To Serve well

Serving with Excellence for a Life of Excellence

Diversity

It’s LAUNCH TIME!

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(Photo Creds:Rodrock Homes)

New seasons of life are fun, exciting and also scary! My family and I just “dug dirt” on a new home last month, and today I am launching my new and improved website. I call it phase 2.0. I think maybe I should call the move something else, something clever. I’m open to ideas! I tell my friends that this is my “big girl” house, complete with a guest bedroom that is actually safe from kid toys, teenage God-knows-what and most importantly, a lovely refuge for those I adore to get a good night’s sleep. It’s definitely a time of “ground breaking” all the way around, and a season that I am really looking forward to seeing where God takes it all (but it is a bit scary… needless to say! But what’s life without a little risk taking?).

If you, or anyone you know is in a season of “ground breaking” — change in any way, shape or form — I have found the following to be helpful when thinking about change:

1. It’s an opportunity for personal growth
If you’ve read my blogs at all you probably know that I am big on this need to constantly learn. I’ve heard it from wise teachers, centurions and respected leaders… That’s enough for me. Personal growth is critical to our happiness and change provides the occasion for us to dive in and grow. The “STRETCH” that happens with change gives us what we need to move toward our potential.

2. It provides a platform for re-evaluating life’s priorities
Whenever you are starting something new, you naturally think through how this aligns with your personal values and priorities. With the blog, well, I knew I wanted to continue to grow in that area so that was fairly easy. With the house, I had to put it to prayer for quite some time before I had discernment. At the end of the day, I want a home that my boys and eventually their families and my grandchildren will find refuge and fun in. I want to entertain and bring in community, to provide a refreshing place for all. (Oh, and I also want my guest room!)

3. Change adds EXCITEMENT
Without a season of planting we wouldn’t have the harvest. I can only imagine how boring the farmer’s market would be without HARVEST. Without change, we’d have a bunch of ugly caterpillars and no beautiful butterflies — you get the picture. One brings the other, and the other is often MORE EXCITING!

As I embark on this new “season” you can rest assured I’ll be focused on both the growth and the “STRETCH” that surely will come. I hope to share words of inspiration and insights along the way that I hope will also expand your personal growth.

I WOULD BE HONORED IF YOU WOULD ENTER YOUR EMAIL ON THE RIGHTHAND SIDE OF THIS POST AND SIGN UP TO RECEIVE THE BLOG ALSO BY EMAIL.  

Some notes about the blog…

I kicked off the website and blog in June of 2015 with the goal of just taking the step to get started. I have known for quite some time that I am meant to write, and blogging gives me an opportunity to do that on a consistent basis. I am also about 70 percent through my first book, To Serve Well.  (I have no specific time that I want to release that but I feel like it will be before my big 50, so I have one year and five months, but who’s counting!)

I hope that the fresh look on this site will not only be more visually appealing, but allow those that land there to find posts and other resources or materials that will enrich their lives. SERVING WELL in this world is so important, and what we are all called to do. Having others come alongside and help us so that we can achieve that is a key of this site. I love it when folks take time to comment and share their thoughts on whatever the topic is so that others can learn and grow from each other.  

I will still be posting three times a week, with Simple Thoughts Sunday being posted on Sunday early evening with the goal of inspiring your week. This posting generally has spiritual content. I also post on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and those are intended to focus on serving well in the community, home and workplace. If you have any ideas for me, I’d love to hear them! If you want to write a guest post, I’d also love that!  

I’d love to give a shout out to my design team, Ruthie Stark, photographer and Andrea Corless, MO Design & Illustration — Both of these ladies are beyond amazing and have made me better through this process. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Simple thoughts Sunday: Where there is unity, God commands blessing

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(Photo Creds:  Elevation Church, Charlotte, NC)
I had the great opportunity to attend Code Orange Revival, in Charlotte, North Carlina last weekend. When I was a little girl, I feel like we attended several of these, but perhaps the one or two I went to were powerful enough for me to recall them clearly. This particular one provided 10 nights of, for the most part, well known spiritual leaders and pastors from across the world. It was powerful and if you have time on your hands and need to hear some inspiring thoughts, check out the speakers on their website.

Within a day of the close of that revival in Charlotte, the city experienced protests and rioting due to the shooting of a 43-year-old man who allegedly wielded a gun that he wouldn’t put down upon request. It’s so discouraging to see the unrest in our country and the pain that is held by so many. Most of it for good reason, although often hard for all of us to understand.

