Celebrate Your Gifts

2011-12-29T21:32:00.001-05:00

This says it all as 2011 winds down and I prepare for a New Year full of adventure, trials and overcoming!

Changes.....

2011-10-16T22:01:00.000-04:00

A month ago I dropped one of my sons off to live and work with his Dad for the year. This marked a beginning and an end! Two days prior I had dropped his twin brother off at the airport for his year long adventure in a different province. It was official, my incredible children have all left home (for how long...time will tell).

What a feeling....after twenty five years of raising children I was alone. A weekend away with a few of my children to attend my nephew's wedding was next on the agenda. We traveled together and spent the weekend with extended family. The wedding was beautiful as we witnessed two people who genuinely loved and respected one another commit to a lifetime of serving one another.

I found myself very reflective this weekend as I looked at my extended family, my mother aging with Alzheimers, my father just learning that is last sibling was near death, my brother and his wife in the process of adding a young girl to their family and my children all experiencing milestones in the past 90 days. WOW! So very much to be thankful for and yet so reminders of how temporary this life is. We spend so much time planning events like weddings, post-secondary education and career moves, in search of what?

Choosing to fully engage in the moments I became very aware of how each memory adds to the richness of the experience called life!

So...as a chapter was ending, I shed a few tears and then realized each ending is a new beginning. Just like the bride and groom that have given up their single lives to start a new family unit, I was starting a new adventure.

At the age of 49, with God's help we have raised 5 incredible children that all know who they are. I remembered the conscious decision at 26 to put my children first and now am very thankful for that decision. This stage.....empty nested, I have been set free to pursue what God had in store for me next.

The realization that I've been given gifts that involve people, technology and a love for business led to the start up of Touch Marketing. I am declaring my fiftieth year of life to be one of complete surrender to my faith journey and continue to develop the fruit of the spirit. Discipline...here I come.

My goal this year - Fit at Fifty! Both physically and financially. I am excited to pursue all that God has in store for me as a Grandmother, Business Partner and Woman.
This week's reading - GREATEST SALESMAN IN THE WORLD by OG MANDINO. Time to put into practice The 10 scrolls mentioned in this book.

Really, it's been almost a year since I shared...

2011-08-01T17:36:00.004-04:00

What a difference a day makes! That is the understatement of the year for me personally. This has been by far, the busiest year of my life. Being a single Mom, you can imagine the scheduling involved with a large family and a business start up. I have been blessed beyond measure both personally and professionally and think about this blog often; usually when I'm driving and/or stuck in traffic. (Hence the pending move)

We took time out in December 2009 to take a family vacation to Florida and I'm very thankful we did! 2011 brought four of the five kids graduations (2 from university and 2 from high school). That meant...yes....I pause...done the High School phase of our lives! We not only survived the kids are achieved great accomplishments and I couldn't be prouder.

At the High School grad I reflected on the fact that their schedules were now their own! With God's help we made it. There was no hesitation or slowing down however, because 5 days before the graduation we had our next generation join the family. Yes, I got to add Grandmother to my list of relationships! How truly amazing to watch your child bond with their baby. A moment I'll never forget.

Now we are preparing for the next wedding in the family. My second daughter is about to be wed in a few days and I find myself very contemplative about the speed at which life changes. Our family adapts so quickly to welcoming new people into the fold.

This month marks a whole new era for this family. As we gather for the wedding and a few other special occasions (Happy Birthday to my ex - 50! woot), we also prepare to move as we are starting new chapters of our lives. My family is spreading out, the new grandson 17 hours away with his parents, newest couple 2 hours away, my baby girl heading to her own place in Toronto to pursue her passion in cooking school, and my sons, one off to B.C. for a year long leadership course and the other...well maybe, just maybe he'll be moving with me to the big city of Toronto.

Change is.....opportunity. I for one am going to take this opportunity to communicate via my blog a weekly message to all these wonderful young adults because we've been so protected as a family and have so very much to be thankful for that I look forward to seeing them all 'pay it forward' in their own lives. Oh...and that means that special extended child of mine too! (He just became a Dad 2 days ago and I got to hold his precious son today!)

As sojourners on this planet I believe we are called to bring out the best in each other and my devotional reading today rang so very true to my heart:

Bring Out the Best in Others by Bob Gass

Over and over in Scripture God says things like, ‘Be strong and of good courage, do not…be afraid…for the Lord…goes with you’ (Deuteronomy 31:6 NKJV). Why? To bring out the best in us! The history books are full of stories of gifted people whose talents were overlooked until someone believed in them. Einstein was four years old before he could speak. Isaac Newton did poorly in primary school. A newspaper editor fired Walt Disney because he had ‘no good ideas’. Tolstoy dropped out of college. There’s a lesson here: people develop at different rates. To motivate them you must always be on the outlook for hidden capacities. Your words create an environment in which people not only discover their gifts, but also develop and excel in them. John Erskine, Professor of English at Colombia University, was an educator, concert pianist, author of 60 books, president of the Juilliard School of Music, and a popular and witty lecturer. Writing about that remarkable career, his wife, Helen, attributed it to his ‘defiant optimism’. ‘He was a good teacher,’ she said, ‘because of his own excitement for learning and his trust in the future.’ He would say to her, ‘Let’s tell our young people that the best books are yet to be written; the best paintings have not yet been painted; the best governments are yet to be formed; the best is yet to be done by them.’ Within every human being there is a God-given drive to achieve something. If you tap into that drive and demonstrate that you believe in their future, they’ll do almost anything to live up to your expectations.

Trusting the Father - In Touch Ministries - Dr. Charles Stanley 2010

2011-02-27T19:19:00.000-05:00

Trusting the Father - In Touch Ministries - Dr. Charles Stanley 2010

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This Week on TV

2010-11-30T07:04:00.000-05:00

Scott Peck writes, 'It's only because of problems that we grow mentally and spiritually. It's through the pain of confronting them that we learn.' No matter how bad things seem, every situation holds something positive-look for it."

This Week on TV

Waiting on God

2010-08-16T06:13:00.003-04:00

A summer without kids at home full time...

It's hard to believe the summer is nearing end. I started with such great plans...as always! I am amazed yet again at how easily it is to become derailed from fulfilling our God given purpose. I was very excited (once I got over the mini-melt down of having no kids at home this summer) at the opportunity to spend some long over due quiet time with my maker. I had two main goals, to organize my home and my businesses. Yes I own more than one business.

I know my strengths and weaknesses and still I fell into the many distractions set for me. What an amazing journey. I set time aside to attend Kingdom Bound 2010 as well as Joyce Meyer's Toronto Conference and went with an open mind searching for some answers. I landed flat on my face the first day of Kingdom Bound (literally...broke a small bone in my nose and hand - but they are healing now). My fall got my attention. At the end of the week of a lot of great worship and messages I came to the realization that it is in the fire that God does the purifying.

Still trying to apply this message I listened to Joyce Meyer's messages all last week and realized how much I'd been beating myself up. Next enter Charles Stanley and his teaching on The Truth that Sets us Free and I was reminded all over again about choices. So I chose to listen to a couple CDs that I had purchased after hearing Sheila Wray Gregoire speak. I went to bed feeling much better after all those messages over a two week period. I realized I was just focusing too much attention on the things of this world which I never desired to succeed at any way. What a relief!

I am very thankful for my local Bible teaching church (Calvary Pentecostal Assembly) and when I attended yesterday's service our youth Pastor Jamie Nelson shared a great message about the sick man by the water and Jesus asking him did he want to get well? Are we living through a position of hurt or hope? What a great question. As I was coming out of the long....very long tyranny of not enough time with God and far too much time with Kathy I realized I wasn't focused on where my hope came from. Getting an eternal perspective changes everything.

