Joyfull Living

Don't through the mashed potatoes at me yet!  The Thanksgiving meal is surely a time to enjoy the food, fellowship and family time.  But...if you are keeping a healthy lifestyle and goals to better fitness, a huge meal like this (with overindulgence) can set things back quickly.  This meal is not one to be deprived of, but here are a few tips to enjoy the meal and keep on track.   1.) Start the day with a big glass of water. 2.) Get an early morning walk or run (or even a stretch!) in if you can! 3.) Do not graze at the table! Put what you want on your plate and WALK AWAY! 4.) Only eat the foods you love. Don’t waste those calories! 5.) Going back for seconds? Go for protein and (non saucy) vegetables…if you can find any! 6.) Keep the breads/rolls to a minimum, and if you have to butter them, use a small amount! 7.) Drink some more water….then do it again. 8.) Just because everyone else is eating it, doesn’t mean you have to! Keep YOUR goal...

Thanksgiving is coming quickly!!  When it gets this close, it can be a struggle for me to keep my mind focused on blessings.  My to do list grows quickly, plans must be finalized, shopping must be done, schedules coordinated and the attitude of gratitude is often the first thing to slip away. A recent Bible study from Good Morning Girls had some great thoughts to put our thankfulness to the test.  Thankfulness is not just a  fleeting whispered 'thank you' to the wind....it is a lifestyle where our blessings are acknowledged, shared and our attitudes changed which results in action.   Here is a portion from the study about how to check our thankfulness. How can we know if we are thankful women? 1. Do we often think of all of God’s mercies and graces in our lives? Is his praise often in our lips? This is a sign of thankful hearts. 2. Is our love for God growing? His generosity toward us should move us from loving his gifts to loving him a...

    Aaahh..November...the month to be thankful!  Many of my Facebook friends began the month by sharing something they are thankful for.  It seems the month of Thanksgiving stirs up an attitude of gratitude in many of us.  As we look forward to special time with family, friends and a time to count our blessings, it creates an atmosphere for thankfulness.    But, it usually happens each November that by mid month, the posts slow down a bit.  I have done the same thing...began with gusto, then let the busyness claim me and crowd out the best intentions.   I try to keep a 'thankful journal' found over at A Holy Experience.  Deliberately seeking out God's blessings each day - big and small cultivates that heart of gratitude and praise.  Some of my entries in the journal included: a beautiful sunrise cup of coffee birds feeding cozy fires warm robes sunlight streaming through a window   All t...

  Do you remember the advice given years ago about brushing your hair at bedtime?  100 strokes would make it shiny and beautiful?    Nowadays, there is a different brushing technique and it does more than make your hair beautiful!  Body brushing is a way to bring out the best in your skin, but also has some pretty amazing health benefits.   Natural News posted an excellent article about body brushing.  Here are a few highlights:   "Dry brushing your skin may be one of the easiest and best ways to detoxify your body on a regular basis. The skin is estimated to eliminate over a pound of waste each day through its pores and through the elimination of dead skin cells from the body. Dry brushing is an effective way to maximize the toxin elimination channels of the skin. Dry skin brushing helps to improve circulation, stimulates lymphatic drainage and firms the skin. The improvement in circulation improves brain function and giv...

  The "thankful journal' assignment for today was:   Take a thankful journey through the rooms in your house, giving thanks for all the wonderful memories, laughs and times together with loved ones. Give thanks for a roof over your head and for the places you have shared life with others.   We live in the same home we moved in as newlyweds. It is almost 25 years old and getting a bit worn around the edges.  When I look at my home, it is usually not with a spirit of thankfulness.  My eyes move seem to focus on the things that are wrong...like bathroom stains, torn furniture, holes in the walls, uneven doors. After three boys, this home has seen  a lot of 'activity'!    Today's assignment challenged me to look beyond the blemishes and reflect on some special times that went on through the house.  Each room is a place where memories have been made, smiles come easily when thinking of  those rooms that have seen children gr...

Can you believe it is November...already??  In a blink of an eye, Thanksgiving will be here and then....you  know what is next, I won't rush it!! but...the holidays are coming!!   For the last few years, instead of 'counting my blessings' the week before Thanksgiving, I've tried to use the month of November to slow down, take notice of the everyday blessings that are all around.  Many of my Facebook friends do the same thing, they find something to be thankful for and share it each day.  I recently found an online "thankful journal" that gives a thought to be thankful for along with some action to express that gratitude.  Here is the list:   Nov. 1 (All Saints Day) :  Express your gratitude in a note, phone call, text or email to a person(s) whose ministry in daily life nurtures your faith. Thank God for this saint. Consider how you may be used as a “saint” to others and be thankful!   Nov. 2:  Take time to enjoy somethin...