Marion Gaskins

Have you ever wondered why the United States of America has an EAGLE as our national symbol? If you didn't know differently, right now you'd think the United States national symbol was the OYSTER .                                                                           An Oyster ?  Let me explain......when God made the Oyster , He gave it a home, a hard shell to shelter it and protect it from its enemies.  He then put it in water.   Oysters thrive on sandy bottoms (instability)   Oysters just lay in the water and never have to make any decisions.  The currents move it about, so it doesn't have to plan.  No responsibilities.   Oysters require a flowing current to bring organic detritus (loose fragments or grains that worn away from rocks) to them on w...

Recently while preparing our home for the real estate market I realized that I actually enjoyed the appearance of the simplicity.  With less "stuff" competing for my time and attention, it became apparent that living as a minimalist might serve to be a positive lifestyle change.  Now, don't get me wrong.  When I say "stuff" I don't mean junk.  I am not a hoarder, I am not a bric-a-brac type of person.  I do enjoy and appreciate fine and unique home accessories, etc.  I do "save" some things because "you never know" when the opportunity may arise to "recycle."  Also, I am the type of person who does not like to have all of my interesting possessions on display at once.  Re-arranging keeps the visual aspect of a room alive; breaks the monotony. So, with the help of my children, I have begun to go through packed/put-away items.  It's tough.  It's not as simple as saying "keep" or "discard."  Some thin...