One More Job Description

If you're a wife and mom, just add "gatekeeper" to your list of titles and job descriptions. So what is a gatekeeper? My Thesaurus lists sentry, monitor, guard, watchman and custodian as synonyms. (I don't know about you, but "custodian" is the one I immediately related to considering all the messes I clean in a day!)

We are definitely called to protect our children's safety - what friends they associate with, where we allow them to go; tv shows and movies we allow them to watch; making sure they're dressed appropriately and have the tools they need to succeed in life. (We pretty much do the same for our husbands when you think about it!)

A very critical aspect of our job as family gatekeepers is to filter the foods we allow into our homes. Our children in particular rely on us to be role models of good health by "walking the talk." We can't tell them they cannot drink soda and then down a half liter. We lose valuable credibility. A good rule of thumb for gatekeepers is - Don't ask them to do anything you are not already doing.

Another aspect of this position is to educate ourselves on natural health and nutrition so that we can make truly informed and wise decisions for ourselves and our families. Finally, we have to be the final word as to what we allow into our homes. This applies to screening out junk food, processed (fake) food, artificial sweeteners and any other substance that compromises, or out and out damages health. The mantra must be: If God didn't make it, we are not to put it in our bodies.

You are also the sentry, so to speak, of what is allowed in the environment of your home. If you allow fear, worry, anger, resentment, guilt, jealousy, greed and selfishness to come in, they will take over and pollute the entire atmosphere of your home. You have to strenuously guard the attitudes and spirits allowed to enter.

Speaking scriptures over your family as you move through your home is a great and powerful way. We set boundaries in our lives with our mouths. So this is a very easy and effective way to do just that. This will set great things in motion especially if you do it on a regular basis.

Playing praise and worship music or scripture CDs throughout the house is another great way. Blessing each room, window and door is another powerful way. I do this every New Year's Day. I anoint each window and doorpost, as well as the beds, tables and desks in the rooms, with oil and plead the Blood of Jesus over them declaring that nothing can enter that does not first pass through the Blood. If God allows it, He will use it for our good!

So fellow gatekeeper, carry on! You may not be recognized or fully appreciated for fulfilling your gatekeeping duties. But never doubt that God knows, and He is pleased with your efforts.

It's the Truth

A fact is anything that has actually happened; the state of things as they are. The truth is the real or true state of things. That may seem like a very subtle difference to you, but actually it is the difference between night and day. Jesus tells us in John 8:32 that we will "know the truth and the truth will set us free. "

That word "truth" is there for a reason. I've heard Bible teachers say that truth supercedes fact. This became crystal clear to me recently. Several months ago when gas prices were going crazy, we were paying over $4.50 per gallon here in upstate NY for regular. One of the ministries I partner with asked everyone to join with them in commanding those prices to come down to $2.00 per gallon. She explained that we have authority in Jesus' name to do so and of course, there is power in agreement.

The facts were very clear - gas was $4.50 per gallon. It looked pretty unlikely that those prices would drop any time soon. The truth is that according to God's Word we can have whatsoever we say (Mark 11:23, 24); whatever we bind on earth is bound in heaven (Matthew 18:18); all things belong to us (1 Corinthians 3:21); and according to Luke 11:9 we are to ask, seek and knock. So in an attitude of faith, every time I filled my tank, I stood there and commanded those gas prices to drop to $2 a gallon in Jesus' Name. (I'm sure there are a few people in this area who think that woman with the dark blue van is a little off - talking to the gas pumps - but, oh well!)

I had truth on my side regardless of the facts. Interestingly enough, the first few weeks after we began doing this, the prices actually went up! We stood firm because we had truth on our sides.

I filled my van up this week and the price for regular was actually $1.83! It seemed crazy and illogical for a group of believers who don't even know each other to join together in faith and command gas prices to drop. That is the power of faith, prayer and the Word of God.

It is also a matter of truth superceding facts. The fact may be that you are sick today, but the truth remains - by His stripes you were healed.

The fact may be that you are struggling financially, but the truth remains that He became poor that you might be rich and His greatest wish is for you to prosper.

Once you stop and analyze what the facts of any situation are, the next step is to seek the truth of it. Once you know the truth, it sets you free...

free from fear, worry, sickness, poverty, doubt.

That's the truth.

What's Love Got to Do With It?

Getting back to basics, to me, means breaking things down to their smallest common denominator. Drilling down to the core issues - making it clear and simple.

This thought jumped out at me as I was studying Romans 13:8:

Keep out of debt and owe no man anything except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor (who practices loving others) has fulfilled the Law (relating to one's fellowmen, meeting all its requirements.)

God really doesn't complicate things at all - we sure do! How much more straightforward can you get: Keep out of debt and love each other. How timely and practical for us right now in these crazy, unsettled economic and political times.

Beyond that, the phrase that says "love fulfills all God's requirements" is absolutely amazing to me. The Jewish people took the first five books of the bible and came up with hundreds upon hundreds of rules to burden themselves with. Many of us tend to look at the New Testament teachings and think, "How do I remember them all, much less do them?"

God made it so simple - it all boils down to love. God is love (1 John 4:8 & 16). When everything else fades away - love will still remain (1Corinthians 13:13). God loved the world so much He gave us Jesus (John 3:16). Love was and is His primary motivation in all He does because He is love. And the one that never ceases to humble me and fill me with awe - Jesus Himself tells us that God the Father loves us just as He loves Jesus (John 17:23)!! It fills me with awe to even consider that God loves me as much as He loves Jesus.

Maybe if we all stop worrying about the stupid, nonsense - the ridiculous, nit-picky stuff and focus on the core, the root, the heart of the matter:

Are we operating out of love?

Maybe then all the other issues would be resolved and life would become more peaceful and fulfilling.

Love - anyway you look at it, in the final analysis, is really all that matters. Now, that's what I call getting back to basics.

Real Self-Esteem

For something to have real value to us, it has to cost us something. If someone gives you an expensive item as a gift, you may treasure it, but it won't have the same value to you as something you worked, planned and sacrificed for. That is just a basic part of human nature.
The accomplishments that mean the most to us are those that we've put the most "sweat equity" into.

