Wellness Wednesday - "Healthy Tips for the New Year"

Here are some easy and fun ways to live a healthier lifestyle this year.

Fitness

1. Try a new fitness pursuit like cross country skiing, snow shoeing, or ice skating
2. Exercise with a partner, two or three times per week, walk, jog, skate, ski, etc.
3. Sign up for some personal training sessions to start the new year
4. Visit sporting goods stores for after-Christmas bargains
5. Use the stairs instead of elevators or park at the far end of the parking lot if possible
6. Breathe. Take full abdominal breaths several times during the day
   

Nutrition

1. Make your diet/nutrition resolutions simple and easy to fit into your lifestyle
2. Plan a healthy lineup of snacks for watching bowl games
3. Make a strategy for limiting your food and alcohol intake at holiday parties
4. Leave newspapers, books, and cell phones aside and EAT WHILE YOU EAT
5. Try not to eat late at night, leaving a minimum of two hours before sleeping
6. Enjoy many types of foods, but in moderation

Stress Management

1. Block out an hour each week to relax
2. Keep your life simple by organizing a messy room, garage, or basement
3. Buy or check out a book on progressive relaxation
4. Play with a pet
5. Get a massage
6. Turn off the TV and listen to music
7. Control your schedule and make time for reflection and relaxation

Social Health

1. Volunteer at a shelter
2. Invite friends over to watch bowl games
3. Start a New Year's day family tradition
4. Invite a neighbor that lives alone to dinner
5. Remember to play — play games, play with words, play with your children
6. Plan comedy nights with family, friends, or coworkers
7. Join or establish a group that reviews books or goes for trips together, or form a group based on your own theme

To live each day as if it were your last,

you would be trying to remedy all the mistakes you made . . .

all the regreats, all the things unsaid.

If you live each day as if it were your FIRST,

you are freed from all obligations, all guilt, and all regret.

Live each day as if it were your FIRST!!

From "Breathing Space: Twelve Lessons for the Modern Woman" by Katrina Repka and Alan Finger

Motivational Monday - "Extraordinary People"

Ordinary people doing extraordinary things!



(If you're reading this on Facebook - see the video and entire blogpost at http://www.lanetteonmission.blogspot.com/ )

I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly

Is there something new you want to learn or do this year?

What would it mean to you to "spread your wings"?

I'll do what it takes till I touch the sky

What is one goal you would like to reach this year?

What is one step you could take this week to move toward that goal?

Make a wish

What do you wish for? What do you long for?

What needs to change?

take a chance

What is the risk you need to take to get what you long for?

What support do you need to take that chance?

Make a change

What needs to change?

What do you have to say "NO" to to make this change happen?

and break away

What do you long to break free from?

How can you begin that process?

Christmas Love

Merry Christmas my friends.

You are loved, you are valuable, and you are here for a very special reason.

You were worth the birth and death of Jesus, our Emmanual and Savior. Never forget that this time of year is meant to remind us of that, and to inspire us to share Christ's light and love with others.

A Daring Rescue . . .

From a Christmas Devotion by John Eldredge

Christmas is a rescue. God coming to rescue us. It is an act of humility, love and sacrifice unparalleled in the history of the world. The act is not primarily to show the greatness of God. It does show his greatness. But the act has a fierce intention to it, the whole drama is fiercely intentional, and the object of this act is you and me; the purpose is our rescue and restoration, to bring us back to God . . . . .

Christmas is the most stunning rescue story of all time. Under cover of night, in a remote village in Palestine, in a world held captive by the dark prince, God comes to earth as a human being, a little boy. He invades the human race in order to rescue the human race. Satan is furious, he lashes out desperately to try and stop the invasion. The angels go to war. But God cannot be stopped. He will ransom and restore his beloved.

The beauty of the act cannot be adequately expressed. And what are we to think of the ones God would go to such lengths to rescue, and at such a price? How precious they must be. They must be worth a great deal to him. Inestimable worth. And that is why the soul felt its worth . . .

