Reflections: The Promotion

“Happy End of 2013!!” so screams the entire world today.  I am writing this as I prepare to present a short work that is uplifting and inspiring for a new generation. The fact that I was even asked to present is humbling – I do quite a few presentations, but I never see myself as someone who would be called to perform in opening for others. Interestingly enough, I had an immediate bout of Writer’s Block.  I never understand this idea, that why, when at the moment where I can show how the skills and talents have been developed, I crack.  Maybe it is performance anxiety, a nervousness that I will not live up to the expectations of other.  Or maybe it is the fact that at this moment it time other people’s emotions are involved and you can easily become swayed either way in the struggle.   It is a mystery because I find myself increasingly downplaying new elevations in my life as if they don’t shine for all to see, without even the reshaping of my lips..

 In preparation for completing a level, we are often taught to celebrate the accomplishment with either a momento or a ceremony. We remember the work we did to reach the goal, long hours invested into a single thought or idea to ensure the best work could be done. Over that time, we find ways to strategically simplify and work smarter, innovating the process to be more refined and distinguished.  A promotion is validation that the foundation has been well laid.  Not everyone is able to make it to the next level, so we must also be humbled by it. In the very same nature, we must reminder ourselves of the skills we do have and continue to use them in

As I sit here reflecting on the work I must do, the unfinished plans and even the wonders of what is next, I am reminded that all of this is just the beginning.  God, in Genesis 1:31 takes some time after working for constant 6 days to think back about these accomplishments; “God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good.”  But God also knew that it was just the first step in the story, the newest plan, the missing link in the life that had already been there.  God understood that the promotion meant taking on a new role and adjusting from the Creator to Overseer of the world whose very core he build from nothing.

With this year swiftly coming to a close, after surveying all that was lost and gain, I recognize my eligibility for a promotion.  When the official word of 2014 is on the horizon with the only thing stopping me a performance to finish, I’ll remember every time I’ve directed, acted, written or performed in my entire lifetime. I’ll think of the new experiences 2013 brought and the seeds planted poise to bloom as early as January. I will bask in the honor of being among the chosen, in how I am not even deserving of the space and time, and proceed with care, caution, tenacity and excitement on the way to the next level. This year, like this level in our lives, has made it complete revolution and it is time we recognized just how important that is. 

Consider creating a 2013 report card: 13 accomplishments of the year.  Be sure to list different categories such as family, school, work and reflect on something you did right in that area. When 2014 reaches its low or mediocre moments, refer back to your previous year report card as a reminder of what you can achieve.  

Rejoice!

Carpe diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; 

make the most of what you have. It is later than you think.

~ Horace

Congratulations!  It is officially the holidays and many of us are preparing for – or in the midst of – a celebration. We search old libraries and files for programs we have seen, icebreakers we have participated in and events we have experienced hoping to consider them inspirations for our own reenactments. There are traditions, rituals and familiar celebrations that bring a smile to our faces and tingly sensation to our hearts.  Gift exchanges of trinkets we have been hoping for and clothing we never wish to see again (this season or the next) rear their heads and cement memories by their presence.  But these observances are less about the things associated and more about how we feel around and during the jubilee.  After all, A Christmas Story was not so much about the fact that Christmas existed, but Scrooge’s attitude toward the season based on his past experiences.

Celebrations remind us of what we can appreciate; they are the inner expressions of how we relate to everyone else around us. They are the collective fellowship when people can come together in peace, love and unity, sharing hopes and joys from one to another.  These gatherings feed, uplift and encourage the spirit of all who partake in the festivities.  They are also a way for us to document important events – most of our milestones are also recognized with special acknowledgement.  Even Jesus’ miracles and exploits often occurred around present festivals and observances.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 reads, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” 

So as this season moves forward, rejoice in the simple act of being in the room with others and collectively thinking about the joy it brings.  If you can not be with family or those you love, be grateful and rejoice for the moments we have in the here and now. 

Consider looking in the mirror every day for rest of the holidays and say, “I rejoice for I have done, I rejoice in my present circumstances, I rejoice for all things that are to come!”