As a mom, the sacrifice (of time, energy, money, sleep) I have put into raising my children has yielded the most valuable result - three wonderful human beings. Has it always been easy? No. Have there been days when I had to force myself to get up and do whatever it was I had to for them? Yes! Have there been times I have been discouraged? Yes. Would I do it all over again? Without hesitation, question or a single doubt -YES!

You can take every piece of jewelry I own. There are pieces that belonged to my mom and have great sentimental value. There are pieces my husband has given to me that mean a great deal to me. You can take them all. You can take every penny and possession and truly I would still have what is most valuable in my sight - my children.

God feels the very same way about each of us. That concept is sometimes very difficult to really understand and accept. Sometimes we have to get personal before we can understand just how valuable we are to Him at a "gut level."

Look at the vast universe He has created. We've only scratched the surface of understanding it, yet it cost Him nothing to create it. He spoke and the worlds were formed. What is seen was created from what was unseen.

However, it cost Him everything to create you and me - His earthly family. He had to sacrifice His perfect, only begotten Son. I have two sons whom I love more than life itself. No matter how much I love you - I can't imagine sacrificing one of them for you, so you should probably be very grateful I am not God!

He did more than imagine it - He did it. That's how valuable you are to Him. If He esteems you that highly, who are you to disagree?

It's a Win-Win Proposition!

Everything is a seed you can sow in order to yield a harvest. Literally. Everything! Of course the type of seed determines the quality of the harvest. You are sowing seeds constantly whether you know it or not. As I said before, everything is a seed. Here are just a few examples:

thoughts, words, money, kindness, love, respect, faith, honesty, peace, discipline, integrity, prayer, patience, encouragement, compassion, understanding, generosity, excellence, grace, mercy, forgiveness, joy, obedience, enthusiasm, ideas, expectation, dreams, gratitude, liberty, praise, worship, consistency, talents, gifts, sincerity, a smile, faithfulness, truth, loyalty, action, perseverance, tenacity.

So often the focus is on money - financial seed - but as you can see, it is only one type of seed. God tells us that whatever type of seed we sow, that's the type of harvest we will reap (Galatians 6:7). So if you need money, by all means sow a financial seed. If you need friendship, be a friend to someone. If you need favor, show favor to someone. If you need prayer, pray for someone else. If you are down, go encourage someone.

Ephesians 6:8 tells us whatever good thing we need ourselves, if we sow it into someone else's life, it will return to us. I have experienced the truth of this many times. Recently I sowed a financial seed into a ministry that sends me wonderful daily, scriptural motivational messages. They have been so powerful and so relevant to my life, I felt God was impressing it upon me to become a partner with that ministry, which I have.

The lovely lady who writes the motivations contacted me with a beautiful message of thanks. Several days later she contacted me again to say she had visited my new website, the address of which appeared in my email signature, and was so impressed, she felt led to sow a seed into my business and offer me several months of free advertising. What an incredible seed! I not only took her up on that gracious offer, but I put a link to her website on mine as well.

I believe she will reap a hundred-fold return on her generous seed. This is a wonderful picture of Matthew 7:12, known to most as The Golden Rule. I encourage you to visit www.anewthingministries.com and sign up for their daily motivation - it will bless you. I also encourage you to sow as many good seeds as possible each day - the harvest will be awesome!

What's Your Filter?

I believe a critical part of being truly healthy is having the right perspective. Everything we experience in life is based on our perception of it. What frightens, angers or depresses me may not even register on your emotional radar screen!! It all stems from how I perceive it.

What may seem like an insurmountable and impossible obstacle to me, only seems so because it is how I choose to see it. A previous experience, how I was raised, my family's beliefs all come into play here. These past experiences are stored in our subconscious and create very personal "filters" through which we each see the world and our own personal lives. The bottom line, however, is whether God sends that thing/experience directly or not, if it happens, He has allowed it. He will use it for our good and His glory if we'll choose to look at it from His perfect perspective instead of our flawed one.

His Word says: "with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26) and "everything is possible for him who believes" (Mark 9:23).

I know that can seem like so many pretty words. The meat of the issue is: how do I actually do it? We have to teach ourselves to think like God does. Staying in His Word is the basic and best way. How do you know what your husband/wife/parent/friend thinks about a subject? You spend time with them and listen to what they think. It's no different with God. Feeding our spirits and souls on uplifting and encouraging messages - whether on CD or in a book - is also very effective.

Someone sent me a video recently that I found beyond powerful and made me think about my own perspective on certain issues. If you are struggling with thoughts and feelings of inadequacy or weakness, I encourage you to visit www.magichundred.blogspot.com and scroll to the November 11, 2008 post entitled "Get Up Your Goals are Waiting for You." Watch the five minute video.

You'll see things differently - I guarantee it!

Trust God and Your Gut

I was already thirty years old when my first child, Christopher, was born. He was absolutely gorgeous - healthy, lovable, alert. However, as he approached two years old, he grunted and made other sounds, but did not speak. Although he seemed unable to form words clearly, he understood whatever he was told and by watching Sesame Street had actually taught himself to read and write.

When his speech problem persisted, we had him evaluated by a speech therapist, who said Christopher had such a complex problem, her best estimate was that it would take at least three therapy sessions per week for several years just to bring him to a point where he could be understood. This was startling, but we were willing to do whatever was necessary to help him.

We began the therapy sessions and almost immediately the therapist had to cut his sessions down to once a week because of a scheduling problem on her part. She indicated that this might mean it would take much longer to get results.

Christopher, an active three year old, quickly became bored and fidgety during his hour-long appointments. To help him get through it, I began praying with him in the car just before going into each session. He and I would ask the Lord to help him listen and pay attention and do whatever the therapist asked. Then I would confirm the Word of God over him by saying things like: Christopher is obedient; Christopher has a spirit of self-control; Christopher can do all things through Christ Who strengthens him.

From the very first time we prayed together in this way, the therapist began seeing a positive difference. We were encouraged until another doctor who had observed Christopher called me in for a meeting. He told me he felt my son had a severe neurological problem. He said he recommended five days of intensive evaluation and testing for a proper diagnosis. Needless to say, I felt like I'd been punched in the stomach. The doctor pressed me to make a quick decision, saying he should begin the evaluation process as soon as possible.

