From Surviving to Thriving

We have sure had the opportunity to be tested, tried and sentenced over the last few months. How is it looking for you? Would you have been convicted of giving up, throwing in the towel, quitting, sulking, murmuring and complaining about it all? Or would you receive glowing testimonials from your family and friends about being tenacious, relentless, determined, staying optimistic and being grateful for the blessings in your life?

No one is judging – certainly not me! I’ve come to realize that I don’t want to have gone through these times with an attitude of regret and remorse because I couldn’t take the heat. No one should blame anyone who got a little cranky over the last few months. And, for good reasons. But, wait just minute, Mr. Postman! We have so many reasons to be thankful and be boasting about our God Who has kept us, protected us and provided for us. We’re still here! We have survived! Psalm 27:13-14 says “I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait on Him and take courage.”

I AM living in this land of God’s goodness and mercy following me (Psalm 23:6). I believe it and speak it. My daughter runs a non-profit outreach called EMwomen that exists to rescue and restore women who have suffered through some of life's most difficult challenges – many of whom were homeless, jobless and hopeless. But, what does God do right in the midst of this pandemic? Every single one of those women now have homes, great jobs and are “living in the land of the living”. Because they had an attitude of gratitude, God’s goodness was magnetically drawn to them. Maya Angelou said: “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”

I have seen men and women rise and shine, accelerate, and go to a whole new level in their faith, confidence and trust in God during these times. They say with all-out fervor: "Bring on the heat! I was made for this. God power-packed me to win. I will come out of this heat and not even smell like smoke!”

The three Hebrews, Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego, not only survived the fiery furnace, but they weren't even singed and their clothing wasn't scorched. They didn't even smell like smoke! And that will be our story, too! As we praise and trust God Who causes us to triumph, we will come out of our “furnace situations”, alive and well. So what can we do to turn it all around from just surviving to thriving? Praise God. Our praise will jack up our faith. It’s time to step into the thriving circle of praise. Let's have some flash backs about what God has already done. When our hearts focus on the right place, we will more than survive – we will thrive!

This is the surviving to thriving scripture proof: "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us." Ephesians 3:20
That power working in us is the Holy Spirit and His fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." THAT is thriving!

He’s the God of the Hills and Valleys

After a week of the refreshing mountain-cool-air in New Mexico, yesterday we made our way home by way of stopping to overnight in Amarillo, TX. Our trustworthy driver knows when to stop for R & R.

In our travels, we see the mountaintops and the valleys....and in our lives we experience the mountaintops and the valleys. How we look at the landscape and how we look at LIFE -- determines our attitude and altitude!

Tauren Wells wrote and sings a song I love that explains the hills and valleys of our lives. The story behind his song “Hills & Valleys” was inspired by the quote “When you’re on the mountaintops of life, learn to bow low -- and when you’re in the valleys of life -- learn to stand tall.” He explained that he hopes the song encourages his listeners to remember, “We’re standing in God’s grace, and His grace is enough -- He’s the God of the hills and the valleys.” Here’s the lyrics:

"I’ve walked among the shadows -- You wiped my tears away
And I’ve felt the pain of heartbreak -- And I’ve seen the brighter days
And I’ve prayed prayers to heaven from my lowest place
And I have held Your blessings -- God You give and take away
No matter what I have, Your grace is enough
No matter where I am, I’m standing in Your love
On the mountains I will bow my life to the One who set me there
In the valley I will lift my eyes to the One who sees me there
When I’m standing on the mountain I didn’t get there on my own
When I’m walking through the valley I know I am not alone
You’re God of the hills and valleys, hills and valleys
God of the hills and valleys -- And I am not alone."

This week, the only thing that represented “the valley of the shadow of death (i.e., the pandemic)” to us was having to wear face masks in stores. Restaurants took all their service to outdoors seating, which were social-distanced. So, you might say we were “on the mountaintops” because we rarely thought about the environment that we are still trying to get accustomed to back home. Still, there are valley-experiences back in Red River. My daughter asked our waitress: “Is there anything I can pray with you about?” She replied: “That it would not rain.” What she meant is her job depends on business and because of seating outdoors, rain keeps them from business. Though this town was hopping with business in our eyes, it isn’t to the retailers who depend on high traffic. It reminds me of so many who have suffered so many loses during these last months.

