Make one day of the week your “cooking” day. Grill chicken, make some lean taco meat, prepare the basics for salads. (You can clean and tear lettuce and keep it fresh by taking the washed leaves and putting them in a plastic bowl that seals, along with a damp paper towel. The lettuce will stay fresh and crisp for over two weeks… much longer than the bagged salads I throw away regularly. Radishes, celery, and carrots will stay fresh the same way, with just a little more water.) By thinking ahead, you’ll be ready to throw dinner together in 20 minutes, and have something healthier, less expensive, and much more delicious than drive-thru.

Email [email protected] for quick and easy recipe ideas.

This section is for something that brought me joy this month. (Don’t worry. I’m not getting paid to do the commercials… I really liked this.)

Jeanne Robertson – This speaker has some very funny observations to make about the world in which we live. Here are some of her clips, like, “Don’t Bungee Jump Naked,” and “Don’t Send Your Husband to the Grocery Store”. Maybe Joy and laughter aren’t the same thing, but they sure do seem to inspire one another. 

Imagine being a child. Imagine being smaller than the grown-ups around you. Imagine the time when you still thought everyone was kind, everyone loved one another, and everyone had your best interest at heart. Now imagine being afraid, because an adult abused you.

Unfortunately, even if the children find the courage to speak out, many times the abusers lay in wait, stalking them at school, coming by the house, or intimidating them in the courtroom. What if those children were provided with guardian angels? Not only the powerful kind we can’t see, but the human kind who look more like Hell’s Angels than their Cupid-like counterparts?

I am talking about BACA. Have you heard of them? Talk about good news! Biker’s Against Child Abuse provides around the clock protection, keeping vigil outside of the house for scared children who can’t sleep, because the memories they have at their young ages cause nightmares. They walk into court with young boys and girls who are afraid to face their abusers, or afraid of retaliation. They even the playing field, so that children who feel helpless and victimized can now feel like they have some strength and some hope for their own safety.

I had never heard of this peace-loving group of bikers, until I saw a write-up in the Arizona Republic, Sunday, July 15th, 2012.

The fact that these rough and rowdy bikers are doing something so generous with their time and reputation is the good news. The really good news? There’s probably a chapter in your area. Do you know a child who is afraid? Do you know a family who is at a loss for how to help their own child feel safe after an abusive incident? Check it out. It’s one of the very joyful things happening around you, in spite of some of the most negative of circumstances.