My favourite devotional The Vine reminded me yesterday that I had to choose to get serious about following God and today that means I need to play to my strengths. I read three devotional emails a day, The Vine, K-Love's encouragement of the day and 300 Words a day-thanks Chris Brogan. Each of these help me to keep it simple (as long as I choose to read and apply).

Some times it really is as simple as pausing to hear the messages daily and taking it one day at a time! I woke up at 4 am and had to come listen to this video:

I pray that you know where your strength comes from, that you were born for a purpose and that you are able to sort through the many distractions of this life and know that your days have eternal value.

Julie/Julia

2010-06-27T15:47:00.000-04:00

Funny...how busy life is. I saw this title in my drafts and realize how appropriate that I found this today. I watched this movie with my wonderful daughter on Jan 24, 2010. Need I say more about being too busy!

Busy is not a badge I wear proudly; in fact I'd much rather be fruitful than busy. My amazing daughter (that loves to cook, as I did) has now graduated High School and tomorrow starts off on her new adventure. A new city, a job in a restaurant to investigate further whether cooking or restaurant management will be her career choice.

This plan has been in the works for a while and it hit me like a ton of bricks last weekend. The fact that this era of our lives is over. I've had two other daughter's graduate high school and pursue their choices so why is this so different? This daughter is my baby girl...really is that it?

Her twin brother's are a grade behind....mhmmm I think we are getting closer to the truth. It is amazing how we focus on our futures, our plans, hopes and ambitions and then one day wake up and realize the future is NOW! I've had the philosophy that my privilege as a mother is to raise each unique child towards their strengths. It's been my goal to take them from dependent infants to 18 year old's that know who they are and are ready to stand on their own.

The letting go is just as important as the initial bonding of the child. The knowledge that we've imparted life's important messages and grounded them in faith. Then setting them free to explore, fall down, get back up and begin their own journey.

She's off tomorrow...I'll adjust the groceries, visit her room from time to time and be very thankful for technology and instant communication and pray that as she embarks on writing the next chapter of her life; I'll remain the constant cheerleader!

I'll remember how friendly this daughter was as a little girl. She excelled at swimming! She is poetry in motion in a the water. This beautiful, independent, creative, fun, spontaneous, insightful girl made friends wherever she went. She took over my kitchen almost two years ago and helped this family out with meals and driving. Thanks Baby Doll!

As I write this I'm listening to one of my favourite speakers; aptly Charles Stanley's message this week is called "Holding Too Tightly". Thank you God for the reminder; another one set free with love, prayer and blessing.

Couldn't say this any better:

2010-04-29T08:57:00.003-04:00

Tamara Lowe's AMAZING JESUS RAP

No one but NO ONE was put here to take up space! Make a difference today; reach out and do a random act of kindness and ask yourself how you feel after. It is in serving others that we are fulfilled.

Learn From Experience - The Word For Today Daily Devotional

2010-04-28T09:53:00.000-04:00

The Word for Today with Bob Gass
Wednesday, 28th April 2010

The Lord gives wisdom
Proverbs 2:6 NKJV

Contrary to what you may have heard, experience is not the best teacher - evaluated experience is the best teacher! Everybody has some kind of experience; it's what you do with your experience that matters. We all begin our lives as empty notebooks. Every day we've an opportunity to record new experiences. With each page we gain more understanding. Ideally, as we progress our notebook becomes filled with observations. But not all of us make the best use of our notebooks. Some of us leave the notebook closed; we rarely jot down anything at all. Others fill their pages but never take time to read them, reflect on them and gain greater wisdom. But a few of us not only make a record of what we experience, we linger over it and reflect on it. Reflection turns into insight, so that we not only live the experience, but learn from it. We all know people with lots of knowledge, but little understanding. They have the means, but they don't know the meaning of anything. What's the problem? Their life experience is void of reflection and evaluation. When 25 years go by they don't gain 25 years experience, they gain one year of experience 25 times! To win in life you must turn your experience into wisdom. So, slow down. Wisdom is gleaned over time, not overnight. Then, drill down. The treasure is there, but you have to dig for it. Finally, get down. Yes, get down on your knees and talk to God, because '… the Lord gives wisdom… ' (Proverbs 2:6 NKJV).

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Learn From Experience (2) - The Word For Today Daily Devotional

Wait on the Lord - Bible Study - In Touch Ministries - Dr. Charles Stanley 2010

2010-04-25T10:08:00.003-04:00

Wait on the Lord - Bible Study - In Touch Ministries - Dr. Charles Stanley 2010

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Let Go and Let God - In Touch Ministries - Dr. Charles Stanley 2010

2010-04-25T10:08:00.001-04:00

Let Go and Let God - In Touch Ministries - Dr. Charles Stanley 2010

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What are we doing with our lives?

2010-01-31T17:41:00.004-05:00

Our belief systems are evident in our lifestyles. It has been an incredible week or two of self-discovery and thankfulness. I've heard the saying before concerning our purpose being hidden in what makes us sing and what makes us cry. Our Pastor this morning spoke about naturalism vs Biblical theism and challenged us with our authenticity. It was an incredible service that concluded a week of ups and downs.

This roller coaster of a life we often live is exhausting. I've had to stop on several occasions and get off the roller coaster, step back and look at what was in the valleys and what were the mountain top experiences. I crave stability! I am not guaranteed that; however, I am assured of faithfulness of my God so that I am not alone on this ride.

Unfortunately we seem to learn best in the valleys when we realize we just can't do it all or we are so hurt we can even see straight. It is when I get to the end of myself, flat on my back, looking up that I see once again who is in control. We have been set free to fly solo and yet forget that in order to fly we need the wind; those currents that cause us to build our strength as we counter them to reach our goals. My belief in intelligent design ensures that I understand that I have a role to play.

What am I doing with this life I've been given? What do I think about most; myself or serving others? Ouch!

I've had a person remind me of my shortcomings and while that hurt; it was my choice as to whether or not I chose to be offended. (Thanks Joyce Meyer for your messages this week!) I've had an acquaintance randomly give me money; I graciously received this gift with thankfulness. I've heard of that happening to others and it is quite overwhelming to just accept a free gift that is undeserved. Yet....that is what God has done for me; the free gift of salvation.

I accepted it, I believe it, but do I live it? I think the churches are full of great believers but are we great followers? Do we allow fear or faith to be the basis of our decisions?

It is time we Christians stood up for our beliefs so that others can see that we are channels of love to a hurting world. We are here for a purpose! Our lives need to be reflective of our choice to live for God. This life is a gift and what we do with it is our gift back to our creator!

Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today.

2010-01-24T17:05:00.003-05:00

We are given the gift of imagination. Each new day is a gift as well. I am thankful for new mercy and a chance to start over each day. I love overcoming stories and inspirational movies. They just resonate with that spirit of possibility that lies within each of us. I think about movies like "Pay it forward" and the many times I've been called a purist. Why can't we truly live the way we all would like to?

I wrote that paragraph back in February and here it is April 25, 2010 and I am reflecting on the past several months and the roller-coaster ride I embarked upon. Dreams are the inspiration and goals the perspiration! My tendency is to lean towards sweat equity. I am not down playing hard work but pure hard work is not enough. I've entered the "Kathy zone" of working too many hours; thinking that it is necessary to achieve my goals.

