To Serve well

Serving with Excellence for a Life of Excellence

Inspiration

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Open the door

(Photo Creds: We Heart It)

I love water… I’m more of a lake girl than the ocean, but even a pool, pond or hot bath present a breath of fresh air for me.  It was perfect sybolism for this post.

I love the idea of being able to allow him into our week by simply “opening the door”.

It’s true, we can make a conscious decision to ask Him to step right into our week. To help us find joy, be of service to others and yep, even to fight our battles, be it navigating through summer road construction or a full-frontal type.

My prayer today is that you will open that door, take a deep breath and know that in His full beauty and protection He is on the path with you.  Make it amazing.

The winding roads of life – take in the beauty

(Photo Creds: We Heart It)

I thought today would be a good day to let my readers know that I launched my own health care advisory group.

It’s an exciting time and one that I know God is leading me through. Boy, when I left KCIM, which as of now will go down as the best career experience of my life, I had no idea that Humana would only be a stop on the road. God has interesting ways in which he guides us through life, to learn and to connect with great people and of course, to challenge. I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn the health insurance side of the business and to have a met some brilliant people that are transforming our communities across America.

Here are a few of my insights from the experience as I look toward my next adventure…

  1. Beauty can be found everywhere. There is beauty even in life’s side roads that find you wondering why in the world you may have arrived there. Literally, if you SET YOUR MIND to find the BEAUTY (the good, the positive, the inspiring….) it is INDEED THERE, and often front and center.
  2. Once again, God reminded me that He is leading and I am to follow. Those ideas about life that we have of where, how and what we will be doing at any given stage of our lives… Those are open to change at anytime. If you truly follow his lead, I believe he will use the right people and places and the right time and situations to bring you right to where you are intended to be to achieve your highest purpose. Again it is up to us to CHOOSE TO LISTEN to those promptings and be obedient to following.
  3. Finally, STAY EXPECTANT. I am truly excited about this adventure. I have learned so much over my career, and the opportunity to pull it all together and build a business around those pieces is exciting. It may be a little scary, but I choose not to look at it in that way. As the last few months have offered clarity, I am reminded that the right people are placed on the path at just the right time, and that if we step forward and reach out and do our best work, that there will be honor found in the process.

So whether your path today is straight or winding, I hope you will great BEAUTY all around.

Simple thoughts Sunday: Spiritual nutrition

(Photo Creds: We Heart it)

I love this topic and idea of “spiritual nutrition.”

We seem to have a world flooded with information on physical nutrition, health, etc. You could argue that if your spiritual life isn’t in great shape, you will be overwhelmed with the pushes and pulls of life, thus negating your good work in eating right and exercising!

A good friend of mine and I were talking about how we go about getting “fed” spiritually. As a mom of “aspiring” adult young men, this is a very important topic for me. Heck, it’s important to me for the folks I am friends with and mentor. I so badly want them to know AND practice staying close to God in daily prayer and scripture reading. Of course, this could be through devotionals and could easily be via videos, etc., on their phones, but I want it to be the core part of their lives, a deal breaker in relationships and an overall “must have.” I learned the hard way that the only way to really “hear” from God and know his direction for my life is to stay close to his word.  Once I understood this, it was like I knew where he wanted me and how to fulfill my purpose. I’m not sure I really “got” this until much later in life, so to help others grasp this earlier would be a game changer.

I would love to hear from you all today on just how you do get “spiritually fed.” Also, how do you embark on a conversation about this with those you care deeply about? It’s a personal question. One that many people I feel don’t know how to answer. If you have any insights, great ideas, effective ways to approach the subject, please let us all know. Here’s to an AMAZING FIRST WEEK OF MAY!

MANY BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL!

Onward: We must take what we need and move on to serve others

(Photo Creds: We Heart It)

I’ve seen a similar image before. I love it. What do you need right now? For every friend I know well, I could tell you that they need one of these. I personally could use some healing and some patience. Heck, I think I may need a bit of strength, inspiration and peace as well.

The final day of the annual Seven Days events sponsored by Faith Always Wins, concluded last night with a unity walk. The final day is also claimed as “ONWARD.” My friend, the founder, and a great inspiration to many, Mindy Corporon, explained why they chose ONWARD for the final day in her Facebook post yesterday:

“Because, as we live our journey on earth together we need to find a way to move onward… past and THROUGH our CHALLENGES. WE ALL HAVE THEM.”  

She is spot on – of course.

