Let Those Leaves Fall – Once and for All

Yesterday, for the first time this year, I had to sweep yellow, brown, and orange leaves from my front porch. Company was coming. I wanted a clean, welcoming porch. I realize that in a matter of days, my porch will be overladen with leaves. It seems I must be in a wind tunnel because my neighbors’ leaves somehow make their way to my front porch and bushes.

As their bright green color fades, it seems the leaves fall almost as quickly as they change. Part of me longs for the leaves to hold on a little longer. "Come on. You’ve got this. Think green!” But graciously the tree only listens to its Maker rather than my senseless longings. In order to flourish in the new season, the tree must let go of its decayed leaves. They’ve done their job well for their season, but their time has drawn to a close.

I am reminded that the leaves display an important lesson for all of us to follow. Just as the trees don’t stubbornly hold on to their dead leaves, so we shouldn’t hold on to the unnecessary weights of negativity that has clung on way too long in our lives. I am so ready to move on to a new season when the old one has been filled with stinking thinking, poor self-image, mistakes made, regrets and disappointments. It’s time to move on to a new season and let go of the past. So, I’m getting my game plan ready for “shaking my tree” to get all those “hanging on” negative leaves to let go and fall – especially the ones that try to impede my peace and joy.

Oh, how God longs to empower and strengthen us for the new season ahead! So much awaits us when we let the past go. “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18,19

It’s time for us to release the grasp of the “dead and unfruitful” leaves that prevent a freshness to the season ahead. Could it be that the decayed leaves have piled up and our heart needs to discard them for good – once and for all? God longs to help us let go. All we have to do is go to Him in prayer and ask Him to shine His light on any thoughts, circumstances, habits or other “decayed leaves” we might be clinging to.

As you and I watch the leaves fall this season, my prayer is that you are reminded to let go of anything that would hinder a fresh relationship with God. I’m praying that prayer for me, too! I’m “letting go” and letting God have His way in me in this blessed new season.

We’ve Arrived….Well, Maybe Not!

I think back on my life and the times I thought I had “arrived”. I had a boyfriend at last! I’ve arrived! I graduated from high school. I’ve arrived. I landed a great job. I've arrived! I got married. I’ve arrived. I had a baby --- then, two babies! I’ve arrived. In reality, those were never arrivals. They were simply journeys that still continue – even to today.

Once upon a time, I thought being a Christian was a “you’ve arrived kind of thing.” The truth is: I haven't arrived. I am still in great need of my Savior. I must lean on him...24/7. Sometimes I'd like to retreat -- even for a 10-minute nap! To say it’s often a battle puts it mildly. But the crazy good news is this – the battle is good. Good for us. It makes us warriors.

God has the game plan and assures us of a win....eventually. So I’ve come to be okay with the battle. We often get "bruised and battered" in the combat, but the battle makes us wiser and more aware of the same old schemes and tactics of the enemy of our souls. We get stronger. He gets dumber. He is such a loser.

The truth is our faith journey isn’t about arriving. It is about carrying on. We "pick up our cross and follow Jesus" -- no turning back. Our journey is about grabbing hold of the hem of Jesus’ garment and hanging on for dear life. And while we're holding on, we trust that the enemy is waving the white flag of surrender and shouting "CEASE FIRE"! But we don't cease fire. We are in it to win it and no doubt we will because the Lord is with us as a mighty warrior (Jeremiah 20:11).

I've had my times on the battlefield. I assure you -- all the battle scars turn into our testimony. People hear our story and are often star-struck at God in us. We point heavenward because you and I both know, it is a miracle that we’re still here and we’re still standing -- because of God's amazing grace!

This faith ride that we’re on isn’t a one-time ticket where we can say “I’ve arrived!” it is a continual commute. It is a consistent day-by-day, in the trenches of life, even being engaged in an ongoing battle that must be fought minute-by-minute. We are in the middle of it each day and we will not surrender. We will not give up because, in God’s sight and His all-knowing end of the story – we win. It all counts. It is all worth it. God sees. The celebrations will begin when we step over to the other side and it all will be worth it. In the meantime.....we suit up, show up and FORWARD march!

"Christ, the royal Master leads against the foe; forward into battle. See, His banners go! Onward Christian Soldiers! Marching as to war, with the cross of Jesus going on before."

Navigating the Journey is Worth it!