Mountains AND valleys seem common in our lives. I know mountains. I’ve gazed at their beauty. I’ve skied down them. I’ve driven the winding roads to the top of them and embraced the beauty from the top looking down. And I’ve also known the mountains that are the vast, enormous obstacles and circumstances that seem beyond overwhelming. We think that if only these mountains were removed, our lives might be more peaceful. But, there must be mountains to appreciate the valleys. And perhaps, God, in all His wisdom, is wanting us to scale those mountains. He is wanting us to hike up those mountains for a “mountain-top experience” where we are refreshed, restored, nourished, and where we receive divine revelation. His revelation is always intended to grow our faith, strengthen our resolve, and equip us to take on any mountain that may be standing in our way. Indeed He is with us and holds us tight in the hills and valleys.

"Let the mountains bring peace to the people, And the hills, in righteousness." Psalm 72:3

Being a Soul Searcher

I’ve been doing some soul-searching – especially about my attitude during this quarantine. Honestly, not too much in my life changed. Yes, I've missed my Austin and Tulsa family and I was sad about the retreat that was cancelled that we had been working on for months, but I had no special occasions or vacations planned, a job that I depended on, children who were missing their senior year activities, or the loss of a loved one.

Of course I can have a sunny disposition – I haven’t personally been touched with emotional or physical pain as some of you have. But today, I am a Soul Searcher. I think, maybe, my happy-sing-along-with-Donna attitude may have come across as insensitive. So, please, forgive me -- especially to those of you who have suffered loss and are still in a grieving mode. I sincerely mean it. To love you is to help bear your burdens.To love you is to wrap my arms around you (virtually) so you know how much I care and am praying that you will weather this storm with strength and resolve.

Among the recommendations for keeping us safe during the COVID-19 pandemic was to gargle with warm salt water. But, I thought about salt in a different way when I considered where some of my friends are at. I realized that my sunny disposition may not appeal to those who are in misery right now. Lots of disappointments, financial setbacks, dreams squelched, and really severe depression. That is not something to be “sunny” about. The saying goes “It’s like rubbing salt in a wound.

I do know that grief can slip in quietly behind our best defenses. I do know what it is to force thinking about good and hopeful things, but still the darkness won’t go. I also know more about strength and determination in God's timing that sure helps. I think King Solomon understood it when he told us “There is a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (Ecclesiastes 3:4).

I’m sure there are those who know that scripture and how seasons like this come and go. But, I also know weeping and laughing, mourning and dancing can all occur in one “up-and-down” day. I've learned it’s okay to have a good cry (like when I was going through old photos of my husband and I last week). I also know "Don't stay there!" I know to move on is to appreciate the beauty of the present. Grief-triggers used to be unwelcome visitors for me. I would refuse to allow myself to go there. But, I’ve learned that it’s okay to grieve -- temporarily – because to those who loved much – miss their loved one much. I embrace those memories as a chance to give thanks for God’s past gifts and to expect His work now and in the future.

Here’s my heart -- I’m so sorry for giving the impression that I don't care about my friends’ needs. I assure you I do care and I want to help you out of despair. Christ is alive so that we don’t have to mourn or grieve as those without Him do. He brings us beauty right in the middle of our hardest days and saddest seasons. And even though His work isn't always an immediate song and dance, He always presents us the opportunity to change: "He grants to those who mourn in Zion -- beauty for ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of heaviness." (Isaiah 61:3).

We don’t have to force the joy or avoid the pain. But we do entrust our sorrow and hurts to Jesus because He is a compassionate Savior who knows grief and understands sadness. He cradles us, He heals our brokenness, and He transforms the ashes we bring Him into a crown of beauty that only He can create. The "corona-virus" starts with corona (crown). Let's change clothes, put on the garment of praise and thanksgiving, our crown of beauty and expect the best is yet to come! I love you so much and I'm praying for your change of seasons and that your BEST days are ahead!!

