To Serve well

Serving with Excellence for a Life of Excellence

To Serve Well

The weight of your attention

This quote –– a line in Ann Voskamp’s “One thousand gifts” video study this week –– captured me.

I’m away from my normal routine for a few days and the gravity of all things encompassing love, gratitude and importance are weighing on my thoughts. This message, so strong, seemed to be delivered for me personally. Like the sunset each night, we can only slow it down by giving it our full attention. What else in life requires this of me right now?

I can’t answer that in this moment but will be diving into the question. It’s a good one. Where is the “weight” or perhaps “energy” best spent? If I turn to God and the wisdom I have always found there… in what areas would I be directed? Is there an area of joy I need to cultivate?

Happy Thanksgiving to each of you! Today I’m leaving you with Ann’s insight. It’s profound, I think. May we all bring our thanks and enter into the moments this season delivers with hearts and minds fully present to the moments. I believe if we do we will somehow be filling our souls with pure joy.

Attend to the moment

I haven’t thought about my “one word” for 2020 much this year (that reminder post is coming soon!). This week, it confronted me front and center.

I started Ann Voskamp’s “One Thousand Gifts” study this week* and in session one my journal entry was, “Attend to the moment.” Hmmm… Sounded familiar. So when preparing for this I let it sink in that my “one word” was “available or present.” Digging a little further, one of my 5 intentions for the year was to “Feel the full expression of joy.” I am presuming that I intended doing that by being more present (i.e. “attending to the moment” more often).

I’ve reflected on this and I’ll give myself a bit of grace here and say I have done better than prior years. Partly that is the season of life I find myself in (If you are raising kids still or knee deep in school work or launching a career, this is truly difficult), and partly, it’s due to some great wisdom gleaned from terrific authors who have mentored me in this area via their work (Voskamp, Lyons, TerKeurst).

My dear friend Gretchen and my sister, Lisa, are role models for me by constantly pointing me to God’s beauty all around us –– often sending snapshots of the sunrise or morning walks. Redirecting ourselves to creation –– to immersing ourselves in the magic that is all around us –– takes a bit of intention, but the payoff is tremendous. Attending to the leaves changing colors, the wind carrying them off, and the animals preparing for winter. That alone is just incredible to observe and a reminder of the simplicity and complexity of God’s creation. All of these things… are gifts that God gives us freely if we simply will be aware.

My “Simple Thoughts Sunday” today is a call for us to truly dive into the season at hand. There is a lot of loss around us –– a lot of noise around so many topics, and yet, we can watch each sunset, knowing that God is in control and that tomorrow brings new hope and an opportunity to attend to finding and delivering joy. Praying you all have an incredible Thanksgiving week.

* It coincides with the season, and I assure you, it’s one of the best books you will read- If you aren’t a reader, jump on the video sessions that started last week, so you can catch up easily.

Clarity in the chaos

Sometimes this “clarity” happens after the “rumble” but often it happens right in the middle of chaos. It’s as if the heavens opened and sent down a signal (through a friend sharing their story, a headline, sermon, or some other message…). This new information helps you develop a narrative you can understand and create sanity around the situation you are faced with. Sometimes, this revelation offers you just the grace you need to push through, develop a go-forward plan, or perhaps just enough energy to allow you to sit quietly and listen attentively for the next step.

Clarity is found in that listening, and listening is where we find the the ability to ground ourselves.

I am finding that the season that we find ourselves in calls for us to become “grounded” again. To call on our “roots,” if you will, to provide us the viability we need to continue to thrive. Most conversations I have on any given day, include that people are feeling tired and left with no more to give in this year of unknowns. The very idea of waking up everyday and not having a clear view of the road ahead has taken its toll.

The very definition of “grounded” (thank you Google), is “…referring to someones physical and mental state of being confident and sure of oneself… having a strong connection with who you are, and where you are going.” THAT is generally where we find ourselves in January when we make our lists of goals, get motivated by books and messages across our environments, put on our running shoes and show up ready to go after our dreams with gusto. This year, the race fell off course around week 10 and we have been doing all we can to adjust and adapt since then I’m pretty proud of everyone I’m around for their resilience, although I’m keenly aware that the toll is probably not at all calculated yet.