As strategic as you can be on a trip through the mazes, long walking stretches between one ride or experience to the next, being in your spot for the parade and fireworks and the shows as well as determining Fast Pass versus Stand By can be almost mind-boggling. Believe me, showing up with no plan is most certainly not the best use of your time and money – at Disney World..... or in life. Planning goes a long way in the grand scheme of things. Our family has always been planners. It started with the Grand Poobah -- my husband, who was the detailed planner who made sure we were at Point A and B at the precise time needed. Yesterday, in spite of the accuracy of our day, we still had to veer off the Game Plan in order to adjust for some unexpected delays. Isn’t that part of life – being flexible and willing to make the adjustments? Time management is so essential as we plot our daily courses in life, and the older I get, the more I realize, managing my time is critical when it comes to finishing what I start, making good lists so that I can check off those “must do’s”. Larry and Staci went over the “must do’s” with Payton and Alexia before the day started and, combined with Fast Passes and plotting the course of the day, made for completing all our goals for the day.

It takes a lot of “Golden Rule” applications while you’re navigating around little people, strollers, wheel chairs, and motorized skooters at Disney World. Good thing we didn’t have to have a crash course in exercising kindnesses to others because we just happen to believe that’s what our walk of faith and being a bearer of Light is all about. Case in point, while riding the monorail back at the end of the day and seeing my sweet son, Larry, as tired as he was, to give up his seat for others time and again. He is a great example of "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you!”

For myself, amidst the sweetness of all the Disney characters singing “You are special. Just be yourself. You don’t have to be like anyone else!” as well as the twinkling eyes of the adults arrayed in their Mickey & Minnie Mouse shirts, pants or hats (us included), young children, dressed in the look-alike clothes, who are in awe that they are seeing, in real life, their beloved Disney characters, my awe and wonder comes from one of Walt Disney’s most famous quotes, “Let us not lose sight of one thing: that it was all started by a mouse.”

On a train ride home to tell his brother Roy that they had just lost everything they had, Walt drew a little mouse. Walt did the things that everyone else said was impossible. He was never afraid to chase his dreams. The mouse he drew on a train ride became the face of many TV shows as well as a theme park, named after Walt himself: Disneyland. Now there are many theme parks across the world in addition to many other movies and products. Walt Disney World serves as proof that nothing is impossible and that you should never be afraid to chase your dreams!

Imagine that….an unrelenting dreamer and believer in not quitting, but to continue to make those dreams a reality. Of course we needed photos of these famous quotes that cause us to continue to NEVER stop dreaming and believing. Stay tuned for even more inspiration as tomorrow's journey takes us to Epcot!

We Believe!

We Believe!
We love our OKC Thunder basketball team and they had a great season this year, but the Golden State Warriors are having an even better season. The Thunder fell one game short of making it to the NBA Finals because of the Warriors, but there's always next year for a rebound!
We Believe!

Speaking of rebound, the rebound of the Golden State Warriors is worth a FB post today. And, it's all because of their willingness to make a commitment to change AND put in the work to make it happen. I read that the Warriors are in the midst of a record-setting season with 73 regular season wins that broke the NBA record previously held by the Chicago Bulls.

But the backdrop to this acclaim is what impressed me. This success didn't happen overnight. They started planting seeds for this current winning streak way back in 2006. They called it the “We Believe” season. Leading up to that season, the franchise broke the NBA record for the number of consecutive years WITHOUT making the playoffs (12). Head coach Don Nelson traded most of their big-name players for a motley crew of journeyman and misfits to play “small ball,” a strategy that favors increased scoring, agility and speed over height, strength and low post offense and defense.

Nelson decided to create a fun, fast-paced style of play designed so that players were interchangeable parts. The entire team rallied, highlighting each other’s strengths while also having fun playing a game they love. The result was astounding and marked a turnaround that led to an improbable playoff run, which shocked fans and experts.

The “We Believe” season not only revitalized the franchise, but also its fan base. The Warriors' fans are known to be the most supportive and vibrant fan base in the league. Why? It’s simple—the franchise has transformed their failure into success. Fans love cheering for a team that plays the game with joy, passion and celebrates each other’s success each and every game.

Maybe you belong to a motley crew or a dysfunctional team of misfits ('er....family) and you can relate to needing a revitalization of joy, passion and celebration. Maybe there's something we can learn from the idea of highlighting each other's strengths. Maybe we need that "WE BELIEVE" mantra. What if in our families, our businesses, our schools and our support groups, we accentuated the positives of those around us and celebrated each other's talents, abilities and strengths and then in the midst of getting the jobs done, whether it's coming together to clean the house or garage, to have team meetings that celebrate our co-workers, to encourage the abilities of fellow members of clubs, and to create an environment for deliberate joy, passion and celebration? Just maybe we will become ONE with interchangeable parts that will rise to victory? Just maybe, WE BELIEVE will become WE ACHIEVED! Maybe all we need is just a little shift in our game plan, then our seasons will be record-breaking!