Life feels like a fast moving train. We are on that train and looking out the window – the scenery is flying by. Most often we just sit down for the ride and find ourselves on auto-pilot – not realizing how fast life is moving. It is usually a wake-up call that forces us off the fast moving train and we have to wake up to the life we are in. The here and now.
I wanted a life. Not a struggle. I was longing to be free from the voices, the noise, the scale & the fear. I was not thriving, I was simply surviving. Alone.
I was asked to speak at a Women’s Xmas tea and had so much fun with this revised holiday to-do list. Hopefully, you too can find ways to be more intentional this Christmas season.
(1) Be Present. I need this reminder. To stop going through the motions and actually wake up to the sights, the sounds, & the smells of Christmas. I want to be present to God showing up. Present to family and friends and even our pets 🙂 My dogs will follow me around until I give them my full undivided attention – scratching their ears until their tails wag with complete joy.
What do you need to be present to this holiday season?
(2) Wrap Someone in a Hug. Not a token pat on the back or a casual side hug. I’m talking about a bear hug. Research shows that a 7 second hug releases serotonin – the feel good hormone. Better yet – it has been shown that a 20 second hug reduces stress which further increases levels of the love hormone oxytocin – which is beneficial to your health on so many levels.
Who can you wrap in a 7 second or 20 second hug? Go for it.
(3) Send Peace. How can I send peace if I have none to give? When I lack peace it looks like: worry, stress, my mind and body in perpetual motion, sleepless nights, prone to irritation, feeling overwhelmed, and fear. When I have peace it looks like: untroubled, content, quiet, restful, practicing gratitude and believing it’s going to be ok. I once heard this statement and it has stuck with me: “Jesus had perfect peace with the needs of His followers, because he had perfect confidence in his fathers provision.” Jesus’ followers had real needs – much like our own and He had perfect peace with these needs because He knew His Father could provide. Let’s tell God our needs. Philippians 4:6-7 has made a huge impact on my understanding of peace. “Don’t worry about anything, but instead pray about everything. With thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your heart and your mind in christ Jesus.” These are some pretty practical action steps that lead to a huge promise.
What aspect of being at peace do you need right now in your life? Let’s try and send some peace to the world around us.
(4) Donate Food. Whenever my kids gets overwhelmed with life I’ve tried to teach them to get outside of themselves. Because I know this to be true for myself. We will focus on sending a note or word of encouragement to a friend, we will make homeless bags to have in our car, volunteer at Catholic Charities or with Faith Family Homeless. There is no shortage of need this time of year. Donate Food.
What can you do this season to get outside of yourself?
(5) Make Love. Everything you do, everything you make, everything you wrap, everything you give – may you do it in love. I have a little experiment for you – go ask your family, your spouse, your kids, your closest friends, “How do you know that I love you? What do I do that makes you know I love you?” I asked my son and after he rolled his eyes he said, “you feed me, you clothe me, you have to you’re my mom.” HA! I said, “No, how do you really know I love you?” What he shared ended up landing in the physical touch / quality time category. Have you ever heard of the 5 Love Languages? They are: Words of Affirmation / Quality Time / Acts of Service / Gifts / & Physical Touch. Once you know the love language of your loved one – spend some time actually loving them in the way they are wired to be loved.
It says in 1 Corin. 13:8 that, “love never fails.” This is a mighty promise. This means that love will never be without an effect – on you or the receiver. Real love, from the heart does something in the spirit. It moves, it’s powerful and the promise is it won’t fail.
What’s your love language?
(6) Be the Light.
Christmas Shopping
O God of words, dear Word made flesh give birth to my thoughts,
change them into words that will help me to Christmas up the lives of those I love, for I am weak and fragile
scared and empty this year and still I feel you very near.
Jesus, I think I hear you coming. I think I hear a sound that says
you’ve cared your way into my life again.
I think I see a light more lasting than the ones we hang on trees
I think I see a world that’s splashed with God again
so gospelled with his presence, so covered with his love
yet, lonely still….
O shoppers, dear shoppers put your carts away.
Please put your carts away and search deep down within your hearts for gifts that will not rust or fade
For where your treasure is there is your heart. (Matthew 6:19-21)
O look into your God-splashed, gospelled hearts and see! See Christmas standing there waiting to be, not bought but given free.
We are Christmas shoppers, Lord
We are shopping for a way to make your coming last
O take the blind in us and hold it close, O teach us how to see
Decorate our lives with your vision, For Christmas, let us see!
O shoppers, dear shoppers hang lights in your hearts
instead of on your trees. For the One we’ve hung our hopes on
has come, and now we’re free but only if we see.
Jesus, we long for Christmas-eyes. Please heal the blind in us
For Christmas, eyes that see!
