Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Do what you love

22 April, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I love to take pictures of people. It’s both challenging and rewarding to capture the essence of someone’s personality in a photograph. Sometimes you can see personality characteristics in a photograph that you can’t see in real life. We were created in God’s image, and every single one of is is a masterpiece created by the Master Creator. 


One of the best ways to fight depression—or even just the blues—is to do something that you love. For me, photography is one of my “somethings.” Here are the reasons photography makes me happy: 

  • It is a creative outlet
  • It keeps my mind focused and busy
  • It allows me to interact with people
  • It allows me to do something for someone else
  • It gives me a sense of accomplishment

All of these reasons I enjoy photography actually increase the endorphins and chemicals (serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin) in my brain that increase my mood and sense of well being. Doing something that you love, whether it’s photography, music, gardening, carpentry, etc…have most of the characteristics I listed above. 


So my tip for a happier you today is to do something that you love. Whether you make money or not is irrelevant. Getting paid for doing what you love sometimes makes it more rewarding, and sometimes it makes it less. It’s all the other reasons that make it worth it. 

For me, spring is a great time for photography which is what led me to this tip today. With senior pictures, proms, and mother’s day, my camera has been busy. And I was blessed to get to photograph one a God’s new creations last week too! So I thought I’d share a few of God’s masterpieces with you today as seen through my lens 😉

So go do what you love and be happy! 
From my heart, 

Celeste
Enjoy! 😉

Gotta love the horse in this one! :D

Filed Under: How to be Happy, Life Through the Lens, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Make-a-change Monday~A Yummy and Natural Sugar Substitute

16 April, 2012 by 1 Comment

I took today’s prescription verse from The Message—a modern-day language translation of the Bible. I’m not sure Solomon was really speaking of “fast food” here, but how well it applies to today!  

We’ve been talking about sugar lately—how it negatively affects us physically and emotionally. But the artificial sweeteners are just that—artificial. We reach for both sugar and artificial sweeteners because we want something fast and easy (and sweet). 
So today, I am giving you just a little easy tip for your make-a-change Monday. 
How many of us love sugar in our coffee? I’ve gotten a little better over the years; I used to drink a little coffee in my sugar! 
There is a natural sweetener that has gained a little popularity recently…enough so that it can be found at Wal-Mart! It’s Agave Nectar. Here’s you a picture: 
Last Monday’s make-a-change was to do a sugar fast…or a least a sugar decrease 😉 In that post I told you about how sugar causes our pancreas to produce insulin, therefore prohibiting it from producing glucagon, thus increasing our belly fat 🙁 This means it has a high “glycemic index. 
Sugar (glucose), or anything that rapidly converts to glucose in the bloodstream, has a high glycemic index. Foods that do not rapidly convert to glucose, but rather convert slowly, creating a lower and more steady level of blood glucose, have a low glycemic index and are much better for you. 
Here’s a link to tell you all you need to know about Agave Nectar and the beneficial effects. 
So when you hit the grocery store this week, pick up a bottle of Agave Nectar and try substituting it for your sugar necessities this week. 
It’s especially good in coffee and oatmeal! 
Let’s keep making those good little changes and see how far we’ve come by the end of the summer! Hopefully we will see happier and healthier versions of ourselves. 
I want to see the me God wants me to be. 
From my heart, 
Celeste
Filed Under: Eating to Live, God's Pharmacy, Make-a-change Mondays, Making Changes Tagged With: , , , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~The Artificial Sweetener Conspiracy

14 April, 2012 by 1 Comment



Since we’ve been talking about how sugar affects your health, I thought it would be helpful to look into the plethora of sugar substitutes available to us today that are FDA approved. 


My research, most of which I already knew, brought me back to the conclusion I shared in an old blog post, God’s Pharmacy. We just can’t leave well enough alone. God gave us some great stuff when he created the earth! But we insist on manipulating it to suit our desires. 


Here is a great list of the FDA approved artificial sweeteners available to us I found in an article on the Spark People website: 


Acesulfame-Potassium (Acesulfame-K) goes by the brand names Ace-K, Sunett and Sweet One. It is a combination of organic acid and potassium that is often blended with other sugar substitutes.