The need has never been greater, regardless of your age, to do what we can to use these final 6 weeks to center and ground ourselves. We need to be intentional and find that extra time to seek joy in all manner of ways. Taking the time for a cup of coffee and deep conversation with a loved one may create a depth you haven’t had in years. These weeks offer us the opportunity to be intentional if we take the time to figure out what might get us to a place of renewal in a chaotic cycle of life.

I am personally praying for all of us today, that we might find ourselves immersed in silent moments that offer to us finding our roots and being refreshed and reminded of what’s truly important in life. It really doesn’t matter what tomorrow brings, because God has given us exactly what we need for today. I hope we will all find clarity in the midst of chaos and a feeling of solid grounding that we don’t even understand.

47 Days: A plan to finish the year strong

47 Days. That’s the magic number until the page turns again. This one into a year of great expectation –– 2021. But a lot can happen in 47 days to make this one count even more so we should be alert. Each and every day is a gift, as we have learned this year.

During one of my Peloton bike rides this week, Alex Toussaint –– who I think is a flat-out amazing instructor due to his outrageous ability to encourage –– cited the phrase in the photo above…

My thought: Let’s find it… (rhythm, groove and pace). Let’s find it today and let’s recommit to it everyday… Let’s countdown the next 47 days by listening to every bit of uplifting music and reading and watching only what positions us for positive and forward momentum. Let’s focus our last thoughts and actions each day with a focus toward building the energy all around us.

This post is for Sunday and as I often like to do as a grounding exercise, I turn to the scripture for guidance and seeking wisdom or discernment. Throughout the last few weeks, the recurring message is two-fold. The first is on the need to serve those in need. To turn any attention from my own personal challenges and those the world imposes, to the real needs that literally surround me. “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,” (Matthew 25:35)

Let’s expand that … “For I was sad, For I was anxious, for I was overwhelmed…” You get the idea. These words are a call for us to look up and to see that no matter if it’s a smile, a kind word, physical help or sharing our resources…there is a need at every corner, and we are just the people to do that.

The second message has been the initial focus of this blog… the need for us all to SHIFT into all that is good and plentiful and brings gratitude. The scripture, “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- If anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things.” Philippians 4:8) We have 47 days remaining… let’s finish strong, let’s finish with locked arms toward building community and shining light in every dark corner that we approach.

Sending my love and prayers.

(Mom update: She remains under Hospice care at a local nursing home. She is holding her own and we honor each day and trust in knowing that God will carry forward the perfect plan. Your love and prayers have been what has and continues to hold us all up through this season. We are blessed beyond. Thank you.)

A day of honor: Veteran’s Day 2020

Today is always one of my favorite days of the year. I don’t think anything captures the heart of America like Veteran’s Day.

The men and women who have served, their families, and the communities that circle around to honor them, all give me pause and the inevitable lump in your throat response. One of the most powerful scriptures says that “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15:13)

Today, we honor your great sacrifice, your willingness to immerse yourself and your families in what truly is the greatest display of love.

Our country has been built on the backs of men and women who have served with honor. There is no doubt in my mind that this required pushing through fear and all manner of stress as they faced the unknown. That level of commitment and honor for America is why we are all in a free democracy today, in what I believe is and always will be the greatest country in the world. My heart is overflowing with gratitude. I hope that we will all let this day live on day after day as we strive to serve well with love for our country.

The power in our first waking thoughts

“For many of us, our first waking thought of the day is, ‘I didn’t get enough sleep.'” (Brene Brown- The Gifts of Imperfection)

How many of us wake up and immediately have thoughts such as, “I’m still tired, I better stay here a bit longer,” or “I can work out later,” or “I have a big day, and need the energy… (AKA, I’ll just hit snooze again….)?”

DANG, I’m totally in that group. Those who study human behavior call this “scarcity” thinking… As in, we aren’t waking up with a focus first on the positive but with a notion of lack… “I am healthy. I am so blessed to wake up and have a purpose.”

