To Serve well

Serving with Excellence for a Life of Excellence

Tribe

Stepping into the story – 2017

(Photo Creds: We Heart It)

I love the new year. The shaking off of the old and the excitement of the possible. The new…

For those of you who are readers, it is much like the anticipation of a new book that everyone has told you that you “must” read. For the artist, the joy of the rough draft… the promise of the mental image coming to life.

Every new year is an opportunity to create a new story – to draw or form a crazy awesome work of art.

Regardless of what you are facing this year – a new relationship, a new diagnosis, a fresh start, a challenging project – it is your opportunity to shine right through it! To “decide” that whatever comes your way, that you are going to step in with a new optimism, a spirit of faith and a “get ‘er done” attitude.

After all, the story of our lives is a combination of the people in our lives, the places we travel, art, music, movies, good books and great food (and more). While we don’t get to know what is around each corner, we do get to choose how we are going to “show up,” and respond.

My prayer is that your 2017 story is made up of so many amazing chapters, that you focus on the good and that you decide today that the crazy and harsh will be just that… and left in it’s place. Life is short as anyone who has experienced loss knows all too well.

Let’s all form a “tribe” of people that create a magical story that makes everyone around us want to not only read it, but be a part of it!

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Iron indeed sharpens Iron

blog_846930_2967466_1476570633(Photo creds: Pinterest)

I can’t imagine my life without those that surround me and sharpen me. It is one of the lessons I try to impart upon my boys, although, for boys I know it is different. Boys don’t naturally share with one another like girls do, but it is just as important for them. God designed us this way.

Today, I thought it would be a great time to just sit down and make a list of those that have sharpened me and when possible send them a quick thanks…

To the teacher that invested in my life, drawing out a young girl, inspiring, pushing gently, pulling at times, but always encouraging, thank you!

To my sister who was and is the one who has the “hard conversations” and who also celebrates life’s important moments with us, thank you!

To the gals in my personal tribe, friends from many groups… WOW… I am far better because of all of you, thank you!

To my many peers at work… I couldn’t begin to list them, but I think of early mentors, both nice ones and the ones that seemed to be a little too tough on the younger generation… I especially appreciate those lessons now and glad there was a balance, thank you!

To my mentors or mentees… I have learned an equal amount from each of them, thank you!

To my boys who bring an entire new meaning to to “sharpen” and “iron” – haha! They have always pushed me to be the best version of myself from early morning feelings, to late night talks about college life… (And I won’t give up on the whole “boys need to be in community too” part…) Thank you, boys!

Who has “sharpened” you… raised the bar… elevated your “game”? I bet they’d love to hear from you this week!

Books you might love – Round II

blog_843596_2963768_1475751193(Photo creds: My own, featuring a bird I love!)

I’m a little late with this! On May 5, I told whoever was reading at that time that I would make my top book list a few times during the year. I actually had a goal of doing this in May, September and January so at least 3 times per year… OOPS. I’m only a month late, so I’ll chalk that up to an aging mind and my move in July! So here you go – I hope that my fellow readers will find one or more that they will love as much as I did… Here are my top 10 and why! ENJOY!

  1. IF YOU CAN KEEP IT by ERIC METAXAS – This is MY #1 FAVORITE. If you BUY ONE, BUY THIS ONE AND ALSO THE NEXT ONE! IT’S ACTUALLY A TIE!

    Why I loved It?  The subtitle of “The Forgotten promise of American Liberty” jumped out and it was also highly recommended. Pretty much everything this author writes has been golden. He dives deep into America as a “nation of nations” and challenges us to reconnect with the ideas of liberty and freedom for all and embrace our role in living out what our nation’s founders entrusted us with. It’s EXCELLENT.

  2. CHASE THE LION by MARK BATTERSON – This is MY #2 FAVORITE.

    Why I loved it?  Batterson is my favorite Christian author. He seems to magically weave biblical truth and offers example after example of historical evidence to support his call here for us all to CHASE down our fears and go after our dreams. This is a book about “stretching.” Here’s a great quote to wet your appetite, “Napoleon Bonaparte made a distinction between two kinds of courage: regular courage and two-o-clock-in-the-morning courage, ‘The rarest attribute among Generals is two o’ clock -in-the-morning courage.”

