Should I Stay? Or Should I Go?

If you are like me, the anticipation of a thing can seem better than the thing itself. Until you get there.

I love the idea of going places -- The excitement of potential adventure -- Seeing something new. Experiencing a “never done that before.”

And then the day comes to PACK. And get the house ready to leave it. Clean out the fridge. Take out trash. Reorganize your purse to fit the 3-1-1 rule for the airport x-ray machines.

That’s when the I start to wonder if I really want to go. Is all this prep worth it?

The answer is YES!

Getting out of our comfort zone (or even our comfortable routine zone) is always a good thing for us to do. There are other euphemisms for this: Get out of your box. Get beyond your church’s four walls. Get outside yourself.

When I do something that upsets my normal routine (which I like – because I love my life), it changes my thinking and expands my world. It allows me to see the possibilities. It gives room for new relationships. It reminds me that the need is great for us to touch others. Hear their stories. Be an influencer. Be influenced.

Years ago, my son said something quite profound (especially for a young teenager): “You need to get outside of your comfort zone to make one for someone else.”

Are you willing?

Every Little Boy Wants to be a Super Hero!

If you have not seen the Volkswagen: The Force “Darth Vader” commercial yet, you need to watch it here:



If you are the parent of a boy – no matter how old he may be today, you probably have seen bath-towel super hero capes, made a batman mask (or two or three or four, as in our case), and watched and listened to the exploits of a small boy on a mission. You have witnessed full blown, no holds barred imagination at work.

Is there anything better?

The hunger for adventure. We all have it. Yes. Every one of us. What are you willing to do to step out of your box, as you so comfortably know it?

Take a few minutes. Imagine. You were little once. You can still do it.

How do you prepare for a Super Bowl?

Veterans of that game told Aaron Rodgers: “Don’t let anything distract you from your normal preparation.”

Don’t get distracted from what you know and what you have done up til now. Stay focused. Don’t change the game plan, just keep on task as you understand it.

Aaahh. But now the next question. What if you don’t have a routine working for you? What if your plan is not getting you to a winning place?

One word: Discipline.

This is my word for 2011. I know that there are several places in my life that need a fine tuning. I won’t go into them here (yes, perhaps some pride showing through), but I am sure you and I could talk about some common themes: exercise, healthier eating, more time invested in others, less time wasted, and you can add your own here: __________

Discipline defined: Training to act in accordance with rules; drill military discipline; Activity, exercise or a regimen that develops or improves a skill; training: A daily stint at the typewriter is excellent discipline for a writer; Punishment inflicted by way of correction and training; Behavior in accord with rules of conduct; behavior and order maintained by training and control; A set or system of rules and regulations; To train by instruction and exercise; drill; To bring to a state or order and obedience by training and control

Did you find yourself lacking any of these? Anywhere? I do every time I read it. It’s not easy but locating those things within myself that need improvement keeps it real for me. I am not Wonder Woman (that’s good news), but there are still many things I am responsible before the Lord to accomplish every day, every week, every month, every year.

C’mon. Join me. 2011 a year of wins! It’s in you.

Speaking of wins . . . any Packers fans out there?

If Billy Graham would do it differently . . .

You may have seen the interview with Reverend Billy Graham that Christianity Today published recently. I love reading or hearing life lessons from seasoned, experienced (yes, older) people who have been around a few blocks a few times. I believe we can learn from others’ experiences, mistakes and the things that worked well.

We should heed wise words:

Christianity Today to Billy Graham: If you could, would you go back and do anything differently?

BG: Yes, of course. I'd spend more time at home with my family, and I'd study more and preach less. I wouldn't have taken so many speaking engagements, including some of the things I did over the years that I probably didn't really need to do—weddings and funerals and building dedications, things like that. Whenever I counsel someone who feels called to be an evangelist, I always urge them to guard their time and not feel like they have to do everything.

I also would have steered clear of politics. I'm grateful for the opportunities God gave me to minister to people in high places; people in power have spiritual and personal needs like everyone else, and often they have no one to talk to. But looking back I know I sometimes crossed the line, and I wouldn't do that now.

In summary: More time with family. Study more and preach less. Don’t do more than you should do.

via www.christianitytoday.com

It's still January . . .

If you have ever waited for THAT college acceptance letter, or that “we love your manuscript” letter, or “your test results came back negative” letter, you know what anticipation feels like. You understand those words that put hope in your planned future – the document that seals the deal. That seals your deal.

January can still be that for you. It is for me – every year. The beginning of things. Again. The whole month says “Use me to start fresh. Use me to regain perspective. Use me to establish action items for some priorities. Go ahead. I dare you.”

