CHRISTMAS MIRACLES

Tonight is Christmas Eve and I am struck by the contrast between the busyness of the season and the peaceful significance of the holiday. Our busy family that includes 2 small grandchildren celebrated an early Christmas last night before some of our kids travel to their new in-laws for the holidays. As I sat and watched our expanding family celebrate together amidst the chaos of wrapping, food and laughter, I was busy but also peaceful.

As we lit the Advent candles and focused on Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love, all of those feelings were present around our table. I feel most grateful this morning for the family my husband and I have and all the other people that enrich the circle of our lives. I am also aware that millions of people are not as lucky. As I ponder why this world often feels so unbalanced and unfair, it is a difficult concept to grasp. All we can do to make a difference is to touch the lives in a positive way of those that cross our path as we travel the journey of our life. As Mother Theresa said: "We can do no great things, only small things with great love."

I experienced my own Christmas miracle last night. Our daughter and son in law gave me my present and I was speachless as I opened the parcel. The book was entitled, "In Praise of Strong Women." The author is the husband of a university professor and friend of mine who passed away years ago from cancer. Our daughter did not know this story! I lost touch with him after his wife's death but remember their family fondly. His wife, Betsy LaSor was one of those "strong women" who touched my life. Although she was a professor of mine in nursing, we developed a lovely friendship. She was an amazing nurse who taught me so much about how to deeply listen and care for patients and people of all walks of life. She came to our wedding and I went to hers and celebrated with her the birth of her first son who was the same age as ours. Then she became ill and passed away much too soon. I wondered last night what the meaning might be of this book appearing in my life at this moment. What is the message that God might be offering this Christmas season? I don't have an answer yet but will enjoy the experience of sitting with the question.

What is the Christmas miracle that might be waiting around the corner for you? What surprise might appear, what long lost friendship might be renewed, what challenging story might find a new perspective, what stranger might cross your path with just the perfect message? Stay awake this holiday season and notice the lovely "coincidences" that appear. Be curious about the significance of them and enjoy the experience of simply "WONDERING" how they might impact your life in 2010.

I wish you a restful holiday season, no matter what your current circumstance, and a sense of HOPE, PEACE, JOY, and LOVE as we celebrate, tomorrow, the birth of Jesus.

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BLOOD CANCER AWARENESS

*EVERY 5 MINUTES SOMEONE IS DIAGNOSED WITH A BLOOD CANCER.
*EVERY 10 MINUTES SOMEONE DIES OF A BLOOD CANCER.
*THE RATE OF HODGKIN'S LYMPHOMA IS HIGHEST IN ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS.

I have a long standing commitment and passion for the challenge faced by anyone given the diagnosis of a blood cancer either as a patient or a family member. As a young nurse I worked in pediatric oncology so I worked primarily with children having leukemia. Even at the age of 20 without any children of my own, I couldn't imagine the stress on a family or a child of coping with a diagnosis such as that. The long, difficult and uncertain treatments they had to bear taxed every ounce of energy that they had. I also volunteered for a long time at Canuck Place, a hospice for children, and witnessed again the profound and overwhelming loss experienced by families losing a child.

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is an amazing organization that offers a wide range of types of support for patients and their families. One of their most successful programs is their TEAM IN TRAINING. "Athletes" of all sizes, shapes, fitness levels and ages train, fundraise, and participate in a wide range of endurance events. Whether it is a marathon, a triathlon, or a bike race, the energy of being a participant in this program is unbelieveable. In October, 2007, I participated with two friends who are Hodgkin's Disease survivors in the San Francisco half marathon. It was an experience of a lifetime. We raised over $30,000 between us and crossed the finish line victorious in more ways than we could have imagined when we began. My friends found much healing in their old cancer stories and I found a recommitment to the power of fitness in my own challenging health story.

My reason for posting on this topic today is because I just received the newsletter for the Leukemia and Lymphomia Society of B.C. this morning. I have attached the link below in case you or someone you love is struggling with one of these most difficult diseases. This organization has so much to offer everyone who is touched by this disease whether as a family member, friend, parent, child, or patient. I encouage you to click on the link and see what they are offering. The link to their website is http://www.LLS.org/wes

If you are looking for a way to support yourself to increase your level of fitness or if you want to simply participate in an endurance event with an amazing group of people, I encourage you to consider joining the TEAM IN TRAINING program. They offer the training expertise, the motivation and the support for both the race and the fundraising. The money you raise makes a real difference in the lives of real patients and their families. The link to find out more is
http://www.teamintraining.org

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DISEASE PROOF YOUR CHILD

One of the arguments and complaints against diet changes in children that I encounter most often is that they are already picky eats and will be undernourished if we remove common foods like dairy products. My answer is always the same: children naturally gravitate to a few, over consumed foods and their diet most often lacks variety. Children with food sensitivities are on a roller coaster ride of addictive attachment to one or two foods and eat them to the exclusion of other healthy foods. No matter how healthy the food might be, it is balance that children need to stay healthy. An over consumption of a food such as dairy products adds extra fat and calories but does not add all the other vitamins and minerals a child needs to grow and thrive.

I have witnessed amazing changes in children's willingness to eat a wide variety of foods once we have removed the offending one. Even autistic children who are very sensitive to textures and smells of foods expand their repertoire of foods when the one causing their symptoms is removed.

As I complete the research for my book on the topic of food sensitivities and children, I am more committed than ever to increase the awareness of this topic for families. It is simply false information that children can be healthy and develop a strong body that will be free of diseases in the future if they eat a limited amount of fruits and vegetables and over consume foods like dairy products or bread.

For more information on this topic with loads of resources, check out the following website and blog. Dr. Joel Fuhrman is an expert of nutrition and is the author of the book "Disease Proof Your Child."

http://www.drfuhrman.com
http://www.diseaseproof.com

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