Health & Wellness

My Perfectly Imperfect Thanksgiving Dinner

jbloustein — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:48:41 -0500

Remember the first Thanksgiving of your married life?

Remember wanting to make it perfect, so you’d make a good impression, especially on your mother-in-law?

I’ll never forget mine. It should have been a disaster. It almost was.

Let me start where every Thanksgiving dinner starts, with the turkey. I’m not a novice when it comes to turkey.

Greetings from…Turkeyville

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:11:40 -0600

Turkeyville was in the middle of farmland just north of Marshall, Michigan, surrounded by acres of cornfields and grass.

I pulled into the parking lot, keeping an eye out for turkeys that might be patrolling. I surveyed the wooden building with red shutters and doors.

There was a huge sign out front featuring a running turkey. “Cornwell’s Turkeyville,” it read. “Home of the world’s best turkey sandwich.” Sounded promising.

The Power of Gratitude

mcherkezian — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:59:21 -0600

It is probably not that helpful to tell a really angry person that they are learning something valuable, but it is good to tell yourself.

If this doesn’t work, look back on past experiences that made you angry and see if you can appreciate them from a different perspective now.

What’s Thanksgiving Day All About?

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:11:40 -0600

One of the greatest American philosophers of all time was Henry David Thoreau.

The thing that distinguishes Thoreau is that he was an original thinker. And one of the wise things he said was that all of us ought to give thanks at least once every day for the fact that we were born. Thoreau said that he did this himself.

Now I’ve heard some people say that they wished they hadn’t been born; but they don’t really mean it. They’re only reacting to difficulty in their lives.

Share Your Gratitude Contest

mcherkezian — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:55:23 -0600

What are you grateful for?

Thanksgiving is a time to gather with family and friends and take a moment to count our many blessings.

Tell us what you're most thankful for this year and find out what you could win!

Saying Thank You, Gracefully

admin — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:45:13 -0600

It's hard to explain the conflicting emotions I felt when my husband, Kevin, received an invitation in May 1988 to attend his 25th class reunion at College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts.

"This is great!" Kevin exclaimed. "It says meals will be in the dining hall and we'll be sleeping in our old dorms. Just like the old days! And there'll be a dinner-dance...and a five-mile race up and down the Hill! I can hardly wait!"

Tired of Feeling Tired?

admin — Sun, 01 Jan 2006 10:16:00 -0600

"I wish I had more energy." Have you caught yourself saying that? We have, so we checked in with energy coach and author Jon Gordon.

The Hidden Benefits of Connecting With Nature

batch — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 04:05:09 -0500

Have you ever felt your mood lifted by a walk in the woods?

Many people find that nature helps nurture a positive attitude—but a new study also suggests it can also make you more generous and community-minded.

Research published in the October 1 issue of the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin sought to find out how exposure to nature influences people's values.

Lillie and GI Joe

admin — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:23:03 -0500

Our tour bus thrummed along the highway. Our group, the Oak Ridge Boys, was on its way to Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

It was late. The other guys were asleep in their bunks. I sat in the back with my laptop, figuring I'd catch up on my e-mail. Instead, my thoughts kept going to our next gig.

We do 170 shows a year, but tomorrow night would be different. We were playing Lancaster's American Music Theatre, and had invited 40 people from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Veterans Center.

What It Takes

admin — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 12:50:00 -0600

My name is Shaun Alexander, and I’m the running back for the Seattle Seahawks football team.

That’s what I do, but it’s not who I am. Football is something I’m good at. It’s how I earn my living. It’s how most people define me.

But I’m also a husband and father, and a man of faith.

Ever since college, I’ve mentored young men from broken homes—young men, who, given the chance, can achieve their potential—in science, education, business, wherever their talent leads.