In EVERYTHING – Give Thanks

I stopped by a friend’s home a few days ago. Understandably, she is distraught because her high-school-senior-son is missing out on his final year of baseball, as well as missing out on his Senior Prom. And she went on to feel sorry for those college students who are delayed in their graduations and other friends who are having to cancel or postpone their weddings. I get it. It’s a difficult and disappointing time for so many.

I responded to her by telling her about my morning “aha”. I know this is TMI (too much information), but it’s my truth. I say: “I am sitting on my toilet this morning. I am pooping. I say to God: ‘Thank you so much for my system working so good. Thank you for this toilet. Thank you for the water in this toilet. Thank you for this bathroom that has a door on it and it’s indoors. Thank you for water to drink. Thank you for my home. Thank you for my lights. Thank you for technology. Thank you for YOU, God – Who promises to never leave me or forsake me.’”

She got the picture. And, so do you. It’s expressing gratitude for what we do have. It’s seeing the bigger picture that this all will pass and we’ll be telling our grandchildren about the 2020 pandemic. We will talk about the faithfulness of God Who brought us through while telling them about those who got very sick and many who lost their lives. This time will go down in the history books.

Yes, we are inconvenienced. Yes, we are missing spending times with friends and family. Yes, we miss going to church and concerts and sports games and restaurants and previously planned events. Yes, we want to go back to “business as usual”. Yes, we want our “normal” to be normal again.

But, instead of what we don’t have or what we don’t get to do – let’s consider what we do have. So, what to do when we don’t know what to do? We count our blessings – even name them one by one. I mean it. Since you’re at home with your kiddos – why not play the “I am so blessed” game. “You have one minute to tell us what you’re thankful for!” I did the exercise. I gave myself one minute, using my phone app. Ready! Set! Go!

I heard my dishwasher running. I wrote down "dishwasher". My eyes went to my piano that Papa played, I play, and our grandson plays. I wrote down "piano". I was seeing -- I wrote down "my eyes", and hearing -- "my ears"; I was sitting in a comfy chair -- "my furniture"; I saw my computer -- I wrote down "computer and internet". I glanced over at my refrigerator -- I wrote down "refrigerator".

When we express gratitude, rather than being bugged and annoyed by this time when we can’t do anything about it in the natural, we can express to God how thankful we are for what we do have. A grateful heart sees each day as a gift. Thankful people focus less on what they lack and more on the privileges and blessings they have. The grateful heart is like a magnet that collects reasons for gratitude -- for the paper clip to hold those pages together; for the milk in our cereal; for the song that soothes us; for the clock we hear ticking; for the light that turns on; for the car that takes us to the OPEN grocery store. Thank you, Lord!

May this time of uncertainty and inconvenience, become a time of really being thankful people for what we do have. May we choose gratitude as a habit that we choose daily as a way of life – even after this crisis is over. May we be overwhelmed with the beauty and abundance of all God has given us!

My Indicators Went Haywire

When something's just not right with my car, an indicator starts flashing on my dashboard. The same thing is true for checking and mastering our moods. When we’re dealing with an emotion that is causing our bright light to dim, then we need to fix it -- quickly! And, if we want to be the brightest light that reflects Jesus everywhere we are, then we should always be checking our indicators.

Case in point: Two weeks ago I reserved a large, private room in a restaurant for a group of 20 women on Monday night. This room would give us plenty of space to play some fun icebreaker games. I show up early and find they've placed us in a much smaller, tighter room with little space to move around. The larger room was now FULL of poker players. Did you notice I said “full”? They needed that room. We didn’t.

I should have taken notice of my “indicator lights” but didn’t. I proceed to fold my arms over my tummy. You know. That “look” that speaks without speaking. The co-manager is on the phone and I wait in that stance. He gets off the phone. I express my angst. He calls the manager who took my reservation. She says she had told me she would move us to a smaller room if our group was smaller. In my memory, (Lord, help me!) she never said that. And, if I could make it worse, I did. With little candor, I say: "I won't be selecting this place again in the future." I just HAD to make my point. Grrrr! My little light dimmed as I ate a slice of humble pie when only 14 of my women show up. Obviously, the smaller room was the right fit for us.