The nativity had an object in mind. That object is you and me. I think this will help us to celebrate Christmas for what it is – as a daring rescue. In the context of love. I think it will allow us to be stunned at the way God goes about things. To fall in love again with his amazing heart. And to allow ourselves to experience some deep shift in our soul, as we come to feel our worth. We must really matter. We look at the manger. We see the angels, the wise men. We see the little boy. And then we boldy sing, “and the soul felt it’s worth.”

Click here to see the entire devotion by John Eldredge

Christmas Thoughts

Christmas Thoughts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Anonymous)

It’s sharing your gifts, not purchasing gifts;

It’s not wrapping presents, its being presentand wrapping your arms around the ones you love;

It’s not getting Christmas cards out on time, It’s sending any card, anytime, at the right time;

It’s not having the biggest and best Christmas light display, It’s displaying the Christ light that comes from your heart;

It’s not Santa coming down the chimney, It’s Jesus coming down from heaven,and giving us the gift of eternal life."

Motivational Monday - "You Are the Light"

All of us are searching for meaning in our life.
We want a conviction about life we can hold onto.

We want a clear & purposeful life-goal

and clear direction on how to achieve it

Nevertheless, our purpose is to share God's Light.

Our purpose is to give of ourselves and our resources,

gladly and for nothing.

And as we accept this direction for our life's goal from God, and as we begin to follow it, our Christmas-glimpse of eternal life becomes ever more clear.

The Light of God has come into our life, and we rejoice.

We rejoice in the privilege of being God's Light-bearers.

Click HERE to be inspired!!

Thrifty Thursday - "Personalized Bottlecap Necklace"

I've been talking to a lot of people who are giving hand made gifts for Christmas, not only to save a little money, but to put some meaning back into their gift giving. I've been searching for ideas for out of the ordinary crafts and found a great one on the DIY network.

Here's an adorable and thrifty gift idea for Christmas. It's a great gift for any teenager in your life or even your adult girlfriends (I'd wear one for sure!) It's pretty quick and easy so you have plenty of time to make some before Christmas!

Click HERE to see the full instructions

Compliments of DIY Network

Here are some more ideas - you can use someone's pictures, an image from a magazine, inspirational words - whatever your imagination can come up with. The possibilities are endless!!

Wellness Wednesday - "How to fight a cold . . . Naturally" by Kim Stewart

This is my good friend Kim Stewart. Not only is she stunningly beautiful, super duper sweet and kind, AND an amazing singer - she's also a whiz when it comes to natural remedies for health.

Since it's cold and flu season, Kim was sharing with me another thing I could have done to help get over my cold I just had and I thought it was so easy and brilliant that I would share it with you.

Tea Tree Oil

1. You can purchase pure tree tea oil and health food stores or GNC - it runs about $10 and goes a long, long way
2. Use your finger or a Q-tip and swab the inside of your nostril every morning and every night while you feel like you are sick
3. Click HERE to read more about Tea Tree Oil

Oregano Oil

1. You can purchase Oregano Oil at any health food store or GNC. It runs about $15 - $20 a bottle, but again, lasts a long time. It's definitely cheaper than a visit to the doctor and missed work!
2. It is known to be a potent antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic oil that can reduce pain and inflammation and effectively fight off infections.
3. Put 4 drops into a "shot" of orange juice and drink in one quick chug
4. Click HERE to read more about Oregano Oil

Olive Leaf Capsules

1. You can purchase this at any health food store and costs about $12 - $14 at The Vitamin Shop.
2. Olive leaf disables infections long enough for the immune system to eliminate them and prevent pathogens from spreading.
3. Take the capsule once a day with orange juice.
4. Click HERE to read more about Olive Leaf

Go buy this stuff NOW, so next time you start feeling the sniffles or chilly willy's coming on you'll be ready to go. It's time to get PROACTIVE about our health instead of REACTIVE!

The last day we had braces together

Yes, I am 43 years old and have braces on my teeth with my 15 year old son - that's proof that you're never to old to pursue your dreams (ha ha)).

This gives a whole new meaning to the term "bonding with your child".