I loved this post from Elevation that came out this week on unity. It’s true and I believe we need to find faith and action in the very thought. The Bible tells us over and over again that we must unite with one another. I feel this more strongly now than ever.

America is such an incredible country. We owe it to those who built this nation to go back to the basics, so to speak, and honor timeless teachings. Our Pledge of Allegiance IS AWESOME… “ONE NATION, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY and JUSTICE FOR ALL.”

I believe in this promise that God will command blessing over UNITY.

So, what can we do? What should we do? We must pray for God’s direction and stand up and use our voices so that all generations can continue to have the privelege to live in such a GREAT COUNTRY.

Beautiful Chaos! Part 1

blog_712158_2766184_1439861599I love the idea of “Beautiful Chaos”- Our lives are literally filled to the brim with both chaotic and beautiful moments.  I feel the key to living well is to find the ying and yang or balance in these possibly opposing forces. If you have ever been to Times Square, pictured above, it is the essence of BEAUTIFUL CHAOS.

Follow me on this one…

  • Beauty in the… People, Energy, Diversity, Arts (street performers mainly)
  • Chaos in the… Loud Sounds, Imagery, Movement, Smells

This experience hits pretty much all of your senses in a fairly abrasive way. It seems to be non stop.  “The City that Never Sleeps”, right?

Do you ever stop in your work day, fully aware of the barrage of emails, phone calls, texts, and demands of life closing in on you, and still find beauty in the unexpected?

How about this…

Find BEAUTY in… The rush of warm air when you step outside from an ice cold office environment, your co-workers too funny to miss weekend story, the “you got this” encouragement from a leader or friend, or simply knowing that after work you get to do something you love… (That could be family, a good workout,  a great meal, your latest favorite read, or your Netflix addiction.)

There is literally BEAUTY everywhere.  We should challenge ourselves this week to look around and FIND BEAUTY IN THE CHAOS.

Diversity. It’s All About the Mindset.

blog_709681_2763047_1439254327Yep!  you guessed it!  I am taking a major bend in road on the DIVERSITY CONVERSATION, into an entirely different version of the conversation! Since it’s Sunday when most of you are reading this, it’s a good time to focus on our PERSONAL HEALTH, which coincidentally requires some DIVERSITY IN OUR PERSONAL HABITS to ensure we are FUELING our bodies with nutrients that keep us in TIP TOP SHAPE!  

This can get downright complicated and since the image I chose shifted my mind to amazing fruits and veggies, I wanted to include some simple thinking on adding diversity here first!  Plus, it’s always more fun to talk food than working out! With that said,  how many of you can name more than 5 different fruits you have eaten in the past week?  I know I’ve been pretty focused on less than a handful, so I personally get zero points for diversity. Here’s some information that is pretty compelling.

A Colorful Adventure  – an excerpt from an article DIVERSIFY YOUR DIET via Sharecare

Start at the grocery store and spend a little more time than usual exploring the offerings. Hit the produce aisle first, and while you’re inspecting the fresh fruit and veggies, focus on the range of colors. Richly colored plant foods — bright berries, sunny tangerines, and dark green lettuces — each contains protective phytochemicals and antioxidants that help prevent disease and preserve health. These healthful vegetables, fruits, and legumes are often lacking in most diets.

Pick out four or five that you’ve never had before or that you rarely eat, and grab a few of your favorites, too. Make sure you see a range of colors in your cart. The following table will help you appreciate the full range of nutritional power these different colors have to offer.

RED
Tomatoes, watermelon, cherries, cranberries, pomegranates, beets, red peppers, radishes, radicchio, red potatoes, rhubarb…

Red foods contain lycopene, anthocyanins, and phytochemicals that help lower the risk of some cancers and promote:

  • Heart health
  • Memory function
  • Urinary tract health

BLUE-PURPLE
Blackberries, blueberries, black currants, dried plums, elderberries, purple figs, red grapes, plums, raisins, red cabbage, eggplant, purple peppers…

Blue-Purple foods contain anthocyanins and phenolics, phytochemicals that reduce the risk of certain types of cancer and help promote:

  • Urinary tract health
  • Memory function

YELLOW-ORANGE
Apricots, cantaloupe, grapefruit, lemons, mangoes, nectarines, oranges, papayas, peaches, persimmons, pineapple, tangerines, squash, carrots, yellow peppers, pumpkin, rutabagas, sweet potatoes…

Yellow-Orange foods contain carotenoids and flavonoids, phytochemicals that lower cancer risk and help promote:

