Monday, February 20, 2012
Words to live by
What a great statement! I can't be everything for everyone. At the end of the day, what matters most is being all that I can for myself.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
what now?
if you have gathered anything about me (considering the possibility that you are reading this and you DON'T know me very well), it is that i tend to be introspective. perhaps this is a trait of avid readers...
at any rate, i am a dork who loves an inspirational talk/speech/address. (yes, i am the one person who looks forward to keynote speakers and conferences.) yes, i openly own it. with a big smile.
like any bookworm, i have my favorite authors. one i recently discovered (and quickly grew to love), is ann patchett (absolutely brilliant. period.). combine my love of books with my adoration for inspirational speeches and speakers...i recently stumbled upon her "lauded commencement address at Sarah Lawrence College" (her alma matar). needless to say, i love it.
what now is a great example of reflection, of thinking about your circumstances and how they relate to your purpose, if not in life, for God's unique timing.
" 'What now is not just a panic-stricken question tossed out into a dark unknown. What now can also be our joy. It is a declaration of possibility, of promise, of chance. It acknowledges that our future is open, that we may well do more than anyone expected of us, that at every point in our development we are still striving to grow. There's a time in our lives when we all crave the answers. It seems terrifying not to know what's coming next. But there is another time, a better time, when we see our lives as a series of choices, and What now represents our excitement and our future, the very vitality of life. It's up to you to choose a life that will keep expanding.' "
i read her speech last week, and took a picture of this page (yep, with my Iphone-yay technology) so i could remember it (page 77, if you want to be specific--and i feel that i must be). little did i know that her words would have a larger impression on me the next week.
my coworkers and i spent today in a professional development session to address our communication skills (at some point every month, we all deliver "trainings" or "presentations" to large audiences). after our short lunch break, all ten of us were informed that we had to give an expository speech for 2 minutes. the rest of us were to provide critiques and feedback on each one (read: you must critique your peers and two supervisors. panic? yep.).
as we each took a turn over the next hour and a half (with great courage, might i add--it is so much easier to speak in front of people with whom you do not work with every day), i was reminded of the variety of communication and presentation styles of my colleagues. i reflected upon the unique passions for our nonprofit work. whether it stems from a deeply personal experience, as my sweet Leslie feels, or a strong passion to simply help other child care providers succeed, as Beverly exudes, we all "do what we do" because we feel drawn to this field.
"'What Now'" is just a glimpse into the impact we can make in the world. we can choose to rejoice in the opportunities that they will bring.
whatever life has handed you now, my hope it that you will find the good it in; that you will inspire the generation to come.
life isn't always how we "expect it," but is always how we "embrace it." if nothing else, my precious life has been nothing but a lesson in this fact: my amazing husband david is a lesson that "everything happens for a reason (even if i don't really understand it until 14 years later...). "
I don't know about you, but i like to "'have strengths to stand upon.'"
Psalm 91:14 states, "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name."
my blessed assurance is that, in time, He will provide all that We need.
at any rate, i am a dork who loves an inspirational talk/speech/address. (yes, i am the one person who looks forward to keynote speakers and conferences.) yes, i openly own it. with a big smile.
like any bookworm, i have my favorite authors. one i recently discovered (and quickly grew to love), is ann patchett (absolutely brilliant. period.). combine my love of books with my adoration for inspirational speeches and speakers...i recently stumbled upon her "lauded commencement address at Sarah Lawrence College" (her alma matar). needless to say, i love it.
what now is a great example of reflection, of thinking about your circumstances and how they relate to your purpose, if not in life, for God's unique timing.
" 'What now is not just a panic-stricken question tossed out into a dark unknown. What now can also be our joy. It is a declaration of possibility, of promise, of chance. It acknowledges that our future is open, that we may well do more than anyone expected of us, that at every point in our development we are still striving to grow. There's a time in our lives when we all crave the answers. It seems terrifying not to know what's coming next. But there is another time, a better time, when we see our lives as a series of choices, and What now represents our excitement and our future, the very vitality of life. It's up to you to choose a life that will keep expanding.' "
i read her speech last week, and took a picture of this page (yep, with my Iphone-yay technology) so i could remember it (page 77, if you want to be specific--and i feel that i must be). little did i know that her words would have a larger impression on me the next week.
my coworkers and i spent today in a professional development session to address our communication skills (at some point every month, we all deliver "trainings" or "presentations" to large audiences). after our short lunch break, all ten of us were informed that we had to give an expository speech for 2 minutes. the rest of us were to provide critiques and feedback on each one (read: you must critique your peers and two supervisors. panic? yep.).
as we each took a turn over the next hour and a half (with great courage, might i add--it is so much easier to speak in front of people with whom you do not work with every day), i was reminded of the variety of communication and presentation styles of my colleagues. i reflected upon the unique passions for our nonprofit work. whether it stems from a deeply personal experience, as my sweet Leslie feels, or a strong passion to simply help other child care providers succeed, as Beverly exudes, we all "do what we do" because we feel drawn to this field.
"'What Now'" is just a glimpse into the impact we can make in the world. we can choose to rejoice in the opportunities that they will bring.
whatever life has handed you now, my hope it that you will find the good it in; that you will inspire the generation to come.
life isn't always how we "expect it," but is always how we "embrace it." if nothing else, my precious life has been nothing but a lesson in this fact: my amazing husband david is a lesson that "everything happens for a reason (even if i don't really understand it until 14 years later...). "
I don't know about you, but i like to "'have strengths to stand upon.'"