  • 200 times sweeter than sugar
  • 0 calories per gram
  • Heat stable (can be used in cooking and baking)
  • Produces no glycemic response
  • ADI: 15 mg/kg body weight per day

Aspartame goes by the brand names Equal and NutraSweet. It is composed of two amino acids (proteins), aspartic acid and phenylalanine. Aspartame is one of the most thoroughly tested food additives, according to the FDA. People with the rare heredity disease phenylketonuria (PKU) should not consume aspartame.

    • 160-220 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 4 calories per gram (metabolized as a protein), but because such a small amount is needed to sweeten foods and beverages, the calories provided by aspartame are considered negligible.
  • Not heat stable (cannot be used in cooking or baking)
  • Produces a limited glycemic response
  • ADI: 50 mg/kg body weight per day

 

 

Neotame is one of the newest artificial sweeteners approved for use in packaged foods and beverages.

    • 7,000-13,000 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 0 calories per gram
  • Heat stable (can be used in cooking and baking)
  • Produces no glycemic response
  • ADI: 18 mg/kg body weight per day
  • Rapidly metabolized and excreted

 

 

Saccharin goes by the brand names Necta Sweet, Sugar Twin and Sweet ‘N Low.

    • 200-700 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 0 calories per gram
  • Heat stable (can be used in cooking and baking)
  • Produces no glycemic response
  • ADI: 15 mg/kg body weight per day

 

 

Stevia (Rebaudioside A) goes by the names PureVia, Sun Crystals and Truvia. It is a steviol glycoside, one component of the stevia plant that provides sweetness.

    • 250-300 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 0 calories and 0 carbohydrates per gram
  • ADI: 0-4 mg/kg body weight per day
  • Metabolized by the body into steviol, which is not absorbed in the blood and therefore leaves the body unchanged

 

 

Sucralose goes by the brand name Splenda.

    • 600 times sweeter than sugar

 

  • 0 calories per gram
  • Heat stable (can be used in cooking and baking)
  • Produces no glycemic response
  • ADI: 5mg/kg body weight per day
  • Poorly absorbed and excreted unchanged

 

 

Want to know what they all have in common? They are all synthetic chemicals. 


I could write all day on the dangers of these artificial sweeteners. The lists are unending of the problems they can cause, the studies the have been done to prove their safety (or risks), and the questions they leave unanswered.


Now here’s a fun little list of possible dangers of artificial sweeteners: 

  • Weight gain (I know, quite ironic isn’t it?)
  • Headaches
  • Allergies
  • Depression
  • Anxiety and Panic Attacks
  • Gastro-intestinal disorders
  • Cancer
Pretty scary, right? 



The stevia seems to be the most promising of possibilities for a good natural sweetener, but  the form approved by the FDA sold in the US has been chemically altered. 


So why do we put these chemicals in our bodies? 


I’m going to give you some great articles to read if you’d like to read further, but I’m summing it up. 


In one of the articles I read on the safety of Stevia and the concern for it’s FDA approval, this statement stuck out like a sore thumb: 


In the U.S., we like to go to extremes,” adds toxicologist Ryan Huxtable of the University of Arizona in Tucson. “So a significant number of people here might consume much greater amounts.” (Nutrition Action)



Now read today’s prescription verse. Yes, I know it’s about wine—a little wine that is— but shouldn’t it apply to everything? It’s about moderation and using what God gave us. When it comes to sugar and artificial sweeteners, I’m going with plain old unsweet. If I must have something sweet, a little cane sugar (the most natural form of sugar we can buy) seems to be the safest answer. If the natural form of stevia is easy to buy, I will use it as well. As for all the rest, STAY AWAY! They are nothing but trouble. 


Hope you found this post helpful! 

From my heart,

Celeste



P.S. Here’s the link to my stack of delicious article if you’d like to do some more reading for yourself: The Artificial Sweetener Conspiracy


P.S.S. Don’t forget to read Monday’s post for make-a-change Monday. I have one great tip for you to help you change sugar habits that I didn’t reveal today 😉


Filed Under: Eating to Live, God's Pharmacy, How to be Happy, Making Changes, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Make-a-Change Monday~Surprise!