This was our last day of having them on together .

Cody got his off - I'm jealous!

Thrifty Thursday - "Christmas Gifts Don't Have to Leave You In Debt"

By Dave Ramsey - Click HERE for more great money advice from Dave!

Did the quickly approaching Christmas season sneak up on you?

Have you just learned that you should have been saving for Christmas gifts year round?

Did you simply forget to budget for Christmas gifts this year?

If you're feeling torn this year because you want to stay out of debt while still giving your loved ones gifts they'll like, don't worry. We've got some fantastic creative Christmas gift ideas for you:

Compile a themed gift box. For example, if you know a family who enjoys watching movies together, get them a movie or 2 (or a rental gift card), bags of popcorn, favorite candy bars or a homemade dessert, and some little things related to the movie. It will be something they can enjoy together—and maybe even invite you to join!

Frame artwork and memories. If you have youngsters in your family, get some of their artwork and nicely frame it for the adults. They’ll get excited about seeing their creations on display, and the artwork will be a nice reminder of them when they’re not around.

Host a dinner party and provide your guests the recipes in a festive booklet. You could also incorporate a white-elephant gift exchange with a price limit per gift into the evening. Everyone will have a great time and remember it for years to come.

Offer to run errands for an elderly relative, neighbor or friend. This will mean more to this person than you know, especially for the elderly. Better yet, ask them if you can pick up any Christmas gifts on their behalf. They would love to have someone brave the busy mall for them.

Give free babysitting. Know a couple or a single parent who could use an extra hand with the kids during the holidays? Offer to keep the kids one evening and let the parents get some shopping done or have a date night.

Bake some tasty treats. If you know someone who's expecting a lot of company or is feeling overwhelmed, offer to help out by baking a few things. This will save the person so much time and will allow them to focus on other things to get ready for company. Homemade food is always a hit!

Visit a shut-in, hospital patient or nursing home resident. Many times these individuals are over-looked during the holiday rush. Bake some cookies, frame some pictures, or write some notes to give when you drop by for a visit with some of your family or friends.
Help a local school teacher with a special Christmas event for their class. Teachers are overwhelmed this time of year and having an extra adult around to help out would ease some of the stress for them.

Give to a charity. If the adults in your family can agree, choose a charity to which your entire family will give money and/or time. Rather than giving gifts to each other, you'll be touching the lives of people who are truly in need while spending time with your loved ones at the same time. It’s a win-win situation!

Creative Christmas gifts don’t have to leave you looking like a cheapo. Remember, it’s the thought and effort that really count. Think of your skills and how you can incorporate them into gifts others will enjoy. Why not take a little extra time to think about your family and friends and give them something that will inspire and enrich their lives for years to come.

Wellness Wednesday - Find something you love to do!

The key to getting exercise and staying fit is finding an activity that you LOVE to do. I found out later in life (when I was 35) that I LOVE to play tennis. It exercises my heart, my body AND my brain.

What are some things that you like to do that wouldn't feel like exercise?


How about walking the dog, ice skating, roller blading, golfing (without the cart), hiking, swimming, playing Wii, pushing your baby in the stroller around the mall, yoga . . . the list is ENDLESS!

"Participation in regular, moderate intensity exercise has been shown to contribute to a lowering of the body's vulnerability to potentially harmful bacteria and viruses. In addition to its impact on the immune system, exercise also has been widely credited with decreases in the incidence of diseases such as heart disease, osteoporosis and cancer." Click HERE to see the entire article from the University of Pittsburgh.

It's also true that if you exercise regularly (4-5 times per week) it's equivalent to getting the flu shot - pretty amazing, huh?

With those kinds of benefits, why WOULDN'T you want to find something fun to get you up and moving????? Come on let's go - get on up off that couch and sign up for a kick boxing class!

In the top picture is my friend Carrie Walker - we played doubles in Elkhart today at East Lake and had a great time together (yes, we won, but that's not what it's all about . . . JUST KIDDING! Of course it's all about wining).