Some of our emotions can be so damaging, so hurtful, and so non-effective. We’ve (I've) got to change what we’re (I'm) feeling. Philippians 2:5 says, “Your attitude should be the kind that was shown us by Jesus Christ”. Our attitude includes our emotions, so what we’re feeling should be the same as that of Jesus. We need to ask our self, “How would Jesus feel in this situation? Would Jesus get irritated with this manager? No. Would Jesus have a “tude”? No. Would Jesus be up all night, wringing His hands and worrying that something isn’t going to work out? No. Would Jesus be fearful? No.”

We should instantly dismiss any feeling that doesn’t make us more like Jesus. If Jesus wouldn’t respond to someone with negative emotion (i.e., a store clerk, a spouse, a co-worker), then we shouldn’t either. If Jesus would present Himself as kind and understanding, then we should, too. We quickly drop that attitude, and we figure out what Jesus would do instead.

It's time for us to take control of our emotions and allow God to use them for good. Then God will do His part. Romans 8:28 says "ALL THINGS work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes." Those things, in my case, DID work out for good. Because this group of women had this smaller, intimate place to be, we were able to share miracle stories, encourage and support each other, and pray together. No need for games when God steps up and brightens up the room with His love. AND, gives me content for this blog!

Less of me and more of Him. "He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30)

Gratitude Lifts Our Attitude

On Wednesday, this picture and a message from FB was posted on my timeline. Seems this was the first photo I ever uploaded from my phone to FB. Obviously, I was in the gratitude mode at this time back then. I hope I never change!

It is a product of our upbringing and circumstances that we are "by nature" either complainers or praisers. Most people would agree that we have a lot to be grateful for. After all, most of us live a lifestyle of conveniences -- comfortable homes, nice clothes, reliable transportation, no shortage of clean water or healthy food. We have access to quality healthcare and education, and basically live a good life with freedom, in safety and security.

It’s easy to take these wonderful blessings for granted and sometimes get into the bad habit of focusing on what we don’t have while millions of people around the world live without the basic necessities of life. I remember our missions trips to South Africa, Belize and Mexico, visiting those who lived in small huts and cardboard dwellings with a minimum of conveniences and witnessing children digging for food and anything worth selling in a city dump. Lord, may I remember them, especially when I even start to complain about ANYTHING!

Just think about the blessings we often overlook -- like getting dressed on our own, driving to work, going to the grocery store, sending emails and text messages, and hundreds of other routine activities of life. It’s where the majority of our time goes, so why not learn to show gratitude for them? Choosing an attitude of gratitude not only honors God…it’s good for us!
No matter what, it's possible to BECOME grateful -- even if it's not our natural "bent", but it does take discipline. It takes practice and doing it over and over again. The reality is that a grateful heart will make way for finding the good in EVERYTHING we encounter. Best of all, it opens the door for blessings. We just have to replace complaints and fault finding, with praise and thanksgiving. I love Nancie Carmody's thought-provoking words that turn complaining to thanksgiving:
I AM THANKFUL
...for the mess to clean after a party because it means I have been surrounded by friends.
...for.the taxes I pay because it means that I'm employed.
...for the clothes that fit a little too snug because it means I have enough to eat.
...for my shadow who watches me work because it means I am out in the sunshine.
...for a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home.
...for the spot I find at the far end of the parking lot because it means I am capable of walking.
...for my huge heating bill because it means I am warm.
...for all the complaining I hear about our government because it means we have freedom of speech.
...for the lady behind me in church who sings off key because it means that I can hear.
...for the piles of laundry and ironing because it means my loved ones are nearby.
...for the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours because it means that I'm alive.
...for weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day because it means I have been productive.
-- Nancie J. Carmody

Oh, how blessed we are! Thank You, Heavenly Father, for the blessings of You, my friends and family and all the many, many reasons you've given me to be grateful today!

It’s Not Over Till I Win

Out of some pretty tough circumstances, my daughter wrote and recorded a song entitled "It's Not Over Till I Win". The chorus of the song goes like this: "I'm not givin' up. I'm not givin' in. I've got to keep believing. It's not over till I win! I'm not givin' up! I'm not givin' in. I've gotta keep on pressing on. Cause it's not over till I win." It was also the theme of her ministry events. Challenges didn't stop her. She simply pulled herself up by the bootstraps and declared "It's not over till I win!" I was cleaning out my closet yesterday and I found the t-shirt we wore that embraced the message. It resonated with me because I was thinking about a strong young woman and her mom who I follow daily on FB; both of whom have been dealt some tough hands, but watching them navigate through the maze of daily obstacles, has been both an inspiration and the model for which I choose to live my life. I believe Morgan's "never quit" attitude is the "It's Not Over Till I Win" attitude.