– by Macrina Wiederkehr
I want to be a good mom. When my kids were little they would get the “normal” runny nose, cough, fever, ear infections, eczema, strep throat, stomach aches, etc. Which somehow made me feel like a bad mom. Always in the Dr.’s office. When I got into Shaklee and learned of the many ways to build health, I kept wondering to myself,
“Why don’t I know this? How come nobody told me that certain foods, quality nutrition and bioavailable vitamins are key to staying healthy and can actually prevent all these illnesses?”
There are ways to keep your kids out of the Dr.’s office this Winter. Click HERE and let’s talk. Or get started with this: Kids Power Pack. And it’s $10.- off until November 30th.
Time to wake up to life. Time for laughter, time for friends, time for peace, time for rest, time for adventure, time for healthy living, time to make it right, time for a decision…
There are two Greek words for time. Chronos – clock time, chronological, measured in seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months and years. Kairos – time measured in moments, seasons of life. Referring to the right moment, the opportune moment, the “right” time.
Can you honestly say, “I love my life!”?
“do what you love to do and the money will follow.”
I grew up in California, the Central Valley, with the shores of Lake Tahoe being a home away from home. Lake Tahoe is where water became a part of my soul. There are so many stories of growing up on this lake that have shaped my life.
Its early morning as I sneak a peek at the lake from my upstairs window. It’s glass! I decided to wake up my Dad – because he is always up for an early morning ski run.
We grab one of my brothers to be our flagger and we head down the pier to our wooden Chris Craft stored in our boat house. As we lower it down into the water I am getting giddy with excitement – every time! Since the lake is crystal clear, we motor out far enough so I cannot see the bottom of the lake – don’t want to see the fish! It takes a good 10 minutes to muster up the courage to jump into this freezing cold mountain lake. It always takes my breath away. But the thrill of water skiing is worth it. It is pure joy to be pulled behind the boat, I don’t know if my smile could get bigger or my heart more full. Such peace and beauty. No one else is crazy enough to jump in that water so we head back to the pier. I had to sit on the dock in the sunshine to warm up and stop shivering. Lazy summer days at the lake! Who would have thought all these years later, my own kids would get to have their own Lake Tahoe water adventures.
When I think of running home, it is to the water. It is there that I feel most alive and free to be me. Where do you run?
Back-to-school time is often a mixture of sadness and relief for parents. Sad because your child is one year older, possibly starting a new phase (like kindergarten or middle school), and happy because your kids are now off to school every morning!
Everyone wants their kids to be able to do their best in school, but today’s schools often have lunchrooms filled with poor food choices, vending machines full of high-sugar sodas, and too little physical education time or sports activities. To give your children their best shot, let’s focus on what you can do to help your children’s brains and learning ability:
Our children’s brains need to be gently nurtured in order to perform their best. Taking simple steps can really pay off.
I am excited to share Christine’s story with you. It is one of many who have had positive health benefits from simply switching out cleaning products, laundry soaps, dish soaps, bleach, etc. Whether it’s asthma, allergies, eczema, sensitive skin, migraines or headaches – getting the toxic chemicals out of your home could benefit your health!
Growing up I struggled with asthma. As an athlete, I was never without my inhaler. It was about 8 years ago that I was invited to hear about safe, non-toxic cleaning products. I was blown away by the chemicals that I had under my sink and that I sprayed to clean my house. I was so curious to try the “green” ones out. After exclusively switching to the Shaklee Get Clean product line I realized soon after that I was no longer wheezing after a run. This was transformational for me and I was grateful! Since then I have trusted the other great nutritional products by Shaklee and went from a happy customer to an excited Shaklee business owner.
To learn more about these products visit: Healthy Home
Oprah also highlighted these products on one of her shows. Check out this 4 minute clip:
One of my favorite stories from the Bible is the woman at the well found in John chapter 4. Jesus is sitting by a well and asks a woman for a drink. She is stunned because culturally men did not speak to Samaritan women or women in general. He tells her
“If you knew the gift of God and who it is asking you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” So this woman says to Jesus, “Sir, you have no bucket and this well is deep. Where do you get this living water?” And Jesus tells her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” “Please sir, give me this water!”
I sense this woman is tired, lonely, drained, exhausted, and doesn’t even know what she needs. I can relate. She meets a stranger who “told me everything I have ever done” (vs. 29), and with full acceptance offers her something practical, tangible, and life giving – a fresh start. Oh – how I need this daily!
I was in Palm Springs with my Aunt explaining to her my ideas of a website – a resource to help myself and others succeed in health, business and life. She said without hesitation, “you mean A WELL?” And the idea was born. My hope is that you dip in the well if you’re thirsty for health, for feeling good, for getting your life back. My hope is that you jump in the well if you desire training and support to help you reach your dreams. The woman at the well came thirsty and she left satisfied and full of life.
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