  3. PRESENT OVER PERFECT by SHAUNA NIEQUIST

    Why I loved it? I had never read Shauna Niequist before, even though she has several books out there. I guess nothing seemed to resonate before. At any rate, this particular book addresses the seasons of our lives and the need to step into the craziness fully. A bit of a flavor: “If someone gave you a completely blank calendar and a bank account as full as you wanted, what would you do? The first thing that leapt into my mind: stop, I would stop. I would rest. I would do nothing at all. I would sleep.” She addresses a certain season as feeling like “off reading.” I for one have been in that season more than one time! If you have as well, you’ll love this one!

  4. TRIBE by SEBASTIAN JUNGER

    Why I loved it? Also highly recommended, I ordered this as one of my summer reads which I hope to be a little lighter but still a goal of elevating my life both personally and professionally.  This book goes deep on the importance of community and the gravitational pull that a “tribal society” has had on people since the beginning of life.  My favorite part which also is a challenge for all of us uses the example of veterans coming back from service. “Today’s veterans often come home to find that, although they are willing to die for their country, they’re not sure how to live for it. It’s hard to know how to live for a country that regularly tears itself apart along every possible ethnic and demographic boundary.” The book focuses on communities and unifying.

  5. FRESH AIR by CHRIS HODGES
    Why I loved it? Chris Hodges is the pastor of one of the coolest churches in America which is in Birmingham, Alabama. He’s down-to-earth and just plain likeable. I really loved the chapter which shared the learnings from his sabbatical. I am a huge fan of those, although I’ve never had one. I believe fully that we need to reset and recharge. Here are his learnings from that time: 1. It took three weeks before he was able to fully disconnect (In other words, our week vacations probably won’t cut it for true rejuvenation.) 2. He had lost his ability to even recognize what “tired” looked like. (Yes, most of us know that this will result ultimately in illness, emotional or physical.) 3. He needed a comprehensive life routine that includes rest as a key component. (Sounds Iike a good idea for us all.)
  6. BRAVING IT by JAMES CAMPBELL

    Why I loved it? I normally don’t read books like this, so this was FUN. I’m not sure how I stumbled upon it, but it must have been recommended. It is a great read which walks you through a father and his daughter’s adventures in the wild of Alaska. It is so much fun and there are certainly a few life lessons in there!

  7. LOVE WARRIOR by GLENNON DOYLE MELTON

    Why I loved it? I haven’t read Glennon either but I have heard her name plenty of times. This book is a memoir of her life, which dives into subjects such as alcoholism, marital challenges etc. It is downright raw in it’s honesty. The book is highly recommended by Brene Brown, another great author that I’ve written about before. If you like books about vulnerability, which offers both humor and pain grab this one.

  8. A MILE WIDE by BRANDON HATMAKER

    Why I loved it?  This one is simple, Brandon focuses on LIVING LIFE ON A MISSION. Enough said – I LOVE THAT!

  9. UNINVITED by LYSA TERKEURST

    Why I loved it? Lysa attacks the tough topic of dealing with the hard stuff. She launches with a conversation about honesty… “Honesty is a suitor with piercing vision who isn’t swayed by pretending and positioning. I can try and make things appear better than they seem, but honesty will have none of it. So, I throw my hair in a messy bun and let my face stay splotchy…I simply emerge.”

  10. A MILLION MILES IN A THOUSAND YEARS by DONALD MILLER

    Why I loved it?  Donald Miller is a well known author and while I tried to read his famous book, “Blue like Jazz,” for some reason I didn’t love it. This time around I caught on to his style, which is very unique. This book is about telling your story. I loved this quote: “It’s interesting that in the Bible, in the book of Ecclesiastes, the only practical advice given about living a meaningful life is to find a job you like, enjoy your marriage and obey God. It’s as though God is saying, Write a good story, take somebody with you, and let me help.”

SPUR ONE ANOTHER ON

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It’s Sunday. It’s Summer.

What better time to take a deep breath, soak up the late summer nights, catch a firefly or two, get around a picnic table, buy some corn on the cob from a local farmer, have a spontaneous gathering of friends over… SEEK COMMUNITY! ENCOURAGE AND LOVE ON ONE ANOTHER! DOGS AND CATS (and BIRDS FOR MY FRIEND AMY) INCLUDED!

Love this scripture, Love this reminder = Deposits are made in so many ways. I’d love to hear your ideas if you’d care to share!