Love's Holiday

Photo from http://everythingexclusivemag.com/tag/holiday-love/

The holiday season is full of cheer – a large variety of décor is seen all around, music plays freely on the radio station, a constant reminder that there indeed is something special taking place.  And a celebration, it truly is!  Around Thanksgiving comes Hanukkah, the eight day Jewish Feast of the Lights, then later Christmas, Kwanzaa and of course the celebration of the New Year. Holidays are synonymous with vacations, school breaks and days off from work, which means there will be interruptions in the normal routine.  With that many events occurring, coupled with the excitement of focusing of pending rest time, it is easy to fall into impatience with anyone or anything providing obstacles to reaching our holiday plans.

Let’s face it; we do tend to act out of character this time of year. It may be that we have become stingy with the stapler or found ourselves on the very last sheet of notebook paper or obsessing to figure out how to get that perfect gift for the cousin we only see this time of year.  The anticipation of the peace, ironically, can cause dissension on the very path to achieving it.  What then must we do? How can we maintain our regular attitudes and disposition while embracing our holiday cheer?

We have to use the cheer as an enhancement – recognize how it affects us and build our own new routine around it.  Know that the normal schedule will be interrupted and we will have to adjust.  Ephesians 4:2 reads, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.” At the end of the day, the season really is about love; it is Love’s Holiday and we have an obligation to share that. 

Consider keeping your thoughts on the motivation of the season, instead what comes with it; let’s spread love to everyone we meet.

...and Let it Begin with Me

“You have peace," the old woman said, "when you make it with yourself.”

~ Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Have you ever seen someone who just could not keep their focus?  Every five minutes they move on to another subject, constantly thinking of the next item on the agenda. This could be a little frustrating to those surrounding them, anxious for them to sit down and complete something.  But how can they if their minds are fragmented, divided, and overwhelmed by the many details, and lack the attention to proceed.  

But what if it is us?   The discord in our minds so distracting that we are not sure if we can finish. How can we even move forward in any conceivable way when are struggling to make sense of the space we are in?  How can we continue our journey when the direction is unclear? We do so by returning to the peace within ourselves.

During the Advent season, we celebrate observing Peace on Earth, but we have to know how to achieve it.  We obtain it spiritually by taking time out to pray and listen for God’s response.  We obtain it mentally when we organize our priorities and work, little by little, to make them settle.  We obtain peace emotionally when we consider our feelings an investment and only use that sentimental currency for those things that will bring a positive profit in your life.

In Ephesians 4:3, Paul writes that we should be “Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”  We can only be on one accord once we have found what, within ourselves, brings us peace and work toward maintaining it at every turn.  This peace will encourage us to fellowship as persons actively seeking to be whole in Christ.

Consider letting the peace from within grow, grow and grow until it spill over into unifying fellowship with all we meet, see, hear and touch.

A Moment to Hope

It’s almost been one year!  To celebrate, next week, you will be able to download for free an excerpt of 30 Days of Peace and Praise, a compilation of this year’s best post with matching activities.  The complete book will be available for purchase by e-book and by hard copy soon.  

For Advent, we'll take on each element around the theme of "For Today".

Hope is passion for what is possible.

 - Soren Kierkegaard

In a season where we go from being thankful to thirsty for goods overnight, our mood seems a little schizophrenic.  We often move from sharing, feeding those less fortunate and spending quality time with loved ones to instant competition to best others in finding the perfect gift for these same loved ones.  How can we operate in this way, giving and taking in quick turn?  It seems rather, well, impossible to consider our own beauty, the grounding that has kept us, in the crazed moments.  The glimmer of hope seems to be yet diminishing in a season that is based around the very idea, each of us caught up in the frenzy of the present.  In the frenzy, we can lose ourselves, temporarily abandoning the morals we have come to know as our own foundation.

