The Wright Report

Sit a Spell: Reality is a Weighty Thing

2010-10-05T13:24:00.000-07:00

2010-10-05T13:23:00.000-07:00

Resources for grief.....

2010-02-08T09:27:00.000-08:00

24-Hour Crisis Hotlines:

800-656-HOPE -- RAINN Sexual Assault Hotline (National)

800-SUICIDE -- HopeLine Suicide Hotline (National)

480-784-1500 -- Suicide/Crisis Hotline (Maricopa County)

Suicide Prevention Resource Center

Survivors of Suicide

Hospice of the Valley Teen Grief

Stepping Stones of Hope

New Song Center for Grieving Children

Helping teens deal with grief....

2010-02-08T08:27:00.000-08:00

In my counseling practice, I do not work with teens or children. However, because I have been impacted by the suicide of others in the past, I wanted to make some information available to parents and other caretakers helping their teens deal with the suicide of another person.

First and foremost, pray.

Be as honest with your child as possible, in an age appropriate way. While they do not need to know every single detail, do be honest and provide as much information as you can. Use the words "death, died".

Pray.

Do not be afraid to let your teen know that you don't have all the answers and that you are grieving too. Remind them that God is still in control, no matter what is going on in the world or how we feel at any given moment.

Pray.

Suicide leaves so many unanswered questions, and we always want to know why. In most cases, we never really know why. Help your child understand this by saying it.

Pray.

Just be with your teen. Your presence matters.

Pray.

Pray for your teen and ask God to give you the words to say, and also the wisdom to know when to just be there and stay quiet. You will want to "do something" to make it all better for your child. You cannot. Your job is to help guide them through the emotional ups and downs that grieving brings.

Expect your teen to be up and down and all over the place, emotionally. They need you to be as stable as possible during this time-even though you may be going through your own grief process. Reassure them that you and God will take care of them.

Make sure you take some time for yourself-prayer, time with friends, reading your bible, whatever recharges you so that you can fully be there for your teen as much as possible. Don't try to be superhuman or overly "strong". Be real and open.

Listen. With not only your ears, but your eyes and heart too. Observe them and identify the feelings you think they are experiencing. Part of parenting includes building our children's vocabulary for feelings and emotions. Don't tell them how they are feeling, but ask....using what you "hear". for example "You seem a little sad." "I might feel angry if that happened to me." "you look a little stressed out/worried." and so on. Most kids don't have words to describe their emotional experiences. Help give them words.

Also, don't forget the physical manifestations of our emotions: shaking or trembling, racing heart, sweating, headaches, stomach aches etc. If you notice any of these, let your kids know it's normal and part of our bodies response to our emotional state.

Depending on their personality-encourage the expression of emotion via journaling, art, physical exercise, music, sad movies, letter writing and so on.

Allow your teen to gather with other friends who knew and cared about the person who died. Stay nearby to answer questions and intervene (hand out tissues, check on them, offer a glass of water etc) as needed.

Grief is a journey, a cycle, with some defined stages. You can read about that here. However, we do not move through the stages in a linear fashion, one after the other. Grief is much messier than that. Expect to be back and forth for some time.

Talk to your children about suicide and what it means....

that it is a permanent solution to temporary problems
that it hurts so many people that love and care for the person
that no one is immune from feelings of wanting to die, but it usually passes after the frustration of the moment passes. Tell your teen if they feel like this, they must talk about it to someone.
feelings change, they come and go like the tide, the waves in the ocean. Feelings will not kill us. feelings are God given-God got angry and Jesus wept, so God can handle ANY feelings we have.

As to the questions about what happens after a person dies by suicide, my answer (and my belief) is that we never really know what is happening in a persons heart at that moment. It is between God and the person. It is not helpful to tell grieving teens that suicide is a sin even though it is taking a human life.

What I believe about suicide and depression is that no one is immune from those feelings. Sometimes, life is hard and overwhelming. I believe that Satan is on the prowl looking for people to attack and we are all in danger when we isolate ourselves. That's when we are more susceptible to believing the father of lies. So no matter what feelings you or your teen are experiencing, find an adult you trust to talk with them about. God created us to be in relationships, in community with one another. It is for our own good.

You know your child. Watch for persistent long term changes in his/her personality. Do not be afraid to talk to you teen directly about death, and specifically about suicide. Asking them about it will not plant the idea in their heads.

There's a great article here about helping grieving teens.

I will work on gathering some local resources: groups, counselors, hot-lines etc.

Praying for you all.

UNICEF – A Call to Action

2010-02-02T12:00:00.000-08:00

UNICEF – A Call to Action

Storing Up Treasures: We reached our Goal!!!!!!!!!!

2009-10-14T19:34:00.000-07:00

Storing Up Treasures: We reached our Goal!!!!!!!!!!

Storing Up Treasures: The Rockstar's Need YOU

2009-10-08T23:02:00.000-07:00

Storing Up Treasures: The Rockstar's Need YOU

An opportunity to be a part of something bigger than yourself.

Help if you can, however you can.

Peace,

Lena

147 Million

2009-10-07T20:07:00.000-07:00

Image by Thai Jasmine via Flickr

I thought this was interesting. What do you think?

147 million

Family Needed

2009-10-06T21:25:00.000-07:00

Family Needed

Adoption

2009-09-02T18:17:00.000-07:00

Today, I attended a conference all about adoption. The focus was on creating nurturing transitions for newborns. However, the information shared is useful for all age ranges. The keynote speaker is an author and has been working and teaching in the adoption field for decades. There was a lot of good information in her keynote address.

However, I was moved deeply by the stories shared in a panel discussion format. The panels were made of up adoptive parents, birth parents (including 2 birth fathers) who had placed a child up for adoption and included 3 adoptees-1 adult, 1 teenager and 1 ten year old. The adoptions had taken place between about 5 and 50 years ago. The speakers were of varying ages and ethnicities.

I really learned a lot, and am inspired to think about how I may help people involved in and/or considering adoption. One thing that I noticed is that adoption is a life long process. There are many layers of emotion to the decision and there is no adoption that takes place without issues of grief and loss. There is loss for the birth parents, the adopted person and the adoptive parents. There is loss for the extended family of both sets of parents. There is loss that is felt but "discouraged" and mostly hidden by birth fathers.

The stories and experiences were very different, all across the spectrum from open to semi-open and closed adoptions. Things have shifted in the way unplanned pregnancies and adoptions are "handled" in the past 50 years or so. Mostly for the better, it sounds like. Although, we still have a lot of room for improvement.

It was inspiring, emotional, moving and made me want to do better in my work. It also reinforced the importance of honoring the birth family of my own children that are joining my family via adoption.

I was especially moved by the stories of the birth fathers. I had the opportunity to have one of them join our table for lunch after the panel discussion. I was (all at once) impressed, dismayed, saddened, angered, encouraged and inspired by this man's heartfelt sharing of his experience. He had an ability to put words to an incredibly complex and painful experience, and on some small level, I was able to "get it" to maybe grasp just a little of what this had been like for him. I was angered by the way he was treated. I was dismayed by the depth of the pain that he still experiences over this loss that "happened" about 15 years ago. I was moved to tears by the fact that he had tattooed his daughter's name on his body so that he could have a visual reminder, an outward symbol of the daughter he "thinks about every 10 seconds, at least 100 times a day." Wow.

I was impressed by the teenager who sat between the woman who gave birth to her and the woman who adopted her, they were one big happy open adoption family. When the teen was asked how she handled nosy questions and comments from her friends, she responded "they can just get over it." She was stumped by us (the professionals in the audience) wanting to know how she handled this, or if her friends thought her family was weird. She said "this is normal to me, just the way it always has been." She did not think of herself or her family as different. She thought of it only as her family. Wow.

And there were many other stories, painful, inspiring, joyful, ever-changing. People are people and things change/evolve through the years. It sort of made me remember my philosophy that life is good AND bad, it's a big sticky mess at times, terribly painful, incredibly happy and everything in between. It is not all good or all bad. It is both, at the same time. The same appears to be true about adoption.

It also reinforced my belief that time alone is not an indicator of healing. I've always disagreed with the saying that "time heals all wounds." Time alone does not. It takes a bit of faith, a bit of work, a bit of grieving, a bit of being real and admitting when one needs help. And ALL of that takes time. It also takes forgiveness. Of self and of others.

I am thankful for all of these folks-for their willingness to talk about the hard stuff. To share their struggles and their triumphs. To be real. It is so enlightening, and inspires me to do better and to give thanks more freely.

Check this out and get involved if you can

2009-08-28T18:15:00.000-07:00

God is doing some really big things!!

Medika Mamba for children in Haiti

Volunteers for Streetlight works to fight child-sex trafficking

2009-08-16T10:31:00.001-07:00

Volunteers for Streetlight works to fight child-sex trafficking

Shared via AddThis

Adoption

2009-07-29T19:35:00.000-07:00

Have you been touched by adoption?

Maybe you are an adoptive parent, or a birth parent or an adoptee....Or maybe someone in your family has adopted....Or maybe you are an adoption professional....

If so, would you take a moment to introduce yourself to me-by commenting on this blog or emailing me at Lena at LenaWright dot com and tell me how your life has been touched by adoption.

Thanks!

What do you think?