The goals became simple with starting a new business; food, shelter....What do you do when you run out of money pursuing what you believe is the right thing to do? God's favour is incredible; he opens doors and closes other. This journey has been about submission for me. I know God is my source, my strength, my all in all and YET....I work like it depends on me. How foolish! I found myself approaching Easter; exhausted and concerned about feeding my family.

I reached out to His Word, listening to Charles Stanely's messages over and over again, Joyce Meyer daily. Over the Easter weekend I was reminded that I was depending on my efforts again and had lost my peace because I didn't understand why things weren't coming together as I expected. Taking a step back, resting (big key) and by getting on my knees (Fighting Your Battles On Your Knees by Charles Stanley)

While I was focusing on ME :-( and how things were working in my life, I was reminded thanks to Joyce Meyer, that we need to get ourselves of our minds and ask God who we can serve today. I looked around and found several close people in my life dealing with cancer.

It is difficult to go through financial stress but putting things into perspective; we hadn't missed a meal, we still have a roof over our heads and our health. God as always is faithful to provide, we've had to adjust to a changes in lifestyle while He develops the character necessary to handle what He has in store for us.

I have found my peace at the foot of the cross and surrendering what I'm not meant to carry once again. I am trusting more, working less and doing everything with prayer and petition as I serve the ones around me that are struggling with health challenges! Thank you Lord for your mercy, grace and faithfulness!

It's no wonder one of my favourite Bible verses is; Isaiah 41:29-31 "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Trust and obey for there is no other way....

Make today count - it may be your last and what will you be remembered for?

Embracing Uncertainty

2010-01-17T18:43:00.003-05:00

As my earlier posts have indicated I've been involved with computers for as long as I can remember. In fact I was studying Computer Programming while they invented and released the Personal Computer. Yes, there were computers before PCs! Since leaving my full time job in December I seem to have been challenged technology wise.

At 1:30 am this past Wednesday I had to stop, and look around. I had 4 open PCs in my living room, my main desktop not booting and my laptop in the shop because it wasn't booting. Sometimes you just have to stop and evaluate. I am of the opinion that in life we need to utilize our strengths and hire out our weaknesses.

I do understand what I was doing.....but was it the best use of my time! Time is the equalizer in life. We all have gifts and strengths but what we do with our time determines our destinies. I also believe that God is not the author of frustration and I was nearing that point! I sent my wonderful friend home that was helping me and decided it took more faith to go to sleep and know that Thursday was a new day then to stay up and try to fix things.

Trusting God's timing and leading is one of the most difficult parts of my journey. I am a doer! I tend to charge ahead; with a little nudge I'm off and running. As time is flying by, I am much more aware that I have to make the most of every day. Especially now that I'm self-employed!

I trudged through Thursday (an online meeting without a mic-thank God for chat windows!) I made a list of what I could/should do and who I should enlist to reach my goals this week. Taking the time to step back and prioritize my goals every day is helping me become more efficient.

A can of condensed air saved my main desktop and thanks to Andrew it is now hardwired and much faster. My incredible friend Sabrina (willing to loose sleep to help me) saved the day with the four other computers and assisted me with getting the hard drives all backed up and know I'm ready to move forward with three - one for each teenager. A brand new printer installed; thanks Sharon and although the shop called on Friday and the laptop won't be ready until Monday I see progress.

It's easy to get discouraged, to question yourself but you have to know that you know that you are on the right track; sometimes it is a leap of faith. Faith is "the substance of things unseen" so taking my eyes off what is in front of me and getting my eyes onto my goals and dreams give me perspective. I heard a stat this week that 85% of life is affected by association. It made me step back and think about who I am spending time with.

Having mentors and the incredible people I've been blessed to work with in my life is a continual source of encouragement. Having a local church (Calvary Pentecostal Church) with solid teaching that each week either inspires or challenges me to make mid-course corrections. Subscribing to an ongoing personal and professional development program that allows me to choose to put in a CD by a successful business owner that has persevered. I receive tweets from business leaders that are landing in Peter Island and sharing the photos to inspire our dreams!

Choosing to spend quiet time with God is by far the most important part of my life. My beliefs are based on the fact that He is a loving God that wants the personal relationship with us that His son died to make possible. He is available 24/7, he has a plan...and it is the best one! Choosing to spend this afternoon refocusing on that relationship confirmed as always that I'm on the right track! He speaks, but I'm not always listening. So today I did! My kids went to visit their grandfather and I shut off the electronics and opened the Bible; did a spiritual inventory and in my prayer time was reminded of Andy Stanley's book Visioneering. In this book Andy talks about Nehemiah's story about fulfilling his purpose.

This is how God works in my life....since quitting work in December, all sorts of opportunities have come my way. When I give God the time; he gives me signposts along the way to confirm my path. It really is a simple child like existence when we know who is in control. So...I finish up my prayer time feeling confident I'm on the right track, I sit down in front of my computer to check on my many social communities and login to YouTube to listen to my favorite tunes and guess what the top suggested video for my today was......you got it Andy Stanley with a message on One Prayer. The message was on what I had just read and once again confirms how much God cares about the intimate details of our lives and if we are willing to give Him the time and devotion; He'll lead!

Wishing each and everyone of you a fantastic week and if you are struggling with any of the above items; here is a great message for you on Margins by LifeChurchTV. Keep going and growing! I may not know what tomorrow holds but I know who is in control and that is all I need to know.

What Mistakes are You Making?

2010-01-06T09:07:00.002-05:00

My favourite email devotional is The Vine. I have been receiving this for many, many years and find the messages very timely. Enjoy yesterday's message and feel free to subscribe yourself. You'll be blessed.

What Mistakes Are You Making? (3)

The Word for Today with Bob Gass

Tuesday, 5th January 2010

A sign in a high-pressure sales office brings a smile: 'Do you like to travel? Do you want to meet new friends? Do you want to free up your future? All this can be yours if you make one more mistake.' Fear of making mistakes keeps us from reaching our highest potential, from seeking honest counsel and feedback, and from speaking out lest we become criticised or abandoned.

To be successful you must give the people around you permission to push back. When you don't get input it can be disastrous. In It's Your Ship, Michael Abrashoff writes: 'The moment I heard about it [the tragic sinking of a Japanese fishing boat off Honolulu by the submarine USS Greenville], I was reminded that, as is often the case with accidents, someone senses possible danger but doesn't actually speak up. As the Greenville investigation unfolded, I read in a New York Times article that the submarine's crew 'respected the Commanding Officer too much to question his judgement.' If that's respect, then I want none of it. You need to have people that can tap you on your shoulder and say, 'Is this the best way?' or 'Slow down,' or 'Think about this,' or 'Is what we are doing worth killing or injuring somebody?'

History records countless incidents in which ship captains or organisation managers permitted a climate of intimidation to pervade the workplace, silencing subordinates whose warnings could have prevented disaster. Even when the reluctance to speak up stems from admiration for the Commanding Officer's skill and experience, a climate to question decisions must be created in order to foster double-checking.'

There are related posts at http://www.thevine.co.nz

The Power of One

2010-01-04T09:36:00.003-05:00

Have you noticed that whenever God has a work to be done on earth, he so often chooses an individual to get his work started and achieved? Think of Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, Mary, Peter, Paul, etc. The good news is that God, today, still chooses and uses individuals to accomplish his work on earth.

Furthermore, throughout history, one person has had made an incredible impact with his or her life. As the anonymous poet said:

One song can spark a moment,
One flower can wake the dream.
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald spring.
One smile begins a friendship,
One handclasp lifts a soul.
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal.
One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam can light a room.
One candle can wipe out darkness,
One laugh will conquer gloom.
One step must start each journey,
One word must start each prayer.
One hope will raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.
One voice can speak with wisdom,
One heart can know what's true.
One life can make the difference,
You see, it's up to you and me.