How can we return ourselves to that place of remembering the season?   We can be reminded of our space and place in this season by taking a moment to hope.  Henri Nouwen writes, in Out of Solitude, “A life without a lonely place, that is, a life without a quiet center, easily becomes destructive.”   Just a small minute to reflect on what the end of the year, what the moments of these holy days, what the coming of Christ truly means.  For many, this is a new beginning, a reminder that no matter what has transpired this year, there is no stronghold that can stay over you when it is time to move forward.

Understand that we are not here to be perfect, only to live the best we can in truth and love. Matthew 12:21 reads, "...and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”   Hoping sets the ambiance, the mood, the tone, the theme and our expectations of a situation.  Hope is the positive thought that changes our disposition, our mindset, our entire attitude toward the seasons of our lives.

Consider today taking the time to just remember the attitude we want to assume for this season in our lives. Write it down. When you feel things start to spiral or become a frenzied moment, read what you wrote as many times as necessary.

Adjusting

In honor of my contracting the flu, this seemed fairly appropriate to discuss.  Enjoy!

“You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash.

 Become like water my friend.”

~ Bruce Lee

The change of seasons brings and adjustment for everyone.  The leaves turn, becoming foliage for onlookers to see.  Animals start preparing for their winter endeavors under rocks and near streams.  People pull out their winter clothes and - more often than not - catch a cold.  It is not as cool as building a nest however it is a natural response to the temperature fluctuation.  But how can one get ready for the pending weather shift?  It seems that no pea coat or wool scarf could ever prepare for the first sensation of the chilled air. Combine it with a frigid, windy breeze and … well, how can we do more than adjust to the new circumstances? This does not mean that we will not have some emotions toward the new situation, only that we still have to move through them.

The same is the case when we are faced with major events that occur in our lives.  When we are suddenly given new tasks and duties at our jobs or are in the process of moving. When we are faced with the foreclosure of a home after years of unsuccessful maneuvers or the death of a loved one after a prolonged battled with a terminal illness.  We have prepared for the inevitable, rehearsed with role play exactly how we would respond, but nothing prepares us for that moment.  It is up to us to be malleable enough to evolve.

Christ was the master and the servant, the powerful and the weak, the teacher and the student, the sacrificer and the sacrifice.  To adapt to each of these on a daily, sometimes – in later life – hourly basis, require an understanding beyond the self.  “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).  It is not easy to walk in all the areas, however, necessary, no matter how uncomfortable we find the adjustment process.

Consider moments where we are adjusting and resist the urge to struggle against it, for it may only be preparation for the next level.

Reflections: Keep Walking

“If you’re walking down the right path and you’re willing to keep walking, 

eventually you’ll make progress.”  

Barack Obama

Picture by R. Guy

It has almost been one year since I started writing Peace and Praise. Throughout that time, this has become an opportunity to explore my relationships with God and the world around me.  I have learned that it is sometimes easier to encourage others than to encourage yourself.  I have learned that sometimes what you need to hear for yourself is what others also need.  Sometimes you minister to others by ministering to yourself.  I also find it hard to believe that the most popular posts have been about butterflies, dryers and my reflections, proof of the fact that there is always interest in the personal story.

The other thing I learned is that as much as I love to write, it has been hard to know the responsibility of churning out posts is on my shoulders.  This is its own blessing and curse. There are many partial posts that lay in the abyss of my computer, never seeing the light of day.  There are some ideas that bob around in my head, even to this day, that I still have no clue how to write.  Peace and Praise has not always worked out the way I thought it should, but it is the one thing to which I return.

I believe that our spirituality is similar to this.  We never know how much our own explorations and journeys are perhaps the gateway for others to embrace their space and place.  We have to work very hard to remain consistent in our walk because, at times, it is so easy to convince ourselves that we do not need to complete it.  I often pondered whether I should write that post, or if no one will miss it if it is not sent (of course, one check of the blog traffic counter proves otherwise).  It is then we realize simply that we are far more connected to the world around us than we originally considered.

Bottom line, on our walk – whether spiritual, personal, emotional, career-wise – the road will get rocky.  We come across a few stones, a pot hole, a detour sign; if the walk is still worth it, we will kick it out the way, move around the inconsistency in the path and maneuver so that our sights are never too far from the goal.   “You shall walk in all the ways that the Lord your God has commanded you, that they may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess” (Deuteronomy 5:33).  Nothing is so strong, so critical, that it shakes the importance of the continuing the walk.