I want to take a moment to remind you that there is quite literally an army of people ready to help you with whatever it is you need to help you not only survive, but TAKE A VICTORY LAP AROUND THIS JOURNEY! We need each other. If you question that, I’d be happy to prove that to you! You see, I have seen incredible acts of humanity in my short time on earth and I know personally that with a simple phone call I could engage some of these beautiful people to help, cheer, pull or even push someone across their finish line!

Have an amazing week. ONWARD.

Adventures of traveling with mom

I had the opportunity to take my mom on a business trip this week which we made into a long weekend and Easter celebration. I had no idea how this would go, but it was a joy with a lot of laughs.

My point is that if you have a living parent, an aunt/uncle or someone dear to you and you have the opportunity, try to make it happen. The very idea of it might overwhelm you at first, and if it does, give me a call. I’ll tell you my story and maybe it will help. I want to thank Dr. Mark Box, and Nancy Levota for inspiring me to take the leap! You both really inspire me!

Here are some things I learned (or was reminded of):

She’s a bit like me… I mean, when the fire alarm went off, she didn’t leave the room. I always think it’s a test (and it was), but that’s not the brightest conclusion… but we lived, so that’s for another day. Just an insight that in some way, shape or form, most of us end up like our parents.

She reminded me to stop and smell the roses and TO STAY AMAZED. I got a kick out of how her wonder of looking at the ocean was like a child. It was really cool actually. I too often don’t stop, although I honestly try. I can do better.

We all need to stop and celebrate. We toasted with real and virgin pina coladas, mai tais and iced tea. You really should do this with those that don’t expect it (AKA, in my world, older adults…).

She DIDN’T like the airport full-body, pat-down screening. Once again, being reminded that our WORLD IS CHANGING was good for her… Our world could use some simplicity, the kind technology doesn’t offer.

I hope this sparks your thinking! Do share if you decide to make the leap. I think even a trip to the zoo would be a delight!

The home stretch!

(Photo creds: Pinterest)

The back half of April launches many of us into the “HOME STRETCH” of this season…

For students, it’s the end of school. If you are graduating, an even BIGGER amount of excitement approaches (and perhaps some anxiety)…

For those who love the annual Run for The Roses, the Kentucky Derby is the first weekend in May…

For those who have trained for a big race, on foot, bike or water, the FINISH LINE is always a refreshing site to see…

No matter if you are encountering a HOME STRETCH right now or not, chances are you have the opportunity to celebrate someone else’s or CHEER THEM ON! If you are in the middle of one, here are three small ideas on how to FINISH STRONG….

  1. REMEMBER WHERE YOU STARTED | If you are in high school, you may just be cruising through the normal rhythms of life, but many others chose to MAKE THEMSELVES BETTER by achieving THE NEXT LEVEL. The home stretch can be painful, and create the anxiety of the unknown, but IF YOU CAN KEEP YOUR FOCUS ON YOUR ORIGINAL GOAL, you will OVERCOME that pain and FINISH WITH PRIDE!
  2. THINK EPIC! | As in, ” THIS IS EPIC! I AM EPIC.” Whether a big or small acccomplishment it takes all of those STEPS TO GET US TO WHERE WE ARE MEANT TO SHINE. The tiniest of steps is a MOVE FORWARD. Keep in perspective that this is one more part of your journey and MAKE IT GREAT.
  3. THE STRETCH IS WHERE WE GROW! | The late nights, the frustrations, the PUSH is where we ALL GROW THE MOST! Think of the good ol’ caterpillar-into-a-butterfly story. It’s true… It’s worth it and will BE BEAUTIFUL when that LINE IS CROSSED!

THE WORLD IS CHEERING YOU ON!

Be the ripple!

(Photo Creds: givesevendays.org)

Take a moment to watch this awesome video clip!

That video tells the story better than I can, but the bottom line is that a group of super-cool people that are trying to change the world by helping to re-write the story on how we all approach the differences we have and how they are sometimes dealt with. As our world becomes increasingly diverse, it is incumbent upon us take time to learn about other cultures and religions, and create a better understanding!

I wanted to use my blog this week as a platform to showcase the great events that are being held starting April 18 in Kansas City. The events are listed here. The events promise to provide us with a fresh perspective and help us ignite how we can MAKE A RIPPLE in our communities. If you aren’t local, take some time to review their website and the events. The great leaders behind GIVESEVENDAYS are often out in many communities across our country. If your community hasn’t rallied around this and you believe it’s important, let me know and I’ll put you in touch with the right folks to make it happen.

I hope your schedule will allow you to attend one or more of the events. If you are free Monday, April 24th, the week culminates with an evening walk that is a fabulous show of community unity! This year it will be held at Union Station, which is one of KC’s true historic landmarks and a beautiful place to celebrate.
I look forward to seeing some of you there! I know you will be inspired.