9 April, 2012 by 2 Comments
My oldest daughter, Miranda, turned 18 on Saturday. We asked her repeatedly what she’d like for her birthday, and the only answer we ever got was “love.” First, she loves being loved, and second, she couldn’t think of anything she really wants. If you know Miranda, you know she is loved. She demands love and attention, but more than she demands it, she deserves it. 
Miranda had her birthday all planned out in her mind, and of course the day didn’t go at all as planned. Most things typically don’t, right? 
At the end of the day, she was a little bummed out. She didn’t want to be, but I could tell she was. 
What she didn’t know was the amount of “love” she’d be getting on Sunday. We had a big surprise birthday party planned for her. It turned out great. We surprised her for sure and had a house full of her friends jump out at her yelling “surprise” when she walked in the door. 
The previously bummed-out Miranda was now smiling from ear to ear.

  • She loved her friends for caring enough about her to be there
  • She loved being the center of attention
  • She loved the fun we all shared
  • She loved that we love her enough to have planned it
  • She loved the surprise    
The surprise built her up. 
The surprise made her feel special. 
The surprise made her feel loved. 
God commands us in scripture to build each other up. There is enough tearing people down in our society don’t you think? 
So…today’s make-a-change Monday is to surprise someone. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate surprise party. You could:
  • Take a bag of groceries to someone in need
  • Grab a Starbucks coffee and take to a friend
  • Plant some spring flowers for a neighbor
  • Babysit for a friend to have a night out
  • Take a friend to a movie
The possibilities are endless…and the blessings are plenty. 
You never know what small gesture will make a difference.
Was Miranda blessed by being the recipient of a surprise? Absolutely. Was I a pleased-as-punch, camera-toting mom? You betcha! The slightly bewildered, on-top-of-the-world look on her face was priceless; one I wanted to remember forever. 
Surprises are good for everybody!  
…And remember,
I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,
 you did it to me. (Matthew 25:40 ESV)


From my heart,
Celeste

P.S. I’d love for you to leave me a comment with your surprise, and any blessings received!


Filed Under: Just for Fun, Make-a-change Mondays, Making Changes, Parenting Tips, Your Relationship with God Tagged With: , , , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Rest

7 April, 2012 by Leave a Comment



These next two months will hold many moments for me to stop and reflect. My firstborn is 18 years old today and will be graduating from high school next month. If time were personified she would obviously have wings. I’m really not sure where the last 18 years has gone. 


I look back at clouded memories wishing every moment had been recorded. But they weren’t. 


It’s up to me to hold those memories close to my heart.


It’s up to me to remember the good times, and let the bad memories remain in the past. Because let’s face it—they are not all good memories. 


Which brings me to today’s tip to a happier you: Take time away to rest and create some great memories with those you love. 


This week was spring break, and my family definitely made memories this week we will carry with us forever. With money a little tight right now, we—well, David— ran upon a Living Social deal and rented an RV for the week. Now let me tell you, camping for this girl is the Fairfield Marriott!


We spent three days as a very close-knit family of five. 

  • No television
  • A shower the size of a locker
  • A kitchen table converted to a bed
  • Five suitcases crammed in a pile in the corner
  • Wet towels and washcloths hanging on open cabinet doors

With those circumstances, we spent great family time.

  • We play game after game of cards and UNO on the table/bed before anyone slept on it
  • We didn’t have the distractions of a normal home: No laundry or dishes to be done, no cooking, and no point in straightening up.
  • Lots of outdoor time together hiking and climbing on rocks up the river

We had a great week and actually spent time together as a family, which life has a way of making impossible sometimes. 


The funniest memory of the week, though, was one I wouldn’t have anticipated. In an RV, there’s the dreadful task of emptying out the “black water.” For all you campers, you know what that is. For those of you like me, it’s the poop tank. 

The law of gravity is quite an important one to consider when emptying out the poop tank. There is a nice sized brown tube that connects from the RV to the hole in the ground that I suppose is a septic tank of sorts. The more experienced campers had a nice little wire rack that held the tube at the correct angle to drain the poop. We weren’t in the “experienced camper” category. In order to empty the tank, all five of us had to hold the tube off the ground at the correct angle. When it got too heavy in one spot and sagged, we had to get the “wave” motion going with the tube to drain it correctly. Teamwork! There’s nothing quite like feeling the weight of human waste flowing through a tube to create a family bonding moment that will last forever!  