I knew that we needed time to take this matter before the Lord, so I managed to delay making a decision until I could speak to my husband. We set ourselves to lay the entire matter before God in prayer the week before Christopher's next session. In my heart I felt my son was extremely bright, that there was no neurological problem, but I wasn't willing to let my love and pride jeopardize his future by not getting him help he might truly need. I had to trust the Lord to show me what was right.

As we went to prayer for Christopher's speech problem, immediately the Lord spoke a scripture promise from Isaiah 40:11: "He will feed His flock like a shepherd, He will gather the lambs in His arms, He will carry them in His bosom and will gently lead those that have their young." From that moment on, I felt complete peace and confidence that God was in charge.

However, everytime I thought or prayed about those tests, I had a total absence of peace. Finally, relying on the command in Colossians 3:15 which says we're to let His peace act as umpire to decide and settle with finality all decisions, my husband and I decided not to subject Christopher to the tests at this time, but to just continue with his speech therapy. That doctor was very angry with our decision. In fact, he actually told me I was a terrible mother for not doing what he was recommending and he never spoke to me again.

Two months later, when Christopher was in the eleventh month of his speech therapy, his therapist declared him age-appropriate and recommended that he cease therapy and enter nursery school! After less than a year of her original "several years" estimate and only having one session per week instead of the three she'd originally deemed necessary, Christopher's speech was age-appropriate. Truly our prayers had been answered.

This all occurred 21 years ago. Christopher went all through elementary school in the "gifted and talented programs." He went through junior and senior high school on the high honor roll every single year. A year and a half ago he graduated summa cum laude from Seton Hall University as a communication major!!! He's actually done several news casts on our local television station as part of an internship. That, to me, is a lovely irony. In fact, I wish I remembered the name of that doctor so I could show him all my Christopher has accomplished. Every time I look at him, I am reminded of the Lord's faithfulness, how gently He carries our children and how much He longs to lead us parents in these difficult choices concerning our children. I shudder to think what the outcome might have been had we not listened to God and our hearts. It's so easy to allow yourself to be bullied by a "professional" who supposedly knows more than you. However, in this case, I knew my son was more than just a "severe speech problem" - he was a wonderful, curious, intelligent, loving little boy.

If you are facing a difficult decision regarding one of your children today and are feeling pressured to make a choice you are not comfortable with, I encourage and even urge you to take the time to ask God what to do. If you ask sincerely and get quiet and listen, He will definitely lead you on the very best path. Always, always listen to your gut and let peace be the deciding factor.

Do You Really Know It?

We are inundated with information. Information overload doesn't even begin to describe it. I read that a weekday edition of the New York Times actually offers more information than the average 17th century English person came across in their entire lifetime! That's amazing. We have access to more information now than at any other time in history. You would think that fact alone would make us healthier, happier and more successful in every respect, but it hasn't. Do you ever wonder why? I do.

I think that it all comes back to what God says in Hosea 4:6 - My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

While it is true we have access to every type of information imaginable, what exactly is information? I did a little study - I love digging into the meanings of words. My dictionary says information is "a telling or being told something, news, intelligence, word, facts, data, learning, lore." We can get a multitude of information on any given subject, and still have no true knowledge of that subject. Knowledge is defined as "a clear and certain perception of something; the act, fact or state of knowing; understanding." The original meaning from the Hebrew of the word translated knowledge in the verse above has many meanings, including, comprehension, to understand or be sure of. True knowledge goes a step further than simply amassing information. We only acquire knowledge of something when we understand it well enough to interpret and utilize it practically and productively for a specific purpose.

You may have a wealth of information about proper diet, nutrition and exercise and yet still be overweight, out of shape and malnourished! Do you take the information you have and study it until you understand exactly how to apply it to your own life in a practical and specific way and for a strategic purpose? Then and only then does it move from mere information to knowledge.

God is right - many particularly in our country, are being destroyed, literally, by this lack of knowledge. They are being destroyed by obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and a host of other devastating illnesses and conditions that could be prevented, reversed or treated by applying knowledge - understanding and doing it.

There's actually one more step and that is to acquire wisdom, which is defined as "the faculty of making the best use of knowledge, experience, understanding, etc.; good judgment." I happen to believe the only true wisdom comes from God. Wisdom originated in Him and we can move from simply having information to having true knowledge, which then becomes wisdom when we seek Him as to exactly how we are to apply it to our lives.

So next time you think you "know" something - stop and think about it. Do you really know it or is it simply more information you've collected?

Just Do It!

I spoke to my Aunt Ruthie a few days ago. She just moved for the third or fourth time since my Theo Costa (Uncle Gus in Greek) passed away seven years ago. When I think about Aunt Ruthie a collage of memories comes to mind - she's always been a very soft-spoken Southern lady - but she had a laugh reminiscent of Phyllis Diller, could burp on demand (which never failed to impress my brother, George, and me!), was always ready to take us on an adventure whether it was fishing or some other fun pursuit. She has always been my favorite Aunt. We spent a lot of time with her as kids. She and my Uncle would come up from Florida and stay with us for the entire summer. I can't begin to tell you what a treat that was!

Aunt Ruthie was not Greek, but she learned how to cook all my Uncle's favorite dishes from my Giagia (grandmother & her mother-in-law). Her genuine love and respect for my Giagia didn't go unnoticed. She always treated her with great tenderness and love, especially in later years when she'd had several strokes and was frail. My Giagia would lapse into Greek half-way through her conversations with everyone - including my Aunt Ruthie - but even though she didn't really speak Greek, she understood her perfectly. Love is the universal language, isn't it?

My Aunt Ruthie just moved again to a senior residence - she is now just shy of 81 years old - she and her beloved cat, I should say. I remember well when my husband and I moved from Tennessee to New York 20 years ago - I was only in my early 30's and while we also had a toddler and baby at the time, packing and actually moving was an exhausting, overwhelming experience. I can't even imagine doing the packing, cancelling services, changing addresses, drivers license, taking care of banking, finding new doctors, and all the other details a move entails all by myself at 80. But she did it. I had no way of contacting her until she moved and settled in. I was so relieved to hear her voice when she called the other night to share her new address and phone number.

I asked how she was and she shared that it was exhausting, and the drive from Sanford to West Palm Beach was a bit daunting, but she said she got in the car with her cat, just said, "I can do this" and she did! That's been her "MO" all her life. She pretty much did everything, even when my Uncle was alive, although just being able to share it all with him made it easier. She has never complained or become bitter or felt she's had such a difficult life (although some would definitely think she had every right to).