(partial repost from April 2016)

Simple thoughts Sunday: A week of Expectations and Hope

(Photo Creds: We Heart It)

What a beautiful day we are having today, the Saturday before Palm Sunday and the launch of Holy Week for Christians.

I love that the various religions have their special celebrations. For us, this is perhaps the greatest celebration. As Christians, we believe that Jesus came to earth in the image of God, lived a perfect life, was persecuted for his faith and three days later was resurrected.

This simple story is deep with HOPE and EXPECTATION for our religion. It is a story that, when “peered” into deeply, showcases that despite our human transgressions and the raw parts of this world, we have hope in a “risen” savior that promises an eternity of peace and beauty.

The human struggle has been on vivid display this week with the bombings in Syria. For those that hold on closely to the news, anxieties rise. For those with children or family serving our country, it is downright painful to watch and wonder where this might head. This is one example, there are of course hundreds more that grab our attention and show our vulnerability and weaknesses as a human race.

I have always found GREAT HOPE in the POWER OF THE EASTER STORY. As you go into this week, I hope that no matter your religion, you will consider what a life changing message HOPE brings. Hope gives us the expectations that just maybe, there is a RAY OF SUNSHINE at the end of our times of struggle. I LOVE HOPE! I need HOPE! I know you do, too!

Praying many blessings for all of you this week!

Simple thoughts Sunday: Stay the course

(Photo Creds: We Heart It…quote from Brian Houston, Hillsong, Live Love Lead book)

I am often asked how I navigate life… You know, make life-changing decisions, dodge bullets, celebrate the good AND the bad.

I think it’s my age, as I recall being a decade (or three) younger trying to figure out this puzzle.  My answer today is always based on the insight in the quote on the photo. I have only been able to be successful in anything from raising my boys to growing in my career to caring deeply and giving generously to our community through the gift of God’s word.

To be honest, even though I’ve had a strong faith since I was I girl, I was well into my 30s before I was able to get past the first few chapters of the New Testament.

As far as the Old Testament, I quickly lost interest after the creation story. It just seemed too overwhelming and perhaps a bit boring and even unrelatable. Wow was I naive! The word of God is not only NOT BORING, but it is funny at times, and pours out advice for a life well-lived. It seems like every day, at least one of the scriptures in my reading (I follow the one-year Bible reading plan), I am confronted with something that seems to be timely to what I am going through. It is incredible how the world aligns and speaks so clearly through His word.

I always wanted that “proverbial billboard” to show up on my way to work and shout out my next round of advice… a vision… a message that validated where I thought I was supposed to go or not go. The amazing reality is it was right in my nightstand… waiting to be opened.

I encourage each of you if you don’t regularly read the Bible, to give it another chance. I had to get the new living translation (NLT) version because I needed the commentary at the bottom to understand much of the Old Testament, but it is probably my favorite now. I don’t know about you, but I could use God’s direction pretty much in every area of my life. It is amazing what you will find when you simply open the pages.

Have an amazing week! Two weeks until Easter… Hope is rising.

Rewind: 3 ideas to get your thoughts rolling

(Photo Creds – Pinterest: The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts)

Throwing it back to a post from 2016 that feels a little extra relevant as we toss around this idea of “ideas” this week. Enjoy, my friends!

Building starts with a a great plan. A blueprint for something new, that the world hasn’t experienced before. Whether a home or the life of your child, it’s a strong plan that makes the finished product beautiful. True, sometimes, things “just happen” and it works out pretty good, like a new recipe, but good cooks (and even semi-okay ones like me… on a good day) will tell you that following a good recipe almost ensures success.

We all want to build something significant. Usually that is a significant life to start with. How do we do that? Here are three simple thoughts to get you started today!

  1. Wise counselors – In the first place, we need solid mentors, teachers and advisers to help build the plan. If you are building a house, seeking out an experienced architect and a reputable builder, is critical. It helps to find folks who have been around the block a few times and can speak with wisdom. It also helps to find those that care about you and want your success. Sometimes this can be harder than you think for some reason, but definitely seek people out. We need each other desperately.
  2. Invest your time and your mind – This one I think is huge. We all say we want to do something meaningful- make our communities better, etc, but don’t take the time to read, study, understand and truly make decisions and plans that helps us to do that. This pre-election period has been a great reminder of what happens when we don’t invest our time and become educated on critical topics…
  3. Take action – Don’t wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow is never promised, at least our on earth tomorrow. We can accomplish so much if we take the full span of time we are given and ACTIVATE those IDEAS that are rolling around in our minds. Today is THE PERFECT DAY TO START!