Precious 25-year-old Morgan Watson had a relapse in June of leukemia that was almost debilitating from 2009 to 2015, but after 6 years of treatment and non-stop battling the disease, she was declared in remission in 2015. We can only imagine the heartbreak, disappointment and the potential discouragement that could have been hers, and her family. But from June to today, their journey has been quite to the contrary. Oh yes, there have been insurmountable challenges and setbacks, but I have watched Morgan and her mom, Salina Watson, be bright lights in the darkness. They have had so many reasons to throw in the towel and quit, but instead, they have celebrated life in such remarkable ways. They are the encouragers to us as they give positive quotes and messages to inspire us to be better, to think better, to live our lives better. This is an example of one of Salina’s posts:

“As I sat looking through my pictures this evening, I came across the one below. I took it last week while Morgan was still in the hospital, prior to her having a lumbar puncture, and having chemo administered into her spine. At first glance, you wouldn’t know that she had been given news of a relapse 2 weeks prior and that she would be having a procedure minutes later. Why? Because her attitude and facial expression were not a typical response that one would expect from someone on the same path. You see, the truth is, we do not always have a choice in our circumstances, but we do get to choose how we will respond to it. Inevitably, our response will determine our outcome. Our world can be falling apart, yet we can choose to take the high road and embrace it with a smile, knowing that we are better for it. Morgan understands this and sets a perfect example for each one of us on any given day. My hope is that by sharing this, you too will begin to see challenges a little differently, and find a way to embrace them with a 😊.”
Maybe, today, you feel like you have every reason in the world to quit. Don’t!! Just look around at those who have so much more reason than you do to quit -- but they don't. They soar, and people who soar, are those who refuse to sit back, sigh and wish things would change. They neither complain about their lot in life nor passively dream of some distant ship coming in. Rather, they just refuse to be quitters; they won't allow life's circumstances to push them down and hold them under. They push through and pull up. QUIT is just not in their vocabulary!

And what was that I heard people say about quitting? "I can't because ........" REALLY? I'd say we have every reason in the world to pursue our dreams, our goals, and our visions -- we have too many blessings, have been given way too much, and BEST OF ALL, we have a Heavenly Father, WHO with "All things are possible!" We can! So let's just DO IT! "It's Not Over Till You Win!"

God Help Me! My Routine Went AWOL!

Routine: sequence of actions regularly followed; a fixed program, practice, pattern, regimen, plan, habits, schedule

My routine, first thing each morning, is to send a text message to my children, and my sister-in-law. Just a few love words to let them know that I was thinking about them and praying for them. My next morning routine is to go to my office and tap the SEND icon on my Facebook post and PUBLISH on my blog post. Then I quickly scan some of my friends’ activity on FB. Yesterday, I was shocked to see that my wonderful Tulsa dentist, Dr. Mark Tiernan, had passed away. Dr. Mark was a dear friend, amazing and fearless man of integrity and honor, missionary to nations to give his love away while providing his dental skills to those in need and precious man of God. Heaven just got sweeter.

My next routine is to make my way to the fitness center. I sat down at the stationary bike, inserted my ear plugs and turned on the TV. I should have avoided the news, the bickering and the sensational soundbites. I saw Mark Zuckerburg (Facebook’s creator) giving testimony to Congress about the data breaches that have made global headlines in recent weeks. I hope Congress and Mark can figure it all out and get their ROUTINES fixed, because whatever was wrong, FB is my mission field.

It doesn’t take long to deal with my own emotions, hear personal news from family and friends, along with the daily news, that the weight of the world invades my mind. I returned home from my work out and I was bombarded with those weights – not from the gym, but the world. I began to do the ugly cry – for my friends, my family, my world AND ME! I was having one of THOSE mornings. My upbeat, joy-filled, press-on, unwavering, tenacious attitude AND ROUTINE was interrupted with a wave of doubt, unbelief and concern. I was drenched in a puddle of self-pity.

