It's that time of year. The time of year when I just want to sleep in. And take a nap. And go to bed early. (Not that I ever get a chance to do any of those things, but, you know, I want to.) The time of year when I find myself lacking energy, battling anxiety, feeling irritable, and acting very much like Eeyore with my "ho-hum" response to pretty much everything. Winters are hard for me, and I know I'm not alone. Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD, is a type of depression that occurs at the same time every year. Symptoms usually begin in the fall, and can continue on into the long winter months. ...Read More
Foods Yes, God is OK with Your Gluten-Free Diet
It’s nearly impossible to ignore the significant health decline we have been experiencing over the past few decades. Obesity, heart disease, and diabetes have been allowed to skyrocket to epidemic proportions unlike anything we have ever seen in the history of the world. All of the so-called health “experts” almost universally point to a lack of physical activity and the overconsumption of dietary fat and calories, but what if that conventional thinking on nutrition as it relates to our health is missing a very critical element in the equation? Here’s the million dollar question—what if people are being told to eat more ...Read More
Christmas is All About Interruptions
Bible scholars say she was 13 or 14 years old. Mary must have thought she had her whole life planned out. She was preparing to marry a wonderful man and was probably excitedly making preparations. Certainly it wasn't her idea to be pregnant out of wedlock on her wedding day, especially with a child who was not her husband's. Then she met the angel Gabriel who said, in effect, "I need to tell you what God's plan for you is." He interrupted her plans with the words "Blessed art thou among women." Joseph was making plans for his life, too. I can't imagine that his plans involved marrying a young girl who was ...Read More
Sugar and Wheat-Free Treats for the Holidays! (perfect anti-candida desserts!)
I'm not going to lie: the holidays are tough for me. I really try to stay away from sugar as much as I can, but it's so easy to make an exception here and there with so many parties and family gatherings. Before you know it, I've lost control, and I'm eating the whole cheesecake myself. That is why it's so important for me to really prepare and have sugar-free and wheat-free treats available for myself (and my family) at social functions. This month we've been talking about candida: what our cravings can tell us and the signs and symptoms of candida. If you are trying to treat your candida through a dietary approach, ...Read More
Do You Have Candida Overgrowth?
I'm happy to bring you a series of guest posts this month on Candida overgrowth. My friend Paula from Whole Intentions is extremely knowledgeable about Candida. She is also a fantastic cook. She's authored two different cookbooks to help those who are trying to eat a candida friendly diet (which just so happens to be gluten-free and sugar-free. Yay!). So, be sure to check out Healing Candida with Food and The Sweeter Side of Candida. Have you ever gone to the doctor for a specific ailment, time and time again, and it seems that all they give you is a new prescription? Or after years of doctor visits they finally ...Read More
10 Lessons from the Farm for Kids
In 2010, my husband made a decision that turned my world upside down. It was a decision that I didn't like at all and that totally made me question his sanity. You see, my husband was a software engineer in Corporate America. Every morning he left the house at 5 AM and drove the hour or more that it took to get from our small country home to Dallas. He spent his days working in a windowless cubicle then came home at night, usually arriving long after our children had already gone to bed. It wasn't unusual for several days to go by without him seeing his children awake. "This is not the life I want," he told me ...Read More
Heart-to-Heart Time with Your Spouse – 50 things to ask each other
Let's talk about 'Heart to Heart' Time with Your Spouse. After almost 14 years of marriage, with 5 pregnancies, 3 beautiful children running around our feet, and the odd trial (or more) that has affected the maturity and character of our marriage, we are still committed to both work at growing and investing into our relationship for the better. In the midst of all that fills our lives at present, particularly with young children, I think sometimes we get too casual with growing closer and being intentional about feeding our love for one another. Some days my husband and I can put our heads on the pillow ...Read More
Gently Weaning Your Baby
W-E-A-N. That dreaded four letter word that has really been haunting me much of late. My son is 16 months old and has never slept through the night. On a good night he wakes only twice. On average he wakes 5 times. To nurse. And nurse. And nurse some more. I LOVE breastfeeding, especially in the daytime. But at night, I love my sleep more, and I am desperate to get it back. I worry though that night weaning may affect our daytime breastfeeding relationship, especially if it is done too abruptly. Nursing is what has really brought us close together. We spend a good amount of daytime just staring into each others’ eyes ...Read More