Psalm 91:14 states, "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name."
my blessed assurance is that, in time, He will provide all that We need.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
thinking
david and i got away this weekend. ah, the lake.
there's just something about this place that makes me happy. maybe it's because so much of my childhood was spent here with the people i love. maybe it's because the love of my life asked me to spend forever with him here...whatever the reason, it's easy to be content here.
i spend so much time "in my head." there are days that i feel trapped by the thoughts that constantly swim around.
eat. don't eat. lie. tell the truth. act happy. own your sadness.
sometimes, it takes getting away to stop the thoughts.
my therapist is always urging me to "be in the moment." to come down out of my head. to just be.
so, here goes.
i feel the warm sunshine on my face.
i hear birds chirping. a woodpecker doing what he does best.
the slight breeze creates the most beautiful ripple in what is left of the lake now.
the sky is the most amazing blue possible. i don't think i could mix this color if i tried.
most everything around me is dead, yet there is a feeling of hope in the air. a promise that things will change. that plants will blossom. flowers will bloom.
yes, here, i am reminded that life is good. sometimes it takes getting away to remember what is important. work can suck. circumstances can be hard. but life is always worth living.
as the apostle paul wrote so long ago, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (romans 8:18)
there's just something about this place that makes me happy. maybe it's because so much of my childhood was spent here with the people i love. maybe it's because the love of my life asked me to spend forever with him here...whatever the reason, it's easy to be content here.
i spend so much time "in my head." there are days that i feel trapped by the thoughts that constantly swim around.
eat. don't eat. lie. tell the truth. act happy. own your sadness.
sometimes, it takes getting away to stop the thoughts.
my therapist is always urging me to "be in the moment." to come down out of my head. to just be.
so, here goes.
i feel the warm sunshine on my face.
i hear birds chirping. a woodpecker doing what he does best.
the slight breeze creates the most beautiful ripple in what is left of the lake now.
the sky is the most amazing blue possible. i don't think i could mix this color if i tried.
most everything around me is dead, yet there is a feeling of hope in the air. a promise that things will change. that plants will blossom. flowers will bloom.
yes, here, i am reminded that life is good. sometimes it takes getting away to remember what is important. work can suck. circumstances can be hard. but life is always worth living.
as the apostle paul wrote so long ago, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (romans 8:18)
here's to the future.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
thoughtful thursday: irony
i've been absent lately...here's what happens: i get great feedback, and then get scared of posting something that isn't "perfect" or "great" or "worthy of reading by others..."
and then i have to remind myself that this is MY blog. about MY experiences, motivations, passions, etc. (is it any wonder that i am a self proclaimed "people pleaser?") you can take it or leave it. i need to post anyway. for myself.
that being said, i hate "new year's resolutions." personally, i think they are crap. one can decide to change at any time...one just has to be willing...no judgement or standards need to be passed.
i attempted a "wordless wednesday" posting, then shot myself in the leg, earlier this week.
no resolution here. i've just decided that posting keeps me accountable, even if only to my sweet hubby who enjoys reading this...so, i will post on a somewhat regular basis. at the least: i will consider a "wordless wednesday" and/or "thoughtful thursday" posting (though, while i HATE the thought of being so "mainstream," i value the consistency). small expectations are great for us overachievers.
try number two: thoughtful thursday 1/19/2012 (note--my computer has be jacked up all week--had to visit the apple store today--hence the publishing delay)
------------------------------------------------------------------
is it any wonder that a lady with an eating disorder would end up loving a cat like this:
insight: sometimes, it's okay to lick the bowl.
and then i have to remind myself that this is MY blog. about MY experiences, motivations, passions, etc. (is it any wonder that i am a self proclaimed "people pleaser?") you can take it or leave it. i need to post anyway. for myself.
that being said, i hate "new year's resolutions." personally, i think they are crap. one can decide to change at any time...one just has to be willing...no judgement or standards need to be passed.
i attempted a "wordless wednesday" posting, then shot myself in the leg, earlier this week.
no resolution here. i've just decided that posting keeps me accountable, even if only to my sweet hubby who enjoys reading this...so, i will post on a somewhat regular basis. at the least: i will consider a "wordless wednesday" and/or "thoughtful thursday" posting (though, while i HATE the thought of being so "mainstream," i value the consistency). small expectations are great for us overachievers.
try number two: thoughtful thursday 1/19/2012 (note--my computer has be jacked up all week--had to visit the apple store today--hence the publishing delay)
------------------------------------------------------------------
is it any wonder that a lady with an eating disorder would end up loving a cat like this:
insight: sometimes, it's okay to lick the bowl.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
oops.
well, crap. i was thinking tomorrow was blackout day. in other news, yay for one day closer to the weekend!
oh well...too late to blackout this blog, but please visit Band Back Together to learn more about SOPA.
oh well...too late to blackout this blog, but please visit Band Back Together to learn more about SOPA.
Wordless Wednesday
Yeah, I know. I've been absent. Gathering my thoughts. Figured this would be a good day to jump back in...
Thursday, December 8, 2011
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