Blue Therapy

Few things relaxes me as much as spending time by the water. Some research has shown that spending time on the beach or at the lake makes us happier, healthier and more connected. That makes sense.

The last couple of weeks in Toronto have been very sunny and hot. On Monday evening it was +31 degrees outside so after my husband's soccer game we decided to take a drive to the beach.

We got to enjoy a relaxing evening swim in Lake Ontario and before we drove back home we enjoyed the beautiful sunset.

They are promising colder weather in Toronto at the end of this week and fall will finally arrive for real. Every season has different things to offer, in the fall I love spending time by the water dressed in my warm turtleneck sweater. I enjoy taking walks along the beach as I sip on a hot cup of coffee during sunny fall days. Going hiking is another thing I enjoy doing in October and November. Next week we also celebrate Thanksgiving here in Canada.

3 Ways to Be Humble

Most of the time we are quite unaware of our own pride. It usually takes another person pointing it out to us, for us to become aware of our own pride. It’s easy to spot pride in others, but it’s harder to notice it in my own life. How can I know if I have pride in my heart?

The fruits of pride are anxiety, insecurity, comparison, hunger for recognition, hunger for attention, selfish ambition, self-righteousness, jealousy, envy, resentment, stubbornness. Pride also leads us to become uncommitted, unaccountable, unsubmissive and to like to demean or put others down. Pride makes us feel superior because of what we have or do. Ouch! It hurts reading that list doesn’t it? Yeah, there’s pride in my heart, that’s for sure!

Pride also causes us to become overly self-conscious, self-critical, easily offended, easily angered and self-serving. My prideful heart makes me afraid of other people’s opinions of me, makes me ungrateful and leads me to wallow in self-pity. The more humble I become, the better my life becomes for both me and others around me. But how can I become more humble? Reading many books or acquiring more knowledge won’t make me more humble, so what can make me humble? Joseph Salomon mentions three ways that we can become more humble.

When you go grocery shopping on an empty stomach

We had a fun and relaxing weekend and got to spend a lot of time with friends and family all weekend long. Then on Sunday evening I realized I should go grocery shopping, rather than leaving it until Monday evening. When I came home from the store I was reminded that going grocery shopping when you are tired or hungry is never a great idea.

I pick up the most random and unhealthy items from store when I grocery shop on an empty stomach. Yesterday I managed to buy pumpkin spice flavored Greek yogurt. Who knew something as strange as this even existed? I haven't tried it yet, so we have to wait and see if it tastes good or terrible.

I also picked up some Fall-flavored chocolate chip cookies in a box, pretty much the opposite to healthy organic home baked cookies. They didn't exactly taste amazing, but we had some for movie night last night and pretty soon the box will be empty. Next time I grocery shop I better take the time to write a list and then stick to it.

The Pressure of Being Gifted

It's one thing to know that there's a gift inside of you. It's another to walk confidently in it. Learn how to overcome the pressure to be perfect and manage the gifts God gave you.

Commitment Issues?

Commitment issues can keep us from experiencing success, real love and joy in life, but it's possible to overcome them. No matter what our goals are in life we need to be committed to the journey to reach our goals. Career success or a successful romantic relationship doesn't just happen to people by chance, we experience these blessings in life because we are committed to the work required to have these things in our lives. If we throw in the towel every time something gets hard in life we won't get to experience the joy of seeing our dreams come true.


We can't be successful in a romantic relationship without commitment. We can't be successful in our careers without commitment. What it comes down to in the end is this: How important is that relationship or career goal to you? If it's important you will commit, no matter how hard it will get sometimes. Commitment requires good character, self-discipline and passion.

Is There More to Life Than This?

Begin the greatest adventure with us. The Alpha Film Series is an updated, relevant and engaging resource designed to take the audience on an epic journey exploring the basics of the Christian faith. Find an Alpha near you visit: http://alpha.org/try

My Greatest Adventure?

What does it take to live a life of adventure? Watch world-renowned TV adventurer Bear Grylls share the untold story of his greatest adventure.