Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Women of Many Hats!




I had a lovely few hours over at my friend Linda's last week. It was a time to exchange Christmas gifts, talk about our lives, our families, our grandchildren.

We had a tender time of contemplative worship as we listened to music pointing towards the coming of our King. And then these two grannies did what all girls love to do... we played dress-up with hats!



After I left, I still had afternoon errands to run, dinner to make and then off to evening church services...

I wore a hat.




Monday, December 14, 2009

To Your Health...!


Ten years ago, while undergoing my regular yearly physical, my doctor casually mentioned something about the importance of women maintaining healthy Adrenals. News to me. I didn't even know I had an Adrenal, let alone where it might be located or that I was supposed to be keeping it healthy. Apparently, she detected my blatant ignorance because I left her office with a freshly photocopied page of Basic Adrenal Gland Information. As I made my way through the corridors to the elevator I was thinking of how little I knew of my own body.... amazing.

The basics are as follows... we all have two Adrenal Glands, each one about the size of a walnut and each one sitting atop each one of our kidneys. By the way, "ad" means "over" and "renal" means "kidneys" so... "over the kidneys", (found that one out on my own, but don't worry you won't be quizzed on this!). Apparently, the job of the Adrenals is to secrete steroid hormones such as estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and of course adrenalin, which is also a hormone, all of them essential to our overall health and vitality. The hormones secreted by the Adrenals affects the function of every tissue and organ of our body... and that includes our brain!

The function of the Adrenals is to keep our bodies reacting in a healthy and productive way to the stresses in our lives. They help our internal and external bodies cope with stress whether it be emotional or physical (such as an injury), and call to attention every single cell in our body to respond accordingly. The problem is that when the stresses in our lives are prolonged, either through improper diet, too little sleep, over indulgence, family or financial stresses (you get the idea), the Adrenals become fatigued (or even burn out) which results in a lack of the production of hormones that we so vitally need; which means that our bodies cannot respond and adapt properly to the stresses in every day life which leads to physical and mental strain, which only adds... you got it... more stress!

So how do we keep our little Kidney Sitters healthy and happy is the question. Well, here are a few things that you can begin to do over the holiday season to add to the overall health of your Adrenals...

~ Control your blood sugar through balanced meals
of proteins, fats and carbs
~ Breathe in fresh oxygen daily for 30 minutes
(go for a walk)
~ Engage in some form of exercise that you enjoy
dancing
yoga
biking
~ Use a dry, body brush to stimulate your body skin each morning
(brush towards the heart)
~ Get at least nine hours of sleep per night
~ Stretch often
~ Find and take advantage of quiet moments throughout the day
to relax and unwind
~ Cultivate an attitude of gratitude in all things
~ Laugh daily
~ Cultivate good and healthy (in person) relationships
~ Drink water... often!

Of course, physical health is just one aspect.... spiritual health is another. Jesus said... "Everyone that drinks of this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks of the Water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the Water that I give him will become in him a well of Water springing up to Eternal Life... If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink..."

Yes, our bodies are wonderfully made by God... taking care of them in a healthy, balanced way, with an attitude of gratitude... honours Him; but the "coming to Him and drinking of the Living Water" gives place to Him in our lives and brings us spiritual Health and Well-being.

And so... Here's To Your Health!

May you have a blessed Christmas.

with love,

Monday, December 7, 2009

Monday Musings... Is It Just Me?


OK, so fine. I am just going to write this, get it off my chest and then edit it like crazy when I am done if I have gone too far.

This year I am so off christmas it isn't even funny. Not Christmas, but christmas. You know, the christmas of the vortex of a plastic jesus in a plastic manger, of things that light up and blink with their mechanical chip implants that say, 'HO HO HO' or 'Merry christmas', or sing 'Santa Baby' while they whirl and wiggle and shake until their ever lovin' ever readies crash.

Don't get me wrong. I love Rudolph and chestnuts roasting on an open fire, sleigh bells and Bing Crosby letting me know that he is dreaming of a white christmas and wishing me days that are merry and bright. Snowmen have always been pleasant to me and good cheer is never old or unfashionable... but...

As we hauled out the boxes full of decorations this year I was already sick of it... and this from a girl who is known for decorating mid-November! In all honesty, most of our decorations remained in the boxes while I put up a few things here and there. This Christmas, my home decorating attempts are definitely more reflective of what is in my heart.

On this side of the Cross, the Beauty of Christmas is no longer found in a manger, but in the reality of the Risen Christ. The Simplicity of Christmas is 'Joy to the world, the Lord is come, let earth receive her King, let every heart prepare Him room...' - there may have been no room for Him at the inn - but is there room today for Him in our hearts.

I know that I loved Him just as much in years gone by, when I decorated my home lavishly. But this Christmas, the reflection of my heart seems to be an uncluttered openness towards Him and a 'cleaning out' of the trappings of the world's idea of christmas... that's all.

Perhaps you are sensing the same thing this year, perhaps not. If it is just me, I am totally fine with that. As Edna would say... it is what it is!

One thing I know for sure is that the Reality of His Joy remains, long after the christmas decorations are packed away for yet another year and the reindeer have taken the sleigh back to the north pole.

Of all the gifts I have ever received, as lovely and meaningful as many of them have been, there is only One Gift that is with me Always and Forever... may He look upon me and truly see a most grateful child.

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