To get God's work done on earth "if it's going to be, it will be up to YOU and ME!"

As Edward Everett Hale so eloquently said, "I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do."

Let's never forget how very important you and I are to God in our world.

Again, most of God's work on earth has been started by one person. Will you be the one God is looking for today to do his work in your world?

And as Dale Carnegie said, "Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no help at all."

This post is from People Power Update 04-2009 please click on the link to read the entire article.

New Years.....endings and beginnings

2010-01-02T12:21:00.002-05:00

This past Christmas wraps up a whole year of realization! It was last December when I felt that there was no better time to be building my business. I was on a great reward trip with my daughter; while my sister was having Cancer surgery and listening to the biggest leaders in the network marketing industry share their vision.

Their a moments that make you stand still and reassess your priorities. After that trip the kids and I went to Thunder Bay to visit my eldest daughter and her husband for Christmas. It was a time to put down the electronics and enjoy my family. Coming out of a difficult season of my life and realizing we had not only survived but grown in many ways. I felt blessed but also a little lost. What was my motivation now....surviving the many changes divorce brought was accomplished.

It's taken a whole year to put my plan into action; removing myself from a full-time job where I really enjoyed the work, the team and the clients to be able to focus on my true passion; Leadership Development. Their is a God given vision inside each of us and I know I'll never be fully content unless I do what I've been called to do. With much anguish I began the journey of letting go of the stability of a regular pay cheque to do what I love the most.

I fear far too many people die with their dreams still inside them. I refuse that path and have chosen the path less traveled. I am thankful that my children not only understand but are encouraging me to pursue my passion; even if it means KD for supper! I am one blessed Mom and business owner that is very excited to be starting 2010 on the right path for me! I wish each of you the courage to become all you are meant to be. Here is a great poem that says it well.

Dies slowly by Pablo Neruda

Dies slowly he who transforms himself in slave of habit,
repeating every day the same itineraries,
who does not change brand,
does not risk to wear a new color and doesn't talk to whom doesn't know.

Dies slowly he who makes of television his guru.
Dies slowly he who avoids a passion,
who prefers black to white
and the dots on the "i" to a whirlpool of emotions,
just those ones that recover the gleam from the eyes,
smiles from the yawns,
hearts from the stumbling and feelings.

Dies slowly he who does not overthrow the table when is unhappy at work,
who does not risk the certain for the uncertain
to go toward that dream that is keeping him awake.
Who does not allow, at least one time in life, to flee from sensate advises.
Dies slowly he who does not travel, does not read,
does not listen to music, who does not find grace in himself.

Dies slowly he who destroys his self love,
who does not accept somebody's help.
Dies slowly he who passes his days complaining of
his bad luck or the incessant rain.
Dies slowly he who abandons a project before starting it,
who does not ask over a subject that does not know
or who does not answer when being asked about something he knows.

Dies slowly he who does not share his emotions, joys and sadness,
who does not trust, who does not even try.
Dies slowly he who does not relive his memories
and continues getting emotional as if living them at that moment.
Dies slowly he who does not intent excelling,
who does not learn from the stones of the road of life,
who does not love and let somebody love.

Let's avoid death in soft quotes,
remembering always that to be alive demands an effort much bigger
that the simple fact of breathing.

A week later....

2009-12-20T00:03:00.004-05:00

It's been a week since I took my last pay cheque to the bank to deposit. In my first week of self-employment I registered my business name - Touch Marketing. I worked with a designer on the logo to represent my venture; Gift & Incentives, Social Marketing Training and then added Previsite to the mix. I've put my goals before me and am GOING for it!

It's incredible to know that you are taking a leap of faith to pursue something you feel compelled to do. The defining moments of realizing who you are, your strengths and weaknesses and then to take the time to contemplate what truly burns deep within yourself. What makes your heart sing and moves you to tears?

I've always been one to watch the overcoming type movies. I love Rudy, Pursuit of Happyness, Field of Dreams, Braveheart even 300 in its brutality is about standing against all odds for what you believe in. One of my favourite quotes is: "Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." by Theodore Roosevelt

I've listened to amazing leaders like Jody Victor for over 10 years now! With 6000+ hours of personal and professional development (just ask my kids about CDs, books, seminars & Joyce Meyer!) I have boiled it all down to a few simple things....We all have gifts, we choose what to do with our time on a daily basis, which dictates our destiny.

Michael Jordan says it very well in this video:

I have the utmost respect for anyone that chooses to focus their attention on a worthwhile goal and through sweat and tears achieves their dream! How can we look at those that have made a difference in so many peoples lives and not desire to do the same? Desire is not enough; neither is good intentions. The rubber meets the road when you acknowledge that you won't be content until you become what your God given vision is.

A week later.....I've become so very time conscious and aspire to do the next right thing each hour of each day and sometimes that is to rest and trust Him with the details for Rome wasn't built in a day!

This Diamond Lady says goodnight and I wish you all the success you are wiling to work for!

Preparing to Pursue The Dream again....

2009-12-08T00:04:00.006-05:00

As I prepare to go back to self-employment, I am thankful, excited and want to give God all the praise. So much happens in the course of a week in my life that I am always amazed at the dates on the calendar.

My sons turned 16 last month - yes I am blessed with twin boys after having three daughters. They really are double the joy. Watching how they interact brings a smile to my face most days. They have never known a life without a playmate. As one walks into the room and says "Ping Pong" the other jumps up and off they go.

For each of my children I've attempted to do something extra special for their 16th birthday as it seems like a real transition time in their lives. I had been thinking about these two turning 16 all year and last spring decided that I'd like to get them tickets to see their favorite hockey teams play against each other. For one, they've never been to see a professional hockey game (I know, how does that happen in Canada?). Secondly, I found out that Calgary and Toronto play against each other once a year in each city.

Therefore, I decided last spring already that this was to be their gift. I shared this goal with several people including the guys from work. In August a co-worker (thanks Rob-true Leafs fan!) let me know the schedule was coming out that day. I came home from work, checked and lo and behold as my finger travelled down the computer screen looking for the match up....Calgary came to Toronto on their 16th birthday! Yes God is that Great - on their actual birthday.

How would I ever contain myself. I did a little dance and shout in my kitchen and sent my son-in-law a text - I knew he'd celebrate with me; being a hockey fan himself. I had to find tickets and keep it a secret until the big day! With the help of my daughters we pulled it off....except my business conference was the same weekend.

I don't miss those conferences as they have been life lines for me. So much more than a business conference. I am blessed with a team of people to lead and take that responsibililty very serious. My children understand that and we celebrate birthday's when it is convenient for all of us. My daughter (and her boyfriend) to the rescue. They would do the driving.

As I sat at my conference I was reminded of how dreams do come true and was thinking about the boys preparing for their game. I was reflecting on that as Wes Beavis came on stage, or should I say jumped on a table and began signing "Celebration". I've never seen a speaker with an entrance like his. He shared a great message about overcoming adversity and fear to becoming all we are meant to be. My kind of message....with the exception that as he was ending his talk he began singing "Cat's in the Cradle".

That song was a favourite of a couple important men in my life and as I listened I wept. It was 10 years ago I began this business and about the same time on a Saturday afternoon at my first business conference I became overwhelmed with the fact that I was born for this arena. This year, as I had already planned my transition strategy from work, and was preparing to pursue my dream of becoming a business leader; God placed this incredibly talented speaker in front of me.

