To Serve well

Serving with Excellence for a Life of Excellence

Christian

Simple Thoughts Sunday: The Lord WILL give you the desires of your heart

Happy Birthday Sam, Tucker and Joe.

My beautiful young men are 21 today. They are my greatest blessing. I truly believe the scripture on this photo collage. If you don’t know my story, I was told I likely would not have children. In fact, I was given an 11% chance, and that was with the help of modern medicine. With a magical touch of God’s hand, we were blessed with three boys that I know will impact our world.

Whatever your desires are today… for love, healing, joy, peace, fun… my prayer is that you will feel God right in the middle.

Have the best year ever boys, and know that you indeed have filled the desires of my heart.

By the way… it’s time for new pictures! 🙂

Yikes, I don’t know what to say… (reach out anyway)

(Photo Creds: Canva)

Have you ever been in a position where you really didn’t know what to say? Someone is sick? Someone lost someone they love? Maybe they went through a divorce or a break up? Perhaps someone you know is going to be alone this holiday season…

These situations create awkwardness as we contemplate possible uncomfortable circumstances where we really don’t know what to say. Sometimes it’s easier to just live your life and not make the call or drop in, and instead pray that God will comfort them. I wanted to share what I’ve learned about this topic, but I also want to tell you I’m not necessarily good at it — it’s a work in progress for sure.

Here’s the deal: The answer to those prayers is likely you. We are the “feet on the street,”  the ones that God intended to use to comfort others, to lift them up, and this may just mean a simple conversation to let someone know you care and are listening. I have read some decent research and heard from friends — the answer is the same: WE NEED TO STEP INTO THE DISCOMFORT and just be there. Just being there is all you need to do. You don’t need to have the “right” thing to say, or to really say much. An encouraging word… a listening ear, a hug…

As you go into the weekend, who do you need to reach out to? I hope you’ll make that call or drop in with a small bouquet and let someone who needs it know that you care.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: A final thought on mindfulness

(Photo Creds: Canva)

I couldn’t think of a better way to wrap up the idea of mindfulness than this message.

This scripture gets me every single time. Most likely because I’m not so good at it. I totally get it though. The ONLY time I have truly felt I have heard from God was when I quieted my soul to reflect on what was happening in my life at any given time, truly listening to what I was reading, watching, etc.

I do believe the research I’ve found and shared, and the simple message of mindfulness goes hand in hand with this scripture.

I hope that you have found something valuable over the last week and know that GOD is indeed with you and guiding every single step. Even the ones that do not make much sense to you right now. If we can still our minds to listen, we will surely see him show up… step in and help us RISE to our next level.

Have a simply wonderful week. Relish a bit in the fun of the holiday and, as always, I’m so grateful today for each of you that read this and am always cheering you on.

It’s simple, really. Create some fun!

(Photo creds: Unsplash.com)

(Another 2016 revamped post for you, my friends. I’m enjoying my time overseas. If you didn’t know, you can follow along on the visual fun on my Instagram.)

 I try not to forget some of the best parenting advice I was ever given at our family summer camp in Pine Cove, but I always seemed to get “sucked” into our daily routines.  (As you know, these turn into the story of our lives.)

So, what was the advice? SIMPLE: CREATE FUN!

Stop the daily routine, the stress, SURPRISE everyone (including yourself) and find the time for FUN. Their simple question was this: “When is the last time you jumped on the bed with your family?” Good question. Not sure I had since they were toddlers. We did it when we got home that summer, and I’m not sure they would remember. More than likely because it was a “one-and-done” activity and frankly that is not acceptable.

Now, don’t get me wrong, we have always had a lot of fun but I honestly don’t think I did enough to create fun “along the way.” For those of you with younger kids, I wish I would have made a calendar notification to do just this… I think it’s worth it. Kids remember these moments.

The fourth quarter is always one of the busiest and the most stressful. New school year, year-end push to achieve goals at work, the holidays, and oh good god, the comfort food that sends us to the gym to ward off the weight gain. All of that can catch up, so call a time out this weekend, or better yet tonight. Turn up the music and create some fun!

I’d love to hear how it went!

Iron sharpens iron, and don’t you forget it

(Photo creds: Unsplash.com)

(As I continue my adventure through Paul’s Journey, I’m throwing it back to another 2016 gem. I hope it reverberates with you today in 2017 the way it does with me. Don’t forget, I’m cheering you on through your week!)

I can’t imagine my life without those that surround me and sharpen me. It is one of the lessons I try to impart upon my boys, although, I know it is different for boys. They don’t naturally share with one another like girls do, but it is just as important for them. God designed us this way.

Today, I thought it would be a great time to just sit down and make a list of those that have sharpened me and when possible send them a quick thanks…

To the teacher that invested in my life, drawing out a young girl, inspiring, pushing gently, pulling at times, but always encouraging, thank you!

To my sister who was and is the one who has the hard conversations and who also celebrates life’s important moments with us, thank you!

To the gals in my personal tribe, friends from many groups… WOW… I am far better because of all of you, thank you!

To my mentors or mentees… I have learned an equal amount from each of them, thank you!

To my boys who have always pushed me to be the best version of myself from early morning feelings, to late night talks about college life. (I won’t give up on the whole “boys need to be in community too” part!) Thank you, boys!

Who has “sharpened” you, raised the bar, elevated your “game”? I bet they’d love to hear from you this week!

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Settle for the BEST

(Photo Creds: Canva)

I have always believed our mind is our greatest human asset in achieving what we want out of this one life.