As soft-spoken and sweet as she is, there is an undeniable current of strength and determination that is evident in her. She only quit her waitressing job 2 years ago!! Hard work never put her off. She's had to overcome difficulties from the time she was a child. Rather than dwelling on what she didn't get or have, she moved forward and did what she knew to do and at each juncture, God showed her the very next step, and the next...

Even though we are not related by blood but by marriage, I pray that some of her strength, courage and determination have rubbed off on me - even just a little. Nike may have coined the phrase, "Just do it" but she epitomizes it every day.

Inside Out

Miracle anti-aging creams. Designer labels. Microdermabrasion. Energy drinks. Viagra. Liposuction. Manicures. Pedicures. Hair extensions. Botox. Restalyn. People are searching for that magic potion that will help them regain their youthful beauty and vitality. No one wants to look like a dried up prune, but the reality is, no matter how well you take care of yourself, you are just not going to look 20-something when you are 50. I'm not sure why anyone would actually want to - but that's another story entirely. We seem to think the way to go is to "fix" ourselves from the outside. Appearances become all-consuming. I think it's actually one of the reasons so many find themselves in the midst of this credit crunch - whether we can afford it or not we want to "look good" to others. Big house - expensive car - designer clothes - we want people to see us as young, successful and sexy. But at the end of the day, the truth is we are tired, wrinkled, stressed out and in debt. Who's fooling who here?

You can never fix anything by only addressing the external. If you want to look your best at the age you happen to be right now, eat well, take the right supplements, drink water, exercise every day, get adequate rest and I guarantee you'll feel great and look wonderful. Whatever you put into your body will be seen on the outside. If you drink alcohol and stay out until all hours partying, it won't take long for the effects to be very obvious. All you need to do is look at some of the older rock stars who are still around to see what I mean.

The same principle holds true in spiritual things. We can go to church, volunteer, say all the right things and look good on the outside, but if our hearts are really not right, it's all smoke and mirrors. You are a human being not a human doing. Ultimately it is not your behavior, your actions, your appearance or what you do that matters. It is who you truly are - inside. Your motives, beliefs, expectations and spirit.

There it is again - inside. The superficial only gets you so far in life. Sooner or later the truth is revealed. There's a passage in the Bible where Jesus is speaking to the legalists of the day and He called them hypocrites. He pointed out that they were very meticulous about all the little, superficial things, cleaning the outside, while inside they were greedy and self-indulgent. He told them to clean the inside first and then the outside will also be clean. (Matthew 23:25) I think there's definitely a lesson there for all of us.

So often we major on the minor. We strain out a gnat and swallow a camel! So I say we get down to the basics - the fruit of the Spirit is a great place to begin: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. Can you imagine what would happen if we concentrated on developing those qualities instead of worrying about a few gray hairs or laugh lines?

No More TMJ

The first time my husband had a TMJ attack was when we were first dating. He was a teacher in Tennessee and up in New Jersey visiting family for the summer. His school district was going through some big shake-ups and he wasn't sure he'd have a position in the fall. Needless to say, that stress brought on an attack of TMJ, something I'd never heard of before. TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint syndrome. This joint connects the temporal bone, which forms the side of the skull, with the mandible or jawbone. When this joint is irritated and not functioning properly it causes extreme pain in the muscles and joints of the jaw. That pain can spread to the face, neck and shoulder as well. It is difficult to open the mouth. The most common underlying causes of this painful condition are stress, grinding the teeth (especially during the night) and a poor bite. Believe me I got an education in this condition and quickly!

That first time I witnessed the attack it wasn't one of his worst and it only lasted a few days. Thankfully, he was told his job was secure and was able to relax and release the stress. Once we were married I realized he was grinding his teeth almost every night. I'd nudge him and interrupt whenever I was awake and heard him. It wasn't long before he had another attack, which lasted about a week this time. He didn't get these attacks all the time, but when he did he was in so much pain he was totally bedridden and out of commission for days at a time.

At one point, when our two boys were young, we had our own business (stress multiplied!) and he had one of the worst attacks ever. He just laid in bed, writhing in pain for a week. He was popping Tylenol and Advil like candy and they weren't even touching the pain. I kept him supplied with warm wash cloths to try and soothe his pain and he was living on Instant Breakfast through a straw as he could only open his mouth very little. It was frightening and upsetting (to say the least!) to see him in so much pain.

In researching some natural options, I happened to talk to my son's first grade teacher, who was also into natural health and healing. She said she had suffered from TMJ in the past and gave me a recipe for a tea she made which provided very quick relief. I was all ears and ran to the health food store to buy the herbs, as well as two large glass jars and began making a batch for him. She suggested he drink it at the first twinge of pain and consume 2-3 cups daily until it subsided.

It was almost unbelievable how quickly it provided relief that very first time, even though he was already in the midst of an attack. From that time on, I made sure I kept a supply of those herbs in the house and as soon as he felt the first twinge he'd tell me and I'd get a batch ready. It never failed to halt an attack in its tracks! If you are wondering what those miraculous herbs are, here's the recipe:

1 large handful of Valerian steeped for 8 hours in a big pot of water (I used my pasta pot, so about 8 cups); in a separate pot of water steep 2 handfuls each of scullcap and spearmint for 4 hours. Strain both and combine in a large, glass jar and keep in the refrigerator. As I mentioned before, drink 2-3 cups daily as needed. You can sweeten with stevia. He didn't seem to mind the taste much because the result was so wonderful.

Does One Size Fit All?

I saw an article on a health site online this past week and the headline touted a Mediterranean style diet as the "world's healthiest diet." That's quite an endorsement! Personally, and from all my experience coaching different people, I truly do not believe there is just one perfect diet that would benefit every person all the time.

We are all unique in every way - God created us that way. We know our fingerprints are all unique and belong solely to us. But we are also each biochemically unique. For example, I'm sure you know some people who are vegetarians and are healthy and energetic. They love eating plant foods, grains and seeds and thrive on that type of diet. In fact, they tend to feel lethargic and bloated when they eat animal protein. Then there are those other people who feel weak and shaky unless they have some type of animal protein at each meal - and they are just as healthy.

