Live It Articles December 2001

Christmas is in the air! As a matter of fact, the sounds and sights of Christmas have been around for several weeks, but we are now in the actual countdown!

I would like to suggest a couple of ways that might help each of us get through the holidays without gaining weight or losing the momentum of establishing that permanent healthy lifestyle. The key is to stay focused on the commitments. We often become stressed just thinking about the holiday challenges of decorating, shopping for just that perfect present and cooking and wrapping holiday goodies. When we find that we are short on time, the first thing we often give up is our quiet time have found that success in handling holiday stress depends on my time in God’s Word. If your class is not doing a Bible Study during the holidays, spend some time in Luke reading the Christmas story. A favorite scripture passage that brings me instant peace when my world is in a holiday spin is Isaiah 9:6-7.

I have learned that instead of choosing to skip exercise because I am too busy, I can accomplish much more if I exercise! Thirty minutes to an hour of exercise provides several hours of renewed energy. It is also a tremendous help in the emotional area to handle the many stresses of the holiday.

I think we can even increase our efforts to encourage others. Isn’t that what the gift of giving is all about? I remember a Christmas season many years ago when I had been in First Place a little over a year. I worked in the office of a Christian preschool. I was the recipient of many great gifts from these precious children. One very special gift came from a three-year-old boy. As he and his mom followed me down the hall one day, he whispered to her .“Have you noticed Miss Kay is not as wide as she used to be?” This mother borrowed a recipe book and baked delicious sugar-free, low-fat treats as my Christmas gift. What an encouragement to me that he noticed and she cared!

Think about ways to encourage that also affirms healthy eating. A great idea is to buy the tiny decorated loaf pans available at Christmas and bake Banana Nut Bread, Pumpkin Bread or any of the First Place muffin recipes. Wrap them in Christmas plastic wrap; tie a ribbon and you have a great gift. Buy the small canning jars and fill with the Spiced Tea recipe. Decorate with a Christmas label and a ribbon, and your encouragement will be remembered each time a cup of tea is enjoyed. The tea recipe and other holiday recipes are here. There are great recipes in our First Place Favorites and First Place Recipe Book. They make great gifts for First Place members, or anyone with health issues, such as Diabetes. If baking is not for you, inexpensive baskets filled with fruit make great gifts!

My prayer for each of you, and for myself this holiday season is that we will take time to care for ourselves. I know this will be the best gift we can give our families. I pray my life exhibits “peace and joy” rather than “anger and stress” during the holiday season. I believe our First Place commitments can help each of us achieve that goal.

May God Bless Each of You This Holiday Season!

Kay Smith
First Place Associate Director


Kay is the associate national director of First Place and has been on the First Place staff since 1987.

Kay is a popular speaker at retreats, seminars, Conferences, FOCUS Weeks and Workshops across the country. Kay is the First Place food exchange expert and writes a monthly article in the First Place E-Newsletter on nutrition. She also was a contributing writer to the Today Is the First Day devotional book. Her delightful personality and love for people endears her to everyone she meets, and they quickly become her new best friend.

Kay and her husband, Joe, live in Roscoe, TX. They have two children and five grandchildren. Two of the young grandchildren are making a name for themselves on the golf circuit. Two of the young grandchildren are making a name for themselves on the golf circuit, and the three oldest grandsons are all involved in numerous sporting events, which Kay and Joe attend as often as possible.