So while we must exercise, eat correctly, clean house, work, and all the other stuff that takes our time, don’t forget to take time to just get away and rest and spend quality time with your family. And if you decide to embark on a camping trip, be sure to call me for tips on the poop tank! 
From my heart,
Celeste


Here’s a few snapshots from our trip…hope you enjoy! 😉


Filed Under: Family Focused, How to be Happy, Life Through the Lens, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , ,

Sometimes You Just Have to Suffer

5 April, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Do you ever feel like God has left you or forgotten about you? Do you think Jesus thought His father forgot Him? 

Jesus did not want to endure the pain and agony of the cross. But He knew that His crucifixion must take place for God’s plan to be carried out. 
God never left Jesus during His suffering. When Jesus hung on the cross at the very end of his life, He separated Himself from God when he sacrificed Himself for the sins of the world. He became sin, and where there is sin, there is not God. But at the moment Jesus gave up His spirit, He bridged the gap… 





…between sin and God—between us and God. God’s plan was that of a Divine Conspiracy and Jesus knew His suffering would end with the greatest miracle ever on earth. And it was his death and resurrection that would bring the gift of salvation and eternal life to mankind. 


Jesus was God’s son. God didn’t enjoy seeing His son in pain, but He knew the extreme measures that must be taken to wash away our sin—to purify the corrupted heart of man. After all, he did create us. 

Haven’t we all known someone—or been that someone—who had to hit rock bottom before he/she saw the light and decided to make changes? 
I look back at my seven years of hell and am amazed at all that I learned during that miserable existence. God taught me things I couldn’t even see at the time. And though there were many moments I wished I could cease to exist, I wouldn’t trade them for anything now that I see what God was teaching me. I’m guessing Jesus felt the same.
We are God’s children. When God looks at us, He sees Jesus. No one wants to endure hardship and pain, but God has a plan, and just as Jesus’s pain was necessary for the salvation of man, we must endure trials in order to carry out God’s plan for us.
Your pain and suffering could just be the best thing to ever happen to you. 

It was for me. 
From my heart,
Celeste 
Filed Under: Beating Depression, Chronic Illness, Fighting Your Fears, Living in Faith, Living with Purpose, The Power of Prayer, Your Relationship with God Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Make a Change Monday~A Sugar Fast

2 April, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I am currently reading Made to Crave, by Lysa Terkeurst, and I love it. I’ll talk more about the book at a later date, but for now I just want to share one of Lysa’s suggestions for today’s make-a-change. 

Lysa explains we are made to crave. God designed our bodies to crave, but more importantly, he designed our soul to crave…Him. When we sacrifice something our body craves and replace that physical craving with a spiritual craving, we grow closer to God. It’s really that simple. 
But denying ourselves our physical cravings is not simple at all. It requires will power and prayer. 
On Saturday I shared with you what sugar does to your brain—how it affects your emotions. Today I want to share just one thing sugar does to your body that will help motivate you even more: 

When you eat sugar, your pancreas produces insulin to break it down. When your blood sugar is low, on the other hand, your pancreas produces glucagon to find something in your body it can break down to use for energy. The only time your body produces glucagon is when your blood sugar is low. Here’s the kicker…the glucagon targets fat in your body, especially around the belly area, to break down into glucose for your body and brain to use. 
I know it gets confusing and takes a little backward thinking, so think of it like this: 
The less sugar you give your body, the more fat your body will break down to use as energy. 
Giving up sugar is tough, but the less we eat it, the less we crave it. 
So today’s make-a-change is to give up sugar, or at least cut back. Word of warning though, don’t switch to “diet” drinks and “artificially sweetened” products. And if it says “sugar free,” make sure it doesn’t have the artificial sweeteners either. I’ll talk more about artificial sweeteners soon, but for now, know that the only sweeteners you should use in substitute for sugar are Xylitol and Stevia. 
So when you want that Pepsi—40 grams of sugar— at the movies, say a quick prayer, and choose water instead. (And save a few bucks!)