I was thinking that this song was so out of place in this arena of hope because it is so cyclical and its time to break cycles that aren't productive. As Wes finished the song he said it was time we re-wrote that last verse and I cheered to hear his rendition of the last verse: Family Time. I was reminded of why I choose to build this amazing business opportunity. I am committed to the process; Dream, Struggle, Victory!

Now as I prepare for the next adventure of my life; I am reflecting on how awesome it is to feel like I am in the palm of God's hand. I am basking in His attention to details and thanking Him for the faith of my children as together we take this leap.

As you prepare for this Christmas season I hope you pause long enough to be reminded of who you are and how integral your life is to the bigger purposes here on earth! My gift to you "He that lives in hope danceth without music." by George Herbert.

Accidental Growth vs Purposeful Growth - by John C. Maxwell

2009-11-24T06:27:00.003-05:00

In 1940 two brothers, Dick and Mac McDonald, started McDonald's Barbeque Restaurant in San Bernardino, CA. Typical of the drive-ins of its time, McDonald's offered an expansive menu from which customers could order and then be serviced by carhops. Through time, the brothers noticed a trend in their sales. A small number of items on the menu accounted for a bulk of their restaurant's profits.

Struck by the trend, the brothers embarked on a bold strategy to streamline McDonald's. They temporarily closed their doors, remodeled the restaurant, and did away with the carhops. Three months later McDonald's reopened as a self-service drive-in specializing in fast service thanks to a simplified, nine-item menu. The combination of low prices and speedy service made the new McDonald's a smashing success with motorists, who flocked to the restaurant en masse to buy burgers and milkshakes.

Click on the article title to read the full article Accidental Growth Versus Purposeful Growth

Confidence - Believing in yourself

2009-10-18T13:46:00.005-04:00

As a parent of five incredible kid-adults I am reminded regularly how tough it is being a teenager. In the past few weeks I've witnessed my oldest daughter share her testimony during her baptism, her and her husband purchase their first house, my son's soccer team loose in the final game and my other son's volleyball team win an important tournament. All those events caused me to watch and listen to the people around each arena.

Watching teenage boys participate in their favourite sports and interacting with other parents is a privilege. While neither are the stars of their teams they both contribute their best. They set the example of good sportsmanship and cheer on their teammates. The soccer team has struggled with a few players lack of self-control to the detriment of the entire teams' performance and yet a few boys kept encouraging them towards a better attitude. The volleyball team on the other hand, has such camaraderie that the entire bench stood together, arms around each others necks cheering on the starters!

My daughter and son-in-law have walked out their first two years of marriage very well and grown together. Spending a weekend with them, observing them leading Jr. High youth at their church (and yes I joined in and played dodge ball) it struck me how mature they are and what great examples they set. They purchased their first home, with confidence. She shared some of her expectations, struggles, and victory in front of her new church family and showed how real she is. I am very thankful for her authenticity and commitment to personal growth.

I am reflective of these events because we had a sermon today on parent/teenager relationships and on both sides of the equation it was about love, respect and responsibility. As we strive to raise children to become positive, contributing members of society, we must first look at the example we set and be real enough to admit that we have dreams, struggles, and victories too! We are put in families/communities to help each other learn about ourselves and become who we are meant to be.

Witnessing my eldest daughter's baptism reminded me that all the driving, cheering at sporting events, discussions and late nights were worth every bit of effort and the rewards are eternal!

Enjoy this video:

God's Chisel « Videos « The Skit Guys

2009-10-09T06:02:00.002-04:00

When God chisels the dead weight out of our lives it can be very painful. In one of their most requested skits, Tommy and Eddie give a very creative look at a typical believer having to go through the process of discipline.

Click here to see the video - God's Chisel by The Skit Guys

Relationships: Does True Love Exist?

2009-10-01T05:20:00.002-04:00

An online devotional by ACTS International

"A new command I [Jesus] give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."1

A Daily Encounter reader asks, "Does true love exist? I have had three broken relationships. Each one made big promises he never kept. I have tried healing myself by reading some inspirational articles, but nothing worked. I always ask God, 'Why has all this happened to me when I was true to them?' Is there no one made for me to give me love? I feel my life is full of regrets. Please tell me what I need to do to heal myself?"

The number one issue Encounter readers write to me about is poor relationships. The fact is that loving relationships—for which we were created—are vital for healthy and meaningful living. Without such relationships we limp along in the shadows of life eking out a lonely, empty and hollow existence—and very likely will die before our time.

True love does exist but it is a fruit of personal growth, maturity and wholeness—emotional and spiritual—for only to the degree that we are made whole will our attitudes, our behavior, our actions, and our relationships be wholesome.

Speaking personally, I had a lot of emotional issues from my childhood that I had to acknowledge and resolve before I found the love of my life. That took a deep commitment not only to God, seeking his help, but also for getting the counseling help I needed to overcome my personal issues and deficiencies.

Unfortunately, some Christians are expecting God to bring the "right" person into their life. It doesn't work this way. If we want to be attracted to the "right" person, we need to be the "right" person. Only healthy people are attracted to healthy people. Actually, if we are truly honest with ourselves, we can learn a lot about ourselves by looking at our significant other relationships as we are as healthy or as sick as the people we are attracted to.

In earlier years why was I attracted to ladies who were afraid to love? It was because I was unconsciously afraid to love. This was because I had felt rejected as a child and was unconsciously afraid of being hurt again. To overcome my fear I needed to acknowledge it and get all the counseling help I needed to overcome. Was it easy? No, at times it was extremely difficult but I knew that unless I overcame my fear of love, I would be running from love the rest of my life. I acknowledged my need when my pain was greater than my fear.

So, like the young lady who asked if true love existed, if you are struggling with poor or impaired relationships, start by asking God to confront you with the truth about you and what it is in you that is causing you to be attracted to bad relationships? Without confronting this truth, you may be floundering in painful relationships for the rest of your life. As Jesus also pointed out, only the truth sets people free.

Then ask God to lead you to the help you need to guide you through the healing and recovery process. Unfortunately, in many parts of the world it can be extremely difficult to find qualified counseling help. However, there is some free online lay counseling that can be helpful. For counseling resources see http://www.actsweb.org/counseling_resources.php.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to see that my poor relationships are your wakeup call to awaken me to the fact that there are unresolved relational issues in my life. Please help me to see what these issues are and help me to find the help I need for healing and recovery. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

Noah's Ark ... Everything I Needed to Know

2009-09-25T06:05:00.000-04:00

Everything I need to know, I learned from Noah's Ark:

1. Don't miss the boat.
2. Remember that we are all in the same boat!
3. Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
4. Stay fit. When you're 60 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
5. Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
6. Build your future on high ground.
7. For safety's sake, travel in pairs.
8. Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
9. When you're stressed, float awhile.
10. Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
11. No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting.

The Paradoxical Commandments

2009-08-28T06:29:00.001-04:00

By Michael Josephson of Character Counts (607.2)

In 1968, when Kent M. Keith was a 19-year-old sophomore at Harvard, he wrote the Paradoxical Commandments as part of a booklet for student leaders. He describes the Commandments as guidelines for finding personal meaning in the face of adversity:

* People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.
* If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
* If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
* The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
* Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.
* The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.
* People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
* What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
* People need help but may attack you if you help them. Help people anyway.
* Give the world the best you have and you may get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.

The essence of these Commandments is that each of us must choose to do what we think we should do, even when we think we have good reasons not to. They remind us that we are capable of rising above common practices that demean our nature and our culture.