2009-06-14T15:24:00.001-07:00

I'm seeking some feedback/input. I just put up a poll on the right side of this page, under my photo. Could you take a minute to click and post your preference?

I am trying to decide which name for my practice is more appealing to more people and I thought I'd ask you all to vote.

I have some ideas that need "sorting out" so to speak and hope to have more to share soon.

I also will be tackling those questions you submitted-so be sure to check back soon.

If you haven't yet submitted a question, there's still time. Go here for details.

My passion is helping women find peace and contentment
so they may enjoy healthy relationships
and be all that God has created them to be!

Ask-the-counselor

2009-01-24T16:24:00.000-08:00

Many times people have questions about their mental and emotional concerns.....

private issues that they are uncertain or even embarrassed to ask.

Or maybe you have a question or concern about a friend or a family member.

Maybe you've just wondered about something for a while or been curious....

now is your chance to ask the counselor.....

You can email me your questions at Lena at LenaWright dot com

Or post them by leaving a comment (not as private)

I'll take the questions and answer them here on the blog.

I will protect your privacy by not posting your real name in the Q & A.

Thanks!

I'll look forward to hearing from you.

My passion is helping women find peace and contentment

so they may enjoy healthy relationships

and be all that God has created them to be.

2008-12-04T08:18:00.000-08:00

Image by Travis Seitler via Flickr

(Jesus speaking) The Scripture says "I want kindness more than I want animal sacrifices." You don't really understand what those words mean. If you understood them, you would not judge those who have done nothing wrong. Matthew 12:7

(Jesus speaking) "Why do you notice the little piece of dust in your friend's eye, but you don't notice the big piece of wood in your own eye? How can you say to your friend, 'Friend, let me take that little piece of dust out of your eye' when you cannot see that big piece of wood in your own eye! You hypocrite! Frist, take the wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to take the dust out of your friend's eye." Luke 6:41-42

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These verses bring up an interesting concept-Personal Responsibility. This is something that we, as a society, seem to be displaying less and less of as time goes on. We're often looking for someone or something to blame for our circumstances-whether it be relationship difficulties, job stress, financial problems or bigger challenges. We could blame our parents, our spouse, our kids, the pastor, our boss, our coworkers, our siblings, our neighbors.....anyone, really. We can also blame our circumstances "I was born poor" or "my family was so dsyfunctional" or "my spouse is such a jerk" or "the company I work for is so bad" etc etc.

The problem with blaming others is that blame keeps us stuck. If I blame my problems on someone else then I will feel powerless to change things and I will feel trapped. Feeling trapped will then lead to feelings of depression and/or anxiety. It's a vicious cycle...something happens, I look for someone to blame, I feel justified in my anger toward the person or situation I blame, and over time, resentment sets in and I begin to feel trapped and like a helpless victim. That cycle repeats until anxiety, depression and eventually despair take over. Does this sound like victorious Christian living to you?!? Surely, this is not how God intended for us to live.

The truth is that we all make choices in life. Sure, sometimes things happen that truly are not our fault-someone else makes a bad decision and we have to deal with the consequences. However, from my years of experience, I have learned that many times, the feelings of being trapped/stuck are of our own making. We make a choice to give up our power to someone else and we stay stuck.

So if we all make choices and we all have personal responsibility for our own lives what are we to do? The bottom line is that if your life is not the way that you want it, you MUST stop blaming others and consider what you are doing to contribute to the problem, especially the feeling of being trapped and powerless. I understand that bad things happen to people. However, because we cannot travel back in time to undo the bad thing that have happened-all we can do is work with the here and now. The present. This is where personal responsibility for our own lives comes into play. We cannot change what has happened to us, but we can change/decide/choose what we will do today.

Maybe it is time to formulate a plan and TAKE ACTION. If you don't take action, how will things ever change?

Some ideas for taking action:

* Call a trusted friend
* Talk to your pastor
* Call a Christian Counselor
* Join a small group Bible study
* Go to a 12 step meeting
* Ask for prayer and be specific
* Talk to your spouse

Take responsibility for your life-this is not a dress rehearsal.

Ladies-tell me what you think of this

2008-10-15T12:27:00.001-07:00

Image by flightsaber via Flickr

What follows is taken from the book Captivating. If you have not read it, I highly recommend it, and Wild at Heart. Captivating is about women and Wild at Heart is about men. People generally have strong reactions to these books-they either love them or hate them. I'd like to hear from you-about your reactions to one or both books, and to these thoughts that follow. Send me a comment (click on the link at the very bottom of this article, or you may email me at Lena at LenaWright dot com if you prefer.

Enjoy!

"Ladies, you are the Bride of Christ…and the Bride of Christ is a warring bride.

Now, often the hardest person for us to fight on behalf of is ourself. But you must do it. Your heart is needed. You must be present and engaged in order to love well and fight on behalf of others. Without you, much will be lost. It is time to take a stand and to stand firm. We are at war. You are needed.

Yes, men are created in the image of the Warrior King. Men are warriors. But women need to fight, too. It is a powerful good when a man battles for a woman’s heart and stands between her and her enemies. But oftentimes, there is not a man present in a woman’s life to fight on her behalf. And even when there is, God desires the woman’s spirit to rise up in his strength as well. One day we will be queens – we will rule with Jesus (Rev. 21). We need to grow in our understanding and practice of spiritual warfare not only because we are getting beaten up by it but because it is one of the primary ways that we grow in Christ. He uses it in our lives to strengthen our faith, to draw us closer to Him, to train us for the role we are meant to play, to encourage us to play that role and to prepare us for our future at his side.

Much of what he allows in your life is not just for you to accept, but to get you to rise up! God wants you to know how to wield the weapons of warfare, how to take a stand and how to fight.

“One day you will be a Queen and you must open your eyes.”
(William Wallace to the Princess in Braveheart)

Women are not meant to be helpless creatures. God has given us a fierceness that is holy and is to be used on behalf of others".

(Captivating , 195-196)

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To subscribe to this email, create a profile at www.ransomedheart.com/myprofile
See also the Ransomed Heart Podcast at www.ransomedheart.com/podcast

In Memory of "Judy" Pong Sun

2008-09-24T19:14:00.000-07:00

My mom and my sister.

My family, my friends, my heroes.

My mom lost her battle with breast cancer in 2005.

This Sunday is the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Northwest Ohio

In Memory of my mom, Judy Pong Sun -I am part of a team my sister organized and raising money for the cause.....I will be sleepin in on race day-not able to travel to be there in person this time, but my sister and friends will be there. I joined the team and am supporting the cause. I am almost to my fundraising goal, can you help?

$5 or $10 or $20 will get me there.....

I also support this cause in honor of my friend, Marilyn who is a breast cancer survivor.

She will be there on race day.

Go here to make a tax deductible donation

https://www. kintera. org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=281697&lis=0&kntae281697=022CB3C3337C407D9928828FFD7D73EF

Click Here to Donate

Book Review-The Adoption Decision

2008-09-22T11:11:00.000-07:00

Book Review by Lena Wright
www.ConnectionsWellnessCenter.com
September 22, 2008

I recently read The Adoption Decision by Laura Christianson. This is a book that I highly recommend for people considering adoption, those already in the process of adopting and even those who have already adopted.

The subtitle of the book is 15 Things You Want To Know Before Adopting, and Laura does a great job of using humor and real life stories to convey serious issues that need to be considered by prospective adoptive parents. I appreciated the author’s use of scripture and her decidedly Christian world view. It helped me to focus in on what is important to God. Most of the books about adoption I have discovered so far do not address the issues from a Christian perspective.

Mrs. Christianson includes a segment on ‘Adoption Lingo’ that is helpful for people just getting started in researching adoption. Her wealth of experience as an adoptive mom, educator and mentor are evident throughout the book. Laura also shares the stories of many different adoptive families and this adds a depth of experience-both positive and negative to the book. I think that Mrs. Christianson provides a realistic picture of adoption so that readers can go into the process with their eyes opened to some of the challenges. At the same time, I did not experience the book as discouraging or negative toward adoption. She managed to strike a healthy balance between the reality of adoption and the fantasy or naiveté that prospective adoptive parents may have at the beginning of the adoption process. The author does a good job of asking thought provoking questions and sharing real life experiences of adoptive families.

I found The Adoption Decision to be clear and concise, which makes for easy reading. Mrs. Christianson challenges many myths and offers multiple points of view. This book helped to stimulate discussion between my husband and I on many topics related to adoption. I liked that that author not only pointed out things I hadn’t thought of, but she also offered some solutions and ideas for how to handle different situations. She didn’t offer ‘pat’ answers or easy solutions, but she did get us thinking about situations we may encounter with our adopted children. This will allow us to devise our own strategies for dealing with the challenges that we encounter as an adoptive family.

The Adoption Decision also included discussion/reflection questions and a good list of resources. I found this book to be highly useful, user friendly and thoughtfully written. I believe it will be a valued resource as we continue on this Adoption Adventure! I highly recommend The Adoption Decision.

Help Orphans in Haiti

2008-09-11T18:25:00.000-07:00

Image by glasshalffull91 via Flickr

This is a personal post.

First, our boys (we are adopting 2 brothers from Haiti) are safe and they have food and shelter and caretakers/nannies providing good care.......

but........