…And you may just get in a few more—or a lot more—conversations with God throughout your day! 

From my heart, 
Celeste
 P.S. For ways to decrease the sugar in your diet, check out my delicious stack of helpful articles with lots of tips and hints; but beware of those artificial sweeteners. There are still many believers in Nutrasweet and the like…

Filed Under: Beating Depression, Chronic Illness, Eating to Live, Make-a-change Mondays, Making Changes Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Tips to a Happier you in 2012~The Sweet Truth

31 March, 2012 by 1 Comment



What are the most common conditions for which we would consider a change in our diet?


•   High blood pressure? 
•   Obesity?
•   Diabetes?
•    
Those are the no-brainers. But what about your brain? Do you think about the food we eat being connected to our brain? 

Let me give you an example from personal experience: 

When I was finishing pharmacy school, I did a clinical rotation at Greenville Memorial Hospital in the Cancer Treatment Center. I had to be up on the 5th floor of the hospital at 7:00 AM to do rounds with Dr. Gluck. Every single morning, about half way through rounds, I got very light headed, weak, shaky, and I broke out in a sweat. My heart beat so hard I felt like I was having a panic attack. I’d go into the hall and sit down with my head between my knees afraid I would throw up or pass out, neither of which anyone had time for. 

After a few weeks of this everyday occurrence, Dr. Gluck examined me, but could find nothing wrong. The patients we were seeing every morning were stage 4 cancer patients at the very end of their lives—tough situations for a 20-year-old college student to handle at 7:00 AM every morning. We just figured the situations were getting to me. It was somewhat overwhelming, but I couldn’t believe it could make me physically ill. 

Finally, when I was about at the end of my rotation, the pharmacist I worked with asked me what I was eating for breakfast. Every morning I ate toast with grape jelly around 6:15 AM.

He suggested I switch to cheese toast and see if it would make a difference. 

What do you know? I was absolutely fine. 

When I ate jelly on my toast for breakfast, I was getting a sugar high. Then, around 7:30, my insulin was in high gear to take care of processing that sugar, and caused my sugar to drop so rapidly, it almost did me in. I ended up in a hypoglycemic state. It can be confusing to think of getting hypoglycemia when we eat too  much sugar, but it’s the insulin’s response to the high sugar that throws us into hypoglycemia. 

Look at today’s prescription verse. …Be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.
There is a definite mind-body-soul connection. What affects one affects the other.  

Our brain relies on a steady, balanced level of glucose to function properly. When we eat too much sugar, our body goes into overdrive trying to process it, causing a rise in adrenalin and cortisol (the fight or flight hormone). As I’ve stated before, this rise in cortisol will cause a decrease in serotonin and other hormones in the brain. Basically, everything gets out of whack. The more unbalanced our sugar intake is, the more unbalanced our mood is. 

Our brain and body need to stay in balance, so it is essential that our diet be balanced as well. 

Too much sugar does not a balanced diet make. Here’s the link to a great article I found explaining this phenomenon well: Conquering Anxiety, Depression, and Fatigue Without Drugs—the Role of Hypoglycemia
My reaction to sugar was somewhat extreme. Most reaction are much more subtle and not as easy to diagnose. Here are some symptoms to look for that could be blamed on sugar intake: 
•   Anxiety
•   Nervousness
•   Restlessness
•   Irritability
•   Depression
•   Forgetfulness
•   Crying spells
•   Inability to concentrate
…And there are many more. 

How incredible would it be to just balance your sugar intake and solve these problems without the use of drugs? It may or may not work, but all you’ve lost is a few pounds! 

Here are some suggestions from The Hypoglycemic Diet to start you in the right direction: 
1) Avoidance of sugar, coffee, strong tea, nicotine if possible, refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, white rice, cakes and sugary drinks, candy bars, colas, cookies, ice cream sweetish fruits such as bananas, grapefruit, melons, honey and dates (these fruits may be reintroduced at a later stage in moderation) etc.
2) High protein + complex carbohydrates snacks every three hours or sooner, to provide a slow release of glucose, and to prevent the hypoglycemic dip. A high protein breakfast must be considered the most important meal of the day. Good sources of proteins are eggs, white meat as in chicken and fish. Eat plenty of green vegetables and fruits and the more varied the diet the better it is.
3) Supplementation of diet with Anti-stress vitamin B-Complex tablets, including vitamin B6, B3, B12, chromium picolinate, magnesium, zinc + Vitamin C, and fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids), vitamin D. 
4) Other supplements that could slow down the absorption of glucose (thereby avoiding blood sugar peaks and the release of stress hormones) are: Psyllium Seeds Husks (1 tbsp. per day), Glucomannan including pectin (follow instructions on bottle), Grapefruit and Cinnamon.
So the sweet truth is that sugar is not so sweet after all. It can be downright mean. 