I rushed to my journal, another routine, and I began to write: “My feelings hurt! I’m too sensitive. I’m too fleshly. I'm weary. I feel so weak. Restore my soul, oh Lord. Renew a right spirit within me. Lord, PLEASE HELP ME!” I quickly went to another of my morning routines, my Bible and my devotional booklet. Up popped these scriptures from Psalm 34, and, soon, all was well.
~ “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall ever be in my mouth.”
~ "I sought the Lord and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears.”
~ “Look to Him that you may be radiant with joy and your faces may not blush with shame."
~ “Taste and see how good the Lord is; blessed the man who takes refuge in Him."

Thanks be to God. I could breathe again. I’m so thankful that the Bible goes to great lengths to show us that all the people on its pages were ordinary and average, doing one little thing after another, rooted in trust, grounded in good news, and drenched in fear or hopelessness. Even people like Moses, Noah, Abraham and Sarah had their weaknesses and made their missteps. The only one who rose above it all was Jesus. As for the rest of the people in all the stories of the Bible, God filled them up with His Holy Spirit and breathed life into their ROUTINES, their dreams and their plans, and God, through ordinary people who did ordinary things, made miracles happen that changed the world for good.

Maybe today, your ROUTINE is out of whack. You also long for the “all is well” state of being. Take heart, my friends. All IS well. We just need to keep breathing….deeply. We do our part. We fight the good fight. We keep looking up. We can count on God's ROUTINE...He is ALWAYS faithful.

The Attitude of Gratitude

I've loved seeing FB posts by many of you who are expressing 30 days of gratitude in this month of Thanksgiving. Others are just randomly posting how grateful they are for their faith, God's love and life's sweetest blessings -- their family, friends, their health, their precious times together making memories -- all those things that money just can't buy.

I love it! And, if you and I have let that attitude of gratitude slip us by, just maybe it's a perfect way for us to start our day and week -- this week -- with simple words and thoughts of gratitude!

Zig Ziglar was such a dear friend and such had such a tremendous influence in our family's lives -- in so many ways. You could tell where he came from -- and that an attitude of gratitude was right up there in his values. What was Zig's secret? Zig's widowed mother of eleven raised her children alone. Though extremely poor, Mrs. Ziglar instilled a strong work ethic in her children and raised them to believe that both she and God loved them. She also taught her children to practice saying "please" and "thank you." Those lessons stuck. Her formula of work, love and faith made their difficult lives easier and enjoyable.

Zig said, "When we neglect to require our children to say `thank you' when someone gives them a gift or does something for them, we raise ungrateful children who are highly unlikely to be content. Without gratitude, happiness is rare. With gratitude, the odds for happiness go up dramatically."

And even more so, how much our Father God wants to bless His kids as He sees our attitudes of gratitude! To acknowledge Him for not just the big things, but all the daily blessings in each and every day.. So, today, I'm starting with saying "Dear God. Today I woke up. I am healthy. I am alive. I am blessed beyond what I deserve. Thank you."

Never, Never, Never QUIT

Have you been part of a project or had a great idea and someone said, "It can't be done"? Or with a group that despite the odds against them, they're "just doing it"?

Milton HERSHEY failed in his first two attempts to set up a candy business.

H.J. HEINZ set up a company that produced horseradish. It went bankrupt.

Steve Jobs got fired from APPLE, the company he founded. Only to return a few years later to turn it into one of the most successful companies ever.

During WW II Sir Winston Churchill led his country during its darkest hours. The British people leaned on him, drew strength from him, because his will and determination were like iron. He said time and time again, "Never quit!"

We all may start out flying high with ambition, determination, and enthusiasm. But, often we get tired and wonder if what we dreamed will come to pass. It's then that we should remember those who reached success because of their relentless ability to set their faces like flint toward their goal. It's time for us to follow their lead to declare our "Never Quit" attitude, regardless of the opposition... regardless of the circumstances... regardless of how we might feel... WE NEVER QUIT.

