Jon Gordon says, "Life is a gift, not an obligation." In many cases that gift is taken away too soon. This was so evident in the case of the Boston Marathon on Mon., April 15, 2013. To my knowledge it's not known who woke up that day and decided to place 2 bombs close to the finish line. Last night was my last time to give an inspirational speech to our National Charity League. I was to continue to draw inspiration from the Positive Dog by Jon Gordon. Last night my idea beforehand was to look at this tragedy in light of a "positive dog". Earlier in the day I shared this idea w/ my dental hygienist. At first, she thought I was nuts! Then I explained to her that when looking @ the footage I noticed how may complete strangers ran to the aide of others! In this world God gives us "free will". That day began with "someone" or group deciding to "feed their negative dog" @ the cost of maiming and taking lives of other innocent people. Jon tells us daily we can look at ourselves as the main character in our own movie. What movie are you living, he asks? A horror, comedy, drama, or possibly documentary film? Monday we had someone/group who chose to star in a REAL horror film.They took this liberty with the intention of hurting, killing and changing other people's lives forever! Incredibly sad. However, we also had many, many people who, though they--not by choice-- ended up in this horror film, ran to render aide to those struck by the bombs. There definitely was a majority who made the quick decision to do all they could to reach out and help those in need. There was GREAT fear present during this turn of events. A fear which could have completely paralyzed everyone. Instead, many people moved forward in "faith"! They didn't "have to" render aide, they genuinely wanted to and "got to". People chose to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
My heart aches for the ALL the families who lost loved ones in this horrific tragedy. Some were at the race to cheer on a friend or loved one. They were at the end of the race giving of their time to uplift, inspire, encourage, cheer and have a positive impact on the lives of others running the race! While doing so, their own lives were either ripped away or bodies changed forever! Fair? NO! Life will not be easy for the survivors. It will take time to get back on track. It's definitely our turn to do our absolute best to stand by, listen to and encourage and support them to move forward with their healing. Help them move on in faith, not fear.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Friday, March 22, 2013
Challenges or Opportunities
Last night I gave a tiny inspirational speech at a meeting. Before and after speaking to a group I pray for God's help for organizing my thoughts, relaying a clear message, staying calm and most of all that my words positively touch at least 1 person in the room. In this case the group is all women with teenage daughters working together in a charity organization.
Currently I'm reading parts of a book called Positive Dog by Jon Gordon to the group. I read a bit aloud giving some examples and insight along the way. Last night I chose the "Challenges or Opportunities" chapter. In a nutshell the Positive Dog revolves around--while in a shelter-- an ole Dog Bubba giving the benefits of having a positive outlook on life to a younger dog named Matt. The Challenges chapter begins with Bubba saying "We all face challenges in our lives". Its our perspective that decides the outcome. He says, "We can choose to see adversity as a challenge or an opportunity." Isn't that the truth! I was reminded of a book entitled Failing Forward which is chalk full of successful people who encountered a slue of adversity before they were successful. Everything from death of family members, poor business decisions, cancer. While dealing with adversity, people like Truett Cathy (Chick-Fil-A), Mary Kay Ash, and Sergio Zyman (master mind of New Coke), looked for opportunity to turn their misfortune into fortune!
I shared how this rings true with the parenting journey. We all will continually face"parenting adversity". When faced with the hard times, we don't give up! Sometimes we struggle with how to deal with a situation. Sometimes we may say things we wish we hadn't. Sometimes we may have to apologize. There's such beauty in forgiveness. We must always keep our eye on the big picture. We ALL will be faced with hard times in this life. NO ONE is immune. It's something we ALL have in common.However, we ALL also have a decision with how we react to a given situation, tragedy or crisis. I love the questions that Bubba gives Matt when dealing with adversity. He says ask yourself, " What can I learn from this experience? How can I grow from it? What do I do now?" Of course when in the thick of it, you may not be able to answer all these questions. I believe, sometimes we are initially paralyzed in a given tough situation. We need time to digest. Time to mourn. As time goes by, we CAN choose to answer the questions. Your future success depends on it. Success includes learning from past experiences and NOT repeating the same mistakes. Growing positively from tough situations. Sometimes easier said than done!