As year one is rapidly coming to a close, with the coming of Advent and the New Year Calendar year, I am instituting a vow to deposit more positively into myself and everyone in my surroundings.   This does not mean that there will not be bumps – personalities do remain as they are – but there will be a change in the approach.  I invite each of you to consider this vow, remembering the importance of your walk so that it deepens, you never forget the reason you are there in the first place.

The Season of Tangible Outcomes

“Do it no matter what. If you believe in it, it is something very honorable. If somebody around you or your family does not understand it, then that's their problem. But if you do have a passion, an honest passion, just do it.”

Mario Andretti 

We love a good promise. I like to make them – I love to make my word good by backing it up with action. However, sometimes I over commit.  I tend to get a bunch of small things together, dedicate myself to the smaller simpler tasks, because the quantity seems great!  Vesta Kelly did, after all once say, “Snowflakes are one of nature’s most fragile things, but just look at what they can do when they stick together”.  And, honestly, there is a pleasure in being able to see all the check boxes marked on a list that shows things are complete!  I have my list even this week detailing the same kinds of things.

But I’m learning that it is not the quantity of the list, but the quality of the list.  It’s similar to buying toilet paper – you could spend $5 dollars to buy 20 rolls of 1 ply that will break the moment anyone looks at it, or spend the same $5 dollars on 10 rolls of 2 or 3 ply that is stronger and has more weight to it.  Often our lists contain things like “Walk the Dog”, “Put in the Rental Car requests”, and “Write this one page report’.  Also on the list could be “Edit book”, “Write Grant Proposal” and “Establish new office space”.  How much do you want to bet that that first group are things that get handled much sooner, while week after week, the same larger, higher impact items linger?  The small things can be distracters and even, dare I say it, a way of procrastinating from the larger goals and milestones.

I often think of Jesus performing the first miracle at the wedding in Cana.  Until this point, he had done out of the ordinary things – became a talented carpenter, sat with the rabbis while his family looked for him - but he had not yet tangibly shown his greatness.  When he turns water into wine, at his Mother’s urging, and there is not only more wine, but better wine that the first, it is a physical declaration of what he could do.  It is the first of so many miracles to come, but it all started with this first showing of his talent and ability.

The winds are blowing.  It is our turn to show that which we are capable.  We should embrace this tiny wind and ride it out to the next level of our lives.  This is not to say that all the smaller items are not important; your dog will not be happy if you forget to walk them.  But, if your dog walking turns into a three hour play date every time, it may be impacting your outcomes.   It could be the difference between enjoying the family party and using your gifts to be the reason the party continues.

This week, consider joining me in shifting our focus to whittle down the list of distracters and move toward those tangible outcomes.

Mind the Gap: Between the Margins

Anyone whose every typed anything, especially for a college class or while constructing a resume, has had to worry about how to manipulate the margins.  Whether it is because there is just one line too many left over, or one word that is falling down to the next, hanging by its lonesome, playing around the edges is a daring feat that can often prove to be successful.  While, to the natural eye, these do not seem to make that much of a difference, unless you are a well-trained professor with the uncanny ability to catch these nuances, for the person make the adjustments it means a lot.  It can take hours to get the margins just right so that they fit the requirements of the task.

As we survey what lies in our gaps, in the very pores of our being, we will note that things that may be taken for granted actually did play a large part in time. In the commentary Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Peter Jackson mentions how the 2 minute scene of Gollum running would take days to get right.  It is fascinating to hear someone speak French, however it took years to develop that talent, possibly even spending time in a francophone country.  Audiences who attend an inspirational and truly moving play often never see the hours of work actors, directors and all the other theatrical personnel place into making the experience. These times are BTM (Between the Margin) experiences.