  • Heart health
  • Vision health
  • A healthy immune system

YELLOW-GREEN
Avocados, green apples, green grapes, honeydew melon, kiwifruit, limes, green pears, artichokes, arugula, asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, celery, cucumbers, endive, leafy greens, green onions, okra, peas, green peppers, snow peas, sugar snap peas, spinach, watercress, zucchini…

Yellow-Green foods contain lutein and indoles, phytochemicals that lower the risk of certain cancers and help promote:

  • Vision health
  • Strong bones and teeth

WHITE-GREEN
Leeks, garlic, onions, chives, bananas, brown pears, dates, cauliflower, ginger, mushrooms, parsnips, shallots, turnips…

White-Green foods contain allyl sulfides and allicin, phytochemicals that may reduce cancer risk and help promote:

  • Heart health
  • Healthy cholesterol levels

Time for developing a game plan?  Which are you going to add this week?  I think I’ll hit the city market and let the farmer’s make my decision for me!

Praying for everyone to have an amazing week ahead!

Diversity. Why It’s Important In Our Communities!

blog_709678_2763045_1439250945“If we can change our mindset from “Hey, our goal is simply to put the best person in the job” to “Hey, our goal is simply to put the best team in place,” we will have accomplished a great deal on improving company performance. And we will have accomplished a great deal on increasing opportunity and diversity.”

– Sallie Krawcheck, Chair of Ellevate Network, Former President of Global Wealth & Investment Management, a division of Bank of America. (In other words… IMPRESSIVE BACKGROUND)

TEAMWORK is dependent on DIVERSITY.  Think about it, it’s easy to grasp in sports teams, right?  We can’t have 5 point guards on the court, a field of strikers on the soccer field, or a bunch of defensive lineman on the gridiron.   It simply doesn’t work. We need speed, agility, size, intimidation, and a multitude of other skills.  As every good coach knows, in order to truly succeed we need a team driven toward a unified goal of success.

Today, look at your roster, do your community “teams” (think church, non-profit work, playdates for your children, etc…) represent a diverse group that will ultimately make you  or your family/friend group stronger and better?  If not, take the step today to consider a plan to grow your diversity in the process,increase the likelihood you will make the IMPACT God desired for you!  

Today is short, because honestly, this isn’t difficult. It’s simple and we need to embrace it and ensure it happens where it depends on us!  I leave you today with a great quote from the famous coach Vince Lombardi, who frankly couldn’t have said it better.

“INDIVIDUAL COMMITMENT TO A GROUP EFFORT – THAT IS WHAT MAKES A TEAM WORK, A COMPANY WORK, A SOCIETY WORK, A CIVILIZATION WORK.”

Diversity Makes Us All Better!

CHANGE YOUR MINDSET TO PUT THE BEST TEAM IN PLACE!blog_709670_2763031_1439250228
“If we can change our mindset from “Hey, our goal is simply to put the best person in the job” to “Hey, our goal is simply to put the best team in place,” we will have accomplished a great deal on improving company performance. And we will have accomplished a great deal on increasing opportunity and diversity.”

– Sallie Krawcheck, Chair of Ellevate Network, Former President of Global Wealth & Investment Management, a division of Bank of America. (In other words… IMPRESSIVE BACKGROUND)

This is a topic near and dear to my heart!  I know first hand that Sallie is right! No matter if you are talking intelligence, social ability, income, or race, we all tend to run to the part of the room where folks look and act like ourselves. Science shows that humans are not the only creatures that do this. It’s pretty much every species! If you think about it, no one has probably seen a roly poly hangin’ with a group of ants. It doesn’t happen naturally my friends!

The clear problem with that is it doesn’t allow for the push and pull needed to grow and to make us our best. Spending time with folks from all walks of life is what gives us a more clear point of view in order to optimize our thinking and be our best selves. Things always appear different when you stand back a few feet.

God gave us humans the amazing capabilities to THINK!  So, while the roly polys and the ants likely won’t change, we can, and have a CHOICE and PRIVILEGE to do just that.  I am providing a terrific link below that sums up nicely the top 10 positive RESULTS we can expect from making this a part of our everyday mindset!   This is a work focused list but make no mistake about it, this is true in our personal lives, communities, and homes! We need to make DIVERSITY a priority!  Later this week I will focus on DIVERSITY as a priority outside of the workplace so stay tuned!