For most of my life I ate mostly vegetables and grains, eating protein occasionally and did extremely well on that. Being of Greek descent, I basically grew up eating a Mediterranean diet (the basic components of which, are very healthy). The reasons were preference - I enjoyed those other foods more, and habit - it's what I was used to. I was healthy, maintained a normal weight effortlessly and was full of energy. As I got into my early 40's this wasn't working for me anymore. I began gaining weight and no matter how carefully I ate or how much I exercised, my body was not cooperating.

After doing a lot of research into nutritional typing, and particularly after reading Ann Louise Gittleman's Fat Flush Diet, I decided to try incorporating more protein. I made sure to have either eggs or a whey protein shake as breakfast and some type of clean protein (chicken, turkey, buffalo, lamb or lean beef) with my lunch and dinner. I intentionally increased my water intake and totally switched over to either Celtic sea salt, pink salt or Himalayan sea salt instead of table salt.

Within several weeks I was able to return to my optimum weight and I've been able to maintain it for over ten years. I've added other elements but as far as diet is concerned, increasing protein was the most important change. However, even with age, our bodies change and I think we have to be aware of this and willing to make adjustments.

There are certain people, like Eskimos, who eat huge amounts of fat and are extremely healthy. We've all read about people coming from other countries and cultures who typically do not have much heart disease or diabetes. Once they come to the United States and begin eating an "American" diet, (essentially different than what they were eating), they begin experiencing health problems they never had before.

So, I think there is one perfect diet for each one of us, but it is not a static thing. Even that particular way of eating that keeps us functioning optimally for years may need to be revisited down the road. We can't be rigid in this but willing to listen to our bodies and make any changes necessary. One size doesn't fit all.

The Real Secret

I got some comments from people about my post from a few days ago entitled "I've Got A Secret" about my thoughts on "The Secret." I just wanted to expand on that whole theme a little more. I am a freelance writer and have an article being considered for publication right now on the power of belief, expectation and its effect on health.

I certainly agree there is something to "The Secret." My problem with it all, I guess, is that these principles originated with God, but most people are not open to them unless they are presented as coming from another source. It's certainly no secret (excuse the pun) that Christianity is unpopular in this country today. I won't even go into people wanting to take "In God We Trust" off our money or remove the pledge of allegiance from our schools because it mentions God - how about not being able to say "Merry Christmas" because some people may be offended by that? What's next - can't say "God bless you" if someone sneezes?

Without getting totally off on a tangent - so many of the powerful principles God gives us in His Word have been taken and remade by more acceptable, "new age" sources. Take visualization. You know, picturing what it is you desire, really feeling the emotion of having it, and you then draw it to yourself. I read the book by Maxwell Maltz, Psycho-Cybernetics and I highly recommend it. He talks in great detail about the theatre of the mind. Well, so does God! Read the passage about the Tower of Babel. Those people imagined it, got together and worked together to build it. According to one translation, God says nothing they imagine will be withheld from them. If you read that book, I also suggest you read The Fourth Dimension by David Yonggi Cho. Same principles, however, he attributes them to God and His Word.

Powerful. God gave us our imaginations so we can create. Just as He does. After all we are made in His image. I think it's perfectly fine to imagine yourself strong, healthy, thinner, successful - whatever it is you are trying to change or accomplish. In fact, I think you absolutely should. God tells us as we think/believe in our hearts we are!

There are several new branches of science that are researching the power of thoughts, beliefs, emotions and expectation on our health and since we are tri-part beings - spirit, soul and body - these things have a huge impact whether, we believe in them or not!

You can google Dr. Bruce Lipton who is the founder of epigenetics, Dr. Ryke Geerd Hamer the developer of German New Medicine (who believes diseases like cancer are triggered by stressful events) or Dr. Candace Pert who has researched and written several books about the impact of our emotions on our physical health. All well-respected experts in their fields.

So - there is definitely a "secret" - I just think it's a shame that for most people the real secret is that it all begins and ends with God.

Breaking the Pattern

I have always had really nice teeth - straight, white. I remember my grandmother (my Giagia in Greek) telling me to always take care of my teeth because you could see every one when I laughed. (I always just thought she was saying I had a big mouth...) She had just a few teeth when I was a little girl and had the few she had left pulled later on. She couldn't get used to false teeth so she remained toothless. She actually developed the hardest gums I ever saw! She could chew a steak with no problem. She came to this country at the age of 16 and told how her mother back in Greece died from a blood infection when she attempted to pull one of her own teeth.

I really didn't think that much about dental health growing up. I had a few cavities but for the most part my mouth was pretty healthy. As I reached my teens, my mother began having more and more problems with her teeth. I remember her coming home from the dentist with blood-soaked cotten balls in her mouth. She would always say she had "too much acid" in her system and that was creating the problems with her teeth. She ended up having all her teeth pulled in her 50's.

I still did not think very much about dental health until I began having my own children. Pregnancy was hard on my mouth!! My teeth were still looking good, but I began noticing problems with my gums - bleeding, bruising, tenderness. The dentist told me that it is extremely important to be vigilant about good dental hygiene, especially during pregnancy. I became more aware and tried to be even more careful to floss and brush, but with each succeeding pregnancy, I noticed more problems.

Now I was concerned. I was not willing to be the fourth generation of women in my family to lose her teeth. Actually I was determined I would keep every single one that was still in my mouth. I went to a periodontist who informed me that I would most likely lose all my teeth eventually, but he would do the scaling and deep cleaning necessary to slow the process. Those were fighting words to me! I was determined to prove him wrong.

I went through the cleaning and scaling procedures. At about this time I was learning how important it is to keep your body's pH levels alkaline rather than acidic. It struck a chord as I remembered what my mother had said about her system. While I was "into health" and daily taking supplements and eating a clean diet, pH was something new to me. As I learned more about it I realized it could make all the difference in the results I achieved as far as my teeth were concerned.

So I began to drink several green drinks a day. To learn more about what these healthy, "multiple vitamins in a glass" are, visit http://fatherreallydoesknowbest.blogspot.com/, "Are You Smarter Than A Donkey.

