Christmas is coming ...

Well, think about that.  Somehow, the summer has flown by, Halloween is just around the corner and the Christmas shelves in the stores are appearing.  This is a stressful season for many.  For your family, for your sanity, but mostly for you, make this year fly by smoothly.  
To to that, you need to be starting now.  Work on preparing your menu (and if you are hosting Thanksgiving, why not sit down and work out both menus in one sitting).  When you are shopping for your Thanksgiving menu, add a few things from your Christmas baking list at the same time.  I have joined flylady.net because I found her journal "Cruising Through the Holidays" and it can be downloaded for free from (http://www.flylady.net/pages/HolidayCruising1.asp).   I love that she has it all mapped out for me to have a stress free holiday season, from getting my house in order to my shopping lists.  I plan on enjoying myself and my family this year, baby steps at a time starting right now.
Stress...causes you to gain weight, causes all sorts of health issues,causes chaos in your home and family.  If I can reduce my stress, I will look better, feel better and have a happier family.  It all starts with a decision by me.  I can achieve whatever my Lord wants me to, because he will walk me through it.  Right now, it is simply shedding a few pounds before the holidays kick in and organizing myself.  I am eating healthier (just had my tall hot lemon water to get my morning started:).  You can do whatever it is you need to do too; don't accept excuses from yourself.  
It all starts with a decision.  Your beauty starts from within you, and it is timeless.  Whatever it is that you need to get done, set your goal, it will mark your course.  It will set your attitude where it needs to be to accomplish that goal.  
"Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim." 
1 Corinthians 9:26

Do you want to be happy?

~~If you want to be happy you need to take positive actions on your life~~

~~Get your rest. If you are having trouble sleeping at night, perhaps you need to become more active during your day!~~

~~Associate with positive people~~your associations will influence your thoughts, your actions and your attitude~~

~~Read positive books and expand your mind~~

~~Look at your accomplishments~~

~~Set goals for your life, it will give you direction, a place to aim, you will find a passion (if you aim for nothing, you will get there) how much better to be striving for a target than nothing~~

~~Gratitude, gratitude and more gratitude: write a list of things you have to be thankful for~~

~~If you get sidetracked or down, look at your list~~

~~Put on your favorite music~~

~~Take a walk outside for refreshment~~

~~Accentuate the positive--look at the bright side of things~~

Now, go and do something positive for your life and someone you love today! 

Don't Sweat the small stuff

Why is it that stress and holding bitterness are linked to so many health issues?  We are told that God's grace is sufficient for us.  Sometimes we just might have to say "but how can it be?"  Back in the 1980's, if any of you remember him, Richard Simmons was very popular at encouraging people to loose weight (whether you liked him or not, he did do it).  A phrase he often used was "Don't Sweat the small stuff".  It is no wonder, stress is actually a factor that will cause weight gain.


If you are  trying to loose weight, one suggestion is to use relaxation techniques through out your day, especially when you find yourself in a stressful situation.  Weight gain, belly fat especially, is also attributed to cardiovascular disease among other illnesses and disease.  So, if you are trying to loose that extra weight you put on over the summer (from all those bbg's perhaps), one key factor is to get rid of stress in your life. Of course, you still need to eat proper nutritious food and exercise, but hanging onto stress will also hold on to the weight.


Neither is holding onto bitterness something to take lightly for your health and wellness; it is actually a cause for stress.  If you are harboring ill feelings, you need to let go.  To everything there is a season--A time to keep and a time to let go.--Ecclesiastes 3:1,6 These words were in a song back in the 60's, funny it was an anti war song I think; I never knew the lyrics were actually adapted from the Bible.  Wise words to hold on to.


Many times bitterness comes through someone in our life, from a envy or the seed of pride. There are times that it seems as though the Lord puts someone in our lives like that to see how we deal with it.  He wants to see us forbear, not hold bitterness or be judgmental.  Simple words, yet often so hard; let go and let God.  We need to just be there, to be ready for refreshment and renewal, to love and accept.  It may be you seem alone through the process, but the important thing for you to do is let God deal with it and you just keep loving while you trust He is there. Oh, that is really hard sometimes, but God does give us what we need to do that.  You may have to think on other things, to consciously focus elsewhere, but do what you have to be happy and cheerful ~~ "A cheerful heart is good medicine.--Proverbs 17:22"   Pray for strength to get through and pray for what or who ever is challenging you.  God will make a way for you.


Yes, forgiveness, love, beauty traits from within.  Timeless.

The Gift

Are you looking to simplify your beauty routine in the morning or to freshen up quickly before leaving the office?  The gift wraps up all your essentials into one neat package.  Created exclusively for Motives®, this makeup collection contains must have items that will make you look like one of Scott Barnes's celebrity clients. Four lip glosses, four eye shadows, two shades of blush, four shades of concealer for contouring and one translucent powder are all stacked in a convenient little box. The Present is perfect for traveling and can take you from day to night with ease.