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/labor/news/2012/07/12/11900/the-top-10-economic-facts-of-diversity-in-the-workplace/

Simply Kansas City

blog_700735_2752527_1437234082Kansas City has recently gotten some great press –  Ranked one of the top cities in many categories! One of my favorites reported by the Huffington Post via Forbes Magazine… America’s Top 5 Cities to Keep on Your Radar.

I am KC born and raised-  BLUE when the BOYS IN BLUE TAKE THE FIELD (and tonight during the All Star Game!) in the Spring and Summer and ALL RED when CHIEFS FOOTBALL STARTS each Fall!

This week’s theme is KC and as always, I will include some thoughts on what we can learn from the uber cool place we call HOME.

For starters, when I am aching to get out of South Johnson County (South JOCO- which is a great place but sometimes you need the feel of a real city…), I love to go down to the River Market area and enjoy our Farmer’s Market —  It is simply COOL.  The farmer’s, the local music, the aroma of fresh produce and coffee.

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On Sundays, the KC City Market has a flea market – strolling through the “booths” and finding unexpected treasures is sure to happen if you like that type of thing.

Here’s where my heart goes when I’m thinking about the “CORE” of KC that is the Rivermarket area —

  1. REAL PEOPLE: KC is home to strong midwestern values and the farmers are what made our city strong for many generations.
  2. CUTTING EDGE: While we might be old fashioned in many of our values and thinking, KC has made a leap forward in recent years in ensuring that our great CITY has world class amenities and industries that ensure growth for many years to come.
  3. CULTURE & DIVERSITY: If it’s music you love, we have it- If it’s art, we have that- If it’s sports, we have it- Great education- check- have that too-  We have diversity galore and within 30 minutes in any direction, a multitude of neighborhoods with their own unique vibe.

I LOVE KC and am PROUD to be have not only been born and raised here but to have raised my children here! If you haven’t been to KC, come for a visit- We will be sure you have a TERRIFIC EXPERIENCE!

 

Live Life to Fullest and then some.

I know, I know, I have talked about graduation once, and this blog is not REALLY about graduation, but since I have three graduates, I guess I may include the thought one more time just to be even… Thanks for obliging me! 🙂

Graduation is such a great time.  It feels like a New Year, a new opportunity to relaunch, to go after the next adventure –  Graduation is FUN and EXCITING and possibly scary!

I have the great privilege of being the mom to three boys that bring so much joy to me that I can’t even believe how good God is!  The funny thing about graduation are the comments that folks make… mostly some version of the comment, “it goes so fast.” –  but I have a different view.

One of my life goals is to always be intentional about whatever I’m doing – The role of parent, makes this even more important.  The future of our country and families rely on it!

Our family attends an amazing camp in Texas called Pine Cove.  I highly recommend your family attends or even your student if you have kids under age 18 – It is simply life changing. Pine Cove was responsible for me becoming super aware of how important it was to sit down and really focus on character development of my own boys. It showed me how I want my family life to truly be – It led me asking, “What story did I want for my boys?”

For me, it was to be men of excellence. Men who were obedient to God and lived out their life’s great adventure in a meaningful way.  In order to achieve this things had to happen, Travel to experience the world, build a spirit of community, and embrace diversity and the power in that – This takes a concentrated effort to build the plan – Much like we do in business.

So, each of the last 13 years (The first 5 were a blur…) that was the goal for my boys and I – To engage FULLY in what life had to offer and work toward the goals. It didn’t go fast – Each year was FULL, AMAZING, and an ADVENTURE.  The good with the bad helps us grow and learn. It has been AWESOME and I can’t wait for the next chapter.

One thing I do know, it take us being intentional, and knowing that GOD WILL SHOW UP.  

Interrupted – Having or Getting Perspective

blog_682064_2730031_1435426442Perspective. Everyone should go out and “get it” if they don’t have “it”.  I was not exposed to anything like this until recently.  If you are young and have the opportunity, expose yourself to the world early in life.  It will make the biggest difference in your perspective.

You don’t have to go on a glamorous safari or a Disney tour to get a perspective – Get involved in your neighborhood, see the way others live, work alongside them, understand their education system, their healthcare, and their hearts.  It’s never too late to get a perspective. Do it now.  It will change you.
blog_682064_2730032_1435426443I assure you that you will be blessed and that your life will be interrupted. My hope is that you will be as seriously interrupted as I have been and downright troubled at times.  I hope that you will be forced to truly consider how your life is meant to support others and that you are challenged with what God’s plan is for your life. My hope is that you will take action.