This is a heartfelt and somewhat desperate plea from us, as waiting adoptive parents thousands of miles away from our children who still live in Haiti......

We're feeling pretty worried and concerned.......At this time, our boys are safe from the storms, but it's the after effects we are praying about and feel we must DO SOMETHING.

Watch this heartbreaking video called http://www.miamiherald.com/multimedia/slideshows/090808_haiti_floods/

Please pray for Haiti. our kids are safe, but the impact from these storms is only just beginning. It is such a poverty stricken place. The storms have wiped out what little crops there were. the supply and demand for food and clean/safe drinking water causes increases in prices, shortages, and sometimes, riots and violence. There were riots and a coup in April of this year...over the increasing prices. These storms are only making bad things worse.

I got an email from the Orphanage today, and they are seeking to stock up on food (rice & beans, mostly) to help them get thru the coming months. The volunteer/administrator is worried and shared her specific concerns and needs of the orphanage with us as adoptive parents.

Please consider making a donation to the orphanage where our kids (Steeve and Jean Baptiste) are at. They live in Port au Prince at Three Angels Children's Relief.

You can make a one time donation....of ANY amount by visiting Three Angels Children's Relief

Or you can sponsor a student at Three Angels Christian Academy for only $27/month by going to the student sponsorship page

School was supposed to start this week-Sept. 8th. But with the storms, the Haitian gov't moved the start of school to the first week in October. The entire country is impacted by the devastation of these storms.

Or

mail your tax deductible donation to:
Three Angels Children's Relief
82 Rivertrail Drive
Palm Coast, FL 32137

Please pray for Haiti. the boys are safe, but the impact from these storms is only just beginning. It is such a poverty stricken place. The storms have wiped out what little crops there were. the supply and demand for food and clean/safe drinking water causes increases in prices, shortages, and sometimes, riots and violence.

I got an email from the Orphanage today, and they are seeking to stock up on food (rice & beans, mostly) to help them get thru the coming months. There is much uncertainty in Haiti.

I have been to the orphanage and met some of the people involved/in charge. You can trust that this is a nonprofit in Haiti is actually helping the children...they take good care of the kids, and they do ALOT with very little resources. your gift will make a difference!

For another simple way to help, check out my fellow adoptive mom, Cara's post called Rice and Beans Night

This is a GREAT and SIMPLE idea we are going to implement right away. Check it out. Talk to your kids about poverty and living conditions. Teach them all that we all have to be thankful for. Teach them about helping those less fortunate than we are......

Thanks for your time and consideration, prayers and ACTION.

Perhaps your church or school or workplace could collect some loose change.....it really can make a huge difference.....I'm putting a milk jug at my office......or maybe hold a raffle or sell some unused stuff around your house....100% of what is donated goes directly to the children-the administration takes no pay-they are all volunteers.

Please pass this along/forward to anyone you think may help.

We are not asking you to do anything we aren't willing to do. If you normally buy us birthday or Christmas gifts, DON'T! Do this instead. Seriously. Nothing would make us happier....and isn't that what gifts are supposed to be about, anyway? Making the recipient happy?

EVERY penny helps!!

Sincerely and prayerfully,

Lena & Bob

Some thoughts about playing our part.....

2008-08-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

Recently, I was reading Exodus 15: 22-27. From the New International Version:

The Waters of Marah and Elim

22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah. [fn5] ) 24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”
25 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.
There the Lord made a decree and a law for them, and there he tested them. 26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”
27 Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water.

When things look impossible, when we are on our last leg, at the end of our rope-with no strength left, this is when we (finally) cry out to God. And then miracles can happen.

Here's what stood out to me as I read this passage:

1) Israelites cried out (griped/complained)to Moses
2) Moses (their leader) cried out to God
3) God showed Moses a specific piece of wood, the NLT says branch.
4) Moses threw the specified piece of wood into the water
5) The water became sweet/drinkable

There is an order to this story. God CAN and DOES do supernatural miracles. And often, this is our preference-as if God were a genie in a bottle. We cry out in a way that says 'save me'. Often, from a mess we have created. Sometimes, from a mess others have dumped on us.

However, it seems to me that, more often than changing things in an instant, God waits for us to ask (ie, surrender) and then obey (ie, do) something. It's a partnership of sorts. I am not implying that God needs us, or that we are equal with God. That is simply not true. God is fully sovereign. God is God and we are not. And yet, He invites us to participate in His work. Will you accept His invitation?

We get to choose to cooperate with God or not. God honors our choices. What if Moses had doubted or questioned God? I can almost hear myself asking these questions:

"What am I supposed to do Lord?"
"A branch?!? Seriously?"
"Are you kidding me?"

What if Moses had wrung his hands in worry? Or kept praying, after God showed him the branch? "Nice branch, Lord, but we need water."

If Moses was not fully surrendered to God's will AND obedient, the story may have gone differently.

The challenge for us-for all of humanity, since the Fall is how to balance prayer with action. Everything we do ought to be bathed in prayer. It is first and foremost-vitally important. It is our lifeline to God the Father. Sometimes, we get busy, we forget, we make excuses. Or we try to do things on our own power and strength. I call this 'running ahead of God'. Then I have to stop and wait-and ask the Lord to clean up my mess. And He does. Because He is full of grace and love and mercy.

At some point, we have to take action, obey, do something, play our part. Sometimes it's move ahead. Sometimes it's go back. Sometimes it's let go. Sometimes it's pray and continue to wait.

Let's focus on the balance; tuning in to God's still small voice; so that we may know God is Great!

Today is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Back to School/Harvest Time

2008-08-07T22:37:00.000-07:00

Since it is back to school time, I thought I would share a bit about Haiti and the Three Angels Christian Academy and a way that you can get involved and help make a difference!

This is taken from the Three Angels Children's Relief website (http://www.threeangelshaiti.org/)

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Haiti is a Caribbean country occupying the western third of Hispaniola, sharing the island with the Dominican Republic. It is about the size of the state of Maryland, 50 miles from Cuba, and 600 miles from Florida. It is only an hour and a half flight from Florida yet is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

Haiti has historically been poverty stricken due to a variety of reasons including historical factors such as war and war debt, occupations and dictatorships, isolation and racism that are still impacting Haiti today along with current economic and environmental factors such as international aid sanctions, internal political conflict, deforestation that leads to soil erosion and flooding, hurricanes, etc.

The average Haitian earns less than $1 a day, and there have been estimates that 1 percent of the country's 8.1 million people controls nearly half its wealth (Mozingo). More than half of Haitians eight million people lack access to clean water or sanitation. Fifty percent of the population is undernourished, with one in five children underweight or under-height for their age. Twelve percent of Haitian children die before their first birthday, and one third do not make it to their 5th birthday (globalsecurity.org).

According to a 2004 U.N. report, Haiti ranks with Afghanistan and Somalia as one of three countries of the world with the worst daily caloric deficit per person with 2.4 million Haitians unable to afford the minimum 2,240 daily calories recommended by the World Health Organization. In addition, only 1 in every 10,000 Haitians has access to a physician (globalsecurity.org). A 2005 report declares Haiti the second worst place in the world to live (Moyes). Haiti is the fifth most corrupt nation in the world for 2005, according to Transparency International, a global watchdog group who publish an annual list of corruption levels in 159 nations. Haiti was tied for the most corrupt country in 2004.

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The Bible tells us: "These were his instructions to them: "The harvest is so great, but the workers are so few. Pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest, and ask him to send out more workers for his fields. " (Luke 10:2)

I'm writing to let you know about a SIMPLE way that you can help. Maybe you can't adopt a child. Maybe you can't travel to Haiti to work on construction projects. But there is something you CAN do...read on for more info.....

Visit here to help today! Please consider sponsoring a student.
http://www.threeangelshaiti.org/sponsorship.htm

Three Angels Children's Relief opened Three Angels Christian Academy (TACA) aka Institution Mixte Chretienne de Petion-Ville in 2005. TACA serves nearly 400 students in a 2 room building on the Three Angels Campus. There is a huge need for inexpensive, quality schools in Haiti. Well over half of the adult population is illiterate. Most of the children currently attending would not have the opportunity to attend a school without TACA opening and granting scholarships. Without an education there is no way out of the cycle of poverty.

Children in Haiti are starving. The students that attend TACA are hungry too-and you can help! Many of them do not get regular meals at home. At this time, TACA provides 1 meal of bread and peanut butter. For many, this is the only meal they get in a day. The goal is to get sponsorships for all the students, so that a full meal of beans, rice and milk can be provided. The only way that this goal can be reached is via the student sponsorship program. For less than $1.00 per day, you can change the life of a child, and change the world. What better way to change things that to feed and educate a student. For $27 a month you can help end the cycle of poverty.

To learn more about this program (it's very simple to do) visit http://www.threeangelshaiti.org/sponsorship.htm $27.00 a month

Imagine the difference that $1.00 can make in the life of these students! It would not be hard to figure out a way to give up something that costs less than a dollar a day to help.

Matthew 6:19-21 says:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

God's calling-the harvest is great and the workers are few. Will you answer?

Visit http://www.threeangelshaiti.org/sponsorship.htm
to make a difference TODAY!

Three Angels is a non profit, volunteer run organization.