We can rationalize distorting the Golden Rule as "Do unto others as they have done onto you" or "Do onto others before they do onto you" but, in the terminology of the '60s, we then become part of the problem rather than the solution.

This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.

(c) 2009 Josephson Institute of Ethics; reprinted with permission. Michael Josephson, one of the nation's leading ethicists, is the founder of the Josephson Institute of Ethics and the premier youth character education program, CHARACTER COUNTS! For further information visit www.charactercounts.org.

Commitment towards the future...

2009-08-24T08:19:00.002-04:00

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, "begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now."
by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

As I reflect on turning 47 I look back and count my many blessings, 5 children strike me as my most important contribution to this world. The opportunity to raise children and be an example that influences their lives...the people they marry...future grandchildren...their career paths, friends, and the list goes on!

What an exceptional gift I've received and take very seriously. Each one a unique person that has different needs, strengths and weaknesses. Each requiring me to grow personally in a different area of my life to be whom they need.

What could be more important. Only my relationship with my God, as without that none of this is possible. I am reminded once again that without Him I can do nothing. Immediately after my children Jordan comes to mind. The experiences we shared as God used us to show so many what can happen when you act on faith!

To my wonderful family, I truly have learned that when the bottom falls out...it is your family that is there for you. Thank you Mom, Dad, Wayne, Sharon, Brian (yes even my absentee brother with a huge heart!), and Lisa. Lisa continues to inspire me as she hasn't let her health challenges stop her walk!

Leading a team Independent Business Owners is next on my list....the lives I've had the chance to watch, learn and be influenced by - THANK YOU! Now to all of you on the team; I wish I could find the words to show you my appreciation for giving me the permission to lead you. I do not take this lightly. You motivate me to continue the journey of growth, to aspire to become the best I can to assist you with your leadership development. Oh the many lives that we'll touch.....

To all my extended family, friends, and co-workers...thanks for the part you've played in my life; each of you has brought something into my life to learn. I pray that it has been mutually beneficial.

I am one extremely blessed woman that realizes each new day, each new year is a gift to be unwrapped and savoured for everything can change it a heartbeat! I am looking back this morning to prepare myself for the best that is yet to come. I've heard many people talk about their past longing for the good old days...well I prefer to commit to what our Great God has in store for the coming days! I desire to surrender my life daily; less of me and more of you God! The sense of urgency I feel for reaching others is spurring me on for the second half...

Thankful

2009-08-20T07:56:00.001-04:00

"I thank my God every time I remember you."1

I have read that "Charles Plumb, a US Naval Academy graduate, was a jet pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent six years in a Vietnamese prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience.

"One day after Plumb gave a presentation, a fellow came up to him and said, 'You don't know me, but I am the person who packed your parachute the day you were shot down.'

"Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, 'I guess it worked!'

"Plumb assured him, 'It sure did. If your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today.'"

If it weren't for somebody else—perhaps many "somebody elses"—most of us wouldn't be where we are today either. And if it weren't for somebody else telling us about Jesus and his gift of forgiveness and eternal life, most of us wouldn't know him and wouldn't be bound for Heaven. May we ever be mindful and thankful to all who have "folded our parachute" and may we do the same for others.

Daily Encounter by Richard (Dick) Innes of ACTS International

How to Deal with Change - wikiHow

2009-08-12T00:27:00.000-04:00

How to Deal with Change - wikiHow

This is very interesting. WikiHow - the How-to-Manual That You Can Edit. This encompasses some of the best parts of the internet. Having all this information at our finger tips and an arena in which to share knowledge, experiences and assist our communities to grow.

I firmly believe we were all put here to become life long students. Every experience is an opportunity to learn. When someone mistreats you, you know how awful it felt and therefore can decide to never repeat the behaviour that caused pain.

Life is about Dreams, struggles and victories! The victories are all the sweeter because of the struggles. The struggles only make us stronger as we choose to pursue our dreams. All of this requires a commitment to re-inventing ourselves and understanding that the only constant is change.

"Hold a picture of yourself long and steadily enough in your
mind's eye and you will be drawn toward it. Picture yourself vividly as
winning and that alone will contribute immeasurably to success. Great
living starts with a picture, held in your imagination, of what you would
like to do or be." Harry Emerson Fosdick

What does your future look like?

The truth about grit - The Boston Globe

2009-08-06T08:12:00.001-04:00

The truth about grit - The Boston Globe

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Believe God for Great Things

2009-08-05T07:38:00.003-04:00

With God all things are possible by The Vine.

Matthew 19:26 NIV
The poet wrote, "Beware of those who stand aloof, and greet each venture with reproof. The world would stop if things were run, by those who say, 'It can't be done.'" Refuse to let the word 'impossible' stop you. Jesus said, "With God all things are possible." If those who've changed the world had left every 'impossible' task undone, we'd still be living in the Dark Ages. Here are four examples:

1) German experts predicted that trains travelling at 25 mph would cause severe nose bleeds and the passengers would suffocate going through tunnels. American experts added that we'd need more mental institutions because people would go mad when they saw the first trains.

2) When the YWCA first announced typing classes for women, there was a furious backlash on the grounds that the 'female constitution would deteriorate under such strain.'

3) Experts insisted that iron ships would never float, that the iron would wreak havoc with the compass readings.

4) In 1797, New Jersey farmers denounced the first cast-iron plough, insisting it would poison the land and stimulate weeds. So much for 'experts!'

More of us are persuaded into believing for too little than believing for too much. Vision is essential for survival. And a God-given vision is conceived by faith, sustained by prayer and fuelled by God's Word. It's not about what you can do, but what God can do with your life when it's fully surrendered to Him. It encompasses things outside the realm of the predictable, the safe, and the expected. "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Proverbs 29:18 AMP). If God has given you a vision; pursue it, and believe Him for great things!

This is my favourite devotional you can Sign Up to Get The Word For Today - Free!

Emotional Intelligence Skill-Building Can Enhance Leadership Competencies

2009-07-20T01:00:00.002-04:00

Emotional intelligence is the ability to acquire and apply knowledge from your emotions and the emotions of others so that you can make good decisions about what to say or do, or NOT say or do. The model I use contains five Emotional Intelligence competencies: Emotional Self-Awareness, Emotional Self-Regulations, Emotional Self-Motivation, Empathy, and Nurture Relationships. The first three represent the intra-personal competencies, those things that go on inside of a person that we cannot see. The last two represent the inter-personal competencies, those behaviors and actions that occur between us and other people.

If we take as an example the leadership competency of "making complex decisions," we can show how development of the EI competencies enhances the leadership competency. First we need to look at the behaviors that comprise the competency, then identify the EI competencies that relate to those behaviors and drill down further to the behaviors representing those EI competencies that would help an individual enhance the leadership competency. Following is an example of this relationship:

Read full article from blogcritics.org

Daily Encounter: Winners Vs. Losers for Thursday, July 9, 2009

2009-07-09T07:21:00.006-04:00

Winners Vs. Losers

"According to your faith will it be done to you."1

A winner sees an opportunity in every risk while a loser sees a risk in every opportunity. Winners know that to risk nothing is to risk everything. They know that if they are going to win, they have to be willing to try, to take chances, and to risk failure. They have to be willing to strike out if they are going to hit home runs.

The year Babe Ruth broke the world record for hitting the most home runs in baseball he also broke the world's record for the most strikeouts!

The point is if I am going to hit home runs, I have to be in the game, stand at the plate and keep swinging. Sooner or later, if I practice hard and do my best, I will hit a home run.

As somebody else has said, "To try when there is little hope is to risk failure. Not to try at all is to guarantee it."

