23 Tuesday Apr 2013
Posted in Blog Posts
Each of us have a unique significance. So often comparing one self to another becomes the standard. He’s smarter. She’s prettier. They have more…fill in the blanks. Your specialness is You! Striving to be something you’re not or to be like someone else is futile.
You are a GIFT!
Identify your uniqueness, value who you are, unveil your significance and be the gift to others. We need the gift of YOU!
27 Sunday Jan 2013
Posted in Choices, Leadership
Coach Carter is the real life story of a man who liberated a high school basketball team with his presence, coaching not for just the day, coaching for a bigger vision. The impact of this man changed the direction of the lives of these high school boys, rippling out to their families, friends, teachers, school administrators…and now many others. The impact continues. Coach Carter let his light shine. How are you shining your light today to make a difference tomorrow?
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other
people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of
God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.
—Marianne Williamson
10 Thursday Jan 2013
09 Wednesday Jan 2013
Posted in Choices
The remarkable thing is, we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. ~ Chuck Swindoll
08 Tuesday Jan 2013
Posted in Choices, Leadership
Michael Seaver reminded me tonight of the choice we have in making a difference. Even if you’ve seen this before or read the book, take the 3 minutes to watch it again.
This short Simple Truths’ video is a story of Johnny the Bagger and how Johnny made a difference in the lives of many with creativity and limited resources. He chose to take action with his limited abilities and using his resources, he chose from his heart.
What difference are you choosing?
07 Monday Jan 2013
Posted in Choices
Every choice has a consequence.
Every choice affects the people in our influence. Like a pebble tossed into a calm lake, the ripples continue on…
“Life is about choice. We are the sum of our choices. And most of them are made for us. You can’t choose when you’re born. You can’t choose where you’re born. You can’t choose your family. You can’t even choose who you love. But you can choose how you love.”- Richard Cooper
05 Saturday Jan 2013
Posted in Choices
Wherever you find yourself in life, is exactly where you want to be.
Take responsibility for where you want to be. True intention is revealed by your choices.
04 Friday Jan 2013
Posted in Choices
Everything in your life is a reflection of a choice you have made.
If you want a different result, make a different choice.
19 Wednesday Dec 2012
Posted in Hope
Tags
Nine years ago this week, there was little hope evident to me. It was the week before Christmas and I had just lost my job, my husband of 23 years was moving out, my daughters were struggling and rebelling and friends didn’t know how to help so most withdrew. I was feeling alone. Without a job, single and three teenage daughters…what would happen to our home…our circumstances were quite grim. Hope? Not so much.
The week before Christmas? Hope? I was numb. I went through the motions of life. With the support of family the girls and I made it through to the new year. In that year through counseling, a faith in God that He does work all things for His good, friends, family, spiritual direction and faith-based transformational workshops God did work all things for His good.
I have come to hold hope in a different way. My definition of HOPE is “a confident expectation of a Godly outcome no matter the situation”.
Bob Hartley, describes it as a Hope in God – A “Healed & Expanded” view of God.
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:1-5
HOPE IN GOD is believing that:
It is through a healed and expanded view of God that I confidently claim that I am a prisoner of HOPE. No matter the situation or circumstances, I have a confident expectation of a Godly outcome. I carry the HOPE of God everyday.
My prayer for you is that you would experience a healed and expanded view of God this Christmas season, regardless of your circumstances. May you embrace God’s gift of HOPE.
17 Monday Dec 2012
Posted in Leadership
Several weeks ago, Jeff & I traveled to New Jersey for a weekend to celebrate my brother-in-laws’ retirement. Quite the accomplishment! He retired at a young age and with 31 years of employment at the same company. Nicely done, Tim!
While in New Jersey in December and so close to “the City” as the natives refer to New York City, we decided to take the train into “the City” to see the lights. This would be only my second time into ‘the City” and at Christmas time…I was pretty excited. We grabbed my other brother-in-law, Mark, and headed to the train station. 
Upon arriving we exited the train into a sea of people. There were people everywhere, wall to wall, exiting the train into the station, which once in the station, the wall of people dissipated some. We grabbed a map of “the City” and made our way to the street.
More people. And buildings. Within the first five minutes, I noticed a man asleep on the sidewalk, huddled near the building with a box or two and a grocery cart full of his belongings near his feet. His head was covered with a newspaper or box and he slept on the sidewalk while thousands of people pass him by. Is he noticing the traffic around him? Can he sleep through it? Is anyone else noticing the man asleep on the street?
More people. And buildings. People moving quickly, weaving in and out of those moving slower, some in crowds, some alone…how could you tell someone was alone? They had earphones in. Walking through the streets of New York with earphones in, listening to an iPod or smart phone, absorbed in whatever was coming through the earpieces.
More people. And buildings. We arrived at Rockefeller Center the lights were beautiful. The Christmas tree lit up with gorgeous lights and it was gorgeous. People everywhere. Most people polite, taking pictures, tourists (myself included, Jeff & Mark standing back grinning at me, the tourist taking pictures).
After leaving Rockefeller Center we stopped at Radio City Hall, took a few more pictures – even one with Woody & Captain America for my grandson’s. Now it’s time to be on the look out for food. We took a left turn into even more people. We were walking ankle to ankle. We shuffled down the street and after a short shuffle found Alfredo, an Italian restaurant. It was a great option for dinner. The food was excellent, as was the service and actually, well priced for “the City”. Dinner was my favorite time of the evening because we were honored to have the time with Mark.
More people. Yes, more people. As the night got later, there were more people. We ventured through Times Square back to Central Station to catch the train back to Jersey. As we entered Central Station, there were people milling around. Once the track was announced for our train, hundreds if not thousands of people rushed to the door to the track and funneled into a narrow door to get to the track. It was body to body, orderly, however, it felt like what I would imagine a cow feels like being corralled. We found our seats and had a quick and quiet train ride back to Jersey.
The evening was special. We have a memory that I will remember forever. People milling about, everyone with intention, some with more intensity and it was easy to identify the tourists. That would be anyone that stopped to take a photo every block, does not wear earphones and is moving slower than the traffic of people.
The natives with headsets are the people I see in my memory. They live in “the City” with millions of people and chose to isolate one self with earphones. Shut out to the world around them. Clearly withdrawing into their own thoughts. Regardless of what “city you live in. How often do we as people intentionally put on “headsets”, isolating one self with “earphones”?
Are you engaged, aware of, invested in the people around you? Those you work with or volunteer with. Or how about those you live with? Are you more absorbed with yourself than others? Especially at this time of year with the long lists of things to do for a special Christmas season.
People do matter. Be intentional, Don’t miss out on the most important part of this season. People matter.