At the wedding in Cana, Mary commanded Jesus to provide wine for the attendees when the family had run out. Mary never asked if he could do it, probably was not around to see how long it took him to make it happen or to perfect the skill – it was something that Jesus worked out was between the margins.   Miracles, skills, gifts and inspirations come from between the margins.  This work, this refinement, this tampering and tinkering until we get it just right is apart of the BTM stage.

This week, reconsider those trying, diligent or times of extreme focus, these BTM (between the margin) experiences.  Think about the lesson, the skill and how adjusting to the new circumstances made us who we are today. 

Mind the Gap: The Smallest Hints

“Mind the Gap. It’s the Difference between life as you mean it and life as it is.”

~ Sheba Heart, character in Notes on a Scandal (film)

Fall is one of those special times of year when you are not exactly sure what the weather will be – it could be hot or cold. The leaves could be green and pretty one day, then brown and orange (or even off the branch completely) the next.  The reason people get caught so off guard is because it literally happens when we are not paying attention. Sure, we notice the slight nip in the air, or the days are just a little shorter, but sometimes it’s not until we are drinking apple cider or hot cocoa to keep warm that things have changed so much.

In our everyday dealings, we often miss paying attention to these elements.  We miss the signs that someone likes us until it is a full-blown love interest or the interest has waned. We miss that opportunity that we are perfect for, so busy trying to just make ends meet. We miss the growth of our children, the stubble growing on our chins and reading a chapter here and there until one day the children are somehow our height, the 5 o’clock shadow is now a baby beard, and we are suffering from literary dehydration.  It is a small space it seems, but that one step can make all the difference.

In all of the Holy books, we find stories of how a chance meeting changes the direction of one’s desires and motivations.  Before that brief rendezvous, that moment of recognition, they are perfectly content with life as they knew it.  Someone is knocked off a donkey on a familiar road; someone met the love of their life and it jump starts a different movement, someone has an encounter with the Creator and can never walk the same again. These moments are in the gaps, when they are not paying attention, thinking it was still an ordinary summer, when in fact, fall was actually on the way.

There are no insignificant moments in life – there are some that have more priority than others and some that make more of an impact, but all play apart in constructing our days and ultimately our lives. The hints are to be embraced, not ignored, for they reveal the truth.  Ultimately, it is our choice to acknowledge the importance, the preciousness, of the very seconds that shape our days. 

Consider, this week, acknowledging those hints that show change is in the air. Greater is coming.

The Heart of a Leader

"Being a Master leader means being a Master Servant." 

~ Bishop Teresa Snorton

People often are placed in positions of leadership at unsuspecting times.  Even if they have some skills or have done so in other arenas before, there is typically a moment of hesitation of how to proceed on certain decisions. These new facilitators will first seek counsel and advice from mentors in order to determine the best possible options.  However, what most people find that in order to really lead, to guide people to a goal, they must understand what it is to be apart of the group with whom they are working.

Same is the case in our lives when moving to the next level or into a new opportunity. We are excited about the possibilities or nervous about what comes next, but feel like we have an initial learning curve.  Whether it is writing the first book, starting a new position or moving to a new place, those first moments are taken tentatively.  We search for ways to make it as familiar as possible to our old situation – we decorate the space, start the meeting with a quote or bring our favorite lamp into the writing area.  We try to bring a little of ourselves until we can integrate the styles as quickly as possible, hoping that, by the time the first month is over, things have smoothed out just a little.

The best way of being a good leader, perhaps, is by being a great servant. There is something to be said about attending to the needs of even the lowest position in the company or the smallest person in the household. This is not the same as conforming, yielding to all wishes or making sure everyone gets everything that they want. It is about taking care of the needs. Matthew 25:40 reads, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. ’” Leading is less about being perfect and more about anticipating how a group will need to be serviced before that time comes.   Those we lead are a plant: add water before it begins to droop; give it proper sunshine so that it will grow; every now and then add that special fertilizer to give little boost; have someone look after it in your absence; and anticipating when the regiment will need to change.