You get the picture. I am TOTALLY feeling this one.

In the book noted above (which Brene recently re-released), the “not enough” thinking seems to saturate us early and often. Not enough exercise, work, money, power, time off, weekends, etc. “Before we even sit up in bed, we’re inadequate, behind…already lacking something.” We end the same way, thinking about what we didn’t get to… what remains… Ugh! Why do we do that? According to Brown (and boy is she right on point), “We each have the choice in ANY SETTING to step back and let go of the mind-set of scarcity. Once we let go of scarcity, we discover the surprising truth of sufficiency…a knowing that there IS ENOUGH, and THAT WE ARE ENOUGH.”

We should all pay attention to our thoughts. Our ultimate goal is toward “abundant” thinking. The idea is that focusing on abundance directs us to think through the possible good in each situation. The power of our first thoughts of each day can set the course for the day, and propel us forward, or leave us still in bed, while the world is moving ahead. We are far more incredible than we ever give ourselves credit for. We are powerful and strong and even on those days when we feel we cannot be enough, THAT EVEN WILL BE ENOUGH!

I hope that this message somehow resonates with you as well. The power of the moment as we start our day, should be with some bravado…some touch of momentum and badassery if you will. We are all gifted and able to bring forth a positive movement for this very day. My prayer is that God will work on our minds and allow us to be all we are intended to be.

Rooted: Pursuing gratitude

November is an amazing month. It has so much to offer us that my heart might burst. I get this crazy smile thinking about the beauty of this life. The faces of those I love cross through my mind and I just can’t get over God’s goodness. I then skip to the open skies, ridiculously amazing sunsets, the Kansas farm fields, vast oceans and peaceful lakes. Those, of course, simply scratch the surface.

Sometimes I need to pinch myself to be sure I’m alive and this is real. We are literally surrounded by joy at every turn. Even a routine trip to the local Walgreens can confront us with warmth as we watch a mom and their child walking the candy aisle with excitement. That is, if we are paying attention. We need not go on a well-manicured and planned vacation to receive all of this outrageous glory. It’s right in front of us.

This November I’m committed to pursuing being ROOTED deeply in gratitude. I’m committed to all manner of attempts to truly embrace and offer my full thankfulness regardless of what the month brings.

Thank you for being a part of my story and my prayer is that each of you will let the love literally pour over your souls… let it seep into your every thought. Don’t let the days pass without feeling how incredible this life is and all that we have been given.

Bring a point of view

‘Bringing your point of view‘ should be a critical lesson taught early on! (As we know from personal experience, teenagers have one already, so learning how to bring forth a healthy point of view is the focus :))

What I have found is that the companies that hire us are paying us to bring forward our skills, our expertise, our gifts… in the form often of sharing our point of view. And of course, in any type of relationship, we need to be able to share our perspective (our voice if you will) in a healthy way. (I will throw in here that when we are advocating for someone else, such as someone who can’t speak for themselves, then this becomes especially critical.) Being able to do this in all situations can take enormous courage and is a hot topic with popular speakers and authors, notably, Brene Brown in her work Daring Leadership. When I was preparing for today’s blog post, I spent some time contemplating just why it does take so much courage and why are we sometimes not as bold as we hope? Here’s what I came up with….