Foreign Exchange Student

2008-08-05T10:55:00.000-07:00

Hi,

This is an email I got from Marge at NWSE-she's with the agency that placed Lee (our high school age foreign exchange student from S. Korea) in our house for this school year. I thought I would post here to pass the word.

Note that she said if anyone I refer does become a host family, NWSE would make a donation to my favorite charity-which of course would be Three Angels.....so, you can help a high school student, and orphans at the same time!If you have any questions about the process-I'm happy to tell you what I know.

Otherwise, contact Marge directly. Just be sure to let her know you heard about the program from me-so that I can get the donation directed to Three Angels (www.ThreeAngelsHaiti.org)Thanks for reading/considering it. Feel free to share with anyone else you can think of that would make a good host family.

************************************************************************************
Just a short note to all of you - NWSE is in the final 3 weeks of placing our remaining students. If you know of a family or individual that would enjoy sharing their home and life with an exchange student - even as a welcome family (4 to 6 weeks) - anywhere in the US, please let me know.

We have about 25 students left - Girls from Mexico, Japan, Russia, Germany, South Korea, Brazil, Thailand and Kyrgyzstan Boys from Germany, Ukraine, Thailand, Columbia, Brazil, China, & Poland.

NWSE will make a donation to your favorite charity for referals you offer that do result in a student being placed.

The remaining students can be viewed on our website at www.nwse.com/profiles sign in nwsehost password hosting

Thank you for helping spread the word of cultural exchange

Marge Ryan, Regional Manager NWSE
Phone 262 245 5717
Fax 775 305 0329 or 800 613 5105
Skype Marge.Ryan
www.nwse.com
NWSE is a Department of State-designated nonprofit organization listed with CSIET
***************************************************************************************

We Are The Body.......

2008-07-31T20:57:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

Recently, I was reflecting on my recent trip to Haiti during some quiet time. Actually, I was laying in bed trying to fall asleep and not succeeding because too much was going on in my head.

I remember being so overwhelmed at first. The sites, the sounds, the smells, there was just so much to take in. People have asked me if it was as bad as I expected. I'm unsure how to answer that question because this was my first mission trip I didn't really know what to expect. The reality of Haiti was worse, so much worse than I expected. And, at the same time, it was also so much better than I expected. The poverty, the despair, the pain, the suffering, the need...everywhere I looked I saw someone who was in need. Real people. Real need-not just for comfort but for survivial. And at the same time, I saw people praising and worshipping God with their whole hearts. I saw people praying and reading their Bibles. I saw laughter and joy in their eyes. I saw beauty. I saw love. I saw hope.

During the first day or two, I remember having a conversation with God about my feelings of being overwhelmed and thinking about what I am doing here-feeling doubtful and inadequate. How could I, in one week make any sort of impact on the huge need in this poverty stricken place? Where people don't have enough to eat, don't have clean water to drink and where most are barely surviving. People are sick, children are dying. The need is so great-it is truly overwhelming and hard to comprehend, let alone explain. Words are inadequate.

I felt overwhelmed and like I was kidding myself into thinking that I could make a difference on this trip or change/save the world. I'd like to tell you that I had some awesome insight or that God spoke to me clearly and explained everything. But that is not what happened. As is more often the case, for me, anyway, God revealed Himself to me bit by bit. And somewhat after the fact. Maybe I'm just a slow learner.

Looking back, I recall some of the American's we met. There was the group that stayed at the guest house with us. They were working on a project to get solar (free energy) cookstoves to the women of Haiti. There is a lot of cancer in Haiti, in part because they cook over open flames and spend hours each day tending a fire. There's also concern about what the cutting down of so many trees for fuel to burn is doing to the environment and concern about food poisoning from improper cooking/handling techniques.

Then there was the lady we met at church and at the airport, who was there to work with pregnant and nursing women and newborns to teach them about breastfeeding. Apparently there is some stigma and superstition associated with breastfeeding among Haitian women. I learned that the rich women in Haiti use formula, and the poor women use flour and water, because it looks like formula, and their babies get sick and die. Ugh.

We met a family at church that were taking their adopted children home from another orphanage. We had one adoptive mom, and an adoptive big sister as part of our group-each adopting two children from Three Angels. Do you know that almost all of the 30+ children currently living at Three Angels have forever families? They are just waiting to go home, while their adoptive families wade through the paperwork and process.

There were the pastors at the church we attended. There were the young Haitian teens who came to the orphanage and led a church service, complete with praise & worship music for the children on Saturday. There was also another large group at the airport when we arrived-all wearing blue tee shirts that said something about God being the God of justice and had images of the island printed on them. There was another group of short term missionaries from the east coast that overlapped with our visit to Mother Theresa's hospital. They visited with the children there, and were on their way to another city to help with the problem of sanitizing the drinking water. There were brochures and information on child sponsorship from a couple of different organizations at the guest house.

Then there's Kaitlyn, a college aged woman who is spending her summer living at Three Angels and ministering to the children, playing with them, holding them, caring for them. She's not there because she has to be, but because she wants to be. And Sandy, the orphanage/house manager who also lives at Three Angels and keeps things moving-working with the nannies, and all the staff, organizing the supplies, entertaining the children, teaching the children and so much more.

And there are all of the Three Angels board members and volunteers in the United States doing so much for the children through the Orphanage, Three Angels Christian Academy and the Halos Medical Mission.

There were the 23 of us. A painter, a nurse, college students, high school students, postal workers, hair stylists, salesmen, business owners, a counselor and so much more. People with very different careers. People from all walks of life. People from different churches. People from different states. Very different people all united by Jesus Christ. Brought together by God to do His work. To play a part in His plan.

As I was reflecting on the trip and all of these people, God revealed several things to me. First, IT'S NOT ABOUT ME. Clearly, I am inadequate for the task at hand, but God is more than enough, more than capable. (2 Corinthians 12:9; Matthew 19:26; Mark 10:27; Phillipians 4:13) And He cares-He cares deeply for all who are lost and all who suffer. (Matthew 25:40; Matthew 25:45) I have a part to play in God's adventure and I must do what I can. Jesus said if you love me, obey me.

Second, the Bible tells us that we are the body, Christ is the head (Romans 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:13; Ephesians 4:4; Colasians 2:19). We all have a part to play-and that was clearly demonstrated in the variety of missionaries I met and the variety of projects that are being worked on to improve life in Haiti. What a cool thing, to be able to see the Bible in action-a real life demonstration through a diverse group of people united by their desire to serve Christ by helping and loving others.

And lastly, God brought to mind that story about 2 friends walking along the beach that was just covered in starfish. Every so often, one friend would stop to pick up a starfish and throw it back into the ocean. The other friend was incredulous and asked why are you bothering with that, there are so many, you'll never make a difference. And the friend who was throwing the starfish said simply "It makes a difference to this one" as he tossed another one back.

So during the trip, I took action. I changed one diaper at a time. I held one (sometimes two or three) child(ren) at a time. I gave one a drink of water or one snack. I picked up one crying child at a time. I rocked one child to sleep. One at a time, one need at a time. One bit of obedience at a time. All for God's glory. Did I change the world? Probably not. But maybe, just maybe, I changed the life of a child. Maybe some day that child will change the life of another person and therefore change the world.

I want the children to know that Jesus loves them. No matter what happens that is one thing that is True and cannot be changed. (Matthew 19:14; Mark 10:14; Luke 18:16). I'm grateful to have had this opportunity. And I'm grateful that someone else obeyed and served, and shared this Good News, this Truth with me. And so now, I do my part and serve willingly, joyfully, gladly. (2 Timothy 1:8)

God willing, (Proverbs 27:1) I will return to Haiti soon to play my part. In the meantime, I will find ways to serve and play my part at home.

The Power To Choose

2008-06-12T15:31:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

The heat is on! As the calendar turns to summer, it is easy to fall into the trap of complaining about the heat, especially here in Arizona. I wonder what would happen if we all took up a challenge to give thanks for the heat? The fact is that there is no perfect place to live and I know that I wouldn’t trade summers here for winters back east. I can still remember the bone-chilling cold and having to scrape ice off the windshields and sidewalks. I don’t miss any of that. This year, let’s make an effort to focus on the blessings of living in this place rather than focusing on the scorching heat. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 tells us:

For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. (emphasis added).

This is a great reminder of the CHOICE we face every day, every moment. The Truth is that our troubles (and the summer heat) won’t last forever. No matter what our circumstances or situation, it will not last forever. We get to CHOOSE what we focus on. The fact is, there will be trouble and suffering in our lives. Jesus told us this. At times, the trouble and suffering are enormous. However, the fact is also that there are a great many blessings and gifts in life to be thankful for as well. Because God gave us a brain and the ability to think, we are free to CHOOSE what we focus on. Paul wrote “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. “ What we look at and focus on is a choice!

I have learned that if I look for things to criticize, gripe and complain (i.e., whine) about, I will find them. Alternatively, if I look for blessings and gifts to be grateful for and enjoy, I will find those as well. It is a daily, conscious choice to focus on being thankful for the blessings in my life. To me, it is like changing the channel. If something I do not like comes on the television, I have the ability to change the channel or shut the TV off. It is the same with my thoughts. I must begin by paying attention to my thoughts. Often, I am guilty of rushing through life, running from one activity or task to the next, so busy, that I don’t even notice my thoughts. By focusing my attention, I can notice if there are thoughts that need to be changed. When I pay attention to my thoughts, I can then make a CHOICE to do something differently if necessary.