The green drinks are excellent at alkalizing the body. I would drink them and as I sipped, I'd swish a mouthful at a time around my mouth before swallowing. I made sure to have several servings of fruits and vegetables daily along with my protein. The other very important alkalizing thing I did was increase my water intake. I began to drink at least half my body weight in ounces of distilled water every day.

I have not been back to the periodontist in six years. I visit my dentist three times a year for a check up and cleaning and in that time she has noticed that the pockets in my gums have shrunk and my dental health has improved dramatically. I love hearing her tell me that everything looks great! I am very careful about flossing and brushing several times a day. I still drink two green drinks a day and even test my pH periodically to be sure I'm staying in a healthy range consistently.

Just because a doctor or dentist tells you something doesn't mean it is engraved in stone. God's given our bodies the amazing ability to heal themselves if we provide the proper raw materials.

JG8D69D

I've Got a Secret!

If you have not heard about the book and movie called "The Secret" yet, where have you been? There are entire websites devoted to explaining exactly how to "work" this Law of Attraction so that you consistently attract all the wonderful things you desire into your life like love, money, success and so on. I have actually read a few messages on this, and while my own personal opinion is that it is kind of "New Age," I was surprised to realize my own secret.

God knew the secret before anyone else! That may surprise you but not me. What did surprise me was just how closely the principles of "The Secret" follow biblical principles. According to the Bible in Proverbs 23:7 "As a man thinks, so is he." Well we know, from common sense and personal experience if nothing else, that we pretty much become whatever we think - "where the mind goes, the man (or woman) follows." Consistently, day after day, feed on negative, defeating thoughts and no matter how hard you may try otherwise, you will not be successful. You will end up defeated and negative, just as you thought! The opposite also holds true. Regardless of your situation in the natural - if you train yourself to think positive, faith-filled, uplifting thoughts of success and blessing - you will see those things come to pass as well.

From what I've read, affirmations - saying what you want to attract - are also very important. God tells us in Mark 11:23 that we can have what we say. We call them faith confessions and we also speak what we desire, as long as it aligns with God's Word.

The way I see it, the real secret is faith in God, the One Who created us. I realize it isn't as popular or "politically correct" - but I really don't care! People seem willing to buy books, tapes, movies and invest in seminars and courses that basically will tell them the same thing God has said for thousands of years. But they think the Bible is boring, out of date, irrelevant. I beg to differ.

There are life and success coaches who specifically use The Secret as their foundational teaching. They have built entire businesses upon that. I give them credit. As a biblical health coach I use the nutritional and health principles God set forth in the Bible and they are as relevant and effective today as when He first said them. In fact, almost daily science is revealing the truth of scripture particularly in the area of health. If you are interested in knowing more about this, visit http://fatherreallydoesknowbest.blogspot.com/.

I guess we all believe pretty much the same thing whether we realize it or not because it is based on "laws." Laws are those principles that do not and cannot change. It is how the world is created to work. Gravity is one of those laws in the physical realm. You may not believe in it, but whether you do or not, if you jump off a building, the law goes into effect. If you work it, it works - every time! Faith is one of those laws whether you call it manifesting or attracting or faith!

Well, from what I see, the principles behind The Secret originated with God and so of course they work. You may want to give the credit for your success to The Secret. That's fine. I prefer to give the glory and honor to God, the Creator and Originator of every good and perfect gift. It's one way I get back to basic health, specifically spiritual health, which is every bit as important as physical or emotional health.

My affirmation for you is this: I wish you health, wholeness and abundance in every area of your life - spirit, soul and body!

Try a Cup of Tea!

When I first got married my husband informed me that he had a serious bout of pneumonia as a teenager and ever since then, he gets bronchitis every fall. Well, that did not sit right with me! I love a challenge, so I decided I would figure out how to prevent that yearly occurrence.

As you might imagine, that first year, he was true to his word and got bronchitis as soon as the weather began to change from summer to fall. Chicken soup made him feel better (so did ice cream, but that's only because he considers it his own personal "medicine"), but did nothing to protect him. We tried different things I was learning about - echinacea, larger than normal doses of vitamin C, bee propolis. They were all helpful to a degree and I believe his colds were less severe, but he still got bronchitis the first few years of our marriage.

I came across some interesting information about a natural substance I'd never heard of at the time - Fenugreek Seed. What I read said it would help keep the lungs clear and was used for bronchitis and other respiratory problems. It was certainly worth a try. I found Fenugreek Seed tea bags at my local health food store and bought a box.

My husband came home from school (he's a teacher) and said he felt miserable - headachy, scratchy throat and as if a cold was brewing. Of course, with him, once that first cold took hold, it developed into bronchitis. I started him on vitamin C, bee propolis and brewed him a good, strong cup sweetened with some honey (since honey also has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties). It has kind of a unique, unusual flavor, but he drank it and actually said it made him feel better. So he drank 2 or 3 more cups that first night. He slept well and woke up feeling pretty good. I filled a travel mug for him to take to work and he had a couple more cups upon returning home that night. He never did develop bronchitis! I was thrilled and from that time on (we've now been married for 25 years) the first thing he does when he feels a cold coming on is put the tea pot on and make a couple of cups of Fenugreek. I always keep several boxes in the house and even my children have used it as well.

Several years later a close friend called and sounded awful - in fact I didn't even recognize her voice. She could barely breathe and had the worst, deep cough I'd ever heard. She said it was her third bout with bronchitis in the last 6 weeks (she smoked at that time) and she asked the doctor to please put her in the hospital but he would not. I asked her to have her husband buy a couple of boxes of the tea and told her to drink a cup every hour for the rest of the night and as many as she could manage the next day and see what happened. She had nothing to lose and so she did what I suggested.

She called me the next day in amazement saying that she felt wonderful - she could breathe, she'd been able to cough up the phlegm and clear her lungs (it was black!). She sounded like herself again! She told me she was going to buy several boxes of the tea to keep at home, in her car and at work - she never wanted to be without it. It seemed amazing to me as natural remedies usually work more slowly - but this seems to work it's magic quickly as long as you drink enough.

What I do is steep a tea bag in boiled water for 10 minutes and then sweeten with honey. If you suffer from respiratory problems like frequent colds, especially if they develop into bronchitis - try Fenugreek Seed Tea.

Are You Training Them Up?