Yes, there are times when we must stop and reassess... we may need to take a detour....we may need to make course corrections... we may need to discover that missing key component...we may need to pick ourselves up from having fallen FLAT on our faces! I've been there all those times -- and one promise I made to myself, was to never allow anyone or any circumstance to steal from me this one determination: I WILL NEVER QUIT! In fact, QUIT, is not a part of my DNA -- it's not in my hard drive -- it's not in my vocabulary! How about you?

Be That Water Bottle -- Gaining Momentum

Two years ago this month, I joined Solavei -- (this photo is from the June, 2012 pre-launch event -- about 156 of us were there -- now there are over 400,000 of us). Like thousands of other Solavei members, I am a hard-working, fully-branded and ALL-IN Solavei member -- not because of my kids, but because of what we started out to do -- making a difference in millions of people's lives -- and that's what we're doing. My network of thousands is by the process of just sharing this great opportunity with others, because I care! There have been no special favors (well, I do get to hang a little more than some with Ryan and Staci and families -- not because of Solavei, but after all, I am their Mama -- LOL) and no handouts to me. I have simply followed the easy process of sharing like a great movie or restaurant, and replicated what other leaders were doing. I am beyond thrilled for those who enjoy a lower phone bill, and some even FREE mobile service because they shared Solavei with one, two or just a few people. That, of itself is HUGE!

But most importantly, I want to share with you WHO I am and WHY I am proud to represent this company and all it stands for. I have to add here that I've had a lot of major crises in my life -- none greater than when my sweetheart graduated to heaven. But, that early passing created a determination and quest for taking that major blow and optimize my assignment on this earth. No matter what has come our way, the last thing our family is prone to do is gnash our teeth and wail about the unfairness of life. On the contrary, we determine to not only approach any conundrum that may come our way with a can-do attitude, but we look at the problem as a chance to gain new experiences and opportunities. We may be momentarily daunted by challenges that come our way, but we typically take it all in and realize -- it may look like a setback, but we are quick to realize "we're getting prepared for a MAJOR comeback!"

Ryan has always shared about how Solavei is like an empty plastic bottle and if you throw it into a stream of white water rapids, it naturally flows down the river with great momentum! That's enough for me to continue blazing the trail, touching more people's lives, and thanking God everyday -- that I have more today in my budget than before Solavei.

And, I'm still on a roll. I have no reason to stop what I have been doing for over two years now. I have been sharing this dream, this vision and this opportunity from the beginning. And, believe me, the systems in place, the resources, the offering, the experience, the determination and the support have never been better than today. What if this is that -- that could radically change millions of people's lives? Why would I stop now? I'm just saying.... "Let's continue to be that water bottle, gaining momentum in our lives -- no stopping now! Let's go stronger than ever before. I promise you....we'll look back on these days and be so glad we did.......and not wish we had!"
#WinningBigWithSolavei

We Can Do This!

There's a lot of folks out there complaining about the weather, the economy, the government, their job, their co-workers, their spouses, their children or their neighbor. And, then there are folks who are always optimistic, "can-do", undaunted in their attitude to win, and whether the sun is out -- or hiding behind a cloud -- they always see it shining. They walk into a room and the sun comes in with them. When the worst of the worst happens -- the best of the best comes out of them. I'm just sayin' -- WE CAN DO THIS! We can be conquerors and overcomers and always see the glass FULL. You ask "HOW?" Let THE SON come into your heart -- then the GREATER ONE will live in you, and He will give you the confidence and strength to live above the fray....COME WHAT MAY!!
We really CAN be difference makers. Come on....WE CAN DO THIS!

Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining

It was the 3rd night of our Southern Caribbean cruise (it was our annual, romantic get-away), when, suddenly, the lights began to flicker and the engines came to a screeching halt. It was a dramatic sight as people ran to their cabins to get their life jackets. Fear consumed most of the passengers. We knew many were thinking "TITANIC!" We later learned the engine had caught on fire. Of course there was legitimate cause for anxiety and discouragement. But, Ron and I were completely calm since we were cruising veterans, and were led by our faith. We became the voice of reason to encourage and settle down passengers, and help the crew bring peace to the situation. The ship was towed to Montego Bay (150 miles away), and several 747 jets took the 1,500+ guests back to our home destinations. Many people were very upset about the inconvenience, and that their cruise had ended so abruptly, but Ron and I kept thinking "something good is going to come out of this". That’s the “thought” option we have always purposed to have when the surprises of life happen. We can join with the crowd that looks for the worst in any given situation, or, we can always believe “every cloud has a silver lining”.

