Lessons Learned 2007

This past year has been incredible; many ups, and of course, many downs. I spent some time looking back and I’m amazed at the lessons I’ve learned. My looking back on 2007 will prove valuable for goal-setting for 2008. If you haven’t taken time to look back on the last 12 months I challenge you to do so before the New Year rolls in. Here are some lessons I learned and in some cases – relearned.

1. When my children are hurt, 24/7 prayer is the only answer.
2. When God moves in my life, I can bet the evil one is lurking close by.
3. God does not call the equipped, He equips the called.
4. Stepping out of my comfort zone is scary, but very rewarding.
5. Rejection hurts, even if it isn’t personal.
6. Submit three times as many articles as I want to have published.
7. Acceptance is often about being at the right place at the right time.
8. Learn to take away objections before they are brought up.
9. Just step out and go where God leads, He’ll open doors.
10. It’s my responsibility to OBEY.
11. Twenty-five years of marriage flies by fast.
12. Write in family time on the calendar; kids grow up and move off too fast.
13. Having accountability partners is crucial to my growth.
14. Discerning my purpose helps me find my life balance.
15. I always learn more when teaching others.
16. I’ve got to see my goals daily to stay focused.
17. Being who I want to be is my responsibility.
18. Comparing myself to others is detrimental – I’m not them.
19. Breathe.
20. My days are out of balance if I don’t spend the first hour quietly with God.
21. I am my own message – always be myself.
22. Get over myself - it is not about me.
23. Take time to laugh and have fun.
24. Spend time Sunday afternoon planning the week ahead.
25. Set aside time for creativity, it refreshes my soul.
26. My husband is my biggest encourager.
27. Watch the movie “Hair Spray” if I need to perk myself up.
28. Avoid my favorite fruit – grapes – they mess up my blood sugar.
29. Customizing my life to glorify God is a daily challenge.

Memories

Have you heard the song “Christmas Makes Me Cry?” It’s a new song out by Mandisa and Matthew West. The song itself will make you cry, not to mention Christmas. This Christmas we have entered a new season in our life. Kids are growing up, moving off and can’t return for Christmas Day. All those special traditions – well, they are just changing. Memories are great and times do change. Must I cry?

As Lindsey and I decorated the small tree I keep in the kitchen, we recalled some of these seasons. This little stocking was a decoration I made for Curt when he spent Christmas at boot camp. He was flying fix wing before he entered the Army Flight School program to fly helo’s. Wooden ornaments were from my mom for my Christmas in Germany; my first Christmas away from home. And a dear aunt gave this stuffed teddy bear to Courtney for her first Christmas.

There are so many memories. There was the Christmas I was having a hard time getting it all together so my cousins popped in and decorated my house. I had gazillions of candles and about burnt down the kitchen cabinets that year. The next year Luka caught her new Christmas bear on fire in our bathroom. Not to mention the year a friend was setting under the fireplace mantle and hot wax came dripping off onto her. Memories. Just to clarify, Curt was right – candles can be dangerous. I don’t use as many any more. I do put a lot in my fireplace. I figure if they go up in smoke there I’m covered!

We try to give back too. The other night we made chocolate covered pretzels and took them to Chris. These are his favorites. He is such a blessed guy, he has NFL Network. We could think of no better time than to deliver these pretzels than Saturday night. What a real treat – we got to watch the Cowboys too. You’d think we planned that or something?



Through all the seasons, it’s been family and friends that have made it wonderful. We had our Christmas with Courtney this weekend. It was a blessing to have her home. Mom and Dad got to come down too for our special time. Christmas will be quieter this year. We’ll miss Courtney here – I hope Santa finds her where she is. We’ll go to Moms Christmas Day, but Molly and her family won’t be there. They are skiing. How rude???

No matter what season we are experiencing during the holidays, may we remember our family and friends. Most importantly, may we remember why the Christ Child was born.

Merry Christmas to all!

Still Learning to Be Me

You’d think after 45 years of living in your own skin you’d know yourself. This year has been a huge learning curve for me knowing myself. Some of it has been fun, exhilarating, and yet tedious. The other part of it has been – let’s say, unnerving. I know 1 Cor. 15:10 says “By the grace of God, I am what I am.” And some days I feel like “Green eggs and ham, it’s Sam I am.” However slow in my journey; I am learning who I am.

My prayer over the next couple of weeks is to get a clearer picture of who I am, my purpose and what I’m all about – inside and out – because you’ll never believe what is on my Christmas list. I found a lady who will create a “look” for me, not a physical look but a ministry look. She can design a web/blog and personal “look” just for me. OK – you can tell me I’ve gone nuts because I wonder myself. The writing and speaking classes I took this year all said your “look” is so important. It needs to be authentic, reflect your personality and be congruent with who you are. It’s taken me all year to get a somewhat clear picture of me, my personality, and my ministry. I've asked a gazillion times; who I am, what's my purpose, what do I have to share and what message do I want to leave others with? Some of those answers are becoming clearer. I’ve still got a long way to go, but at least I feel like I’m learning to be who God created me to be.

Whoever thought just being yourself could require so much energy?

It's All JOY

I don’t get it. I sit down every Sunday afternoon with my daily planner and a cup of coffee to organize, plan and write out the week’s schedule. It looks so good in my planner. It really does! Every activity is recorded, all the bases are covered, all the I’s are dotted, T’s crossed and the family has a working plan for the week ahead. But somewhere beyond Monday morning, something happens. I’ve tried to figure this out for some time now. How can the week I so perfectly scheduled end up resembling a juggling act from the circus? What happens? Today I have an answer. REAL LIFE!!! You can’t plan when you are going to drop your cell phone in the toilet (yep, I did it), when you're going to be sick, when company is going to pop-in, when the principal is going to call, when your child needs extra school supplies, when an unexpected opportunity arises to reach out to others, or when a friend needs a favor. There’s no way I could have planned for all of that last week.

I am a big believer in planning with purpose and looking to the future, but I realize it’s REAL LIFE that makes the journey worthwhile. Those fun, happy, frustrating, sad, overwhelming, and precious unexpected moments are what make the journey. They are the memories I will have forever. I’ve also realized – I love adventures. Everyday is an adventure and it’s my job to find joy along the way, no matter what my daily planner says. Maybe I should write It’s all joy! across the top of my calendar. Count it all joy – planned and unplanned. So, I’ll sit down again this Sunday with my calendar and plan out next week -- the week before Christmas. I can't wait. I just wonder – what adventures are around the corner.