With summer vacation upon us, school getting out, and Bible studies taking a break, our tendency can be to let connection and fellowship take a back seat. This summer, why not make a choice to do something different to stay connected. Perhaps you can schedule a coffee date or a play date. Or maybe invite a friend to lunch or choose a book to read and discuss. Become aware of what you focus on. Talk about spiritual things-ask your friends what God is doing in their lives and how you can pray for them. Stretch out of your comfort zone and do something different. It is only when we stretch and challenge ourselves that growth can take place. The Bible says:

By helping each other with your troubles, you truly obey the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2

Remember, God gave us the ability to make choices. So make a good one today. Start by being thankful for what you do have. If you woke up this morning, you have something to be grateful for!

Lena Wright is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Board Certified Professional Christian Counselor and a Certified Professional Coach. Her passion is helping women be all that God created them to be. She can be reached through her website at www.LenaWright.com where you can obtain a free subscription to her Healthy Communication e-Bulletin.

Got a question for the coach? Email Lena@LenaWright.com

Haiti Mission Trip

2008-05-16T07:14:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

Just posted a new entry about my mission trip to Haiti. You can read more about it at www.LenaHaitiMissionTrip.blogspot.com

I hope you are doing well and enjoying life. If I can be of service, don't hesitate to contact me.

Make it a GREAT day!

Lena
www.ConnectionsWellnessCenter.com

Three Angels in Haiti

2008-03-28T11:06:00.000-07:00

My church is planning a short term mission trip to Haiti this July. I am planning to be part of the team serving at a children's organization called Three Angels.

Please watch the video and keep the team, the children, the finances and the planning in your prayers. If you want to make a tax deductible donation for supplies for the orphanage and/or travel expenses, please contact me for more info.

In His Service,

Lena

Focus On Wellness by Lena Wright

2008-02-20T13:17:00.000-08:00

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
1 Cor. 6:19-20 (NIV)

The Apostle Paul wrote these words to a young church where conflict, strife, division and sexual misconduct were going on. I love how God does not ‘mince words’. Re-read the verses above and you’ll see that it is pretty direct and straightforward. The Truth is that God sacrificed His only Son to save us. Those of us that have heard and accepted this gift have received the Holy Spirit and are born anew. This means that our bodies do not belong to us. We need to evaluate how we are doing at being good stewards in regard to our physical being. Are we taking care of our bodies? Are we honoring God with our bodies?

Here are some tips on how to do just that:

1) Get moving. Take a walk. You can do this at the mall, the YMCA or a local gym or right in your own neighborhood. Take a Tai Chi or Pilate’s class. Gentle, slow moving stretching is good for your muscles and your mood. Park further out from the store when you’re running errands or shopping and walk the extra steps. Our bodies were created to move and often we don’t move them enough. It’s about movement more than it is about exercise. Physical activity is a great stress reliever, plus it helps us to sleep better and improves our mood. So, get moving!

2) Rest. While movement, activity and exercise are great ways to burn off stress, it is also important to get enough rest. Our bodies refresh and rejuvenate while we sleep and when we short change ourselves in this department we make life harder than it needs to be, emotionally, physically and mentally. Some studies have shown that people who don’t get enough sleep tend to be heavier and sicker than those who do get their zzz’s. Besides, if God rested on the seventh day, I think that us humans might need to rest too.

3) Eat right. This can be a particularly challenging task. I’m not suggesting that you deprive yourself but rather that you are mindful of what you are putting in to your body. Be aware of how caffeine, alcohol and sugar affect you and your mood. I encourage you to do a three day experiment where you write down everything you eat and pay attention to how you feel, both physically and emotionally. You may be surprised to learn that what you put into your body not only affects your physical health but also your mental and emotional well being.

Supplements Decrease Violence

2008-02-05T20:22:00.000-08:00

Image by cstmweb via Flickr

This is taken from Dr. Daniel Amen's "Brain in the News" , a weekly commentary on how brain science relates to the news. The brain is involved in everything we do. Wherever there are human stories the brain is involved. From the impact of war and natural disasters on the brain to drug abuse scandals to courtroom dramas to politics the brain is in the news, and you can read about it here.

London’s from story Here’s point. this underscoring is England study new function. brain affects it how and nutrition on place I importance know you’ll time, length any for Clinics amen at done we’ve research work my followed you’ve>
Prison Study to Investigate Link between Junk Food and Violence

Some of Britain’s most challenging young prisoners are to be given food supplements in a study aimed at curbing violent behavior. Scientists from Oxford University say the effect of nutrition on behavior has been underestimated. They say increases in consumption of “junk” food over the past 50 years have contributed to a rise in violence. The university will lead the study in which 1,000 males aged 16 to 21 from three young offenders’ institutions in England and Scotland will be randomly allocated either the vitamin-and-mineral supplements or a placebo, and followed over 12 months.

In a pilot study of 231 prisoners by the same researchers, published in 2002, violent incidents while in custody were cut by a more than a third among those given the supplements. Overall, offenses recorded by the prison authorities fell by a quarter. John Stein, professor of physiology at Oxford University, said: “If you could extrapolate from those results you would see a reduction of a quarter to a third in violent offenses in prison. You could reduce violent offences in the community by a third. That would have a huge economic benefit.”

“Our initial findings indicated that improving what people eat could lead them to behave more sociably as well as improving their health. This is not an area currently considered in standards of dietary adequacy. We are not saying nutrition is the only influence on behavior but we seem to have seriously underestimated its importance.” Mark Walport, head of the Wellcome Trust, which is funding the three-year study, said: “If this study shows that nutritional supplementation affects behavior it could have profound significance for nutritional guidelines, not only within the criminal justice system but in the wider community - in schools, for example.

We are all used to nutritional guidelines for our physical health but this study could lead to revisions taking account of our mental health.”The theory behind the trial is that when the brain is starved of essential nutrients, especially omega-3 fatty acids, which are a central building block of brain neurons, it loses “flexibility”. This shortens attention spans and undermines self-control. Even though prison food is nutritious, prisoners tend to make unhealthy choices and need supplements, the researchers say.

Bernard Gesch, a senior scientist in the department of physiology and head of Natural Justice, a charity that investigates the causes of offending, said prisoners would be given the supplement with 100 per cent of the recommended daily amount of more than 30 vitamins and minerals plus three fish-oil capsules on top of their normal diet.“We are trying to rehabilitate the brain to criminal justice. The law assumes crime is a matter of free will. But you can’t exercise free will without involving your brain and the brain can’t function properly without an adequate nutrient supply. It may have an important influence on behavior. This is a positive approach to preventing the problems of antisocial and criminal behavior. It is simple, it seems to be highly effective and the only “risk” from a better diet is better health. It is a rare win-win situation in criminal justice” said Gesch.

To your brain health,

Daniel

Daniel Amen, M.D.CEO, Amen Clinics, Inc.Distinguished Fellow, American Psychiatric Association>>

Of course, you should consult with your health care provider before embarking on a diet or exercise program and using supplements. Everyone's needs are different and it's important to seek assistance when making decisions about supplements.

High quality supplements and nutritional cleansing information is available through Isagenix International-including a high quality Omega 3-6-9 supplement. Learn more at www.lenawright.isagenix.com

Lena Wright is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Professional Coach and Board Certified Professional Christian Counselor. She is the founder & President of ConnectionsWellnessCenter.com and specializes in nutrition coaching to address a variety of mental health issues including depression and anxiety.

A quick giggle to start the New Year!

2008-01-10T07:26:00.000-08:00

I hope that you had a great holiday season and are settling back into your routine. Did you make any resolutions? I don't make resolutions any longer, because I feel that they are too big and too broad and they tend to set us up for failure. I do however like to review the year and set some small goals. What are your goals? What are you working on this year? What are you looking forward to?

What better time than the start of a new year to set some goals-and perhaps to consider getting some counseling or coaching services to help you reach your goals and to hold you accountable for the changes you want to make. If you are ready to take action toward your goals, contact me today. www.ConnectionsWellnessCenter.com

Here's a little something that made me smile. I hope it makes you smile too. Enjoy!

Lena

Awestruck.....

In 1990 a woman entered a Haagen-Dazs in the Kansas City Plaza for an ice-cream cone. While she was ordering, another customer entered the store. She placed her order, turned and found herself face to face with Paul Newman. He was in town filming a movie. His blue eyes made her knees buckle. She finished paying and quickly walked out of the store, her heart still pounding.Gaining her composure she suddenly realized she didn't have her cone; she turned to go back in.At the door she again came face-to-face with Paul Newman who was coming out. He said to her, "Are you looking for your ice-cream cone?" Unable to utter a word she nodded yes."You put it in your purse with your change."

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

How To Keep Stress At Bay This Holiday Season

2007-12-03T08:25:00.000-08:00

Image via Wikipedia

It’s that time of year again-the twelfth month of the year. When our thoughts turn to Christmases past and our calendar and to do list often become jam packed. There are cookies to bake, parties to plan and attend, gifts to buy, houses to decorate and so much more to do. Here are some tips for managing stress during December.