Quote from Failing Forward-Believe you have the potential to overcome any problems and misfortunes. All you have to do is learn to fail forward.
Bubba ends his converstation with Matt by telling him when faced with the challenge of living in the shelter, he decided to use it as an opportunity to help others. He doesn't know if someone will ever adopt an ole dog like him. But while he's waiting he's making the best of his time by giving back to and helping others.
Currently I'm reading parts of a book called Positive Dog by Jon Gordon to the group. I read a bit aloud giving some examples and insight along the way. Last night I chose the "Challenges or Opportunities" chapter. In a nutshell the Positive Dog revolves around--while in a shelter-- an ole Dog Bubba giving the benefits of having a positive outlook on life to a younger dog named Matt. The Challenges chapter begins with Bubba saying "We all face challenges in our lives". Its our perspective that decides the outcome. He says, "We can choose to see adversity as a challenge or an opportunity." Isn't that the truth! I was reminded of a book entitled Failing Forward which is chalk full of successful people who encountered a slue of adversity before they were successful. Everything from death of family members, poor business decisions, cancer. While dealing with adversity, people like Truett Cathy (Chick-Fil-A), Mary Kay Ash, and Sergio Zyman (master mind of New Coke), looked for opportunity to turn their misfortune into fortune!
I shared how this rings true with the parenting journey. We all will continually face"parenting adversity". When faced with the hard times, we don't give up! Sometimes we struggle with how to deal with a situation. Sometimes we may say things we wish we hadn't. Sometimes we may have to apologize. There's such beauty in forgiveness. We must always keep our eye on the big picture. We ALL will be faced with hard times in this life. NO ONE is immune. It's something we ALL have in common.However, we ALL also have a decision with how we react to a given situation, tragedy or crisis. I love the questions that Bubba gives Matt when dealing with adversity. He says ask yourself, " What can I learn from this experience? How can I grow from it? What do I do now?" Of course when in the thick of it, you may not be able to answer all these questions. I believe, sometimes we are initially paralyzed in a given tough situation. We need time to digest. Time to mourn. As time goes by, we CAN choose to answer the questions. Your future success depends on it. Success includes learning from past experiences and NOT repeating the same mistakes. Growing positively from tough situations. Sometimes easier said than done!
Quote from Failing Forward-Believe you have the potential to overcome any problems and misfortunes. All you have to do is learn to fail forward.
Bubba ends his converstation with Matt by telling him when faced with the challenge of living in the shelter, he decided to use it as an opportunity to help others. He doesn't know if someone will ever adopt an ole dog like him. But while he's waiting he's making the best of his time by giving back to and helping others.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
New Perspective
I was browsing (dangerous) in a Christian bookstore yesterday. Don't even know what I was really looking for until God showed me the book entitled, "Living Successfully with Screwed-Up People"! I was shocked at the title. In a Christian bookstore? Go figure. Anyway since I've been looking for some more perspective on relationships I decided to give it a look. I'm currently halfway through the book and think Brown has some very valuable points.
On page 13 I read "Friends & family can be pains-in the heart." Ouch! I've felt lots of pains in the heart over the years. Problem is I hardly ever know what in the world to do about them. I deeply want to do the right thing. I've always thought I was a peacemaker. Always want everyone to get along. I love to encourage & lift others up as much as possible. When faced with relationship foibles I pray, ask God to help, talk the ears off of my incredible husband, but it's so hard to know what kind of action to take. Positive action. Action that will change the situation & mend the "pain" in the heart. I think I typically end up taking some kind of action that later still puts me back in the swamp. I'd like to get out of the swamp & stay out. But is that really possible?
This Christian life was never meant to be perfect. One of my all time favorite verses I claimed in college is from 1 Peter 1:6, "In this greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith---of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire---may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed..." I wonder what is meant by "for a little while"? I believe my little while will happen every day of my life! That's okay though, because as I (with God's help), work through every "trial" my faith & love for him are sharpened & strengthened! Doesn't get any better than that!