Moreover, if we have to be a servant to be a great leader, we must also handle our needs.   We can not serve if we are not listening and paying attention to all the whispers of our body’s requests for food and water, our mind’s requirements of sleep, our spirit’s desire to be restored, refreshed and renewed after a long work week.  We cannot serve if we have not given ourselves the necessary structure and organization to have a way of sustaining our own future.  Yes, leadership is tricky, but can be navigated, if we learn the best ways of serving - the repayment and reward are blessing from our own lives and loyalty from those all around us.

Let’s consider this week where we have been designated a leader and see how we can be better servants in those capacities.

Outliers: Seeing from a Distance

Many of my friends have been on vacations and returned with beautiful pictures of their adventures.  The above, taken by Lessie Rivon, friend of Kimberly Barnes, is a scene from her trip to the Bahamas.   Enjoy!

In the late 80s, a film featured a boy who always got teased at school and was constantly left out and used because of small stature.  He decided, then, he wanted to be big.  He made a wish on a machine at a Fair and, the next morning, was an adult.  Although at first it was difficult to navigate - after all his best friend still looked and acted 13, he found his niche at toy company, testing toys' effectiveness by playing with them.  His co-workers could not understand how he was coming up with new ideas that worked or how he was advancing so quickly, they just knew he was different in his thinking, actions and approach to making the company successful.

Sometimes we come into a specific place and realize we see it all differently.  The solutions are deviant from the norm, not exactly a crowd pleaser, but can change the way the world considers things.  Like a remote control for a tv, a sand paper strip on the side of a matchbox or a rubber ring for a key.  In these situations we are outliers, persons in the group who may stand alone or in a small cluster away from the standard.

Admittedly, it may be hard to realize we are the one who sees outside the group; it can be a lonely position.  But it is necessary that each group to have thinkers, doers and movers, even for a short time, to shed light on the obvious.  Caleb, in Numbers 13, was one of the 12 sent over the mountain to scope out Canaan for Moses.  While the other 11 said they should turn back, Caleb saw a not so popular view of the situation, saying, "Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it" (verse 30; NRSV).  He saw, as God did, the vision necessary to save the entire nation, and was unafraid to stand boldly on this perspective.

Perhaps we have been pondering an idea that may not make sense to others, but refuses to go away. It may be time to explore it, meditate on it and embrace it.  After our brief hesitation, we may find that there is peace in that space when we have made the decision to follow the voice. And, the road that seems to be less traveled - the deviation - will open up with added blessings as confirmation for the making the right choice.

Let us consider asking ourselves what sight we have been given at our jobs, in our home or in our daily lives.  Let us decide today to cling to that vision and be ready for wherever it takes us.

What Holds Us Up

“My Mama said that I was not built to break! ...I did not know my own strength.”

~ Whitney Houston

At a recent conference, a young woman, before sharing her gift of song, told the awaiting listeners that she was striving to be a phenomenal woman. As the crowd affirmed for her that she was already phenomenal, the speaker went on to tell of how she had survived a severe domestic violence situation and now, in her upper 30s was returning to school as a freshman to further her education.  A shocked crowd applauded her courage, her strength, fortitude and drive.  The speaker then, again, repeated her desired to be a phenomenal woman.    Someone at a table below the platform whispered, “But you already are” hoping the words could be a silent bandage for the obvious wounds this woman was struggling to heal.

How many times have we been this way?  Standing on the dais of situations in our lives, whether it be conversation with friends, at the head of a boardroom meeting, in front of the classroom, in front of our children, unable to recognize our own greatness.  Somehow not able to face our own legacy for trying to escape the stigma of whatever was chaining us, not realizing that chain has been broken. Unable to see how our story is an inspiration to another.  We think, “This is what holds us back.”  When working to move forward, we replay, constantly, traumas that plagued us, wondering how we can just maneuver around the wall to be that better person we want to become.

What the audience was collectively pushing for was a change in her thinking, a shift in perspective.  The crowd, touched and encouraged by her story, wanted desperately to be a reaffirming mentor to a woman with such value, for her to see that she was already walking in her potential by pushing to live our her dreams in spite of her past. What the assembly need was the affirmation that there would not be another like them, who may have previously allowed outside forces to dictate how they felt about themselves.