Here’s to you and your tribe having the best week ever this SUMMER! MAKE IT SO!

(Photo Creds: The Zandstra Family – Just beautiful!)

Make VOLUNTEERING a part of your SUMMER PLAN!

blog_801593_2914021_1464656789I have to say that I am so thankful my boys are out of the phase of childhood where they are “looking” for things to do during the summer. I believe school has been out a mere week or two and I have already heard in passing neighborhood kids saying how bored they are.

I can smile now, but God help the parents and care takers during these summer months, that both seem to drag on and are fleeting all at once. As we talk this week about the idea of “honoring” there is one CLEAR message that we can all use, and that is HONORING BY HELPING OTHERS!

Sometimes I feel like I’m helping others, but when you go around the dinner table and ask when you last “volunteered” formally, the often answer is not lately. Now don’t get me wrong, everyday acts of kindness MATTERS and in a HUGE WAY. Honestly, those actions are the positive fabrics in our lives. In fact, a book I read over the long weekend (quoted above) was about that very idea. We are wired to be in “tribes” and a tribe in most cultures represents unity. Unity is found at the most basic level in helping each other to survive, each taking on their role to use the gifts/skills they have can that best serves the group. (This was a fantastic read – short and powerful. I highly recommend it!)

So what should we do this week in order ACT on THIS? For one thing, I’d love to hear what your plans are for summer volunteering. I will be helping with the American Heart Associations Heart and Stroke Walkon Saturday, June 18 and also the Spofford Home’s Community birthday celebration on July 30. I think volunteering with the family or friends at a food bank like Harvesters is a terrific need in our community, and there are literally hundreds of other needs out there ready for a helping hand and a willing heart!

What if we all be sure to incorporate a VOLUNTEER PLAN into our summer schedules?

(Photo credit: Pinterest, via a posting by CMC inc. Marketing)

Who are your fans?

blog_722223_2784635_1443356926On Thursday night, the Kansas City Royals secured their postseason run and were crowned the Central Division Champions! GO BOYS IN BLUE!

I had so much fun watching the post-game celebration. I admit, I rarely watch TV, unless it’s a good HGTV series where they flip a $50,000 home into a $1 million buy for pennies on the dollar.

What draws me in is pretty much the same emotion If you think about it: Victory and unifying around a goal that is achieved in a big way. I love that.

So, this week I have to spend some time on that thought. Celebration and why it matters at home, at work and in our community!  I promise, like all blog posts, I’ll keep them short. Today, celebration and community, otherwise known as fans!

Ned Yost delivered a brief and terrific post-game speech Thursday, and his focus was on the fans: “You guys have been there with us every step of the way…We can’t do it without you!” You can tell he cares. He choked up and they took the camera off of him…love that!

THE KEY THOUGHT:
Focusing on others first is an essential ingredient for success. Your community of support is what lifts you up or drags you along.

They are essential to you achieving your best. Who are  your “fans”, your “tribe” or your support group?  If you feel good about that then thank them today! If you need to upgrade, you might want to develop a plan for that. It’s critical to a life of excellence!

Leadership Lessons from the SANDLOT Part 3

blog_714367_2769883_1440557299FOR-EV-ER is a long time!  How do you want the “movie of your life” to be remembered?  It’s Sunday- a great day to evaluate that-  Like Sandlot,  I’m sure your life is loaded with memories of feeling like “Smalls” and moments where you were on top of your game like “Benny” – I hope that you’ve had a lot of laughs along the way and that you can look back and smile and that your “team or tribe” like the Sandlot team,  has made you a better person.

So what does your life’s movie look like SO FAR?   I like the idea of “a few easy steps” or something I can easily walk through without taking a day off and locking myself in a room to get my thoughts quiet and come up with a good plan.  So, at the risk of making this far too simplistic, here is some thinking around that to get you thinking about your life as a movie….

  1. Who are characters that are worthy of being in your story?
  2. What is the main plot? The gifts you’ve been given that make up YOUR STORY- How is the dialogue playing out?  Is it offering the maximum emotional impact?  Drawing in the audience you want?  Connecting with those you hope to connect with?
  3. What is the one thing – “the climax” – you want to be known for?