This statement in the photo was spoken at an event I attended, and I sat with it for a few months. I wanted to share it for today’s Simple Thoughts Sunday because I feel it has power. God gave us all a human spirit with goals, dreams and desires. I believe he wants us to not only achieve those, but to do so with great joy.

Sure, we will have pain in the mix and we will grow during those times, but in the end, we are here for a purpose. If we opt out and choose to not GO FOR our HIGHEST LEVEL, it is our choice. CHOOSE TO OPTIMIZE! Let your close friends and family know what they and I know they would love to cheer you on! I would be blessed to sit with any of your fan clubs. Have an amazing week, my friends.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Significance

We are all given gifts, talents…

I was personally captured in thought by this question.

It’s one of THOSE BIG ONES. Exactly what am I doing with gifts? I need to do an audit or inventory to ensure that what I am busy spending my time doing aligns. Do I need to go deeper in an area? What even is significant to me? From God’s perspective? (Helping, serving others, etc.)

I hope this gets you thinking like it did me… I also hope that you have an amazing week. I am off to a “just before 50” bucket list trip today, “Paul’s Journey,” and I am beyond excited to walk in the apostle Paul’s steps. We will also have some great Tuscany wine and enjoy learning about the people and history of Italy and Greece. I’ll be blogging as I can and I look forward to sharing whatever it is God speaks to me during the adventure.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: God often speaks loudest when we are the quietest

(Photo Creds: Canva)

I am a huge fan of the author Mark Batterson.

He has crafted the Circle Maker and a host of books I regularly give as gifts. His latest, ‘Whisper,’ is coming out soon and I was lucky enough to get a preview copy. This topic is timely, real and critical that we all listen. My opinion of course.

The book is about hearing the voice of God and outlines some practical thinking and steps we might take to get to this goal. Most people operate in the hope that God will send a sign or at least a major clue that tells us where to step next. I for sure have lived most of the seasons of my life looking around the corner and in the mailbox for these. It’s human nature I think.

At any rate, the simple thought this week is from Batterson’s latest book: “God often speaks the loudest when we are the quietest.” We must carve out time for quiet. Our world is so noisy. In fact, studies show that most of us can’t hardly stand to not have something going on, be it TV, radio, “Alexa” chatter, checking our phone, etc. I absolutely know this is a truth that I can use to hear again and again. I have time and again heard from God in the quiet… generally through reading or spending time away on the water. I know I for one need quiet… A LOT OF IT!

I hope this insight speaks to your soul, and I hope that this week you carve out time for QUIET.

Go deep: We need to build our root system

(Photo Creds: Canva)

If you’ve ever stood under a redwood tree, you know that their height is something magnificent. The extent of their root system is shockingly not deep at 6-12 feet. So, how do we account for the crazy growth, with many reaching 300 feet tall? (The tallest pine measures in at 268 by comparison.)

“Redwoods create the strength to withstand powerful winds and floods by extending their roots more than 50 feet from the trunk and living in groves where their roots can intertwine.”

Perfect! Another very cool illustration for just how important going “DEEP” in your relationships is to your ability to grow and optimize your gifts. Of course… I LOVE THIS – and so should you!

“Community” is what allows us to live a joy filled life. (“Community” also defined, as families, friendship groups, circles, tribes, colleagues… you get my drift.) To SERVE WELL, it is almost required that we are encouraged, held accountable and ultimately pushed toward our “best self.” For most of human history, this has been a normal part of life, starting out with the earliest Native American tribes and, for my generation, playing kickball in the street until well after the sun has gone down. Today, many find themselves immersed in technology and other distractions. That seems almost too obvious to state but when the shoe fits… Heck, I don’t even like to get out of my car to go in the bank. God forbid I can’t take care of business on my phone or through a machine.

I like the idea of GOING DEEP. I need to work more at this. I’d love to achieve the greatness of a REDWOOD GROVE… to lock arms together with some amazing people and establish root systems that allow us all to grow and flourish.

Simple Thoughts Sunday – Speak Vitality (LIFE)

(Photo Creds: Canva… but I’m pretty sure I have one just like it from my Ginger Farms trip last year!)

Happy Sunday folks!

Isn’t it awesome that most get to BREATHE DEEP tonight and not worry about working tomorrow? Love that feeling.

So, what in the world do I mean by speak vitality? That may seem obvious and yet we don’t do it enough. One year at camp, one of the parenting talks (intended to help us teach our children how to be upstanding humans that care for others) was a simple message we were advised to ask our children often: “Are you going to speak a blessing or a curse?”

In other words: simply be nice! I appreciated that construct when talking to my boys, especially when the discussion was around how they treat each other sometimes. I recognize however, that at any age, it’s a great reminder. We have a choice to speak LIFE, and we should choose it more often.

Do the words we are speaking to ourselves or others speak joy? Victory? Positivity? Or are we focused on “why in the world we are getting acne at our age?” “Where did those 5-plus pounds come from, for god’s sake?” “Why can’t I eat the mac and cheese with bacon?”

We all are in different seasons of our lives, and it is so important that we SPEAK LIFE and VITALITY to ourselves and to the WORLD. This week there has been much heroism displayed as the needs are great in a time of national disasters such as the great flooding. There have also been those that are blaming, calling out and otherwise judging people that they believe should be helping. My feeling: We need to hold ourselves accountable for ALWAYS SPEAKING VITALITY.

Have an AMAZING WEEK, and remember to EXHALE and BREATHE IN LIFE!