I think Brown's book is one that can give me some new perspective to get me out of the swamp that I so often jump into. Whether I can stay out remains to be seen. Brown says the "swamp bottom is often the beginning of renewal". Can it be that I'm at the bottom?
On page 13 I read "Friends & family can be pains-in the heart." Ouch! I've felt lots of pains in the heart over the years. Problem is I hardly ever know what in the world to do about them. I deeply want to do the right thing. I've always thought I was a peacemaker. Always want everyone to get along. I love to encourage & lift others up as much as possible. When faced with relationship foibles I pray, ask God to help, talk the ears off of my incredible husband, but it's so hard to know what kind of action to take. Positive action. Action that will change the situation & mend the "pain" in the heart. I think I typically end up taking some kind of action that later still puts me back in the swamp. I'd like to get out of the swamp & stay out. But is that really possible?
This Christian life was never meant to be perfect. One of my all time favorite verses I claimed in college is from 1 Peter 1:6, "In this greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith---of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire---may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed..." I wonder what is meant by "for a little while"? I believe my little while will happen every day of my life! That's okay though, because as I (with God's help), work through every "trial" my faith & love for him are sharpened & strengthened! Doesn't get any better than that!
I think Brown's book is one that can give me some new perspective to get me out of the swamp that I so often jump into. Whether I can stay out remains to be seen. Brown says the "swamp bottom is often the beginning of renewal". Can it be that I'm at the bottom?
Monday, June 14, 2010
A Privilege to Know
It's a privilege to know Him. One that can't be taken lightly. An honor like no other. Much is expected but not always delivered. It's work. It's worth it!
Without Him I would not have this inexplicable joy that I can draw upon under any circumstance or any moment during my days on this earth! Without Him I wouldn't have an inner peace that He so freely gives. Without Him I wouldn't have direction, purpose, feel unconditionally loved. A love NO ONE can take away. A love that tells me I'm "okay" regardless of what anyone says or does. A love like no other that can be experienced with any human being! To this day God's gift of His Son amazes me! Giving of His Son allows us to have a relationship with Him! We also have the Bible which truly is an instruction book for our lives. It's a true privilege to accept & know Him. To refuse Him would be foolish. Without Him my life would be meaningless, empty, spiritually void.
Ephesians 3:20 says, "Now to him that is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever & ever! Amen!" I choose to look to Him for guidance in my life. I choose to let his power work within me day in and day out. I thank Him for His unconditional love & grace! I praise His Holy Name!
Without Him I would not have this inexplicable joy that I can draw upon under any circumstance or any moment during my days on this earth! Without Him I wouldn't have an inner peace that He so freely gives. Without Him I wouldn't have direction, purpose, feel unconditionally loved. A love NO ONE can take away. A love that tells me I'm "okay" regardless of what anyone says or does. A love like no other that can be experienced with any human being! To this day God's gift of His Son amazes me! Giving of His Son allows us to have a relationship with Him! We also have the Bible which truly is an instruction book for our lives. It's a true privilege to accept & know Him. To refuse Him would be foolish. Without Him my life would be meaningless, empty, spiritually void.
Ephesians 3:20 says, "Now to him that is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever & ever! Amen!" I choose to look to Him for guidance in my life. I choose to let his power work within me day in and day out. I thank Him for His unconditional love & grace! I praise His Holy Name!
Seguin Summer 2010 Hilton Vacation
Great mini Hilton family vacation! Blessed to have a family who desires to make the sacrifice of time, energy & finance to get everyone together. It's work to figure out a date that works for everyone's schedule! I admire the perseverence it took make this "time away" happen! It was a short weekend but the most important point was that we were together! We played Chicken Foot, Apples to Apples, watched the movie Tron, played basketball, tennis, took walks to the flooded river, tossed the volleyball, took pictures of wildlife (raccoon & turtle), swam and ate. What more could you ask for? A time for reconnecting. A time for relationship building. A time to share laughs. Share in community. Build memories that we can talk about in the future. Who would forget the sad little raccoon that we all photographed? The mud we all walked through from the recent Guadalupe River flood? The boys tipping over a boat in the river? The beautiful spring & Koi pond? How we giggled about getting lost going to Christina's Mexican Restaurant? The amazing jumps the teens did off the diving board? Gramps giving fly fishing instructions to the boys? My first jog with my daughter while on vacation? Thanks Hilton family. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy lives to make family time!
