Pay attention

Life is good

I want so much for my kids to have greater opportunities and appreciation for life than I did when I was growing up. This is not a new concept. All the generations before me wanted the same thing. I saw my grandparents do what they could to provide better for their kids (my parents' generation) and my parents did the same for me and my brother. I took a moment to reflect on that this morning as I dropped my younger kids off with my parents today. What a treat it is for my kids to really know their grandparents and for them to know their grandchildren. My parents help "parent" my kids when we are away at work. We do our best to make life easy and open all the doors of opportunity for them. We are lucky. There are so many that want to do the same but it is not always possible. 

Today, I look a life from a different lens. I have a great family and strong network of super friends (ha, yes, like the Justice League). I worked hard to get my education, have a career and raise a family. We all take a different path to the same destination. 

This morning, my kids remind me that being right or correct all the time does not matter, as long as we all arrive at the answer together. By the way, what does the line in Jingle Bells "laughing all the way" mean? All the way where? To the next house to drop off gifts? Do you stop laughing at any point? Doesn't Santa get thirsty? Where does he stop to potty? See, life is good.

I love your guts!

Purpose

My work day has been focused on a lot of little tasks that have collected for a week. Several minutes ago, I stopped to chat with my former executive director for a few minutes about my project. About 10 minutes passed and she came by my desk with a couple of card with inspirational sayings on one side and a bible verse on the other. They were fitting and I wanted to share them with you.

"This is truly who you are. A woman chosen. A woman set apart. A woman appointed. God has made you you and has placed you here. On purpose." This one resonates with me because I find myself asking 'why' almost all the time. I should stop and read this card to remind myself of the answer.

"Your God can be trusted to grant you the supply you need to excel at His purpose. So if you don't have it --- whatever it is---it's because you don't need it. You may want is, but it's not necessary in order to accomplish what He knows is most important for your life today." Wow. This one hits me right in the gut. He does supply what I need and gives me what I can handle and so often I am reaching for more. Perhaps it has been in my basket all along.

Others are brought into our lives to help us on our journey. Each and every one of you have helped me through mine. Especially during this rocky road (nope, not the ice cream). Thank you. Maybe I could pay you back in sand dollars - HA! If you read the previous post, this one-liner would be funny. I am laughing out loud.

I love your guts!

Fear

The F-word

This 4-letter f-word is something that I try to squash because when you give into it, you give it power over you. I cannot live in fear of what might happen or happen again. I would not be human if I was without an ounce of this in me. My controlling personality clashes with this emotion and I have to be aware enough to recognize when it is creeping into my daily life. You have my permission to do what it takes to snap me out of it if I am using the f-word, either in conversation or through my actions.

Anticipation

I have not been to see my hair stylist since before Christmas. I think instinctively my hair has been growing at a snails pace on purpose - probably because of the f-word. This Saturday afternoon, I will spend about 3 hours getting my hair highlighted and trimmed. I am OVERDUE...kind of like returning books to the library. I am not going to get it cut short, just a little off the ends. I appreciate the positive words of encouragement and understanding from her. Going in will be an awesome treat.

I will end on a funny note. Last week when we were at the beach with the kids, Madison and I were picking up sea shells. We inspected all the shells we picked up and were happy to find fractions of a shell. My hands got full pretty fast. Soon, I was lucky enough to find a sea shell in tact. I showed Madison and told her that I found a sand dollar. She was so excited and said, "Wow, a real sand dollar? When can we spend it? Are there sand quarters?" The lady passing by laughed and I couldn't help it either. I laughed and told her no, that it is not money, it is a sea shell. The explanation was in vain because she did not understand the concept. She came to me a while later with the tiny clam shells and said, "Here. I found some sand pennies. Put these with the sand dollar." Again, I burst into laughter. What a great day shell shopping on the beach. Best day ever! 

I think we will steal a weekend soon to make a trip back. I still have the parking sticker and do not care where we lay our head. Maybe Madison will bring a big bucket so we can get some more sand "money". Ha!

I love your guts!

Monday or moody-day?

Adjustments

We all contribute in a positive way to the world. Some of us just don't see it as clear as others. Take a moment to adjust the way we look at today. Monday. This word makes most people cringe. Think about those that are looking forward to this day of the week. It means so many positive things to many. Here is my list: the first day of school, the first day at a job, the first day of retirement, a birthday, the landing of space vehicle on another planet, the day you get your braces off, the last day of your old job, the last work day before you go on a vacation - even if you are staying home, and another day you get to try to be a better you.

I am slow to change my habits and admit that I would like to stay in my comfort zone. Over time, I learned that staying in my "zone" prevents me from reaching my potential. I realize how much I would never have accomplished or experienced if I was constantly in my "zone". 

Challenge

Today, I challenge you to find one thing you could do different and make a small change. Here is an example to get you started: Instead of drinking a carbonated beverage, have a glass of water or some tea. Try it once a day for a week and see if you feel any different. This is a healthy change that could make a huge difference. OK...here is another non-food related. Make a mantra. Mine recently has been, "let it go". I cannot take anything with me but the data between my ears and the recordings my eyes have captured. You don't have to tell anyone and it can change over time. 

Nope, I am not Oprah or Deepak, Ghandi or the Pope. My words are not new (they are American-English --- HA!). I just have some perspective based on my less than 40 years of experience. Have a great week and I promise to be more diligent about posting. 

I love your guts!