Let’s don’t let something so simple as sugar control our emotions. And did you know when we stop eating sugar, we stop craving it? But that’s another blog post…
From my heart,
Celeste
P.S. If you’d like more great information on sugar and diet, here’s the link to my delicious stack of articles on The Sweet Truth.
Filed Under: Beating Depression, Brain Functions, Eating to Live, God's Pharmacy, Making Changes, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

God and Google

30 March, 2012 by 1 Comment

I must admit it. I’ve been sucked into the World Wide Web. I’m fascinated at all of the information on the Internet! Just think about it. 

•   Just on Google Maps alone, actual people have taken the time to put all of that information in so that we can find our way. 
•   Since I’ve been writing, the Internet has become my university of learning. If I have a question, I just type it into my Google search engine and “poof!” 
•   Medical searches
•   Games
•   Science projects
•   Financial information such as daily stock quotes
•   Searches in scripture
•   Recipes, recipes, recipes
•   Kids Crafts
•   Photography
…And the list goes on and on. It’s really so remarkable!
But no matter how riveted I am by the massive information available through Google, people I know nothing about entered it all. With medical and nutritional information, I can tell pretty easily which sites are reputable and which aren’t, because pharmacy school taught me that. But when I look up a subject I know nothing about, it’s hard to tell if what I’m reading is truth.
God, on the other hand, is 100% reliable. He is omniscient. 
In this age of information, we are undergoing some major changes. Therefore, the information on the Internet is changing daily. Especially in the medical world. The miracle drug today will be pulled from the market tomorrow due to some side effect that was not realized during clinical trials (or just not found to be significant enough to keep the drug from FDA approval). Sorry, getting on my soapbox here, let me get back to my point…
Information on the World Wide Web changes daily. God never changes. He always has been and always will be the same.

He is truth. 
I am the way, the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the father except through me. 
(John 14:6 ESV)
So enjoy Google and learn much, just remember to let God have the final say.
Google is good, but God is great. 
From my heart, 
Celeste

Filed Under: Freedom in Christ, Living in Faith, Your Relationship with God Tagged With: , , , , ,

Make-a-change Monday~Rescue Your Fridge…and Your Family!

26 March, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Since we’ve been on the topic of food lately, I have a confession to make: 
I really don’t like to cook. 
For those of you who know me personally, I’m sure it’s no surprise. Cooking has always been a struggle for me. As soon as I get on a roll, I get in a rut. 
I begin with great intentions. 
•   I get together my recipes…some new and some old. 
•   I take a pantry inventory and make my grocery list.
•   After my trip to the store, I put away the groceries and keep my recipes out to use.
I typically cook the first few of my planned meals, but as the week progresses and schedules change, I end up with ingredients and leftovers in the refrigerator that I don’t use. 
That’s where I am now. 
Once again, my refrigerators (yes, two of them) are full of food that’s probably growing it’s own food by now. 
Today’s prescriptions verse is from Proverbs 31—you know, the “perfect woman” chapter of the Bible. This particular verse pretty much flattens my toes and really should be rewritten for me to say:
She does okay looking to the ways of her
household and tries not to eat
 the bread of  moldiness.
For those of you who cook every night and actually keep your fridge in good shape, you get this week off…or you can get motivated and make another change you’ve been thinking about. Leave me a comment if you do; it might be a change I need to make too! 
For those of you like me, today’s “make a change Monday” is to clean out the refrigerator—and make an attempt to keep it that way. 
And, so you don’t open the refrigerator door and stare blankly, here’s the link to my delicious stack of great articles to tell you what to do: Rescue Your Fridge…And Your Family!
Time to get busy looking to my household. 
…And my moldy bread! 
From my heart,
Celeste
Filed Under: Eating to Live, Family Focused, Make-a-change Mondays, Making Changes Tagged With: , , , , ,

