The cure for S-A-D is C-O-C-O-A!!

Well, as my previous Heart and Soul post talked about, I have been feeling a bit down. Although I am feeling a bit more happy and excited, I am still feeling extremely tired and sluggish and not at all like myself. As I was googling S-A-D, I decided to check my email and I had this article in my inbox, sent to me from my Mom!

December 16, 2011 A Cup of Christmas COCOA Tracie Miles

They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. Psalm 145:7 (NIV)

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, there’s one thing that always calms my heart and quiets my thoughts – a cup of hot cocoa. Who doesn’t feel warm and peaceful while sipping a cup of steaming cocoa with marshmallows piled on top?
But, there is another reason I love cocoa. Each letter of my favorite winter drink helps me focus my heart on Christ at Christmas:

Bring on the happy! (and the pounds)

My last few months have been less than great, so Dana, I am taking your advice and writing about it on the blog. With my husband being out of town, working long stressful shifts at the hospital, being on a health dietary cleanse that has caused me to lose weight when I need to gain weight and then not being able go to the gym (which usually makes me feel better)...I have been feeling quite low.  I am sure, not going to church or bible study isn't helping either.
But after a wonderful chat with my friends and with my husband about it, I have decided to make the most of a less than wonderful situation and try to focus on being happy and staying busy and doing what I love.
Now that I have some of my normal food groups back in, I have been able to start baking again! Here comes all that weight back, WooHoo!! In the last 3 days I have cranked up the Christmas music and made: orange cranberry chex mix, whipped shortbread cookies (it made me think of you Dana), cherry almond biscotti (Kimberly's recipe) and fudge puddles ( thank you Kara!!). Baking things that made me think of all my wonderful girlfriends definately improved my mood.
I have also tried to stop negative thoughts from forming.... easier said than done. I find that if I don't verbalize or acknowledge them, this makes it a bit more managable. I know that God wants me to be a happy person and I am really trying to focus on the good and fun things in my life:)

What do you do to improve your mood?

- Kristin

Life is too busy

I have always felt like Life is Too busy, but it has just been recently that I have realized that it is up to me to change that!

I read this "mini book" and found a lot of truth in it. It outlines that the problem isn't a shortage of time, but that our priorities are out of whack. We seldom make time for the important things in life, because we are dealing with the urgent tasks.