Articles written by Gina Lawton

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About me - Gina Lawton

Hey there!

I'm a wife and mom of four. I home school, and former coffee slinger at a local establishment. I have a degree in journalism, and love writing, reading, exploring and discovering the world. I tend to lean toward the future, but do respect where

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Religion & Spirituality > Christian Beliefs & Culture The benefits of not going to church while growing in faith: 1 of 28
Experience has taught me that things are rarely as they appear. Take, for example, your local place of worship. While there may be many redeeming reasons to attend (vibrant children's ministry, "safe" teen hang out, being in a place where the majority believe along the same lines you do, etc.), I have found that often, the pl... More..
Food & Drink > Food & Drink (Other) How recipes bring back memories: 1 of 21
My mom died in 2005. With her passed from this life a magnificent cook who lived by the "pinch and taste" method of culinary greatness. Although I tried to prepare for the inevitable, asking her to jot down favorite recipes and methods, it wasn't until she was gone that I realized how woefully incomplete my preparation had be... More..
Relationships & Family > New & Old Friends My best friend's betrayal: 1 of 12
I've never been a very trusting person. Call it the effect of abuse, or living in an environment where most people don't say what they mean, my "friendships" have been few and far between. I also tend to be pretty discerning about people, reading who was "safe" and who was not.After an especially traumatic life change a few y... More..
Education > Primary School Issues Should African-American history be taught in schools?: 1 of 12
I believe that teaching African American History in our schools is crucial to the continuing growth of the United States as a country.By definition, ours is a country that finds its strength from a diverse population base. We became great as a sum of many different parts. In the past, though, scholastic history books have, at... More..
Food & Drink > Restaurant Reviews Restaurant reviews: Wendy's: 1 of 11
Wendy's - the simple mention of the name brings to me a "frosty" fantasy of fast food flavor that just can't be beat! I remember as a child being introduced to the first Wendy's in our area. My parents were partial to the "homemade" flavor of the burgers, the freshness of the fixings, and the homey atmosphere of our local Wen... More..
Education > Educational Philosophy How to continue your child's education through the summer months: 7 of 72
Your child's education never takes a break! Keep your kids learning throughout the summer months with a little time, determination, and re-thinking your definition of "education." Few children want to pour over summer workbooks regardless of their bright-colored pages. Instead, move the classroom out-of-doors. Family vacati... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Parenting Methods Accepting others' parenting styles: 2 of 17
"There are two things you can never do: spend someone's money and raise their kids." I say this a lot, because in our day-to-day lives, I see the gamut of child raising philosophies and tactics among my family, friends, and people on the street. It's difficult, because as a parent myself, I look at my four amazing kids a... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Religious Concepts (Other) How we relate to religious symbols: 3 of 23
Symbols, by their very nature, evoke memory, emotion, and feeling in us as humans. Somehow, we are wired to "need" a picture to help us better understand the things around us. Remember as a child, learning to "read," and the tendency many of us had to put our own words around the pictures that helped us "tell" the story from ... More..
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: America's obsession with celebrities: 3 of 23
The recent rash of celebrity deaths has rekindled the obvious statement that we as Americans are obsessed with celebrity. How can it be that thousands of us - and many of us, unwillingly - tune our ears and eyes to every tidbit about these celebrities that slip across our televisions and computer screens? Personally, I hadn'... More..
Food & Drink > Coffee Product reviews: Starbucks coffee varieties: 1 of 6
One of the guiding principles of the Starbuck's corporation is to be the "premier purveyors of coffee throughout the world." What that weighty statement means is that with Starbuck's, it begins and ends with the coffee bean. While most people know the company for the variety of flavorful frappuccinos, cappuccinos, and lattes,... More..