Friday, June 11, 2010
Loss
We were so fascinated by him that we neglected to issue the appropriate family greetings because we didn"t want to miss the photo opportunity. The chance to take pictures of one of God's small creatures. A creature who looked hungry, tired, scared, alarmed, sad..."It" seemed to look at us for answers. How I wish we could have given him some! He allowed us to get so close. I wish I could have picked him up! Held him & reassure him that things were going to be okay. But were they? It turned out that of one of his family members was dead on the ground by the side of the house. This little guy was trying to make sense of it all. What to do. Why had life treated him this way? Where to go, what to do. Would he himself be able to survive on his own? We have no idea how old he is. We threw him some bread. He didn't eat it. Took some more pictures. We watched as this small malnourished racccoon tried to catch insects. I guess he was making the best of the cards that had been dealt to him. Perhaps misplaced by the recent flooding of the Guadalupe river. " Later we did see 3 traps in the back of the house. Not what I wanted to see. Luckily they weren't set! We left the raccoon alone from then on. Only saw him one more during our stay.. Didn't ever see any damage that raccoons had done at this historic home. Sorry for your loss little guy. Nature happens.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
A new day. A new blog beginning!
Why did I start a blog? First question from my teenagers was, "Who do you think will want to read your blog?" They were laughing at my idea! Shame on them! Extra special thanks to one of my FB friends who responded, "I would read your blog!" to my status update, "I think I ought to start a blog..."
B lessed
L ife
O offers
G race
To me part of a Blessed Life is to work on a growing intimacy with the One that brought us here! As we grow closer to God, we are able to grow closer to others. To the best of our ability I believe we're called to accept others and share God's love & light with them. A BLOG to me is just another avenue to share God's love with others. To break down more of those self erected walls & open up and share our quite imperfect lives with others. The BIG theme in my life this year has been to build community. Build it both in my home & church families. Work on understanding why people put up walls. Why people don't want to spend time w/ others to build relationships. Relationships take sacrifice, time & energy. There are so many incredible examples of relationship building in the Bible. I think one of the most powerful examples we have is the relationship of God to Jesus & Jesus to God! How much time did Jesus spend with God? How well did they know one another? How well do we think we know God? What does it take to REALLY know someone? Can you really know someone & say you have a relationship with them if you only see them on Sunday? How about if you only see them once or twice a year? Can you really know someone if you only communicate with them via phone or e-mail? These are questions that I have been pondering for quite some time. During the next 2 weeks I will be researching and exploring the answers. Answers that I hope & pray will help me strengthen relationships in my own life.
Peace.
Why did I start a blog? First question from my teenagers was, "Who do you think will want to read your blog?" They were laughing at my idea! Shame on them! Extra special thanks to one of my FB friends who responded, "I would read your blog!" to my status update, "I think I ought to start a blog..."
B lessed
L ife
O offers
G race
To me part of a Blessed Life is to work on a growing intimacy with the One that brought us here! As we grow closer to God, we are able to grow closer to others. To the best of our ability I believe we're called to accept others and share God's love & light with them. A BLOG to me is just another avenue to share God's love with others. To break down more of those self erected walls & open up and share our quite imperfect lives with others. The BIG theme in my life this year has been to build community. Build it both in my home & church families. Work on understanding why people put up walls. Why people don't want to spend time w/ others to build relationships. Relationships take sacrifice, time & energy. There are so many incredible examples of relationship building in the Bible. I think one of the most powerful examples we have is the relationship of God to Jesus & Jesus to God! How much time did Jesus spend with God? How well did they know one another? How well do we think we know God? What does it take to REALLY know someone? Can you really know someone & say you have a relationship with them if you only see them on Sunday? How about if you only see them once or twice a year? Can you really know someone if you only communicate with them via phone or e-mail? These are questions that I have been pondering for quite some time. During the next 2 weeks I will be researching and exploring the answers. Answers that I hope & pray will help me strengthen relationships in my own life.
Peace.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)