As the parent of three children I know how exhausting it is to constantly have to be the authority and to stand your ground. It is no joke. We all love the hugs and kisses and being told "you're the best mom in the world." But in order to be a good mom (or dad) you have to set boundaries for your children, put rules in place and enforce them - consistently, day in and day out. If you've never had to do it, it's hard. Plain and simple.

As a biblical health coach, I'm going to focus in on this aspect as it relates to your children's health. I can't begin to tell you how many moms I've spoken to who have children who seem to catch every bug that goes around, or are extremely overweight or suffering with asthma or allergies or have been diagnosed with ADD who just want to know what they can do to help their children become healthier. When asked this by one mom who was extremely concerned about her childrens' weight problems, I suggested that she approach any changes very gradually, one at a time, and once that change was made, start working on the next one. She asked what she should do first and I said without a doubt she had to get her children off diet soda! They drink it all day and even have it with breakfast! I explained that the artificial sweeteners they contain have a profound effect on brain function and health and that they actually increase cravings for sweets and thus cause weight gain rather than encouraging weight loss. The high phosphorous content also breaks down their bones.

She said she just couldn't do that because they would argue with her and complain and she just couldn't deal with that. Hmmm, that's like the mom who wants her child to give up a pacifier but doesn't want to endure a night or two of fussing. You may see a 15 year old falling asleep with a pacifier in their mouth! But at least there was no conflict.

Come on, we're made of stronger stuff than that, aren't we?? We've all heard that nothing worth having comes without some effort and that includes health - ours and that of our children.

We are responsible not only for what we feed our children but also what habits we instill in them. Let's be honest - especially when they are small, they can't go out and buy junk food. If they eat it, it is because we have purchased it and made it available to them. Then when they are old enough to be making their own choices, they'll continue doing whatever we've taught (and modeled for) them. The Bible tells us to train up our children in the way they should go, and when they are old they will not depart from that. That's a very sobering truth.

We all want our kids to like us, but there are so many times we have to take the unpopular stand - in the final analysis we are their parent, not their friend - they have plenty of those. It's so much easier to build credibility with your kids in this area if you don't just tell them they can't have soda, but they see that you don't drink it either. If you give them fruit as a snack after dinner and then later on they see you with a spoon and a half gallon of ice cream nestled in your lap - the message is more than mixed!

This is a subject close to my heart. Children in our country today are the most overweight, out of shape and unhealthiest in recent memory. This may be the first generation that does not outlive their parents and that's a crime. We can't let that happen. As parents much of the outcome rests in our hands. We have to make a commitment to the health and wellbeing of our children by taking the hard stand, making the difficult decisions and then standing by them. Consistently. Once they're grown and on their own, the decisions are theirs and they assume full responsibility. But while they're under our authority and control, we are responsible.

I don't know about you, but I would much rather have my 8 year old angry with me for a few days than have my 30 year old suffering from diabetes or heart disease and know I could've done something to change that outcome. Let's make the choice to train them up in the way they should go so they will have long, healthy lives.

It's All In Your Head!

I have watched a series of programs on Pastor Benny Hinn's program recently where he interviewed Dr. Eric Braverman. These shows have been enlightening and encouraging. I love hearing a doctor - yes, a real, board certified, main stream, conventional doctor talk about the power of herbs, spices, teas, foods, bioidentical hormones and supplements in conjunction with medications, only when absolutely necessary. Dr. Braverman was talking about something I've not heard before - brain health. He says that if your brain is healthy and receiving the nutrients it needs to function optimally, you will be able to stay slim, to concentrate, have energy, sleep well and generally remain healthy. Although I've never heard any other doctor approach health that way, it makes perfect sense.

I immediately ordered his books which were being offered and I am anxious to be able to read in more detail exactly what herbs and spices he recommends. He shared that typically most herbs and spices contain so many nutritious substances that adding them to our meals increases the nutritional content exponentially! What a simple (and tasty) thing to do. But aren't we usually the ones who make things more complicated than they need to be?

I loved how he explained the importance of brain health. He said that the brain represents God in our bodies - it controls all other functions - just as God is sovereign and over all the universe. How logical. God tells us that He has given us trees and seeds for our health and healing but we read that and fail to take it literally! We just leave it out there in the spiritual realm when it refers directly to our physical health. From his years of research and experience Dr. Braverman is proving the absolute literal truth of the scriptures that speak about the wonderful, healthy food God created and provided for us.

It is encouraging beyond imagining to hear a doctor go on television and not only talk about the natural, holistic methods he uses, both personally and with his patients, but also to give God the glory for it!

In my opinion we need more doctors like Dr. Braverman.

Listen to your Gut!

Mothers know their kids better than anyone. I remember when my son, Matt, was small he had one ear infection after another for a time. We were visiting my inlaws at the Jersey shore and he was actually on an antibiotic, yet I was still up with him all night. I called the doctor and said he must have developed a tolerance to that antibiotic. He told me that couldn't be. When we got home and I took him in, sure enough he had a raging ear infection and the antibiotic was not touching it. Score, mom one, doctor zero.

Several years later, Matt was about 9 years old and we were living here in the Hudson Valley in our new home. We have well water here which we'd never had before. Matt began to develop a horrendous cough. You know the type - people would turn around a look at him as if he had typhoid fever and pull their kids away from him. I couldn't blame them - he sounded awful. I took him to our pediatrician who prescribed, what else, an antibiotic and a cough medicine. His cough seemed to improve slightly while he was on the meds and then went right back once we stopped. Took him in again - same story - and same result. She never tried to figure out what might be causing the cough, just sent us out every time with something to suppress the annoying (and embarrassing) symptom and never giving me an answer as to what may be causing it.

I was at my wits end and was praying one morning and asked the Lord to please show me something that would help Matt. Sure enough as I watched a show later that morning a doctor was being interviewed who had written a book about natural ways to deal with sinus and respiratory problems. I just knew the answer was in that book. As it was just before Christmas and we were on kind of a tight budget, I told my husband that all I wanted for Christmas was that book. Being the wonderful man he is, he obliged.

I sat down and began reading and didn't even get past the first chapter. He talked about how very common substances we wouldn't even consider may cause allergic reactions - one he mentioned was sulfur. That jumped out at me because every time we turned on the water faucet the smell of rotten eggs was overpowering - our water had a very high sulfur content.