Earlier this month my husband and I sat down together and talked about goals. We talked about what we had for ourselves, and we discussed some that we saw for each other. Some of our individual goals matched. So we looked at our calendars and established time blocks for them. Our schedules need to be altered a little bit to fit it in, but we are going to do that. There are some dreams we both have, and we found blocks of time to set aside to work on them. In that we became accountable to the other.

God’s Word says, “I know the plans I have for you. They are to give you a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah) Nobody can cover you like the Father. Nobody.

And if it helps you to draw in your spouse, a close friend, a pastor to help you -- Do it.

I’ve got my husband’s back on his planned future. He’s got mine. That feels real good.

It’s still January. Find your place and outline the plan. Put some action steps to it.

I dare you.

Today is my birthday

Today is my birthday.

It is. But this isn't about that!

Rather: Authentic. A great word.

I think being authentic means you understand yourself well enough to discover through your life story, experiences and what you believe, to live life fully and with the ability to give to others. It’s genuine. Real. Transparent.

To be authentic requires some quiet time. Okay, it requires a lot of quiet time – regularly. Often. One of my favorite verses of Scripture is Philippians 2:13. “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him.”

Psalm 37:4 says “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart’s desires.”

They are the same. The desires of my heart come from God --- who works them in me so that I can have power to do them!

Today really is my birthday. My plan for this important 50th year is to be authentic and to encourage others to be the same – to rejoice in who they are and pursue it with all that’s within them. It’s God’s desire.

Authentic. Are you? What are you born to do? What are you suppose to do now? What’s next? Do you know?

Locate yourself. True North, remember? The One who created you did it on purpose! Get quiet. Write some goals. It’s the first step to getting there.

Another one of my “180” goals – getting a facial. Some time at the spa helps me be an authentic woman. Reminds me that taking care of myself is vital to accomplish the other things on my list --- the items for me . . . but better than that -- being strong for others entrusted to me. Others.

Getting Back to True North

Every once in a while I need to locate myself – Find my True North. Everyone has one – a True North, that is.

“True North is the internal compass that guides you successfully through life. It represents who you are as a human being at your deepest level. It is your orienting point – your fixed point in a spinning world – that you stay on track . . . Your True North is based on what is most important to you, your most cherished values, your passions and motivations, the sources of satisfaction in your life.” (This excellent definition is from True North by Bill George)

When you follow your internal compass, you will be authentic.

While I was forming my 50 goals for my “180 to 50” project, I was looking for those things that made me --- well, me. I suppose. It was a time to reflect, dream, get practical, get not-so-practical . . . and write it down, make it real. Find True North for me and head that way.

So some of my goals included things like: #13 – Read a Novel. #15 – Read another novel. I want to read as many Pulitzer Prize winning authors as possible in the next 40 years.

Since I was in elementary school, I have been an avid reader, and then a writer. I wrote letters, long letters to family far way, short stories, journals, etc. The ability to create vivid pictures with words is one of my greatest aspirations. I was editor of my high school newspaper. I loved words. I received my Bachelors in Journalism from Central Michigan University (CMU), and continue to be a student of written words. I enjoy excellent authors. They are gifts to us. True North for me? Reading.

Authentic --- there’s a word. It deserves some attention. Next time.

Counting down . . . .

Six months ago I started a project. The title of it came to me immediately. “180 to 50.” That day, August 10th I was exactly 6 months away from a significant birthday. A milestone birthday --- a jubilee birthday!

My decision: How will I approach it? With dread, woe and apprehension? NO!!!! With anticipation, joy, hope? I wanted that to be my response. I had to decide the “how” to do that and what it looked like.

So my journey began. It took me a few days, but I identified 50 goals for myself before I turned 50. This exercise was harder than I thought it would be --- Surely, it would be a no brainer to set 50 goals. But it wasn’t so easy because I wanted them to be important and really worth pursuing . . . not impossible butreal and satisfying.

Habakkuk 2:2 says ‘Write the vision and make it plain so that when you see it you can run with it.’

Writing down goals puts them in front of you. . . our humanness then will pursue the completion of them. It’s a natural progression. It’s how we are made.

Jim Collins is famous in my world for this great “word” – BHAG! (Pronounced “Be hag”) Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal. Do you have some? You should! Everybody should.

I will share some of my “180 to 50 goals” in blogs to come. Some may seem little … like “read a novel.” But for me, personally, that one has significance. I’ll explain that one day.

I am celebrating my life in some small or big way every day in February . . . “The Lord delights in us.” I am going to be delighted too.