to be instead of just do. Inside, make some Me Time with advice on slowing down, simplifying your life, and making time for yourself. This article published in the July 2008 issue of Health.  Full text

Baby Steps

A mother teaches environmental stewardship, one gum wrapper at a time. This article published on Plentymag.com on June 3, 2008. Contact me for reprint inquiries. Full text

Wrap Artistry

The stockings are hung; the halls are decked. Now you just have those bags of presents to contend with. Follow these simple steps for foolproof, gorgeously easy gift wrapping.This article published in the December 2007 issue of Real Simple. Contact me for full text.

New Line of Work

Forget the gold watch, pension plan and armchair. Retirement is nothing like it used to be. Far from an extended vacation, the new picture of retirement often includes action-packed lifestyles and, for many, work. This article published in the Fall 2007 issue of Thrivent. Contact me for reprint inquiries. 

20 Ways to Save $100

Sure, you'd like to save money, but not if you have to give up the good stuff in life. Not to worry. It's simple to save money without dramatically changing your lifestyle or becoming an uptight penny-pincher. Readers weigh in with tricks to save hundreds--or even thousands--painlessly. This article published in the July 10, 2007 issue of Woman's Day. Contact me for reprint inquiries. Full text

Time to Play

Most of us are hard-pressed to squeeze five minutes of leisure time out of the day, let alone the ongoing blocks of time needed to sustain a hobby. But research shows a hobby can provide a different kind of challenge that lets you disengage--and so recuperate--from work. Convinced? Here's how to find the hobby that's right for you. This article published in the March 2007 issue of Health. Contact me for full text or reprint inquiries.

Make Your Own Mosaic

Learn to set a design in stone with this satisfying hobby. This article published in the March 2007 issue of Cooking Light. Contact me for full text or reprint inquiries.

Fringe Benefits

"You get more than you give when you volunteer." It's a nice sentiment, but it's actually true that helping other people can be incredibly rewarding. Studies show that the social benefits of volunteering can boost physical, mental, and emotional health. In a fast-paced world that's becoming increasingly disconnected, volunteering does more than provide a warm glow from helping others. This article published in the Spring 2007 issue of Thrivent. Contact me for reprint inquiries.

After the Storm

Using their hands, heads, and hearts, Thrivent Financial members continue to make a difference months after hurricanes pummeled the Gulf Coast. This article published in the Spring 2006 issue of Thrivent. Contact me for reprint inquiries.

Make it Simple

How to lose the 'more' mentality and gain a meaningful life. This article published in the Fall 2007 issue of Thrivent. Contact me for reprint inquiries. 

Rhythm of Life

An effective natural contraceptive method can put you in touch with your body, your cycle, and your sexuality. This article published in the March 2007 issue of Natural Health. Contact me for full text or reprint inquiries.

Get in the Game

Trouble prying your teen away from the joystick for a little exercise? Make workouts a virtual reality. Obesity levels are rising, and many parents worry that their kids are spending too much time gaming and not enough exercising. But the good news is that they may not have to choose between the two beause the latest generation of interactive video games is designed to get kids moving. This article published in the May 2008 issue of GreenWise.  Full text

Gaining Control

At 22, I started getting migraines. I had just started taking birth control pills, which a well-meaning family doctor had prescribed to ease my menstrual cramps. Instead of curing my cramps, another ominous change was taking place in my body. Besides the feeling that someone had driven a gigantic nail into the side of my head, I felt nauseated and weak. My back, neck, jaw and arm muscles on the offending side would tense up like tightly-wound coils. This essay published in the March 2006 issue of Better Nutrition. Contact me for full text or reprint inquiries.

Master Composter

As the owner of Ringgenberg Garten Hause, a landscape company in Spencerville, Indiana, Mark Ringenberg uses literally tons of soil and mulch in his landscaping and nursery projects every year. And although he'd been composting his own coffee grounds and vegetable scraps in his back yard since 1974, until 10 years ago Ringenberg often wondered how he could take his efforts to the next level. This article published in the July/Aug 2006 issue of Natural Home. Full text.

Think Globally, Act Locally

"Friends, Romans, other believers in nonviolence, lend me your ears. I've come not to bury Richard, but to praise him." The small gathering laughs surprisingly heartily for having just lunched on a light, all-organic vegetarian buffet on biodegradable plates made of corn. (Do we eat the plates? someone wanted to know.). This article published in the September 2005 issue of Fort Wayne. Contact me for full text.