I was ecstatic! I told Matt - from this moment on we would conduct an experiment - he was to only drink bottled water and we would see if that helped his cough. When I tell you that by the end of that day his cough had improved 100% and was completely gone within two, I am not exaggerating. It absolutely amazed me. I called the doctor to let her know what I'd discovered in case anyone else had the same problem and she was flabbergasted - she couldn't believe that was the answer and said she'd never heard anything like it.

Fast forward to his teen years and we tried this natural acne remedy. After the very first night he woke up with his eyes almost swollen shut and red welts on his face. I went online and checked the ingredients again and then called the company and they confirmed that it did contain sulfur. When I asked to return it as my son was obviously allergic to it, they told me "you can't be allergic to sulfur."

Yeah, you can and he is. His stomach even gets a little funny sometimes when he eats whole eggs - the yolks are a good source of sulfur - so we do two egg whites and one whole egg for his omelets.

Those were the experiences that propelled me into studying natural health more seriously and the more I learn the more exciting it is. Just always remember to listen to your gut - I knew there had to be an underlying cause of my son's symptoms, even if the doctor didn't or just didn't want to be bothered trying to figure it out.

One Size NEVER Fits All

The Atkins Diet. Low Carb. No Carb. High Protein. Vegan. Vegetarian. The Zone. South Beach. Low Fat. Mediterranean Diet. Eating for your blood type. Raw foods diet. There are more diets than you can shake a stick at and, unfortunately, in this country more overweight and obese people as well. Why? What's the problem?

I won't pretend to have all the answers. Actually I don't think anyone does. There are valuable principles and strategies in each diet that could help someone. For me personally - I think the reason we have so many diets and still so many overweight people is that we neglect to address the whole person. You may be 50 pounds overweight - but there's more to it than just that. You are a spirit being - are you discouraged, resentful, bitter, bored? Those things will affect your overall health and your ability to maintain a healthy weight.

You have a soul - a mind, will and emotions. Are you depressed, stressed? Do you feel you have no control over certain situations in your life? Are you sad, lonely, angry? Those things definitely will affect every area of your health, including your ability to lose weight.

You live in a physical body. Do you burn the candle at both ends, stay up working until all hours, expect to sleep 3 hours and be able to be at your best all day long? Do you eat mostly processed, junk food loaded with sugar, chemicals, unhealthy fats and artificial colors/flavors/sweeteners? Without a doubt, those things affect your health and your weight.

So for my clients, I consider all three dimensions - spirit, soul and body - in order to determine how to best address the issue of weight loss. You are more than just pounds on a scale and every one of us is created uniquely in every way, including biochemically. That's why one diet doesn't work for everyone. I believe you have to put together a specific plan for each person. That's what I've done for myself. What works for me may fail miserably for you. That's ok - we were created to be different.

So don't fall for the one "size" fits all mentality and feel like a failure when a diet that worked for someone else fails for you. Just remember, one size never fits all!

Never, Never, Never Give Up!!!

I got an email from a close friend of almost 20 years today. The first line of her message was in huge, bold letters: I'M SICK!! She was ecstatic that she'd finally found a doctor who took her symptoms seriously, despite prior test results that were "within normal limits." Not too many people are happy when the doctor confirms that they are sick - but she is and with good reason.

This has been going on for years - not one or two - but six! In 2002 she was a beautiful (still is), healthy, energetic 125-pound 40-something woman. Her dad died and being executor of his estate put her under an enormous amount of stress. The first and most upsetting symptom was weight gain - regardless of how carefully (or how little) she ate or how much she exercised. The weight gain continued and with it came new, alarming symptoms - heart pain and palpitations, inability to sleep more than a few hours a night, joint and muscle pain and tenderness, memory loss and brain fog, shortness of breath and fatigue.

Because I am a health coach and have informally "coached" her for years I suggested a thyroid problem (despite the test results) and adrenal fatigue as a result of the unremitting stress. She saw numerous doctors - holistic, naturopathic, mainstream, specialists - you name it, she saw them. Their responses ranged from diagnosing and prescribing thyroid meds (and in the process nearly killing her - literally); to trying all types of supplements and diets; to telling her she was either "just eating too many calories" or that at her age (42) gaining weight and feeling lousy are "normal." The most distressing response was just treating her as if this was all in her imagination and discounting everything she said.

To her credit and by the grace of God, she was led to a doctor who actually listened, took her seriously, did testing that was different from what had already been done and is now taking steps to address the very real root causes of the symptoms she's been experiencing.

Doctors are simply well-educated, trained people - they are not God. They simply don't have all the answers. Who does? We have to stop thinking that just because a doctor tells us we're fine, despite how we feel, if we know in our hearts that something is wrong, we have to keep searching for the answer. Jesus Himself tells us to ask and keep asking and we will receive - seek and keep seeking and we will find and to knock and keep on knocking and it will be opened to us. God gave us our instincts and intuition for a reason - we need to listen to that still, small voice.

So today I rejoice with my friend and encourage each and every one of you to never, never, never give up!

Doctor Knows Best?

My dad is 82 and has been to doctors galore to try and figure out why he is losing weight. He's lost 30 pounds, 17 since April. After a slew of testing, the doctors have decided he doesn't eat enough calories and "prescribed" Ensure twice daily in addition to his regular meals.



I'm a certified biblical health coach and I also discussed with him that perhaps he is not eating as much as he needed to. I ran his meals for that day through the calorie counter book and he was borderline. I had offered to mix together whey protein powder, green food and other healthy ingredients that he would just have to throw into a blender and mix with water to bump up not only the calorie count but the nutrition as well. He refused. The standard answer is: You're not a doctor - you think you know more than the doctor?



Well I looked at the ingredients of Ensure - the first four are water and three different types of sugar. With all the buzz about how unhealthy a high sugar diet is, it amazes me that a doctor would prescribe this. But, you know, I'm not a doctor - what do I know.



It's just disheartening that strangers will listen to me and respect the information I can share - but my own father won't. I realize it's nothing new - the Bible tells us even Jesus couldn't do any miracles in his hometown because they wouldn't take Him seriously! Who am I to complain, then? I have the utmost respect for doctors. However, I don't think most are very well versed in nutrition and that lack of knowledge could be deadly. What do you think?