Plan Ahead

Take some time to think about what sort of Christmas you would like to have. Imagine that it is January and you a pleased with the way your holiday went. What will have happened? What will you have done? Where will you have gone? Who will you have spent time with? Is there anything you will not have done? Really use your imagination and picture the details of what matters to you. Taking the time to do this will help you to decide what to do and what to let go of this year. Then you can use a calendar to plan your activities like baking, shopping, social events, gift wrapping and so on.

Another area of stress that often comes up this time of year is finances. A sure fire way to add stress to your holiday is to overspend and use credit to buy gifts and other items that you can’t really afford. Plan ahead by making a list, creating a budget that is workable for your family and then stick to it. It’s important to talk about this area with your family and decide together what is workable. It's important to take time to really listen to each person’s point of view and then discuss all of your options. Perhaps you can draw names, rather than buying gifts for everyone in the family. Or maybe gifts can be just for the kids. You could do a cookie or ornament exchange. Set a price limit on the gifts that you will exchange and stick to it. Some families choose not to exchange gifts but simply to spend time together. There are many things you can do for free like drive around and look at lights, go window shopping, cook dinner together, watch classic Christmas movies together, or go caroling. The real meaning of Christmas is not about money and flashy gifts.

Be Realistic

It amazes me how often that we think and believe that because the calendar changed to December that our imperfect family will suddenly become perfect and that everything will be ideal and no one will disagree about anything. If your family is not perfect (and none of them are) don’t expect that to change this month! Relationships that are difficult or tense the rest of the year will continue to be so and perhaps even become a bit more challenging due to stress and spending more time together. Remember that you can create a warm holiday feeling by your attitude and your actions; however you cannot change other people. You must decide what is important to you and focus on doing the right thing. Other people will respond however they are going to respond and that is not your responsibility. Your responsibility is your behavior, your decisions, your actions.

It’s also important to set limits. It’s not realistic to say yes to every event that you may get invited to this month. Or to feel like you have to host the perfect party or celebration. I give you permission to say no to some activities this month. And you’re not allowed to feel guilty for saying no. First and foremost you must focus on your priorities and then go from there. Real life is full of limits and it is important to remember that in order to help keep stress at bay, especially this time of the year.

Take Care of Your Body

This is often the first thing to go by the wayside when the calendar turns to December and I think it’s a big mistake. Movement, activity and exercise are great ways to burn off stress. It’s also important to get enough rest a minimum of 8 hours per night. Our bodies refresh and rejuvenate while we sleep and when we short change ourselves in this department we make life harder than it needs to be. Some studies have shown that people who don’t get enough sleep tend to be heavier and sicker than those who do get their zzz’s.

Get moving. Take a walk. If it’s too cold where you live, you can do this at the mall, the YMCA or a local gym. Take a Tai Chi or Pilate’s class. Gentle, slow moving stretching is good for your muscles and your mood. Park further out from the store when you’re running errands or shopping and walk the extra steps. Our bodies were created to move and often we don’t move them enough. It’s about movement more than it is about exercise. Physical activity is a great stress reliever, plus it helps us to sleep better and improves our mood. So, get moving!

Eat right. This time of year this is a particularly challenging task. I’m not suggesting that you deprive yourself but rather that you are mindful of what you are putting in to your body. Be aware of how caffeine, alcohol and sugar affect you and your mood. I encourage you to do a three day experiment where you write down everything you eat and pay attention to how you feel, both physically and emotionally. You may be surprised to learn that what you put into your body not only affects your physical health but also your mental and emotional well being.

Focus on What Really Matters

Decide what is important to you. Think about what the holidays mean to you. What will make it meaningful to you? It’s important to balance our attention on the true meaning of Christmas rather than on the bright lights and shiny presents. Take some time to reflect on what the holiday means to you, your family and the world at large.

One way to focus on what really matters is to help others. There is nothing like giving or helping someone else to get our focus off of ‘what’s wrong’ with our holiday and to gain some perspective on the blessings and abundance in our lives. You can help others buy buying a gift, serving a meal or working at a homeless shelter, domestic violence safe house or child crisis nursery. You can donate food to a local food bank or buy a gift for a child through the Angel Tree program. You can also adopt a family through your church or community.

Remember that you are responsible for your behavior and actions. As an adult, you get to plan ahead and decide what type of holiday celebration you want. As you give some thought to what really matters to you, you will gain increased confidence in communicating what you want and need to others. This is an important skill for healthy relationships all year long. If you find that you are having difficulty coming up with your priorities, saying no or communicating your needs and wants, then seek support. Find an objective third party to help you sort it out. This could be a friend or co-worker, a member of the clergy or a counselor. Sometimes, all we need is someone objective to help us sort it out so that we can see the situation a bit more clearly.

Remember to maintain your sense of humor during stressful times too. Humor is a great stress reliever and there are many health benefits to laughter. Look for the humor in situations and you will find it. Life and relationships with people are full of opportunities to laugh.

Merry Christmas!

Lena Wright is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Board Certified Professional Christian Counselor and a Certified Professional Coach. Her passion is helping women be all that God created them to be. She can be reached through her website at http://www.lenawright.com/ where you can obtain a free subscription to her Healthy Communication e-Bulletin.

Giggle Alert

2007-10-22T16:52:00.000-07:00

Previous Employment

I work in a personnel office with the government in Washington, DC, reviewing applications for federal employment.

The standard form includes the question, "Why did you leave your previous employment?"

One applicant, a former U.S. Congressman, responded, "The express wish of 116,000 voters."

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2007-10-16T08:55:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

My mom, Judy, died in 2005 after a long battle with this disease. In her memory, I have decided that I will make a donation to the Wellness Community here in Phoenix. The money will come from my businesses (sale of books, nutritional products, counseling/coaching fees). You can read more about the Wellness Community by visiting http://www.twccaz.org/. I really like their philosophy and they offer a great many services to people impacted by cancer.

Be sure that you are doing your monthly breast exams. Here's a good 'how to guide' http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/self_exam/bse_steps.jsp. Send this reminder and link to all the women that you care about.

Other simple prevention tips:

Eat more fresh veggies
Eat more fresh fruit
Move more
Drink more water
Cleanse your body of impurities/toxins
Eliminate fast food from your life
Manage your stress levels
Keep your life in balance

Here's to your health!

Lena

Lena Wright
Founder & President, Connections Wellness Center
Licensed Professional Counselor
Board Certified Professional Christian Counselor
Certified Professional Coach

1-800-927-1450
623-297-4756

http://www.connectionswellnesscenter.com/

Are you toxic? Watch the video at drspeakout.com to learn more!

~Integrity~Freedom~Wellness~Family~Passion~Purpose~Personal Excellence~

God Speaks!

2007-10-15T16:21:00.000-07:00

God Speaks BillBoards

Some new billboards are getting attention in Cleveland. Some reported seeing one or two messages, but the newspaper listed all of them. Here's a list of all variations of the "God Speaks" billboards. The billboards are a simple black background with white text. No fine print or sponsoring organization is included. These are awesome...enjoy.

Let's meet at my house Sunday before the game. -God

C'mon over and bring the kids. -God

What part of "Thou Shalt Not..." didn't you understand? -God

We need to talk. -God

Keep using my name in vain, I'll make rush hour longer. -God

Loved the wedding, invite me to the marriage. -God

That "Love Thy Neighbor" thing... I meant it. -God

I love you and you and you and you and... -God

Will the road you're on get you to my place? -God

Follow me. -God

Big bang theory, you've got to be kidding. -God

My way is the highway. -God

Need directions? -God

You think it's hot here? -God

Have you read my #1 best seller? There will be a test. -God

Do you have any idea where you're going? -God

(And my personal favorite...)

Don't make me come down there. -God

Received from Paul Calvert.

The Gift of Journaling

2007-10-10T14:37:00.000-07:00

As I write this, I am in Nashville for the American Association of Christian Counselors World Conference. (http://www.aacc.net/) This year’s conference theme is No Greater Love. I have attended this conference once before and learned that this is a great opportunity for refreshment and renewal. I will meet new friends and colleagues. I will also reconnect with old friends and with God while participating in training seminars on topics of interest to me that will help me serve my clients better. I will gain required continuing education hours and a renewed focus on why I do what I do. I’m looking forward to the conference starting.

The Opryland Resort (www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylordopryland/index.cfm) is an amazing place-the setting is serene and so beautiful. There are nine acres of gardens INSIDE! There’s a river running through the property too. My room is comfortable and fully equipped with all that I need including high speed internet access. The spa and fitness center are great too. Everyone I’ve met has been helpful and friendly-southern hospitality is a reality and it is alive and well here in Nashville.

This year, I chose to come in to town a few days before the conference started. In my heart, I knew that a few days of quiet time and relaxation away from home would be good for me. And indeed, it has been, already. Isn’t it amazing that our hearts know what we need. If only we’d stop to listen more often.

My first evening here, I wandered around the resort just looking at everything and noticing the changes made since my last trip here in 2003. I had a great workout at the fitness center and enjoyed window shopping in some of the great shops here.

This morning, I spent some time reading God’s Word. This is something that is important to me because it helps to keep me focused and provides an opportunity for God to speak to me. In addition, I have kept a prayer journal off and on since 2003. This is not something I write in every day, nor is it something that includes all prayers I have prayed. I pray for others and I pray for my own needs. I also record things that I am grateful for.