BONUS- We can’t forget a great movie, has great music!  What does your soundtrack look like?  I love me a bit of ABBA, Kenny Chesney, Sugarland, Lionel Richie and of course Rick Springfield, Kid Rock, and Bon Jovi.  (So much pressure to this list, I’M MISSING SO MANY!)

DOUBLE BONUS- EDITING!  A movie CANNOT be great without AMAZING EDITING!  Get that proverbial red pen out and edit out all of those memories, moments, and embarrassing decisions (including bad hair and clothing decisions…)- that DO NOT BELONG on the BIG SCREEN and possibly not even in your memory bank! They can make the bloopers reel, for the purposes of laughing only!

My prayer is that you all have a terrific week.  Make it count!  I count you among my blessings!

What If We Left The Path?

blog_707301_2760618_1438657653WHAT IF… WE ALL WERE HAVING THIS MUCH FUN!?

Okay, seriously, does this look AWESOME or WHAT?  I have no idea if this is real or a really creative photographer or photoshop guru, but needless to say, IT CATCHES YOUR ATTENTION.  The “cool factor” of the city, the clearly way too high waterslide, and the FEEL that this kid is taking on the world in some weird way.

This week we are chatting about FUN- This photo brings my attention to one of life’s great truths, which is the good ole’ fashioned line,  “NO RISK NO REWARD”, or said in a much more eloquent manner…

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson …Assuming of course that their is reward in leaving a trail!

Thanks Mr. Emerson for the QUESTION OF THE DAY.

WHAT IF WE LEFT THE PATH (WHAT PATH?) AND BLAZED A TRAIL….

I have to start with the first question I’d ask myself…

What TRAIL needs BLAZED?  Is it at HOME, work, OUR COMMUNITY, IS IT FOR SIMPLE PLEASURE- Should I jump out of a perfectly good airplane or bungee jump, or just walk across the street and invite my neighbors over for ice cream?   Can it be a small walk and still be worthwhile and FUN?  I really don’t want to jump out of a plane yet, maybe when I’m 90.

Is there anyway that BLAZING could be FUN?  I am not a fan of pain in pretty much any way.

blog_707301_2760621_1438657653If I GET OFF OF THE PATH, who will go with me?  I NEED MY TRIBE TO BE IN ON THIS!  Is there someone new that I might meet that would make this MORE FUN? Who makes me a BETTER PERSON?  WHO ENRICHES MY LIFE?  I need more of THEM and LESS of the distractions….

You may have guessed my routine by now:  WHAT IF WE ALL STOPPED WHAT WE WERE DOING and made a short list of THE TRAIL THAT WE NEED TO BLAZE TO ADD JOY TO OUR LIVES?! 

BE BOLD in your GRATITUDE

blog_702017_2755685_1437521960This week I am going to focus on being BOLD for things that you are FOR!  I am for so MANY things and my hope is that you will take a few minutes today to think of what you are FOR.

Today’s focus is on BEING BOLD in your GRATITUDE!

  1. Bold GRATITUDE enlarges our HEARTS!
    Science actually proves that gratitude makes us happier and healthier! That’s REASON ENOUGH!
  2. Bold GRATITUDE returns the FOCUS TO THE RIGHT THINGS. 
    Developing a practice of taking notes of what you are grateful for moves your energy to what is good, and not all of the “junk” that can creep in if we let it. That stuff may still be there, but at the end of the day the positive is pretty amazing.
  3. Bold GRATITUDE makes the WORLD BEAUTIFUL. 
    When we COLLECTIVELY decide to be GRATEFUL things just are BETTER. A terrific quote from Brendon Burchard, author of Life’s Golden Ticket…

    “When you are alive with joy, gratitude, and genuine interest in others, you are your most beautiful.  Remember that.  NOW GO STUN THE WORLD.”

For the FUN OF IT… THINGS I’M “FOR”  (AND SO VERY GRATEFUL) PART 3:

  • My Tribe – Every last one of them
  • Pine Cove – Our amazing second family
  • Education –  Learning is outrageously cool

    And for the not so serious but still true…

  • Fireflies – Yep, I still think they are so cool out there dancing around!
  • The idea of picnics…
  • A good craft beer and all things local really.
  • A cool looking cookbook … to LOOK at!

There is sooo much more I may have to do an entire series of blogs on….

Have an amazing week ahead!   My prayer is that you will take BOLD GRATITUDE into your week!