To be honest, we are most often, for ourselves, more like the young woman, and less like the crowd. We are told that the survivor stands alone and no one else will ever be for us.  The truth is often farther from this thought than we could imagine. We all have a cheerleading section of people who still see the best in us, whether it is spiritual, persons in your circle now, or a confirmation on the way in your future.  What we must remember is that the experiences move us forward, build us, shape up, mold us and deposit growth into us. What we must remember is that what we think is really holding us back is actually what is holding us up. 

Consider, this week, making a list of all the things you feel are holding you back.  Even title it as such. Once the list is made, scratch off the word “back” and replace it with “up”

Reflections: Challenge Accepted

One [person] with courage is a majority.

Thomas Jefferson

I am notorious for starting projects but not finishing them. I do not believe it is so much a lack of discipline as it is getting distracted with the next biggest, brightest, shinier star, because all of them should be in my sky, right?  “Not really,” I often have to remember to tell myself. Sometimes, I believe I just have a fear of actually succeeding, of being rewarded something for which I worked so hard.  Who could imagine that it could be possible to not really want to succeed?

I learned, this month, that I as much as I love writing and would do it every waking moment of my existence (or some form of it including theater, sermoning, reading and the like), I worry constantly about what people would think about it.  Take this blog/newsletter, for instance, I write and write and some days posts that are to come out, do not make it out.  Funny thing is, I often have a post in the back lined up somewhere that would have worked, but I felt it was subpar for whatever reason.  Yes, quality is importance, but not at the risk of self-sabotage.

So what are we self-sabotaging? Where are we in our lives that we are stopping ourselves from receiving a blessing because we stop just short of the moment. I often wonder what would have happened if we just stayed the course.  Even as I write this, my mind is racing and I have 3 other possible Peace and Praise subjects open, some started, others a mere title, a play and a bibliography for a grant, in separate window.  Talk about a need to get it all together! 

What we need to do in situations such as these is to simply focus and prioritize.  What had to happen? And what is it that we need to do first.  For me, which article should I write first (probably the one that comes out today!)? I have written before about the need to finish projects, and today, the last Friday in August, I am declaring my acceptance of the Challenge. To be more focused, more diligent, and actually complete some tasks.  To shut down the 50-11 windows I have open at any given time to make room for concentrating on just one thing.

Consider issuing a small self-challenge and accepting it. 

Unified

“We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to the big differences that we often can not foresee.”

~ Maria Wright Edelman

“If you think you’re too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito.”

~ Anita Roddick

In preparation for a theatrical production, many working hours going to the finished product: actors memorize lines, directors work to solidify the overall vision, and set designers build the idea.  There are so many persons who collaborate to work toward one goal, each with a different gift, a different purpose.  With so many ornaments, so many moving parts, if there is just one person who is missing from the action, the entire company will notice, especially if it means someone else now has to complete their assigned task.

These assigned tasks are unique because everyone has one. Sounds cliché, but not any two are the same and with every performance, it changes slightly, each experience adjusting for the needs of the day.  A tweak here and there will make the duties run ever smoother and the show more seamless than the night before.

In our everyday lives, we are like that. We are placed in situations and held accountable for responsibilities that require us to be present for them to be complete. When we are out of place or not there, we see how strong of an impact it is on our lives and on those in our immediate circles.  We may feel as if we are no longer on the same wavelength, no longer able to be apart of the unit.  But the truth of the matter is that we are noticed in our absences for when we are not in place, we are no longer contributing to the whole. 

We affect so many more than we think, even if the smallest gesture.  It does matter if we are not in the best shape (physically, mentally, spiritually or emotionally).  It does matter if we do not take care of ourselves.  It does matter if we are only operating to 75% of our maximum capacity.    1 Corinthians 12:12 reads, “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.” It does not matter if we stutter, feel ill equipped or have a set back a time or two, we must fulfill our role.

This week, let us consider the strength of our own impact, for giving ourselves fully is the only way to obtain unity.