Today, I took time to re-read my entire prayer journal. The entries are written in my messy handwriting and my heartfelt prayers for issues that were important to me over the past four years brought back a lot of memories, both good and bad. Much has changed in my life and in me over that timeframe. What really brought me to my knees was the long list of answered prayers. I was awestruck and humbled by this list of answered prayers. Not every prayer was answered, nor were all of the answers the answers I prayed for-the way I wanted things to work out-but the prayers were answered nonetheless. God is so kind and merciful and I am so impatient and-well-sometimes, just plain whiny. I imagine a loving parent becoming tired and frustrated with the whining and repeated questions of a pre-schooler. One of the scenes I imagine is that of a road trip, with a tired child in the back seat asking ‘are we there yet?’ over and over. How often I have prayed like that-asking the same thing over and over! Thank goodness God is the perfect parent and that He has ultimate patience and unending love for someone like me!

This experience has reinforced for me the gift of journaling. Keeping a journal is a gift I give myself. It allows me the opportunity to look back and see progress as well as areas where I’m stuck. Sometimes, I get to see how far I’ve come or grown. Other times, I see themes or patterns that I may want to address differently because they keep coming up and may be holding me back. It always brings back memories of people and places-situations in my life from years gone by. Seeing, in black and white, answered prayers is a reminder that God is intimately involved in our lives-He cares about the details. I find it very comforting and reassuring.

I want to give you permission to start journaling. Often, people are under the mistaken impression that there is a right way to journal or some unwritten rule that says you must write in it every day. Nonsense! There is no wrong way to journal. You can write or type. Get a note book or go shopping for a journal that is pretty or represents your personality. If you choose to purchase a journal-you can get one with lined pages or blank pages. You can write or doodle or draw. You can use poetry or songs to express yourself. You can write as if you are writing a letter to a friend. You can write in incomplete sentences with incorrect grammar and spelling. You can make a list.

I keep my prayer journal and I keep another journal in the nightstand next to my bed for those nights when insomnia hits. I’ve found that when I can’t sleep in the middle of the night, pulling out this journal and just writing whatever is on my mind helps me let go of it and fall asleep. I haven’t written in this journal in a very long time, because I rarely suffer from insomnia since changing the way I take care of my physical being-but it’s there just in case.

So again, I’m giving you permission to start journaling-do it in a way that works for you. And if your journaling reveals that you have some issues where you are stuck-by all means, seek a counselor or coach to help you get unstuck. Sometimes, all we need is an outside party to give us some feedback and then we can make the changes we need to make.

Happy journaling!

Lena Wright is the founder and President of Connections Wellness Center and a Certified Professional Coach and a Board Certified Professional Christian Counselor. Her passion is helping women find peace and contentment so they may enjoy healthy relationships and be all that God has created them to be. She can be reached through her website at http://www.connectionswellnesscenter.com/.

© 2007 Permission is granted to reprint this article in print or on your web site so long as the paragraph above is included and contact information is provided to http://www.connectionswellnesscenter.com/.

Giggle Alert!

2007-10-04T08:26:00.001-07:00

Lexiograms

1. A bicycle can't stand alone because it is two-tired.
2. What's the definition of a will? It's a dead giveaway.
3. Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.
4. She had a boyfriend with a wooden leg, but broke it off.
5. A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion.

6. If you don't pay your exorcist, you get repossessed.
7. With her marriage she got a new name and a dress.
8. When a clock is hungry, it goes back four seconds.
9. The man who fell into an upholstery machine is fully recovered.
10. A grenade thrown into a kitchen in France would result in Linoleum Blownapart.

11. He often broke into song because he couldn't find the key.
12. A lot of money is tainted. 'Taint yours and 'taint mine.
13. A boiled egg in the morning is hard to beat.
14. He had a photographic memory that was never developed.
15. Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.

16. When you've seen one shopping center, you've seen a mall.
17. Those who jump off a Paris bridge are in Seine.
18. When an actress saw her first strands of gray hair, she thought she'd dye.
19. Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead-to-know basis.
20. Marathon runners with bad footwear suffer the agony of defeat.

Received from FranCMT2.

Motives

2007-10-01T16:26:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking about the concept of motives lately. I sometimes enjoy watching crime dramas on television, particularly Law and Order and CSI. On these shows, the detectives are trying to solve a homicide and they always look for a motive or the reason why the criminal might have committed the crime. Three of the definitions of the word motive found at Dictionary.com include:

1) something that causes a person to act in a certain way, do a certain thing
2) incentive, causing, or tending to cause, motion
3) prompting to action

Basically, motive is the reason behind our behavior, the incentive that prompts us to act. On these television programs the motive for the crime is often greed, rage, jealousy or fear. Motives can be either negative or positive. Sometimes we are motivated by love, caring and compassion to do something thoughtful for another person.

In the movie, Talladega Nights, we are shown several examples of how wrong motives can cost us dearly. Ricky Bobby played by Will Ferrell is a NASCAR racing legend whose motto is “If you’re not first, you’re last” which drives him to compete fiercely and win at any cost at the expense of his relationships with those closest to him. Ricky Bobby’s’ fierce competitiveness and drive to win by taking thrilling risks made him a fan favorite. It is a funny movie with an interesting lesson underneath the humor.

God has something to say about motives. James 4:3 says “And even when you do ask, you don't get it because your whole motive is wrong-you want only what will give you pleasure.”

And Proverbs 20:27 says “The Lord's searchlight penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive.”

Have you ever stopped to think about what your motives are-your reasons for doing the things that you do? God is concerned about the condition of our hearts in all areas of our lives. He knows WHY we’re doing something, even when we sometimes fail to make the connection.

When we truly understand what God wants for us-our growth and the development of the traits of Christ in us-it becomes clear that God would be concerned with our motives-the WHY behind what we do. For example, do you attend church because you ‘should’ or ‘have too’? That is an example of a wrong motive. God could force us to worship Him; He is God, after all. And yet, that is not the sort of relationship he desires with us. He wants us to choose Him and to choose to pursue a relationship with Him.

Parents and teachers sometimes make a choice to control children out of fear by using intimidation, punishment and threats. Sure, children will comply out of fear when you’re around to enforce the consequences-but what about when you’re not there? Wouldn’t it be better to teach kids about motives-about right and wrong so that they can learn to make good choices and control their own behavior? This is called self-regulation and it is a skill that many people are lacking in today’s world. I believe this is the same thing that God wants from us. Not for us do things because we ‘should’ or we ‘ought to’ but because we want to. When we cultivate an attitude of gratitude (start by writing down 5 things you are grateful for each morning and evening and reading your list out loud) and when we recognize exactly what God has done for us then we want to give, we want to serve, we want to help, and we want to be kind.

I encourage you to examine your motives. Not to beat yourself up about all the ways you fall short, but as the basis for learning and growing. If you find that your life is overrun with ‘shoulds’ perhaps you will want to seek some assistance in looking at your motives and making some positive changes in your thinking and your life. Remember, every journey starts with a single step.

Lena Wright is the founder and President of Connections Wellness Center and a Certified Professional Coach and a Board Certified Professional Christian Counselor. Her passion is helping women find peace and contentment so they may enjoy healthy relationships and be all that God has created them to be. She can be reached through her website at http://www.connectionswellnesscenter.com/.

© 2007 Permission is granted to reprint this article in print or on your web site so long as the paragraph above is included and contact information is provided to http://www.connectionswellnesscenter.com/.

Made Me Giggle

2007-09-27T08:06:00.000-07:00

Bread Upon the Water

On Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year), there is a service called Taslisch (throwing) where sins are symbolically cast away by throwing bread into the water.

Some people have asked what kind of bread they are supposed to throw into the water.
Here are suggestions:

For ordinary sins, use -- White Bread
For exotic sins -- French or Italian bread
For dark sins -- Pumpernickle
For complex sins -- Multi-grain
For truly warped sins -- Pretzels
For sins of indecision -- Waffles
For sins commited in haste -- Matzah
For substance abuse -- Poppy Seed
For commiting arson -- Toast
For being ill-tempered -- Sourdou
For silliness -- Nut bread
For not giving full value -- Short bread
For political chauvinism -- Yankee Doodles
For excessive use of irony -- Rye Bread
For continual bad jokes -- Corn Bread
For hardening our hearts -- Jelly doughnuts

Received from Thomas Ellsworth.

Make it a GREAT day!

Lena

www.ConnectionsWellnessCenter.com

Spending time with God

2007-09-21T21:01:00.000-07:00

My, this has been a BUSY week! I spent last week traveling-went to Nashville for a conference and this week, I have been super busy playing 'catch up' from the time away. Both at home and in the office....personally and professionally. There is just so much to do!

It's been an interesting week-lots to do, lots of emotional ups and downs. I think part of it is the 'let down' after a great conference. Those things are generally high energy and motivational and inspiring. This one was all those things and more-because it was a Christian counseling conference. So in addition to all the usual stuff-this conference was filled with praise and worship-the spirit of God was very present and very real. There's just something special about worshipping with 7000 people that's hard to put into words. I also treated this trip as a bit of a personal retreat-I took my journal and my Bible and really focused on spending time with God. I spent a lot of time alone, just thinking, writing, praying and reading. It's something that I don't get to do in as much depth as I would like in the 'busy-ness' of every day life. It's unfortunate, in some ways that I have to go to such extremes to get refreshed and renewed. And yet, at the same time, I am so grateful to have opportunities like that.

