Christmas is a time for dreaming, for wondering, for optimism.  I know that Christmas is not always perfect, but in this season it’s as if we’re allowed to wonder what it would be like if it was.

As I’ve thought about what I want, for Christmas and for the year ahead, I realized that it’s not something I think about as often as I should.  It can be quite a challenge to put what I want into words.  It takes courage to say it out loud.  What if I admit that I want something and I don’t get it? What happens then?  It is better to pretend I never wanted it in the first place?

I came across a quote recently that has become my Christmas wish, for myself and for those I love.  It speaks of the absolute necessity of hope.  As I read it, I realize that this is what I want for Christmas.  American novelist Barbarba Kingsolver writes:

The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof.

I love the picture she has crated here.  This is hope received.  Hope is not something that happens to you, it comes from within you.  Whatever your year looks like, whatever Christmas looks like for you this year, hope is a choice.  You can have it.

It is my challenge to you, and to myself this Christmas. Do you know what you hope for? Are you living under it’s roof.  As we step into Christmas,  take time to truly receive, to wish, to dream and most of all, to hope.

If you are facing a hard Christmas this year, we have mentors who would love to talk with you.
What does your soul crave? Explore your inmost desires.

It can be tempting to think that those of us who grew up in Christian homes, who came to Christ so early we hardly remember doing it don’t have “a testimony”.  But that’s not true.  I have a story of God at work in my life and so do you.

There is a time a place for “road to Damascus”  type testimonies, but they are not the only stories that are effective witnesses.  If you are a Christian, then you have a testimony, it really is that simple.  Sometimes we just need a little help in learning how to tell our own stories.

Often we think of testimonies as very structured things, chronological and order and the sort of story that has a lot of capital letters.  A testimony doesn’t have to be so intimating.  It is simply part of the story of your life.  You and I tell our stories all the time.  We talk about our families, our hopes, our dreams and our losses.  It’s just as easy to talk about how God has been at work in your life – that’s a story people need to hear too.

Stacy Wiebe wrote a fantastic article full of practical tips to help you craft how you tell your story.  I highly recommend it.  You do have a story to tell and we would love to hear it.   Take a look at our submission guidelines and send us your testimony.  You just might see it on the site.

It’s March, which means that for most of us our New Year’s Resolutions are but a distant memory.

For starters, that first step takes us out of “I should be” into “I am”.  Once you take that first step you are actively engaged in the goal.  Whether you’re trying to get fit, want to keep your house tidier  or are trying to start a business, it makes more of a difference than you might think.

I’ve been experiencing this this year with the simple habit of making my bed in the morning.  It is a easy thing to do, it only takes a minute, but it sets the tone for the whole room.  When it’s all neat and tidy and I bring in a load of laundry into the room I catch myself thinking, “I might as well put that away now, everything else looks so nice.”  One act in the direction I want to go helps steer the whole day that way.

It works in other areas of life too.  Several years ago I was talking to a Silicon Valley CEO and someone asked him what his most important habit was.  He said that every single day, before he opens his email he writes a thank you note to someone he was in contact with the day before.  Whether it’s one of his staff, or a new contact or a potential investor every day begins with gratitude.  He said it set the tone for his whole day, especially when there were major issues lurking in his inbox.

Stephanie Pearl McPhee,  in her book Things I’ve Learned From Knitting. . . Whether I Wanted to or Not wrote:

“Things get knit faster when you actually work on them. That’s why the scarf I’ve allegedly been knitting for two years just isn’t getting any bigger, no matter how long I leave it in the basket.”

Wise words indeed.  It’s easy to get stuck at the beginning of a goal, telling ourselves “I’m working in” when what we’re really doing is ignoring it.  One simple step can really help to get those goals off the ground.

What goals are you working towards? What is one step you can take today to get you started?

More ways to move forward:
How to set goals
Tips for persevering

In “Healthy Heart Foods”, Registered Dietitian Vivienne Soo will show you which fruits, vegetables and whole grain products are better for your heart.  Cardiovascular disease is one of the deadliest diseases in North America, but many of the risk factors — such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and obesity — can be reduced through making better food choices.

Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins. In particular, Vitamin C and beta-carotene (a form of vitamin A) are antioxidants that help prevent the buildup of plaque in your arteries from cholesterol. The more colorful the fruit or vegetable, the more vitamins it contains.

Whole grains provide a great source of fiber. Fiber can help reduce blood cholesterol and control blood sugar. There are many different kinds of whole grain products available, so experiment to find ones to suite your taste.

To help keep the pounds off, most fruits, vegetables and whole grains are not only low in calories, they make you feel fuller so you eat less.

Coming up in part 2 of “Healthy Heart Foods”, learn how to avoid bad fats and find some great alternatives to eating meat.

Click on these links for more information about heart health:
Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada
American Heart Association
Dial-a-Dietitian

Struggling through life with an illness like heart disease? You’re not alone, talk to a mentor.

Would you know a heart attack if you saw one?

*  Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.

* Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

* Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.

* Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.
If you are experiencing these symptoms, call 9-1-1.

It’s important to take these symptoms seriously.  If you have concerns but are not in immediate danger, call your doctor and make an appointment.

Sometimes we’re very lucky. A few years ago my Dad started having chest pain and my Mom begged him to go to the hospital.  Like a lot of men, he was sure he was fine, but my Mom persisted and off they went.  My Dad did not have a heart attack that day but the doctor was very clear that his lifestyle was headed in that direction.  I’ll never forget the advice he gave my Dad.  “You have two choices,” he said.  “Either make some serious changes or get your house in order, I’ll see you in about six months.”

My Dad took the advice to heart and radically changed his diet.  He started walking, cut back his hours at work and scaled back his volunteering.  Five years later, he’s doing great and his doctor is pleased with his progress.  We were extremely fortunate.  He got a warning, but not everyone does.  The best time to make a change for the better is before you need to get help.  February is Heart Health Month.  You can learn more ways to help your heart on the AMA site.

More health:
His heart health
Her heart health
Commedian Phil Callaway’s advice:  How to die young

Life Lesson: Time management
Are you still growing spiritually?: Check your compass and let God lead you