Reflections: Lifted

I have a different plan for my writing in August - my intension were to write about how the different school supplies can encourage us. Those posts will still be written soon and released at some point in the future.  However, there is so much movement in the air, I felt a different subject come about.  In the news and in my personal life, there have been several people unhappy with their circumstances, down on their luck and in their self-esteem.  With the recent alleged suicide of a childhood star whose career I followed, it solidified the fact that this should be a conversation.  Take a deep breath and exhale; we need this one.

Without a doubt, sometimes the world seems to weigh on us.  We do not always wear it well – we may cry out in frustration or feel the not-quite-so-gentle perspiration of tears moisturizing our skin.  Some of us hold it in, isolating ourselves, only to act out physically later which shocks our family and friends.  We maintain the pretenses, justifying the need to save face by indulging in luxuries – buying a new pair of shoes instead of paying a bill (even though I believe in rewarding the self – but that post is for another time).  I wonder if it is that, sometimes, we do not admit to ourselves exactly where we are on our emotional spectrum? That by the time we cry out for help we are so far down the spiral there is no possible redemption.  We get low, out of sync with ourselves and out of balance.

Yesterday morning, I stopped by my church to drop off a package and had the treat of hearing my friend sing some of John Legend’s “So High” (she has a magnificent voice).  The song itself actually talks about one party issuing an invitation of love to another; listening to it made me fall in love again – with me.   I was able to wrap up in a moment of clarity, seeing what I had neglected the past few weeks when my own situations became far more than I could handle.  In that moment, I understood that I had failed recently to really uplift myself, to forgive myself of mistakes I may have made, to forgive myself for doubting my intuition, or to congratulate myself for stepping out on faith.

This sounds a little odd, but I think sometimes we allow the world to distract us to the point that we can ot see what is that we have always loved about ourselves. The things like that birthmark on my leg; the chicken pox scar on my chest; or the fact that I like to make paper piles in all of my work and living spaces.  These things simultaneously annoy me, yes, but it is what makes me so unique.  I love my fear of showing my writing to anyone, my reluctance at stepping out on faith and that I am phone shy – I hate calling someone the first time.  I’m flawed and I love that because it is where I am humbled.    I am reminded that, “…I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Wonderful are your works;
that I know very well” (Psalm 139:14).  The depths of my complexity is scary and awesome, a thin line that can be confusing if not embraced.  But we should not be daunted.

The reason I write and maintain Peace and Praise as a blog and newsletter is to encouraging myself so that I can be a brighter light to others.  We never know whom we touch, who is watching, who is in need of your presence, in any given circumstance.  I write this as a person who admits that I have been so low, feeling unaccomplished or that I must be as worthless/incompetent as they say.  I write acknowledging that I have, in the earliest morning hours after bouts of persistent insomnia, considered the alternatives, convinced they could be a solution.  I write confessing that I have not always been in the soundest of minds when pieces of my life were scattered – half up in the air threatening to drop while many more lay open and exposed on the ground.  Thankfully, I had a godmother with professional sensibilities who loved me enough to share a salad, fanning that dying spark, coaxing it regain the strength to become a full on flame once more.

I have attempted the juggling act – that dance that forces me to choose between the necessary elements, only to finally that decide I refuse to choose any longer.  I have to do what preserves me and deposits positively into my own life.

What lifts me?  I intentionally decide to get grounded, connecting with the scientifically purest form of myself, the being made of love and joy.    In the beginning, it may require confiding in an anonymous party, one who would never judge you or your situation.  Getting lifted is about accepting your truth and reveling in the peace the honesty can bring.  Getting lifted is moving to a place so high that even if things are not going right, the thoughts never again threaten to diminish your heat.  I am happy to say, that no matter what I have faced since that salad, I have never allowed my flame to be turned that low again.

Consider grounding yourself – meditate in the morning, develop a ritual of 10 minutes of quiet time or even color.  If you are in a place that pushes you deeper, consider confiding in a professional 3^rd party or certified spiritual guide to assist.  Above all, keep yourself lifted.