Category Archives: Inventing My Life

The Assumption Everyone Has Money Part I

One of the greatest lessons from my downshifting journey, has been an appreciation that you never really “know” someone’s financial situation; there are people we assume will be “well off” based on their job title, education or family of origin, … Continue reading

Posted in Adoption, Budget, Family Life, Frugal Parenting, Goodbye Jones', Inventing My Life, Lessons Learned, Ma Famille, Parenting, Perpective | 34 Comments

Life Is A Gift, Live It…

LIFE IS A GIFT, MAKE THE MOST OF IT. Life is beauty, admire it. Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a challenge, meet it. Life is a game, play it. Life is fragile, hold it. Life is a … Continue reading

Posted in All Things Bright and Beautiful, Dreams, Inventing My Life, Journeying, Life Is Beautiful, Making lemons out of lemonade, Personal Responsibility, Purpose Driven Life, Quotes

What I Need More Of…

When I lived in Devon I knew no matter what happened in my life I could always find a place to breathe. Of course I breathe thousands of times each day, but purposeful breathing is rare and beautiful and filled … Continue reading

Posted in About Me, All Things Bright and Beautiful, In Need, Inventing My Life, Laying Foundations For The Life Plan, Lessons Learned, Letters To Myself, Life Is Beautiful, Literature = Food For The Soul, Making and Crafting, Natural Health, Purpose Driven Life, The Sweet Nectar Of Life | 17 Comments

Time Is Slipping By

Is it just me or is the passing of time engulfing you like a tidal wave? Each day seems to be shorter, each evening seems to have less time left before it’s time for yet another day to begin. I was thinking … Continue reading

Posted in About Me, Cornwall Love, Family Life, Inventing My Life, My Heart On My Sleeve, My Love Affair With England, Purpose Driven Life, Simple Living and Reducing Stress, Simplicity | 11 Comments

Frugal Trenches In The Year 2000

Today after successfully chairing a meeting (phew!) I turned on the radio and heard this song, a song from the year 2000, my favourite song for many many years which I had completely forgotten about (Matchbox 20 aren’t really played … Continue reading

Posted in About Me, All Things Bright and Beautiful, Good For The Soul, Inventing My Life, Lessons Learned, Letters To Myself, Life Is Beautiful, Media & Culture, Oh so Blessed | Leave a comment

My Ice Cream

“Sometimes we stare so long at our balloon in the sky we forget that our ice cream is melting on our plate” I’m in a season of incredible change, exciting change, longed for yet scary change, it’s a season of following … Continue reading

Posted in About Me, All Things Bright and Beautiful, Dreams, Finding Myself, Inventing My Life, Lessons Learned, Purpose Driven Life, Quotes

July Is A Leap Of Faith….!

July is going to be a HUGE month here in the Frugal Trenches household!  The goals for the month are: Gather six references Two telephone appointments Unpack from volunteering overseas Pack (!) Book the leap of faith “impossible” challenge Birthday gift! … Continue reading

Posted in Dreams, Inventing My Life, Leap Of Faith, New Beginnings, Purpose Driven Life, The "Impossible" Challenge | 21 Comments

I guess I should announce…

That I am home. Leaving was single-handedly one of the top two most difficult days of my life, walking away from beautiful faces, filled with smiles, hope, love and desperation, a desire and need to be loved completely.  I saw the … Continue reading

Posted in Around the World in 80 Days, Faith, Finding Myself, Goals, Inventing My Life, Laying Foundations For The Life Plan, New Beginnings, The "Impossible" Challenge | 28 Comments

Grateful, Thankful, Blessed…

For the last few days, I have spent a lot of time in tears, or perhaps more correctly, sobbing. This is not because I am sad or depressed, it is not because I can not cope with what I’ve experienced, … Continue reading

Posted in All Things Bright and Beautiful, Do something, Faith, Finding Myself, Inventing My Life, Laying Foundations For The Life Plan, Lessons Learned, New Beginnings, Oh so Blessed, Purpose Driven Life, Thankful Tuesdays

Always Remember

I read some pretty sound advice this morning from journalist Barbara Budd, a cancer survivor and single adoptive mom to a son from Russia, she said: Remember who you wanted to be… I wanted to be: a humanitarian an advocate … Continue reading

Posted in Ethical Consumption, Finding Myself, Inventing My Life, Laying Foundations For The Life Plan, Purpose Driven Life | 6 Comments