While I was away, I vowed to make my time with God a priority, even at home in the 'busy-ness'. And sadly, as I look back over this week-I see how much I let it slip by-and I see missed opportunities too. I did make time with God a priority-I did get to a women's Bible study at church that I almost blew off-because I was so busy and so tired. I'm so glad I went-it was refreshing and renewing-and fun. :-) It's funny-ironic, I guess. I get busy, so I make choices and let my time with God fall to the bottom of the to do list; and I feel more tired and irritable. When I make the choice and sometimes the sacrifice that is required-(say like going to a Bible study when I'm tired) even though it takes more time and the easier choice would be to skip it-when I go, and invest the time and energy-I get renewed and recharged. I feel better and am then able to help others more. It's seems like it wouldn't work that way, but I find more often than not, it does.

I'd love to hear from you-about the things that refresh/recharge/renew your energy. How do you nurture yourself? What do you struggle with in these areas?

A friend sent me this video-which really moved me and made me think. It beautifully illustrates part of what I'm talking about. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA Maybe your story is not so dramatic or painful as the one depicted-or maybe it is more so. Either way, it doesn't matter. Jesus is there, pulling for you-no matter what. I am so awed and humbled my the reminder.

Until next time!

Lena

www.ConnectionsWellnessCenter.com

Health Insurance and Counseling

2007-09-17T19:22:00.000-07:00

Many people have questions about counseling and health insurance. Because it is a personal decision, I’d like to take a moment to provide you with some information to help you decide. Then you can make an informed decision that is right for you.

DID YOU KNOW that all health insurance companies follow the medical model? This means that insurance companies require clients to be “patients”? What this means is that the practitioner must present a formal medical diagnosis. That diagnosis then determines the nature and duration of services allowable and paid for by the insurance company. These records are permanent and may be accessed by employers, insurance companies, and others: a psychiatric diagnosis, whether accurate or not, becomes a lifelong “fact.” These records are supposed to be kept confidential, however Connections Christian Counseling has no control over what happens to the records once they are sent to the insurance company.

In addition, many of the problems that bring people into counseling do not fit neatly in to the ‘medical model’. For example, if you are having ongoing conflict in your marriage relationship, this may or may not be covered by your insurance. Yet it could be causing a great deal of turmoil, stress, and pain in your life. If it does happen to be covered-the insurance company-not you and your counselor-will determine the number and frequency of sessions. Who would you rather have deciding on the services that you get? Some managed care company representative in an office cubicle probably in another state who does not know you? Or would you prefer that you and your health care professional collaborate on your care and make these decisions together?

What if you are interested in personal growth and challenging yourself to be the best that you can be? What if you want support while you set goals and practice new skills? Or maybe you want some accountability while you work to take your business to the next level or plan a career change? These valuable coaching services are not ‘medical conditions’ and will not be covered by health insurance.

These are just some of the reasons that Connections Christian Counseling does not submit bills to insurance companies. However, some insurance companies may reimburse their members for services with Connections Christian Counseling. It varies depending on the policy exclusions and the contract between your employer and the insurance company. The client is responsible for payment at the time of service. Upon your request, I can give you the paperwork to assist you in seeking reimbursement from your insurance company. However, I cannot guarantee reimbursement because your insurance coverage is a contract primarily between your employer and the insurance company. I recommend that you read the article on my website www.ConnectionsWellnessCenter.com called “Paying for Therapy”-it offers 5 more points to consider so that you can make an informed decision about using health insurance to pay for counseling.

Counseling is a valuable service that has the potential to greatly improve the quality of your life and relationships. By investing in counseling services you maintain control, privacy & flexibility in your health care.

Lena Wright is the founder and President of Connections Wellness Center and a Certified Professional Coach and a Board Certified Professional Christian Counselor. Her passion is helping women find peace and contentment so they may enjoy healthy relationships and be all that God has created them to be. She can be reached through her website at www.ConnectionsWellnessCenter.com

Whereabouts Unknown

2007-09-09T08:43:00.000-07:00

By Lena Wright

I watched saw a press conference in which an Air Force pilot was listed as ‘Whereabouts Unknown’. Major Troy Gilbert’s plane had gone down in Iraq in November 2006. This press conference took place in the immediate aftermath of the crash and ongoing investigation. It was an emotional press conference-it was clear that the pilot was loved by many and had had a significant impact on the lives of those he interacted with. The press conference was riveting because of the emotional impact of the loss on those speaking. Typically, a press conference is held with an almost robotic stoicism. This one was different-and it caught my attention.

‘Whereabouts Unknown’ is a term used by the military and is defined by TheFreeDictionary.com as:

“A transitory casualty status, applicable only to military personnel, that is used when the responsible commander suspects the member may be a casualty whose absence is involuntary, but does not feel sufficient evidence currently exists to make a definite determination of missing or deceased.”

I wonder how many people are wasting their lives in a metaphorical ‘Whereabouts Unknown’ status. You know who I am talking about. You’ve seen them and interacted with them. Maybe you’ve had the thought or feeling that ‘something is missing’ when you interacted with them. They may be lost in regret about the past or worry about the future. These folks are physically present but emotionally absent. I’m also reminded of Adam Sandler’s character in the movie “Click”. The plot focuses on workaholic Michael Newman who gets a universal remote that allows him to fast-forward and rewind to different parts of his life. Complications arise when the remote starts to overrule his choices. The remote is now powered by its memory, and starts to fast-forward through crucial moments in his life, including arguments, traffic, and promotions at his job. He learns from the eccentric inventor that when he hits fast forward he operates on auto-pilot-being there but not really there-interacting, participating, living. At first this is a huge blessing-allowing the workaholic to accomplish more and spend time with his family. As the story unfolds-we begin to see the foolishness in rushing through life and the impact of the small choices we’re faced with on a daily basis.

Perhaps you're the one that is going through the motions in ‘Whereabouts Unknown’ status. Maybe you’ve let yourself slip in to autopilot mode. Functioning, existing, surviving, but not really thriving and living. What is it going to take to get you to live your life fully present and enjoying each moment that you are given? Life is God’s most precious gift to us-a gift we so often take for granted. The very fact that we wake up alive and breathing is an incredible miracle that we often don’t appreciate. Sometimes it takes a tragedy to shock us out of our dullness.

Unfortunately, Major Gilbert’s status was changed from ‘Whereabouts Unknown’ to deceased. He was laid to rest with full military honors-a patriot’s reward for paying the ultimate price to defend our freedom. What a blessing it is-for this man, and countless others to volunteer to serve each of us in this way. The sacrifices that our military and their families have made are enormous. This tragedy-for our country, for the family and friends of this pilot, husband, son and father serves as a wake up call for each of us to live life on purpose-to the full-taking advantage of every moment, every opportunity to say "I love you" and to spend time with those we love. It is a wake up call to emerge from the 'fog' that has clouded our lives and kept us stuck.

Start to pay attention to all the things and people you have to be grateful for-give thanks for those miracles both big and small. A gratitude journal or a blessing jar is a great idea to help us focus our energies in a positive direction. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy or formal. At least once a day, write down (or type) three things, people or situations that you appreciate in your life. Place it in a jar or box, or record them in a journal. If you appreciate or love people in your life, tell them today, right now-while you still can. If you are grateful for situations in your life-give thanks-verbally, out loud and in writing. Cultivating an ‘attitude of gratitude’ takes time and effort and has the potential to be life changing. What you look for, you will find. So begin to look for things to be grateful for. Start today.

If you find yourself stuck-unable to emerge from the fog-then by all means, seek help. Often, the best thing we can do for ourselves is seek input and insight from an outside party. This can help us to clarify what we’re feeling, and often times to heal hurts of the past and to take action to move forward. Talk to a clergy person, your best friend, a coach, a counselor-a family member who has absolutely no agenda but your happiness. Take action to change your life; remember; life IS made up of the small stuff.

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An Arizona based Licensed Professional Counselor; Lena Wright is the founder and President of Connections Wellness Center, a gifted teacher and speaker and the author of numerous articles. Lena is also a Certified Professional Coach and a Board Certified Professional Christian Counselor. Her passion is helping women find peace and contentment so they may enjoy healthy relationships and be all that God has created them to be. She can be reached at http://www.connectionswellnesscenter.com/ or 623-297-4756.

© 2007 Permission is granted to reprint this article in print or on your web site so long as the paragraph above is included and contact information is provided to www.ConnectionsWellnessCenter.com.
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Welcome

2007-08-28T08:29:00.001-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

Hello there!

Welcome to The Wright Report-Healthy Living tips, Fun Ideas and Random Thoughts from Lena Wright-Counselor & Coach.

I'm new to blogging-so bear with me while I figure it out-if you stick around you'll be rewarded with interesting thoughts, comments on things I've read, an occassional recipe and more.

I'll look forward to chatting.

Make it a GREAT day!

Lena

www.CleanseYourMindAndBody.com
www.ConnectionsWellnessCenter.com