Have you ever been around someone who makes you feel like you matter? Really that, you matter to them and frankly that YOU matter in general. And it is not dependent on what time of day or night, or weekend, or if they are with other friends, or they find you by yourself, or even if they don’t see you for a while. But when you reconnect, the way they treat you is with respect, kindness, gentleness, graciousness, and sheer unbridled happiness that they get the chance to see you again. Now, you might be thinking that I’m talking about […]
Friendship
The Value of Your Name
I’ll be speaking to a ladies’ Bible study group in a few weeks, and, in thinking about what my topic would be, I decided to speak on a topic that has been rolling around in my head for a while now, and it is the value of your name and reputation. I liked that topic so much that it is my theme for today. I want to talk about the value of your name and reputation. When people hear your name, what do they think? What comes to mind when someone says your name? Now, for some of you, don’t […]
Everyone has an invisible sign
Everyone has an invisible sign hanging from their neck saying, ‘Make me feel important.’ Never forget this message when working with people. ~ Mary Kay Ash There is an age-old phenomenon that is back in full force today, partly due to social media and partly due to our busyness when it comes to actually seeing those we say we care about. I hate to admit it, but I am guilty of what John Steinbeck said, “I wonder how many people I have looked at all my life and never seen.” It is not on purpose that I have seemingly overlooked […]
The Most Dangerous Place
I have come to believe that the most dangerous place on the road is the intersection. And I think that is because at that place, within seconds, someone has to make a decision. And isn’t that just like life? You come to the intersection, and then you have to choose which way to go, how fast, and still (out of the corner of your eye) be aware of those around you. I do prefer an intersection to a roundabout. In other countries (where they don’t drive in between the lines), the round-about can force you to go round and around […]
Sometimes your only available transportation
I have had a lot of different experiences in my life and have taken chances that, on the outside, might not have seemed so smart. Okay, they probably weren’t so smart on the inside either, but who knew? I jumped in anyway because I have this theory about life—you’ve got to go and do what you want to do in case the world changes and those one-time opportunities disappear. I fundamentally believe that we are not meant to live a boring life. This world is too big, too amazing, too discoverable for me (or you) to sit at home and […]
Carpe Diem, My Friend
Carpe Diem. Seize the day… Make your lives extraordinary. Dead Poets Society It’s the fourth week on my topic, and I am just as excited and motivated by my themes of Commitment, Excellence, and Action as when I first introduced you to it a few weeks ago. When I started to write about these three themes that I know you hear about often, they just kept unveiling themselves as a much deeper theme than a one-and-done. Commitment, Excellence, and Action seem so simple, yet so hard to master if you don’t lay the groundwork to get it right the first […]
Don’t wait for extraordinary opportunities…
Don’t wait for extraordinary opportunities. Seize common occasions and make them great. A few weeks ago, my show was about if you can’t do great things, do small things in a great way, and, although I thought I was done with that thought, in my mind and in my quiet time, I kept coming back to the BIG idea that anyone can take the steps in the right direction to do what they are called to do. What may seem impossible to others is not impossible for you. If you will, just put forth the effort to make it happen. […]
Suspend Your Disbelief
I love poetry, and recently, I re-read the simple and yet profound poem by William Wordsworth ~ With an eye made quiet by the power of harmony and the deep power of joy, we see into the life of things. Do you see into the life of things? Or do you allow your mind to stop any exploration into things you know little to nothing about? The reason I ask is that I am curious to know if you are stuck in the pluff mud of life or if you are open to simply suspend your disbelief about the way […]
Give it a try whispered the heart
It’s impossible, said Pride. It’s risky said experience. It’s pointless, said reason. Give it a try, whispered the heart. Give it a try, whispered the heart. I love the heart – the one muscle that you must use to keep strong when everything seems to be falling apart. At the center of your body is the heart that beats and keeps the whole body in motion. Call me crazy, but I believe your body hears everything you say about it. That’s why it is so important to learn to love yourself and be comfortable with who you are and how […]