Some people think that success comes to those who are lucky. Luck, if you want to call it that, comes when preparation meets opportunity.

True winners make sure their goals are in harmony with God's will and because of this, know that with his help there is a way to achieve them. Furthermore, they believe in their cause and they believe in themselves in a healthy way. They know that God never calls or expects anyone to do anything that can't be done. Therefore, they expect to win and believe they will—and work hard to make it happen. They know that "the only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary."

They also know that if they tried and did their best already they have won.

1. Jesus in Matthew 9:29 (NIV).

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Prayer, timing and Truth!

2009-06-21T23:13:00.004-04:00

I love Sundays, for oh so many reasons, but mostly because I've been commanded by a Great and Glorious God to take a day of rest. Rest....hahaha...God has such an incredible sense of humour. I know, I know the Sabbath...I've gone through stages of legalism in my journey, add to that a touch of being opinionated(thanks Dad) and I have to humbly admit that I've changed my views on so many things as I’ve grown in my journey.

As I reflected on how much I've learned about Grace and forgiveness I also had the gnawing at my heart that there is this balance between what we convince ourselves is OK to do and what God says is right. I was reminded of how much I’ve learned through Bible study and how much I’ve missed God at times in my life as I’ve charged full steam ahead.

I’ve come to terms with how much sin I am capable of and have publicly confessed that it is only through my relationship with my Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ that I have any purpose greater than what this world teaches. There are so many times that I’ve felt very alone in this world and today driving home to an empty house I once again thought about being alone and yet was thankful for time alone with God.

I came home to a surprise; a hanging basket of flowers from a friend, my favourite colour too. I thought of a message I had heard a long time ago about being single and God providing. I love flowers and had earlier visited a nursery with my Dad to buy him a new bush for his new garden and thought about what I’d like in a hanging basket but didn’t buy anything for myself.

The flowers made me smile as I was coming into the house and was preparing to listen to a message someone had sent me a few months back and that I had saved because she said it was about an hour long. Interesting….no time to commit an hour to hear a message. But…seeing as I had missed Church this morning which I hardly ever do, I wanted to hear a Bible message.

I also thought about coming home and checking to see if someone I knew that had a gift for words had put anything on their blog for Father’s Day. His Mother’s Day message was awesome. So..I check his blog first….great post….tears..I noticed his previous post and it sounded familiar. I checked the message I was going to listen to and it was one in the same!

OK, so if you don’t know how God works. This is what He does in my life. He is a gentleman; He guides me and waits for me to take the TIME to acknowledge Him. Yet again, I’m the slow one. Here this message has been in my face and totally reflective of my journey over the past 6 months.

I chose to take the hour and listen to Rachel’s story. http://deathisnotdying.com/

Enough said by me. Please listen to her message for it is full of Truth and you will understand how great our God is! Thank you Wendy & Paul for showing me this link. Than you Rachel for reminding me of so many of the truths that I hold dear and get too busy to model.

Reflecting on Heroes

2009-06-19T00:59:00.004-04:00

It's been a crazy few months for me. I've probably said that a few hundred times in my life. It's interesting how we wear the badge of "Busy" like it's something to be proud of. What would it sound like if instead we were saying I am "in pursuit" of our Dreams? Wouldn't that inspire others?

I have been extremely active in pursuit of my destiny!

I owe a debt of gratitude to the Heroes in my life. Those awesome individuals that chose to speak into my life. Those words and actions of the Balcony people have allowed me to hang on during the tough times and know who I want to call in the great times to celebrate with!

Here is a shout out to:

Irene Crann (my Mom), she was the one who taught me that the sky is the limit! When the Drama coaches in grade 6 told me that I couldn't sing and shouldn't tryout again for a part in the musical. My Mom let me cry it out and said "what can you do instead to be a part of the play?"
I sold Ads door to door and won an award for the most money raised to support the play. Numerous times in my life my Mom has given me a fresh perspective to see a solution rather than focus on the challenges. Its all about perseverance, right Mom?

Mrs. Hearn (grade 7 teacher), she saw the potential in me, right through the cloud of bad attitude I was portraying. She wouldn't accept less than my best. One grade with this incredible teacher and I won an award for the "Most improved Student".

Frank Rose (my Grandfather), although he lived 1,300 miles away, he started visiting us here in Ontario just when I needed the guidance the most. Moving a 13 year old from the City to the Country is a challenge. My grandfather taught me Who to rely on, Who is unchanging, Who will never leave me nor Forsake me. He led me to my life of Faith.

James Dobson (Focus on the Family), from the day I became a parent I realized how ill-prepared I was to teach this beautiful child all that they needed to know. I am a fact-finder by nature so researching I did! I found the Focus on the Family Ministry to provide me with incredible resources that helped me parent. I believe motherhood is a privilege and shaping a persons life is the most important thing I will ever do in this life!

Joanne Paas (kids grade 1 teacher), this absolutely gentle loving teacher stopped me in my tracks with her positive speech. She blesses each child that walks through her door with the gift of knowing they are uniquely designed and very special! What a privilege to have her teach my children and more so their Mom! The lessons were life-changing.

Joyce Meyer (Bible teacher), I don't remember the day but I do remember the feeling. The first time I heard this woman speak I was shocked that she was saying what I thought. Finally, I'm not crazy, there are others that see things so straight. I've been called a purest and I am. My children grew up knowing that a day that started with me having my "Joyce" time was much better than when I didn't.

Steve Brown (Pastor), he was on the radio every morning as I drove the kids to school. Coming from an Anglican background to a Christian Reformed church at 21 I learned an awful lot from his straight forward teaching. He specifically taught me about GRACE!

James MacDonald (Pastor), his teaching is some of the best in the world. There is no nonsense with James. He tells it like it is and challenges us to stand for the truth as well. There have been numerous times when I've needed to re listen to one of his messages to strengthen my walk.

Kevin DeRaaf (Pastor), he speaks the truth in the most gentle fashion. He nicely challenged my thinking and redirected my path on many occasions. His commitment to speaking the truth in love will change many lives.

Kimberley Coles (Business Leader), this amazing lady has set the example of a Woman of Excellence in Business, Marriage and family. She's the real deal! She works tirelessly, serving others and taking care of her family. She embodies leading from the front!

Garry Coles (Business Leader), this fantastic man has stood with his wife and made some very tough decisions that were totally principle based that will forever cause me to follow their lead. He has spoken into my life at the most crucial times with a word of encouragement. He's never stopped believing in me.

Jordan Streutker (teenager), oh...our story is so fantastic. Our journey is definitely one of the highlights of my life. I only look forward to the movie some day so that we can share what can happen when two people's lives cross paths and God is allowed to lead. A shout out to your parents (Clarence & Sandra Streutker) because their role was equally as important in this story of stories.

John Maxwell (Author...), when I began my own business I started listening to and reading materials from John Maxwell. He gets it! He teaches it! He lives it! What more can I say...I share the same passion for Personal and Professional Development that this prolific Author, Pastor, and Business Leader does.

David Courey (Pastor), what an incredibly gifted Bible teacher. I can't wait to get to church to hear the next message. Being led to your Church was another turning point in my life for which I am extremely thankful.

Jody & Kathy Victor (Business Leaders), there are not words to describe this couple for me. I know of no other couple on this planet that have given more of themselves for a worthwhile cause than these two and their family. The responsibility and respect they show the opportunity they've been give to lead so many people is awe inspiring.

Jessica (& Justin), Sarah, Nicole, Mitchell and Scott (my kids), here comes the tears....you are my reason to continue to fight the good fight of growing, changing and becoming all I'm meant to be, because I know you are watching. You are my heroes because you've had to walk along side me through some tough times and each of you grew because of it. You chose not to become victims but to be Victors and that you are! You will accomplish much for God!