Tips to a happier you in 2012~Acceptance in Christ (You are not what you eat)

24 March, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Last Monday, March 12, I posted about making a change to be healthier by eating foods that increase your body pH. I referred to several health “bandwagons” I jumped on in my search to cure myself while I was sick. It was conversations about that post that prompted me to write today’s tip to a happier you.
I was so easily convinced that each and every supplement, juice, and diet I tried was THE one to make me better. And even worse than me, those who convinced me believed their “product” was the one, true way to health. They were all well meaning; some were possibly just selling a product, but most genuinely wanted to help. 
In my desperate search to regain my health, I ended up very confused. How is it that everyone could believe such different things and all believe their way is the only way?
Fortunately, the Bible has our answer. I’m including all of the verses in Romans 14:1-23 because it helped me to read it all. I know it’s lengthy, but it’s scripture. Give me 5 minutes…
1 Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong. 2 For instance, one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables. 3 Those who feel free to eat anything must not look down on those who don’t. And those who don’t eat certain foods must not condemn those who do, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval.
5 In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable. 6 Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. 7 For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. 8 If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.
10 So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For the Scriptures say,
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bend to me,
and every tongue will confess and give praise to God.’”
12 Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. 13 So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.
14 I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. 15 And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. 16 Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good. 17 For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.18 If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. 19 So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.
20 Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble. 22 You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. 23 But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.
Does it seem like Paul was “beating a dead horse” when he wrote this? He certainly believed this was an important point. From the Garden of Eden right through to today, food has been a controversial subject both on the spiritual front and the physical front. 
Paul tells us “It’s okay.” As long as you believe in your heart you are pleasing God, it’s okay.
We need to continue to learn and be discerning, but we can stop torturing ourselves. God’s got it all under control. 
My son, Trevor, is one of the worst eaters I’ve ever known. There is not one fruit or vegetable that he likes and will willingly eat. NOT ONE! Yes, as his mom this drives me crazy. There have been many battles over our table with a loaded fork suspended in front of Trevor’s mouth, threatening or bribing him to eat. It took too long for me to realize the relationship was more important than the food. 
I gave his nutrition to God. 
Have I quit trying? Of course not. I want him to learn to eat new things and be healthy. I still put new things on his plate; I just don’t engage World War III trying to make him eat. 
I’ll keep providing tips that will make a healthier and happier you. And if you disagree, that’s okay! When we disagree, we are prompted to research and learn, all in the name of Christ. 
So today’s “tip to a happier you” is to stop obsessing, stop worrying, and stop judging yourself or anyone else for choices they believe to be right in Christ. And I don’t think Paul was only referring to our food choices in these verses, but I’ll leave that for another day…
From my heart, 
Celeste





Filed Under: Eating to Live, Family Focused, Living in Faith, Tips to a Happier You, Your Relationship with God Tagged With: , , , , ,

My Irrational Fear

21 March, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Well, I knew it would happen sooner or later. I have to face my own irrational fear. 

God showed me his almighty power on September 25, 2010, in no uncertain terms. I know he has a plan. I know he is in control. 

I know it, I know it, I know it.
But…I don’t fly on the same airplane as my hubby if the kids aren’t along for the trip. I mean, if we all die together that’s one thing; or if one if us dies, they will still have the other. But when we are travelling together…. you get the picture.
In my head I know it’s irrational to fly on separate planes. Not to mention inconvenient.
If it were in God’s plan—for whatever reason—to take us at that particular time, our planes would crash into each other. Right?  I actually cancelled a free trip to Lake Tahoe one time because I was having a panic attack about flying on the same plane. Crazy!
So I knew it was bound to happen. David wants me to go with him to a conference in Florida next month. There’s no way the kids can go, and there’s really not an option to fly separately. But this time, I didn’t look for that option.
It’s time I let that fear go.
I trust God. I have faith in God. I know He has a plan. I know He’s in control.
It could not be any clearer than in today’s prescription verse:
Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord God is with you wherever you go.
Do you have an irrational fear?
From my heart,
Celeste

 

Filed Under: Fighting Your Fears, Living in Faith Tagged With: , , ,

Make-a-change Monday~(((Hug))) your children

19 March, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Make
Miranda and Trevor (my 17 and 13 year old children) are working with Defenders for Children to help build a website for kids to go to for help if they are depressed, abused, angry, etc. 