The second picture shows some of my travel team: Tonya, Danielle, Jennifer, Carrie, Elaine, Karla, Me, Melissa. What a GREAT bunch of girls . . . and they can kick some booty on the tennis court too!

Motivational Monday - "Patrick Hughes"

"Patrick plays so we might hear the music of opportunity and see the sound of potential" Patrick's Dad

This is a beautiful story of Patrick Hughes who was born blind and unable to walk, but by age 2 had learned how to play the piano by sound. Now, he and his Dad are an incredible team that bring hope and inspiration to thousands of people! (BTW - Dad is just as amazing as Patrick. If all fathers were this dedicated and loving to their kids, the world would be a different place!)



Patrick says . . . "God made me blind and unable to walk - BIG DEAL - he gave me the ability, the musical gifts I have and the great opportunity to meet new people"

This is a great reminder that every single person on this planet is here for a reason and has something special to offer the world. When you get discouraged just remember Patrick and remember that when you focus on the things you CAN do instead of what you CAN'T do, magic happens!

Let's do something this Christmas!

WHAT'S ONE THING YOU CAN DO TO HELP SOMEONE THIS SEASON?

Wellness Wednesday - Water

Everyone’s heard how important it is to drink enough water. Especially in the hot summer months. But is it really that necessary? Absolutely. This nutrient is vital to health in numerous ways, and the health benefits of drinking water cannot be underestimated.

1. Drinking water enhances fat loss

Water is an essential nutrient. All chemical reactions in the body depend upon it. If you’re trying to lose weight, this can’t be ignored. You won’t be able to lose weight without water to flush out the by-products of fat breakdown. When there isn’t enough water to dilute the body’s waste products, kidney stones may form. When the kidneys aren’t working to their full potential, the liver must step in and help. Once this happens the liver can’t optimally perform its other important functions. As a result, burning fat has to wait.

2. Combat ailments by drinking more water

In many cases, fatigue, headaches and back pain may be caused by dehydration. If you suffer from an afternoon nod off, try drinking more water at lunch. If you or your children complain of frequent headaches, the amount of water you’re drinking could be responsible. And, muscle spasms are also caused by not being adequately hydrated.

3. Drinking water can reduce hunger

Experts say that hunger pangs are often misinterpreted cravings for water. Try drinking water before your regular meals and see if it helps you cut down on the amount of food you eat. It really works as an effective appetite suppressant. Avoid counting tea, coffee, sodas and juices in your fluid intake. Coffee and tea contain caffeine which has a diuretic effect and makes you lose water. Sodas and juices are too sweet—because the body must dilute them, they cause more dehydration.

4. Look younger - drinking water hydrates your skin

When the skin is properly hydrated, it looks plump and more radiant. Water will keep the toxins flushed out and help you to cool off through perspiration. Muscles need to have enough water to make them look full too. Deprive yourself of water and you’ll see the difference in the mirror.
Are you dehydrated?
Just how do you know if you’re getting dehydrated? If you have a dry mouth, produce less urine, have very dark urine and/or feel dizzy or faint you probably need water, quick. Drink at least 8 glasses a day. Experts now recommend even more, up to 12 glasses a day. To be more precise, drink ½ ounce per pound of body weight. If you exercise or are very active increase the number to 2/3 ounce per pound. Try monitoring your water intake closely for the next month. When you drink enough, you’ll look and feel better.

Motivational Monday - "Christmas Can Still Change The World"

The story of Christ's birth is a story of promise, hope, and a revolutionary love.
So, what happened? What was once a time to celebrate the birth of a savior has somehow turned into a season of stress, traffic jams, and shopping lists.

When it's all over, many of us are left with presents to return, looming debt that will take months to pay off, and this empty feeling of missed purpose.

Is this what we really want out of Christmas? What if Christmas became a world-changing event again?



Question: What are some ideas or thoughts you have on simplifying your Holiday Season this year?

Please post a comment and let us all know!

Thanks Ted Bryant for sharing this video - you can check out his blog by clicking HERE

Click HERE to see where the video came from - it's a very cool website adventconspiracy.org