Each of these people have impacted my life with their words and deeds. We all need perspective at times to ensure we don't stray too far from the path we are intended to follow. I thank each and every one of you for influencing and inspiring me.

We are each given the same number of hours in a day....let's not waste them. I implore you to pursue your God given vision with total abandon, for there is no better way to live this life. I know my busyness has caused me to miss out on some of life's little moments but here's to pursuing the BIG dream - Freedom!

Go ahead and Celebrate Your Gifts...I dare you!

The Gift of Encouragement

2009-06-14T14:17:00.004-04:00

I look back over my life and can name the various "Balcony People" that have influenced me in a profound way. We all need encouragement;

"As a boy he worked long hours in a factory in Naples. He longed to be a singer, and when he was only ten years old, he had his first voice lesson. "You can't sing. You haven't any voice at all. Your voice sounds like the wind in the shutters," his teacher said.

The boy's mother, however, disagreed. She believed that he had a talent to sing. Though very poor, putting her arms around him, she said, "My boy, I am going to make every sacrifice to pay for your voice lessons."

Her confidence in him and constant encouragement paid off. That boy became one of the world's greatest singers—Enrico Caruso!We all need encouragement!

We all—including, and especially our children—need someone to believe in us."
excerpt from Daily Encounter...the Gift of Encouragement

I Believe....

2009-06-12T00:50:00.005-04:00

I Believe...That just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other. And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do love each other.

I Believe...That we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I Believe...That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I Believe...That true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance. Same goes for true love.

I Believe...That you can do something in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I Believe...That it's taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I Believe...That you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I Believe...That you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I Believe...That we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel.

I Believe...That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I Believe...That hereoes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I Believe...that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I Believe...That my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I Believe...That sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down,... will be the ones to help you get back up.

I Believe...That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry,... but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I Believe..That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I Believe...That it isn't always enough, to be forgiven by others sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I Believe...That no mtter how ba your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I Believe...That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but, we are responsible for who we become.

I Believe...That you shouldn't be so eager to find out a secret. It could chane your life forever.

I Believe...Two people can look at the exact same thing...and see somthing different.

I Believe...That life can be changed in a matter of hours by people who don't even know you.

I Believe...That when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you-- you will find the strength to help.

I Believe...That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I Believe...That the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

I Believe...That the happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything.

Thank You Becky Yantzi...for sharing

Life - It's about our reactions!

2009-06-09T04:23:00.000-04:00

"Life has no other discipline to impose, if we would but realize it, than to accept life unquestioningly. Everything we shut our eyes to, everything we run away from, everything we deny, denigrate or despise, serves to defeat us in the end. What seems nasty, painful, evil, can become a source of beauty, joy and strength, if faced with an open mind. Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such." Henry Miller

Failing Forward

2009-06-08T00:36:00.000-04:00

"Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly-until you learn to do it well." Steve Brown

John Maxwell wrote a great book on this subject. He explains that if you look at each time you fall down it is an opportunity to pick yourself up and be stronger for the experience.

"The not-talked-about, terrible truth is that all roads to achievement lead through the land of failure. Every person you admire has walked this road: the Wright brothers, Arnold Palmer, Mary Kay Ash, Truett Cathey, Erma Bombeck, Tony Gwynn, Amelia Earhart, Sergio Zyman, Hank Aaron, George Bernard Shaw and Mother Teresa have all experienced failure and learned how to turn it into a stepping stone for success. Leadership expert Peter Drucker says, "The better a man is, the more mistakes he will make, for the more new things he will try." Mistakes really do pave the road to achievement. Let John Maxwell teach you the 15 steps to turning mistakes into steppingstones for success!"

Reading John C. Maxwell's book Failing Forward will change your outlook forever.

2009-06-05T20:14:00.000-04:00

Our Deepest Fear

by Marianne Williamson

Quoted by Nelson Mandela in his 1994 inaugural speech

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 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 doesn't 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 is not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously

give others the permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear,

our presence automatically liberates others.

Selective Attention ….

2009-06-05T09:00:00.000-04:00

"Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember?"1 The story is told of a man who once bought a new radio, brought it home, and placed it on the refrigerator. He then plugged it in, turned it to WSM in Nashville (home of the Grand Ole Opry), and proceeded to do the most unusual thing. He pulled all the knobs off! He had already tuned in to all he ever wanted or expected to hear, and so he chose to limit his radio reception to one station.

"Most unusual," we call it. But is it? Really? Many, of not most of us, if we will be honest, do the same thing in principle. Maybe not with our radio but we surely do with our life.

We all have what the communicators call selective exposure, selective attention, selective comprehension or perception, selective distortion, and selective retention. That is, people expose themselves only to messages they want to receive; hear only what they want to hear; perceive or see things the way they want to see them; twist and distort messages to match their preconceived perception of reality; and they remember only what they want to remember. Everything else is filtered or blocked out.

In other words, we hear, see, accept, remember, and apply only that which we want to hear, see, accept, remember and apply. Furthermore we believe only what we want to believe—and for many of us we choose to believe that which is convenient—regardless of its moral or lack of moral value. For instance, people accept abortion on face value because it is convenient. They accept abnormal, immoral sexuality because it, too, is convenient. And they reject God because, more often than not, they don't want to change their lifestyle and be accountable, much more than for any intellectual reason.

As I've said before, if we don't live the life we believe and know in our heart to be right, we will end up justifying and believing the life we live—a very dangerous, self-deceptive, and self-destructive path to follow. God's laws, all of them, are for our safety, protection, and survival. They are as universal as the law of gravity which holds the universe together. We can't break the law of gravity. If we defy it, it will break us. Or rather, we will break ourselves trying to defy it. It's the same with God's moral laws. We can't break them either. They, too, are universal. If we defy them, it isn't God who will punish and break us, but rather we will punish and break ourselves trying to defy them. If we used our God-given intellectual reasoning we would understand this. But we don't reason this way—we reason to find ways to justify what is most convenient for us at any given moment." by Dick Innes
http://www.actsweb.org/

Accepting Yourself!

2009-06-03T01:24:00.000-04:00

"Accept everything about yourself--
I mean everything,
You are
You and that is the beginning and the end--
no apologies, no regrets." Clark Moustakas

Know Yourself

2009-05-31T16:15:00.000-04:00

Dale Carnegie writes, "If only the people who worry about their liabilities would think about the riches they possess, they would stop worrying. Would you sell both your eyes for a million dollars … or your two legs … or your hands … or your hearing? Add up what you do have, and you'll find that you won't sell them for all the gold in the world. The best things in life are yours if you can appreciate yourself."

Learning who you are begins with understanding your unique personality. I highly recommend: http://www.personalityinsights.com/yougotstyle.html. We all communicate via our personalities. This book written by Dr. Robert Rohm is a phenominal resource. I've attended several seminars and received my Profile. To know yourself is the first step and then you can start to look at those around you and bridge the communication gaps.

This life lesson changed me forever! It's helped me in every area of my life; because whether at home, in business or work its all about relationships. Relationships at their core are dependent upon communication skills, which in turn are based on your perceptions.

Perception is Reality so I encourage you to take the Personality Quiz.

Starting point

2009-05-31T02:33:00.001-04:00

Welcome to my world! "If you have anything really valuable to contribute to the world it will come through the expression of your own personality, that single spark of divinity that sets you off and makes you different from every other living creature." --Bruce Barton