  1. I’m not even sure we know what a point of view looks like, nor how to bring it forward in a healthy manner in our conversations? Adding to that stream of thought: Maybe it’s that we don’t know what our point of view really is because is vacillates… it’s often not black and white and hard to pin down. I’m a moderate so I often find myself stuck here.
  2. My challenge in my career has been in not understanding that others really do want and need my point of view. I learned this as a senior leader, and am good when sharing it with the folks on our team, but when sharing upward, that hasn’t been true. I finally realized that this is EXACTLY what is needed and desired. It often takes a lot of courage to take a position on a controversial topic, but it is absolutely essential to a healthy workplace. (Side note: I think this is precisely the reason people have not felt until this generation… (Thank you Millennials and Gen Z for showing us how to do this!) that we could address complex issues such as inclusion in the workplace. What a thrill it is to hear voices heard on substantial topics that impact us all.)
  3. Capturing the above two points in a different way… the definition of courage is “The ability to do something that frightens one.” The entire process takes vulnerability and we flat out haven’t generally been trained to be vulnerable. (Side note: Here’s where I think we all need to train ourselves or advocate that our children and all future generations learn early how to do this well. Brene Brown’s work is a terrific place to start… perhaps start with her books, listening to her podcasts, or find someone else who speaks on the topic that you gel with better…). Regardless, it’s important… We can do a world of difference by ensuring this is a dinner table topic on the regular. I know I didn’t even contemplate this at ours until recently.

Here’s to always learning and growing. My hope and prayer today is that we can all get to bringing forth health perspectives and courageously sharing our points of view. God gave us all these brilliants minds, and we should share our stories and voice to ensure a wide understanding to heard.

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Let us run

“Let us Run.” This has always been one of my favorite scriptures because to me it brings action to mind. If you need a reminder…

“Let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”

Hebrews 12:1

I am not a runner, but wish I was. I do, however, identify with the idea that in order to truly live that we have to get up and move forward, regardless of what is going on.

At work, I have the honor of working with seniors. I love them. Just this week I was talking with some of our patient ambassadors and they were sharing stories of their lives, including struggles with diabetes, cancer, family, etc. Their unified message was that you have to get up and move. They also shared about the faith and friends that have provided them strength during their “race.”

That had me thinking, that the first part of this scripture, is often not quoted… This part from my perspective fills in the key part of the truth.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And, let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Did you get that “surrounded” part? Envision a stadium – better yet, ARROWHEAD – where the loudest fans in the world are supporting you. Put yourself on the field and throw out any excuses, pain and discomfort, and make a decision to move forward in FAITH. You have a universe cheering you on no matter what position life has you in today.

This is a throw back post from 2018 that just felt right. I hope you enjoyed it!

Wise words at just the right time

I was listening to a podcast earlier this week called “5 more minutes.” As in “It will be 5 more minutes, honey,” or “I am caught in traffic… just 5 more minutes.”  The host, Levi Lusko, shared this story about Ruth Bell Graham, wife of Billy Graham:

Long before she became bedridden, she was driving along a highway through a construction site. Carefully following the detours and mile-by-mile cautionary signs, she came to the last one that said, “End of Construction. Thank you for your patience.” She arrived home, chuckling and telling the family about the posting. “When I die,” she said, “I want that engraved on my stone.” She was lighthearted, but serious about her request. She even wrote it out so that we wouldn’t forget. While we found the humor enlightening, we appreciated the truth she conveyed through those few words. Every human being is under construction from conception to death. Each life is made up of mistakes and learning, waiting and growing, practicing patience and being persistent. At the end of construction – death – we have completed the process.

I absolutely love this truth. I love her bravado in actually putting this on her head stone and am sure I would have loved her spirit. Anyone who has lived quite a few decades knows deeply this reality. 

As our family continues to push through these long days, this message helped me to navigate how my mom would have not only gotten a good laugh out of this, but she would adamantly tell you how true it is. Construction of any kind requires patience, planning, inspection, modification often and the need for ongoing maintenance. She was on this “building” trajectory until she became ill… She was becoming more beautiful with each day and season. 

We have been working on updating the Chicken House on my friend’s hobby farm this weekend. Every step of the way, the symbolism in this message has shined through. One insight today is that stopping to appreciate these steps –– even the “yikes” moments such as nails flying or a missed hammer strike –– can really transport you to the value of work in creating a strong and beautiful foundation for which you build your life on. 

***By the way, getting outside is so important right now! The fall weather is perfect, whether you are getting your hands dirty or just soaking up the afternoon sunshine and being mesmerized by the leaves falling, it is all a balm for the soul.

Have a crazy amazing week and know that your comments and support and prayers have all stopped me in my tracks and literally carried me through this week. My love overflows.