It has opened my eyes and broken my heart.  G
The number of children in our country who are abused and neglected is staggering. 
God gave us children as a gift. They are to be cherished. 
Today’s make-a-change Monday is simple: 
(((Hug))) your children. 
Every single day. 
It’s that simple. 
From my heart, 
Celeste
Quote for thought: 
“God didn’t give us children to make us better parents;
He gave us children to make us better children.”
~Betsy Kenney
What kind of child are you today?
Filed Under: Family Focused, Make-a-change Mondays, Parenting Tips Tagged With: , , ,

Tips to a Happier You in 2012~Music Therapy

17 March, 2012 by 7 Comments
Everyone is affected by music. In one form or another, it’s all around us. 
In the Bible, David wrote the entire book of Psalm dedicated to singing to the Lord. David had a heart for God, but if you read the stories of David in scripture, you also know he was just another sinful human being saved by the grace of God. 
Music has been used for years as therapy for depression, stroke victims, and accident victims—virtually anyone, whose brain has been altered—to aid in their recovery. 
One particular study quoted in a Men’s Health article, “How iTunes Cures Depression” does a good job explaining how music helps our brain without getting too sciency 😉

  • It’s a distraction. “The brain is organized in such a way that thinking about one bad thing recalls another,” Salimpoor says. “Music provides a great intrusion and breaks this cycle. When you’re concentrating on the music you hear, you don’t have the mental resources to focus on other negative thoughts.”
  • It gets you high. Salimpoor authored a study earlier this year published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, which found listening to your favorite songs boosts levels of the hormone dopamine. “Dopamine gets us excited and motivated to do things,” she says. “There are many drugs that target this system, but music provides a natural high.”
  • It makes you feel understood. Just because you’re feeling sad doesn’t mean you should avoid sad songs. In fact, “listening to sad songs can make you feel like someone out there knows exactly how you feel,” Salimpoor says. “And that can help you feel less alone when 
One of my favorite old country songs is “The Song Remembers When” by Trisha Yearwood. Being a country song, you know it’s about some relationship gone wrong, but I love the gist of the song. No matter what you’re doing or where you are, a song can take you back to a specific memory in time. And how true that is! Even this song takes me back to driving into the mountains about 18 years ago on our way to a weekend away in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. 
I know how horrible my memory is; yet I can hear a song and it will trigger a memory I hadn’t thought of in years. That’s pretty powerful. 
We know David sang to the Lord.
We know science has proven music to have positive effects to our brain. 
We know a song can take you back to a specific memory or event in time. 
So here’s my tip to a happier you for this week: I want you to listen to Christian Music and only Christian music for the next two weeks. Find a local Christian station, or use the free app, “TuneIn Radio,” on your iPhone and listen to my favorite, His Radio, WLFJ (89.3 FM).
Here are a few reasons why Christian music will be beneficial to you:
  1. Once you learn a few songs, you’ll love them.
  2. If you listen to the words, you can’t help but be blessed.
  3.  You end up worshiping every time you drive. 
  4. You’ll find that you and your kids will quickly learn the words and sing along. (You are writing scripture on their hearts.)
  5. You’ll begin thinking on good things, not putting songs in your mind about cheating, drinking, and gambling…subjects of a multitude of today’s pop and country music. (Just today I heard a 15-year-old refer to R&B music as “baby-makin’ music.”)
And the neatest benefit of all about listening to Christian music goes back to my favorite old country song: When “The Song” that you hear “Remembers When,” it will take you back to a time or a memory where there was Jesus. 
From my heart,
Celeste
P.S. For more articles on how music cures depression, check out my Delicious Stack here

 

Filed Under: Beating Depression, Brain Functions, How to be Happy, Making Changes, Tips to a Happier You Tagged With: , , , , , ,