And, indeed it did -- not only did we receive a full refund for that cruise, but we were given an 8-day cruise for free on the ship of our choice. And, when we took the next cruise, our flights were overbooked, so we received over $1,800 in flight dollars.

I’m not saying that every time we encounter a difficult situation, and we take the high road with optimistic thinking, that there will be such benefits at the other end, but I am saying that when “life happens”, it’s truly a waste of time, energy and emotions to stress out about it. This is what I know about God. My concerns are not a burden to Him -- neither are they a surprise to Him. Turning over my cares and worries to Him, is how I show Him that I truly trust Him, and His unwavering and undaunted love for me. And when I bring Him my attitude of praise and thanksgiving – regardless of the circumstance I’m in, He gives me peace to take me to the other side -- whether it's by boat, car, plane or bicycle. And in that case, I sincerely believe EVERY cloud really does have a silver lining.

I THINK....I Can!

Did you know what we think about the most…..is what we get? It’s like a giant magnet – pulling those things to us. If we noted our thoughts for 24 hours, what would those notes reveal about our hearts, our values and our attitudes? We might be thinking, "This is a crummy day. Nothing is going my way!" And, guess what, the more we think that, the crummier it will get. Our thought life really can determine our present, and our future. This is a scripture I meditate on frequently, and I do my best to bring my thought life from the negative to the positive when I quote it: "Finally, brothers and sisters, 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)

Yes, it takes discipline, and a conscious effort, but I’m going to make sure my thoughts are on those things that I want coming my way!

So.....here's my thoughts for today: "It's going to be a great day! I will make a positive difference in someone's life. I am so thankful for the gift of life. I am prosperous and successful. I am unstoppable. I'm a daughter in the royal family of Father God. Wow...and He loves me so much! I am filled with peace, joy, hope and I will NOT quit! I am healthy, strong, full of life and energy! I will not give up, until I'm taken up. I am more than a conqueror. I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me. I am a WINNER! In fact, I can JUMP from here to there......with one giant leap of faith!"

"For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he." Proverbs 23:7

Gratitude = Love, Peace, Hope & Joy

In June, I'll travel to Seattle to be a part of my 2nd oldest grandson's high school graduation celebrations. I'm so excited. I love being out there with my family. It's always a time of watching my grandchildren perform in their music and sports activities, going on hikes, having parties, playing games, and having so much fun! I'm looking forward to hugs and kisses and "Nana, watch this movie with me" or "Nana, let's go for a walk." I'm so grateful for those times of making memories.

BUT, on the other hand.....I could get in an all-out tizzy if I let myself think about what it takes to get there, and back home again. All that packing, and a day of travelling. And, remembering the stormy weather that meant spending the night in DFW airport. I could think about the flight delays and crying babies on my flight. My baggage was lost too many times to count -- not to mention dealing with cranky passengers and flight attendants. Why in the world would I consider taking another flight?

Wherever we are, wherever we go, whatever we do -- we will encounter "stuff". It's life. Life throws some crazy things our way. But, the bigger picture is.....what are we making of those times? If we exude an attitude of gratitude no matter what comes our way, blessings and God's favors can happen right in the middle of those times if we think and believe, "Good things are coming my way today!" I've learned to pray for divine encounters on my travels -- "What if this flight delay was "heaven sent" so that I could encourage someone?" In fact, that did happen during that DFW overnight experience. We were able to wrap our arms and hearts around a precious elderly woman and bring her peace, in the middle of her storm.

Living with a heart of gratitude, keeps the heart and mind from looking at what we don't have, to what we do have -- and in that place, I've come to experience love, hope and peace that gives me the "knowing" that whatever happens, God is surely a part of the equation to bring about beautiful things for me, as well as for those that God sets up as "my assignment". SEATTLE, here I come!!!!